Having spent an unexpected night in a fancy hotel in Buenos Aires after our plane was diverted on our way to Iguazu, we had already had a taste of the atmosphere of this great city and were excited to explore more.

We decided to spend a week, and so rented a cute little apartment in a block in the suburbs of the city. It was a metro ride from the cities attractions but we didn't mind and instead enjoyed blending in with the locals and practicing our Spanish.

We whiled away our days having lazy breakfasts in bed, hopping on the metro to town, tramping around the distict city areas and ducking in and out of endless craft stores in persuit of the best gaucho knife BsAs has to offer.

The 12 lane dual carriageway, the largest in the world, courses right through the centre and is a tourist attraction in itself and the mayhem that ensues when navigating this particular road (in the back of a taxi) is crazy, even for South American standards.

We escaped the fumes of the city and took the train to Tigre for the day. It was possibly the worst train journey I have ever experienced. Sweat dripped down my face, chest and legs, sticking me to the plastic chair and leaving my clothes utterly soaked and disgusting-attractive image, i know. That hour on the train felt like four. Horrid.

Tigre was pleasant. We hopped on a water taxi which transported us through the swampy rivers and dropped us off at a small island where we walked the circuit followed by inquisitive doggies and had a lovely lunch on the riverside.

One of the highlights of Buenos Aires has to be the Recolata area of town. A huge metal sculpture of a flower opens and closes its petals with the sun and is a stunning modern addition to the cities attractions. A five minute walk away is the amazing Recolata Cemetery-resting place of Argentina's rich and famous. What a crazy place. The tombs are the size of small houses with ornate fittings all set out along a network of straight pathways. A village of the dead. Another oddity about the place is the cats. Many stray cats have made this quiet area of town their home and stroll around the dead streets like they own the place. Evita is of course burried here, making it an even bigger tourist pull.

Highlights of our evening entertainment-

A night at a melonga forcing our feet to tread the steps of the famous Argentine Tango and gauping at the array of amazing dancers.

A sophisticated evening listening to the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra at the Teatro Colon.

We join in the teenage excitement and watch the penultimate installment of Breaking Dawn in a comfy reclining cinema seat with the best popcorn ever tasted.

Our final day in the city and a chance to rub shoulders with Argentinas Polo crowd. Not really fulfilling the Pretty Woman fantasy but we did meet an old coger who had dined with royalty!

Buenos Aires has filled our hearts with mixed emotions and memories. Our week there was like a mini city break in the middle of our backpacking tramp around the world. A chance to actually unpack our bags and feel settled. We enjoyed the culture and entertainment on offer and were refreshed and ready for the next leg of our journey.

Unexpected flight to London Heathrow.