Plaza Hostel Buenos Aires

... wonderful people there in between horse riding, eating steak and being forced to dance 'Gaucho-style'. And I use the word 'dance' advisedly. We returned to B.A and had a final few nights carousing our way around this fine city.




Buenos Aires really is something to behold. It's lively, people only go for their evening meals around Ten O Clock and then go out properly around midnight and the food is awesome. Plus, although I'd heard South America can be dangerous ...

... too crowded, and too loud, and usually the party doesn’t stop until 7 the next morning.

Good

- Food. So far in Argentina, I’ve had Korean food for the first time in my life, some of the best Chinese food I’ve had in a long time, and the most amazing dark chocolate mousse ice cream you could imagine.

Bad

- My once slim physique is now ...

So, after 2 days of dealing with the aftermath of airline food, I´m back on my feet. My buddy Craig flew in from Atlanta on Tuesday morning and it´s been full speed ahead since. Of all the things that I brought with me on this trip, the Doctor Scholl´s sole inserts has been the MVP. I don´t think I would lasted so long walking everywhere without them. Here´s to you Doc!

Ok, well off to Mendoza and wine country this afternoon! Stay tuned!

... Tango area of BA. We weren´t disappointed as during our first lunch in a cafe in one of the plazas we witnessed a lady tangoing in the street, firstly with an elderly gentleman, then a tourist (whose tango was lacking and that´s being kind) and finally with a man who was clearly her official partner. It was I´m sure all for the benefit of the punters sitting at the restaurant tables in the plaza but nevertheless it was great to witness and really made me feel like we had had a sneak ...

... a boca Jersey, so me wanting to be a bit different went and bought a River Plate jersey (the equivalent to buying an english jersey in Ireland)
On our last night we went to the famous Cabrera restaurant to have the best steak in buenos aires. It didnt fail to deliver. We had a great night and I made a pig of myself. I enjoyed Buenos Aires but was very happy to be going on to do the outdoors activities in southern argentina and Chile!

... which I was obviously expected to leave via when I did understand the directions. Now, after about 3 or 4 repetitions I vaguely understood what the name of the place he was telling me to go to was called so just started walking.....and FOUND IT! I was so relieved. However, the cambio also had the longest queue in the history of the world. And I was the only tourist and was being stared at. Very amusing but got my pesos and was on my way. Then I got ...

... faux-pas of this trip I'm sure, but at times I'm glad my hair grows like bamboo, as in a week's time nobody will know the history and a mullet will be perilously close once again.

Just thought I'd share that ditty since I survived the boredom to tell the tale. I promise that next time, there'll be at least a 72.48% chance of me writing something more meaningful. Though I'd hate to be so formulaic.

... day gone?   It is now 7:30 PM!    As I unpack, Harvey sets up the laptop so that we can check email.   He says to me, "I have good news and bad news".   The bad news is that the power supply on the laptop went "poof" and blew out, but the good news is that we are in Buenos Aires and there is probably an Apple store here.   We stay calm and use the battery power on the laptop to access the internet and find that there is ...

... listen to Thailand's Carabao. I like crossing borders; I just don't like the paperwork. Sometimes these trails get lost and re-surface as something entirely different and original, the primal influences as long lost as the grunts and groans that eventually became language. I like making discoveries like this. That's what brings me here. That's what keeps me going, that and the desire to fly one of Virgin's new almost-orbital flights once they get the price down.

... my drink in a plastic bag wrapped around a straw! I bought a spicy meat empañada from another stall and a sweet pastry from yet another. If I wanted to I could also order a freshly made hot barbecue chicken roll (the chicken is sliced in front of you) with a choice of salads and sauces. When not dodging the ´´micros´´- the packed mini buses that are the main form of public transport here - you also huve to dodge the street ...