Blog Update from Argentina Feb 29-Mar 1

Written by Christina Smith

Thursday, 22 March 2012 23:38

The adventure continues...
Last night´s outing turned into meeting some locals, and getting a brief tango lesson, then listening to some local live music outside until the wee hours of the morning (still jetlagged and wide awake, resisting bed)

There´s something intriguing about walking home late at night in an area not yet familiar. It´s also freakishly exciting to know that there are bad parts in Buenos Aires that I am to beware of... like every city I guess. To need a map to navigate, makes me laugh, because then I look like a real tourist no matter how hard I try to fit in... but it sure doesn´t help when I´m pulling the paparazzi every other minute! Also, the moment I open my mouth, it blows my cover, because my Spanish is so very rusty, that I´m even frustrated that the locals can´t save me when I´m drowning and unable to find the proper word(s) to spit out! FYI: Got home safe last night and eventually got to sleep and relived my childhood by being on the top bunk of a bunkbed of a hostel.

Mental note to self: Argentinians lock their front doors of their houses, hotels as well as their giftshops during work hours... Any indication of the area I´m in? Hmmmmmmm?

Day 2 started off on the right foot with a great shower, continental breakfast and organized myself for the day at a gradual snail´s pace. But on a mission to head where Valerie (our night receptionist) suggested me to go. Well, day shift front desk didn´t have the same suggestions... It was broad daylight and she strongly urged me not to walk and to take the bus instead; to keep my napsack in front of my chest versus on my back, and to remove all items from my pockets (namely my camera). She said to use common sense... which I have found to be not so common unless you have been traveling and/or have learned the hard way by having been robbed.

The bus rides to and from were somewhat eventful. I was told once by an older man going and once by a young lady returning, to hide my camera as someone would grab it even from my hands...oh boy...gives one a sense of reassurance doesn't it?
The day of window shopping and browsing was fun & entertaining, as many restaurants had live music, tango dancers and the streets were very colorful in the district of Boca with several painted murals.
I made it back with food to prepare consisting of things I had never tried or brought back childhood memories...such as the blood sausage which I had no idea how to prepare, but thought...how hard could it be? The other items were: a blue kind of cheese, local fresh vegetables and fruits (like real fresh figs not dried :) and actually got my own first bottle of local (San Telmo) red wine, which I hope I could share with some new found friends vs by myself. People in Argentina are so friendly, as they are first to help you if you look lost or need help...picking out a bottle of wine for example (haha)!
Dinner was eventful learning how to know when that blood sausage was ready to eat, but the wine went very well with it and the cheese :)
I thought, since it was my last night in Buenos Aires, I would try to go find a place to tango...Arrrriba! I went back to the heart of San Telmo and was lured into TodoMundo (the restaurant from the eve before) to hear a touring Cuban/Argentinian/Columbian live band. They were Amazing!!! The group approached me following one of their sets to introduce themselves. Next thing I knew, I was up dancing with their friends. The first music gig turned into a second one at another spot around the corner which turned into another 5am bed time!...This trip is getting off to quite a start I must say! I doubt the bike trip will be the same once I meet Rick from Two Wheel View tomorrow at the airport for my 2pm flight to Tucuman. Good Luck getting to the airport on time!

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