Steve and I spent the last 4 days doing what we do best: EATING. The week we spent in Buenos Aires was great because all we did was just walk around the city, enjoy the different sites, did more shopping, and eat great meals. We spent time in the following neighborhoods:
La Boca
We went to the Boca Junior vs. Arsenal soccer game. Wow, what an event! This was the first international soccer game for me and Steve. We've seen plenty of games on TV but to be in the midst of all the action was definitely a great experience! We loved all the chants and songs the crowd would sing during the game. I wish I knew all the words to the songs because I would have loved to sing along. I was also amazed by how many different songs/chants there were. We probably heard 7 different songs for different moments in the game: a song to get things started, a song for offense, a song for defense, a song for corner kicks, a song for scoring, a song for just the heck of it, a song for the final 10 minutes, etc. It was a lot of fun and we loved seeing the passionate fans really stand behind their team!
We were also glad that we made it out of the game in one piece. Since the Argentines are so passionate about their soccer, we were told that the games can get very hostile and intense. We were advised to take an escort to the game so that we will be out of harm's way. Escorts cost around $100 per game. Fortunately, our hotel arranged for us to go with a group or travelers like us and everything turned out great.
San Telmo
We spent a day in San Telmo which is the Tango District and the Antiques District. I'm awful at designing rooms so I typically have little interest in looking for unique decorative items. However, when we were walking through the different shops, it gave me ideas and inspired me to put together neat things when I have a home of my own. After walking through the shops, we grabbed ice cream and beer at Plaza Dorrego. This Plaza is in the center of San Telmo and it is basically a big outdoor cafe where you can sit and enjoy the tango performances at the center of the Plaza. I love watching Dancing With the Stars so this was like watching a live performance! Too bad I'm a horrible dancer.
Puerto Madero
We stayed in Puerto Madero because it is central to all the neighborhoods. This is the area where all the boats and ferries dock. There is also a lot of shopping in this area. Before Steve and I arrived in Argentina, he told me he wanted to find a leather jacket and a leather overnight bag because Argentina is known for their leather. There are so many leather shops in Puerto Madero and each shop aggressively wants to earn your business. You can bring in a design that you want to have made for you or you can shop from the many choices that they offer in the store. Since there are so many shops, you have the opportunity to price hunt and negotiate a good deal too. Steve ended up going with 2 different jackets and a new overnight bag. He was a happy camper!
Back to Palermo Soho
We spent a few nights drinking in Palermo Soho. This is the area that reminds me of NYC Soho with all their boutiques but the nightlife in Palermo Soho reminds me so much of Chicago. You have many outdoor patios with lots of people having drinks so it's a great place to wrap up your day. It's so funny how much energy you have on vacation. People know I'm not a night owl so one night Steve and I were having drinks and talking on this rooftop bar in Palermo. I asked him what time it was and he said it was 3:30am. Surprisingly, I managed to adjust to Argentina time very well. We typically would go out to eat at 11:30 pm and finish up around 1:00 am.
El Tigre
We took a boat trip out to this vacation area where the Argentines have weekend/summer homes. All these homes were located on mini islands where cars are not allowed. People have to get around in boats. We were advised by several people that this was a great tour and El Tigre was comprable to Venice, Italy. This place was okay. It was neat to see some of the homes but this was nowhere near Venice. When you describe something to be like Venice, that is raising the bar REALLY high. The only thing similar to Venice was the water and the fact that cars were not allowed. Anyways, Steve and I joked that this was comprable to the Swamp Tour in New Orleans (and the Swamp Tour was actually really cool, El Tigre was not as cool).
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was spent at our favorite restaurant La Estancia. We had to eat our share of meat once again. Seriously, the food was my favorite part of Buenos Aires. Here's a tip though...we had heard that you could get by on $15/meal in BA. Okay, that is true but you might not be getting the best that BA offers. We tried a couple of these $15 meals for lunch and they were so-so. You definitely have to a pay more to get the higher quality meals. The meats are amazing. Seriously, the best meat we have ever had. We were eating Morton's caliber steaks every night. Since BA is more affordable than the US, your "Morton's" meals would end up being $75 for 2 people instead of paying $150 in the US. These meals would include a bottle of wine too.
Steve and I loved exploring Argentina and we definitely plan to come back. Aside from all the great hiking, food, culture and shopping that we experienced, I really enjoyed being able to speak Spanish. In the beginning I was very rusty but by the middle of the trip, I started to pick it up again. It made me feel great to be able to have a conversation and understand everything that was going on. Steve really impressed me with his Spanish too. He has taken a few Rosetta Stone courses and he was able to pick up on the gist of most of our conversations. He is also a good student because anytime I would teach him a phrase or a word, he always knew how to use those phrases/words at a future time in the correct way. Nice work Steve! Now time to learn some Korean!
We arrived in the US yesterday morning. Yesterday was our first day not eating any type of red meat or having any ice cream in 2 weeks. Steve looks up at me at 11 PM and says, "I'm hungry." I replied, "Really? We just had salmon and pasta." He responded with, "I really want a steak." I felt the same. We are having major withdrawl. Anyone up for Fogo de Chao?
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