I still love this town, I get the feeling this isn´t going to change anytime soon. The people are great, the city is beautiful, the nightlife rocks, life is fairly cheap, its positively soaked in culture, the weather is nearly perfect...I want to live here. That said, we WILL be back on the road soon enough for the final stretch - Brazil. Until then we´re keeping busy, don´t you worry.
Culturification Day!
That´s right, managed to get out and get ourselves a little culturified. Went out last Wednesday for free day at the Museum of Latin American Art...too much fun! They have this exhibit with 4 different "chill-out rooms", essentially black draped doors to keep the light out and a different atmosphere in each. The first was a seriously cushy/bouncy foam floor with big geometric shape pillows all over - of course we quickly got down to destroying any ambience with a massive pillow fight, fort building effort, and various acts of a childish nature. Other rooms were one with just a string of 14 hammocks and one completely filled with balloons on the floor (tell me you can´t picture us in there!). The art itself was quite cool as well, mostly modern art of the scratch your head variety.
Later on we went to a Tango show at the oldest cafe in town. VERY cool scene - had a few drinks and watched a little play/concert/tango exhibition in a small basement room with about 20 tables, us front and centre thanks to Alaska´s forward thinking reservation the day before. We almost felt classy, almost.
Feel like locals
Most other days have been spent just wandering fairly aimlessly and really getting to know this place inside and out. Hit a couple of our favourite clubs again and checked out a new one that goes straight to that list, Sunsets on Friday nights - big indoor outdoor set up, Latin music, regular pop stuff, and a big electronic music room, even the occasional foam party on the outside deck.
Spent the last couple of days being pretty touristy, doing all the areas and tours we know we "have" to but haven´t gotten around to, including La Boca, a very colourful (literally) and interesting little corner. Now one of the grittier corners of the city and home to the beloved Boca Juniors futból team. Went on a thoroughly boring tour of an old colonial house and tunnel system. we were pretty excited about the tunnels but didn´t really even get to go in them...lame. It was the only reason we went, I want my $1.33 back!
Also toured the government palace, where I was nearly kicked out for doing a headspin in the presidential palm garden. This is like the Argentinean White House, and apparently head spins in the courtyard are not acceptable. Who would have known? Managed to sneak in another few hours hanging out with Shay, mentioned her in the last update, just a ridiculously cool girl. Alas, back in New York now...
Our own Apartment!!!
How cool is this! We managed to sort out an apartment for 9 days between 4 of us, its freaking brand new, includes everything, decently located, and all for more or less the same price as four of us staying at a hostel. Its been soooo nice - we´ve been having friends by, cooking up massive dinners, just generally chilling and having a home base. Have I mentioned I could SO live here?
New Years
New Years was memorable, I´ll give it that at any rate. We started with dinner and drinks at the hostel...the whole crew just like Xmas. Then we moved on to check out the fireworks at midnight down at Puerto madero, which were alright. Next up to the boys hostel, the Millhouse, where we were freaking barred at the door! Private party they said! Well, wish I could go into our usual so we broke in through a window story...but we sat outside for what seemed like forever while everyone inside got organized.
Stage two of the evening, already 2 or 3 am, and we´re wandering soooo aimlessly, champagne bottle in hand, trying to figure out where we´re going. Eventually, after several near misses due our insistence that we had to have a picture sitting in the middle of a 6 or 8 lane major road, we found ourselves outside Opera Bay, a massive club, same as Xmas for those paying attention.
After all taking a nap on the lawn nearby (it was like 4 am!), Mark decided he was going to sneak over the back fence, and off he went. When he didn´t come back we figured he was either in trouble or had actually made it, so we toddled off to sort it out. Alan, drunk as anything, just walks straight up to the back door, straight past the bouncer like he owns the place, and he´s in! Understand this place thinks itself fairly special and its not like they´d take kindly to party crashers, but there it was. Tali and I followed suit, were intercepted by the bouncer, and SOMEHOW, after a few minutes banter I convinced him we had legitimately just wandered out by accident and had already paid! Yes sir, I swear, last time. Once inside, who do we see, but Mark the man himself, fresh from his fence jumping. All in, all for free, about $70 US saved between us! Too much fun, rest of the night rocked (how could it not!).
Friends in Town
More news, my friend Danielle from Van has landed in BA this week with her sister so we´ve had some fresh blood to liven up the scene. Been nice to show them around a bit and generally catch up...kind of a strange blast from home to have someone I last saw on my going away night just rock up in Buenos Aires!
WTook the girls out to Tigre for their first day, a rich suburb where all the moneybags go for the weekend. Its quite cool, right on the delta of the river so all there are hundreds of little canals and connecting rivers, and an equal number of tiny islands all over the place. Everyone just gets around by boat and we spent the day taking a ferry out and just wandering around people´s yards essentially. Also took a return trip to the cemetery here, had them by the apartment a lot, hit our favourite restaurant, the grand tour essentially.
The home stretch
The sad truth is, we have to leave. And soon. We have the apartment until the 12th, then we have to have a major planning session as we really haven´t acknowledged we´re leaving and hence have no idea where we are going. In the general direction of Brazil though, and that would be the home stretch as I fly home after Carnival. Seemed at some points that going home was forever away, now it seems sooo close. Will be good and ready for some of mom´s cooking, a bit of quiet time, a few nights out with boys, and catching up with my sis....but not quite yet...bring on Brazil baby! This entry is a little random I know, will be quicker and more lucid with the updates to come I promise. Lots of love from Bs As,
--Shawn
More thumbnails ...
Buenos Aires Hotels
69 votes 
This is a top pick!
