Microtel Inn & Suites Buenos Aires (Costa Salguero)

... heard of before. It seemed a little bizarre that he appeared to be on a cross with a prayer entreating him to take care of 'our family, friends and neighbours in the barrio (neighbourhood) of La Boca’. Then we noticed two small shrines nearby, which contained written notes and various offerings to the Gaucho, statues of him and cigarette ends. Some of you may remember a few years back, when we went to Myanmar ...

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We went for a walk, towards San Telmo, where we wanted to look for apartments. San Telmo is our favorite neighborhood in Buenos Aires. It is a lot like the East Village in NYC where we lived for almost 10 years and like Porte de Clignancourt, where we used to live in Paris. On Sundays, there is a big flea market there with street musicians and outdoor cafes.

So we left with Salina on a leash and ...

... Desnivel and grab steaks and wine, great craic!Head back to hostel about 12 and start boozing with em, left em off to club.

Gutted I couldn’t stay out with em, was having great craic between the killer ***** and the stories over the year – filling me in all about Columbia!

About 3 now and sitting here now waiting to get my taxi at 4 – Yael wanted to rearrange it as her flight isn’t til 7!Gona be jacked tomor!

Roll on Columbia!

... and to the botanical gardens, which were unfortunately closed. We also has a rather horrendous day on the food front, and were still eagerly hunting that infamous argentinian steak (one of my life goals to try!).
On Friday After a considerably good sleep in a regretfully not so smart but much more suitably traveller-style hostel, we finally made it to the botanical gardens which were quite the disappoinment! Beautiful ...

The BA flights were booked and began with a domestic flight from Newcastle to Heathrow's new Terminal 5. Settled by a small bottle of complementary borjelais and a decent chicken salad sandwich. And of course that days Newcastle Evening Chronicle which is handy for finding out what your old schoolfriends are up to these days. This is pure backpacking. Flicking through the Chronicle in Heathrow with some Iranian bloke trying to have a peek of a 'those were the days' picture which ...

... head of a Moai for the perfect photographic vantage point (it looked like your average boulder from the direction I approached it, honest). More likely, it was simply caused by demonstrating a not uncommon bout of ****wittery. Whatever the cause, my digital camera - replete with snaps from the Rio Carnival, Santiago barbecue socialising and, obviously, Easter Island - remained in an airliner's seat-back pocket when it really should have been ...

... worse than sitting there after with regrets. Home for breakie in the hostel - we decide against the after-party - and into bed about 9:30am. The next day is a bit of a write-off again - get up at 4pm. End up in San Telmo again that night watching their Carnival and market which is pretty cool with Tango performers and all. Bit burned out though and its time to move on up the country - BA is wicked but you won´t manage the pace for too long (or if you do you will be ...

... is mandatory during the season of Carnvial! There were hundreds of people dancing in the street wearing colorful costumes and masks. All the kids that were there watching had cans of foam to spray any unsuspecting person who came wihin range. Mike managed to get sprayed by just about every one of them ... ha ha! The following day we went to a cemetery called La Recoleta and it was unbelievable. There were over 4000 old stone or blick ...

... just to walk around as there is sooo much to see! I especially love that they have masses and masses of old fashioned buildings with mouldings and stuff everywhere:D I have also discovered Dulce de leche, which I´m simply going to HAve to import into Holland. I no longer can imagine my life without it. I know this is completely off topic but who cares. Speaking of trying, I´ve had my first couple of sips of Mate, which is actually completely disgusting and far to bitter, but not to ...

... getting "screaming barfies" from numbness. Being a desert though, the sun warmed the area after the first climb to about 50 degress and the rock radiated heat, leaving us to forget it was mid January. We all had a great day of climbing. I finally lead Jigsaw Direct on the Moonshine Dihedrals, a 5.10B bouldery sport climb that I've been too pansy to lead in the past. And Ben redpointed Insinuating Bliss, a pumpy 5.11B that's also on the ...