Last Day in BA

20th Jan 08

Alvear Palace Hotel

Today I get ready to leave BA - Patagonia awaits!!

I am now going to make myfinal entry until my return from Patagonia as I do not expect to be able to have enough time to sit down in an internet cafe to update anything while I am on the move.

Yesterday, Saturday, I spent the morning doing some washing (no place to do it while I am trekking), downloading my photos onto a CD, and adding pics to my blog.  There was I thinking I had left my secretarial days behind me!  This is a "working" holiday also.

In the afternoon I was invited to a family home one hour north of BA.  I know the father is this family from correspondence on the web when I was doing my research for the trip.  I was supposed to take his "tour of the real Buenos Aires" but he had knee surgery and is unable to walk unaided at the moment - hence the invite to visit his home and meet his wife and daughter.  Many people would think I was rather rash to go all that way, having never met the person before, but sometimes you have to go with your gut feeling and trust your instincts!  In this case I made a wise decision.  The family live in a Country Club estate with security in a gated community.  They have a beautiful home set in large grounds with a swimming pool and lots of space and fresh air - a total contrast from BA city.

Beautiful House in BA

They entertained me royally - we had afternoon tea with a delicious Lemon Meringue pie!!  In the evening I went to Mass with his wife and daughter (she is a nun) to a very pretty but simple church.  Afterwards I was taken to dinner to a fine restaurant (see my pics) where we had an excellent meal.  At 11 pm I was put in a taxi which took me all the way back to my B&B.  It was a great experience to meet "real" Argentinians and discuss their country with them.  You learn so much more from being with local people.  I hope to meet up with them again before I leave Argentina.

Today, I have done all my packing, am finishing off this blog and then going for lunch with my B&B owners, to San Telmo for a farewell meal. This has been an excellent B&B and I can understand why it was voted the No. 1 B&B in BA - I have no complaints whatsoever - good food, excellent rooms and bathrooms and above all really friendly and helpful owners - over and above the normal service - they booked things for me and made any telephone calls I needed for the ongoing trip - 5* service without a doubt.

Bellas des Artes - National Gallery

NB.  They did not pay me to say this!!

So, I will say Chaio until my next entry - after Patagonia.  Keep well, everyone and thank you for reading my diary to date.  Hope you will not fall by the wayside!

Botanical Gardens - Tai Chi Group

Church of Sr del Pilar in Recoleta

Dinner with BA family

Museum of Decorative Arts

Oldest tree in BA

Teatre Colon

The Obelisk