Buenos Aires

Arrived in Buenos Aires Saturday afternoon following an easy flight from Santiago. The city is huge with 16 million in the greater BA area. A Thunderbird friend, Christian Schmee, is from BA and recommended a little B&B where we stayed, Gorritti 4290 (also the address in barrio Palermo). Hernan and his wife who run the B&B were as nice and helpful as could be. We chilled out there prior to meeting Christian and a group of about a dozen folk from all around the world for dinner at a French bistro in barrio San Telmo. Excellent intro to such outstanding city! We met some amazingly interesting people. After dinner we hit a new trendy club, with Christian’s connections we were able to get on the guest list. After a few drinks with the “Beautiful people” of club-scene BA, we headed out to make it an early night, at 2:30 AM. BA is a very very late town. We didn’t sit down for dinner prior to 11PM all but the last night.

Sunday is the big street fair in San Telmo. We met up with Joanna and Jeff a Canadian couple from Toronto who we met in Mendoza who where on their honeymoon. We also hooked up with some of Christian’s friends, Andrea and Didier (sp? Sorry no french speakers on this team) from Saturday night to cruise around the Feria Independencia (San Telmo). There were musicians on every block, and they were fantastic. One of the main attractions there is antiques. They are mostly items that were brought over with the European immigration. There is stall after stall of interesting stuff. Wish we could ship home some of the amazing old copper items, but alas, 400 pesos to purchase quickly becomes 4k with shipping stuff like that. Anyone up for a container load of cool she-ite? For lunch we went to a great family-run restaurant, Café San Jose, right near the fair, fabulous food and friendly service. A definite recommendation. We strolled back through the fair before heading out for a siesta. In the evening we met up with Joanna and Jeff at their B&B for a bottle of wine before heading out. What a charming place with a great host from San Francisco. Kevin, the host, arranged diner reservations and tickets to a Tango show. Dinner was at an Austrian place that was very good and totally old school. The Tango show was set up more like a musical in a theater with table service. It was quite expensive but a fun experience and great dancing. Then we went to Palermo, the area of town where we stayed, for a night cap.

Monday we slept in a bit. After several days of late nights it was necessary, and Rawson wanted to take advantage of the clean bed, sheets and towels in the B&B, still no private bath but we’ll get there. We met up with Joanna and Jeff yet again to tour around the city. We walked all over the Recolette area which is absolutely beautiful. (Curtis, you’ll be happy to know your apartment still appears to be standing; phat pad brother!) The architecture in BA is very European with a particularly strong French influence. We really felt like we were in Europe most of the time. One entire city block is the town’s historic cemetery. When you walk through the gates there is a map of all of the famous Argentines’ mausoleums including Eva Perron and Guillermo Rawson. Sr. Rawson was a physician and a politician and had a pretty large monument, see pictures below. We grabbed a bit to eat at a café across the street. Just after sitting down and ordering a drink the boys noticed that there was a nun in white pushing her VW up the street to “roll start” it. Being the gentlemen that they are they jumped up from the table and went to her rescue. Sadly they also had the cameras in their pockets so no photos of that one. We stumbled upon an exhibit in a park similar to the Hearts of San Francisco or the Moose of Toronto. This was the {BEARS}. They had a 7 foot tall bear for each country in the world, oh except for Canada. They couldn’t find a sponsor to pay for it. The bear for the US was painted like the statue of liberty, definitely NOT the most creative one there. We had to head back to rest up for the main event, Parrilla! We’d been waiting to try this very Argentine meal. Everyone’s heard that Argentina is famous for their beef, but wow it’s good and the portions are ridiculous. We’re still full 2 days later, ugh. La Cabrera in Palermo has been rated the best parrilla in BA. They even opened a 2^nd restaurant on the next block. There is always a very long wait for a table, but the Double Nunn Karma must have kicked in because while there were about 15 people waiting for a table we were seated in 5 minutes! Way to go boys.

Final day in BA was walking all around Palermo and Recoleta again to really soak it in. Beautiful wine tasting at an amazing wine store Tyson Williams in Soho Palermo. A little leather shopping on Malabia street (yes, that is really the name) and then an early dinner at a charming little place in Palermo. The 3 bells wake up call to catch our 5:30AM flight mandated our last night in BA be a relaxing, but chill one!

Of to Rawson (the city) and Puerta Madryn to check out some ancestors and the reputed sea life (penguins, whales and the like)!