Mansion Vitraux Buenos Aires

Hola a todos!

Time to start this very overdue blog entry!! I have been beyond busy with the holidays, midterms, Hillel, exploring more of the city and seeing friends that every time I thought about sitting down to write another entry I just wanted to go to sleep!!

Santiago de Chile: A few weeks ago a few friends and I took a 20 hour bus ride to Santiago de Chile for the weekend. The bus was for sure an experience in itself, but for all of you who ...

... was still light at the time.

Only had a quick wander around hotel area and grabbed a quick bite, and, yes, a beer. Food good, cheap and English seems to be widely spoken. Hotel is superb (Ce Design suites), very modern, bright and transparent, good use of mirrors and colours. Even has a jacuzzi in the bathroom.

Plan on lots of walking next two days, so early night for me.

... a look at my watch to see it is 2 in the afternoon. We struggle out of bed and Lucas and I check in to our new hostel. I go back to sleep in a room beside a dorm which seems to be housing a group of Swine Flu victims such is the frequency of hacking coughs.

I am convincing myself I am not missing out on anything as I have come to the conclusion that Buenos Aires comes alive at night.

We all convene in the Red Bells Saloon which drums out Bruce ...

... bite and walking around the San Telmo neighborhood where <I´m staying I figured on catching an empanada or something otherwise small to curb early hunger. Nothing was open yet. Really pretty much nothing. I had heard BA is very laid back and everything gets started late but still, not even a cafe? ´Talked´ to some old lady who had a good laugh at my desire to eat a cheese empanada, i think she said later´ although i didn´t really ...

... huge tombs, including Evita's and the recently departed ex-president Raul Alonsin. It was then back to the laundry to pick up our washing. Unfortunately, I had lost our ticket so we spent 20 minutes trying to describe our clothes in Spanish! We got them all back though. We then got back to the hostel just in time for the Champions League again - obviously keeping Lorna happy! Actually, Lorna Skyped Amy whilst I watched the footy, and was still talking to her when the match finished!!

... literally the best steak I have ever had in a gorgeous restaurant. We´ll miss our tour guide! Heidi and I manage to persuade Nat she needs to go to La Cabrera...well if you have fallen off the vegetarian wagon might as well go all the way. We also meet up with Gilles and Dario, two swiss german guys who are in our room at the hostel and have another great meal...wonder if they do loyalty cards... Nat took us to La Bomba de tiempo, evening of ...

... it´s an aquired taste, like a combination between Jaegermister and tart bark. Nummy! (Lindsey stealing El Mehdi's Fernet drink. So strange...but...can't stop drinking it!) Step 3: Take your guests to a club for the real action. Whether there´s a line at the ...

... tellement ils s'étaient bien amusés. Pour le passage de l'An Neuf, les filles ont mis des petites culottes roses porte-bonheurs comme le veut la tradition en Argentine! Le lendemain, Mirjam me propose de partir avec elle à Salta dans le Nord de l'Argentine. Comme nous voyageons tous les 2 sur le même mode, à savoir à l'économie, j'accepte sans hésitation et nous prenons ensemble le bus le 1er janvier au soir pour arriver à Salta le lendemain midi.

... great surrounded by two attractive women! And for $3 we have fun and have a photo to show it! We purchase the silver pendant that we saw earlier, with an extra silver necklace that I can use that for the Israeli pendant that we purchased 37 years ago in Israel. Finally, we have a replacement for the silver necklace that broke years ago! Both actions are affirmations for living for today! We are now totally overwhelmed by the crowds ...

Day Two - Sunday Everyone recommends San Telmo on Sundays. We take a taxi and are soon at Parque Dorrego, site of the world famous San Telmo Antiques Market. This market has become so famous that it has spawned an endless variety of ancillary entertainment, such as handicraft stalls, impromptu tango shows and a plethora of "living statues" The one that attracts our attention is Carlos Gardel, looking a bit grey around the gills, but alive and well ...