Don´t Cry for Us, or our laptop, Buenos Aires

  Buenos Aires, Capital Federal District, Argentina
Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Brave Amiguito
Buenos Aires was empty
When we thought you lost
 

Everybody tango!

Ah, Buenos Aires.  Vibrant, expansive, land of Tango and beef.  We'll remember you fondly, but also as the place where our computer was stolen.  That's right folks, after 2 exhilarating and exhausting weeks in the big city (details below), on what was to be our last night here, someone broke into our locker at the hostel and grabbed a sack containing our computer, USB cables, and, most nearly tragically, JEROME!!  The thief (still at large) turned out to be another traveler, a scam artist who had checked into the hostel with falsified documents and skipped out without paying for his room an hour after

Reunited and if feels so good

we locked up our stuff and left for the day.  We later found out we weren't his only victims: he'd stolen 4 yogurts from another hostel guest and tried to hide the evidence!  Miraculously he left our photo hard drives and other valuables in the locker. Even more miraculous, Jerome was found a day later stuffed into an abandoned locker along with the empty totebag, dazed but unharmed and much to our rejoicing.  The hostel employees (who gave us a free place to stay while we sorted out the robbery mess) thought we were a little nutty, jumping around embracing this monkey while our laptop was clearly gone forever.  Hey, certain things are priceless.
 

In line to see Eva Peron´s tomb

Enough about that, back to BA.  We really did like this city, similar to NYC but with a European flair.  They actually do tango in the streets here (passing the hat, of course), grill a ton of meat, and consume a healthy (well, unhealthy) amount of Dulce de Leche, Argentina's thick caramel answer to Chilean manjar.  We were able to rent a cheap and lovely apartment for our first 10 days here and relax in our own space (and cook!) (and walk around in a towel, wahoo!)   Another bonus was hanging out with our new friends Mike and Jordana, a fantastic couple

Mike, Jordana, llama, Bron, and Eli at the zoo

of world travelers from Toronto whom we first met in the hostel in Puerto Madryn.  With them we toured museums, the (somewhat ragged) zoo, japanese garden, Recoleta cemetery (where Eva Peron is buried), the antique fair in the historic San Telmo neighborhood, and, probably the highlight, attended a Boca Juniors soccer match!  We sat in the rowdy section where enthusiastic fans cheer, chant, bang drums, and sing  special team songs for three solid hours.  Imagine if US fans did the wave for an entire game without stopping!  That's fan dedication!
 

Victoria, Natalia, and Luz

We also had a chance to hang out with Vicki and Nati (and Vicki's sister Luz), our Argentinian buddies from Puerto Madryn.  They took us out beyond touristic BA to the adorable neighboring towns of San Isidro and San Antonio de Areco.  The former is a fancy and quaint little suburb, and the latter a sweet historical Gaucho town surrounded by beautiful farmland.  We got to feel like locals again, passing the mate and chatting in Spanish.  Vicki and Nati even gifted us with our very own mate, which we are still working out how to use!
 

San Isidro cathedral

When our apartment rental ended we returned to hostel life, got robbed, got to experience filing a police report in Spanish with a hilariously disinterested cop, and with a few extra days' stay and Eli's intrepid internet research skills, we were able to buy a new computer at an okay price (along with 2 heavy duty locks).  With the safe return of Jerome our little episode was just an inconvenience of time and money and a lesson learned.  Its definitely time to move on so we are off to Uruguay to fulfill a grade school dream Bronwen always had of visiting one of the countries that ends in ¨-guay¨!
 
Side note: A final joy of our BA trip was Obama's victory on our last night here.  Everyone we have spoken to in this part of the world is an Obama supporter, and spirits and hopes are raised by his win.  One hostel owner admitted she cried tears of joy when his presidency was announced!

(Please choose ¨view all photos¨ at the top of this page to see the full album of Buenos Aires shots!)

El Ateneo bookstore, housed in an old theater

Jardin Zoological carousel

El Caminito in La Boca district of Buenos Aires

Recoleta Cemetery

MALBA museum

Cathedral in San Telmo

Jordana gets up close and personal at the zoo

Samurai Bron, Geisha Eli

Is Eli or the Chorizo more loco?

Sleepy Tortuga at the BA zoo

Puerto Madero, BA´s waterfront

Tango in La Boca