Hotel Libertador Kempinski Buenos Aires

... asking me to sign things. At around 10.45 Sandra announces that my bike is being parked outside in its crate ready for unloading.

Finally I spot the beastie in her cardboard crate and the customs guys start to unpack her. As soon as the top layer of cardboard is removed I am running around checking her for damage. Oh dear, topbox lock has taken a bash, is jammed, and looks fXXked but after 30 seconds of beating the box, the jammed lock comes free and all falls ...

... but then I'm taking the photo so at least we'll be
sent down together".

Meanwhile, Nadine had wandered off in search of the cats that are reputed to live in the cemetary (the reason for this is that they eat the rats that live there which one can only
assume are there to snack on the contents of the many coffins hanging around in the shrines)
and was sitting on a bench down grave street. This was too ...

... and it was hands down the best sleeping I have done on a bus. Once arrived in Buenos Aires, we were able to get a hold of Katherine and hang out with her until Ines (another friend) could come and pick us up. We are staying with her family and it is unbelivable! We are so spoiled here! They live a little outside the city, but it has actually worked out quite well. We have our own room with 3 beds, their house is incredible! Super modern and ...

... coming away. However the food turned out to be really nice, even though Daniel couldn't get over why anybody would serve crisps with a main meal.
There was a party in the hostel bar tonight so we got ready and headed down at 10.30pm for happy hour, 2 cocktails for less than 3 pound, no good could come of that surely!!! At 2.30am the hostel arranged for transport to a local club called 'Crow Bar', Daniel went with some of the others from the hostel but Laura and Zoe ...

... streams. I just did one of the shorter boat trips (beware no English commentary, only on the longer ones). The whole area was very busy with locals taking a day out or rowers at the many rowing clubs. Worth doing, but not an absolute must do if your time is limited. There is a lot of worry here at the moment about Dengue Fever. In two provinces its reached epidemic proportions, but thankfully not any of the ones I visited. However ...

Finally arrived to buenos aires after 30 hours of traveling. allison has been living in buenos aires for 3 weeks learning spanish so is staying with a host family. i stayed at the millhouse hostel. great hostel with english speaking and helpful staff. there is always something going on such as tango lessons, and organised night ...

... booked ourselves straight onto a 9 hour night bus to Mendoza in Argentina. We just had enough time for some chicken and chips, a shower, an internet session and we were back on a bus! Arrived in Mendoza early in the morning and booked straight onto a Buenos Aires bound bus!! This turned out to be a bit of a bad move because we thought it should be about an 11hour journey but we seemed to be on the slow local bus which took 18hours ...

... Buenos Aires (portenos) are with our broken Spanish! Time is moving on and we have to be at the Alvear Hotel at 2 PM for the city tour that I have pre-booked with Eternautas; I had reserved this via the internet from home (www.eternautas.com). The concept is to get an overview of the city and its history, before going off exploring on our own. We need to get a bite to eat before the tour and we need to find the Alvear! We will get the sim card tomorrow ...

I certainly can't consider myself any kind of jazz expert, so the Buenos Aires Jazz Fest was as much of an educational experience as anything. The banjo was the first lesson. I was never really sure of how it was used before Earl Scruggs turned it into a picking machine. I assumed it was used in old-time pre-bluegrass 'string bands', but that's about all. Being too lazy to Wiki the mother, I really had no idea that it was a jazz instrument. But sure ...

... the Cabildo to remember the afro argentine roots of San Telmo.

The story of San Telmo and its properties is broad and rich, therefore we will keep on posting new articles on this neighborhood, its circuits and tourist attractions.

So if you are interested in Art or Antiques, and you are thinking of travelling to Argentina please feel free to email me …….. Please feel free to contact Bob Frassinetti