We made it to the airport on time from San Blas. We found the COPA lounge and they had showers! How great was that to get the salt water off and shave. Awesome. We both managed to sleep on the plane though they still were planning on giving us dinner at like 11:30 at night. We passed on dinner but ordered a bourbon and were off to sleep. We woke up to the now usual water carton that was left with us just before landing. We had a long drive in from EZE airport as there was much traffic. When we went thru our last toll booth on the highway, the police were pulling over every motorcycle. Apparently many hide their license plates to avoid toll so they were confiscating bikes. I saw at least 10 bikes up on trucks to be taken away. Our hotel had a room open at 9:30am so we moved in then walked down to Playo de Mayo and Casa Rosado. The latter is said to be pink from cows blood mixed in with the paint. The Casa is where the President of Argentina lives. The Mothers of Plaza Mayo still protest on the plaza every Thursday evening. They protest for lost ones during the last military dictatorship in the 70’s-80’s. Thousands were disappeared.
Walked down to San Telmo district with its cobblestone streets. We toured the indoor market there with its crafts, wine shops and food court. We stopped and shared fried cheese and chorizo with chimichurri, green Provençal, and salsa dips, and of course some wine and beer. Walked back to the hotel then later had dinner along the water at La Cabana, rib eye and top sirloin each about $45, many wines to choose from but most over $200, meal was $250.
We walked to Recoletta cemetery the following morning. The Recoletta district is kinda 60’s -70’s architecture. The Cemetery had huge tombs dating back to the early 1800’s but also modern era ones. Duarte and Eva Peron are buried here but there tomb is not too wild and not on the main aisle.
We had to have a beer across the street from the cemetery at the Rooftop Bar per Alex’s winner suggestion. Great views and super beer, Patagonia 24.7. We managed an hour at the National Museum of Fine Arts. Some Rodin sculptures, various impressionist paintings from Pissarro to Monet to Van Gogh. We walked around Floralis Generica, which is a crazy water art sculpture in a pond but they were setting up for a weekend event so mostly it was closed off. The weekend event turned out to be some kind of Formula F1 ‘demonstration’. Many roads are blocked off in the Recoletta with grand stands being erected. Stan, our food guide later that night said over 500,000 people were expected to watch the event so we will try to avoid that. We started walking back home but got a bit hungry so stopped for empanadas and G&T’s. $60 bucks later we were back walking. Haven’t found anything ‘cheap’ in this city except Uber and public transportation.
We got on a food tour in Palermo Soho that evening and met up with soon to be ‘Porteño’ Stan and a couple from Australia-Donna and Chris.
Fantastic tour of a really interesting neighborhood. Lots of interesting stores, restaurants, breweries, and street art. Stan introduced us to Argentina pizza, apparently more than 50% of the population was Italian in the late 1800’s. Also empanadas at our first restaurant, ‘Picsa’. We went on to 4 other stops and were truly stuffed by the end, from rib eye to churipan to several other local dishes. We sampled good white and red wine and ended up with 2 desserts, Dulce de Leche and Italian Ice Cream. Great tour and so informative on the culture, the politics, and the arts.
On the Uber ride home we saw street lanes blocked off from cars and full of people. There were performers from musicians to clowns and just a lot of happy noise. Times Square like but for city blocks. Stuffed and in bed by 10pm.
The following day was a Saturday so we walked thru several markets. Many many craft booths around the parks and squares in the city. We ended up back in Palermo for lunch which was a bust as the breweries there hadn’t opened yet as it was only 2 o’clock. We ended the day early trying to get some rest for our evening event
FUTBOL! Katie got us tickets to the River Plates futbol match on Saturday evening. Game time 9:30! The process was onerous. To get a validated ticket required passport scanning and facial recognition apps. We were finally approved and went off to the stadium by subway, then train, and then shoes. Oh, we did buy River Plate jerseys before the game as we heard that they were important for safety reasons.
I read the stadium guidelines and left my belt at home (apparently a safety issue as well). Quite the waddle to the park for me! We followed a pack to the stadium, being redirected several times by police and volunteers to get us to the right gate as once inside, the 80,000 fans in the stadium can’t just move around. There are barriers in place. On the way we ran into a gauntlet of police barricading the street.
They had large guns and held shields in their arms. What? Turns out the visiting team’s bus was crossing an intersection down the road and they didn’t want anyone close. Man these people have some history. We did get in using facial recognition and feigning ignorance multiple times. Well maybe not feigning at all. We were several hours early, as instructed . At 2 hours before game time, the stands were not occupied much except behind the goal where flags and umbrellas were dancing, drums were playing, and lots of singing. That continues throughout the game including halftime. The stadium gets packed!
The game was a blast to watch. Everyone had a great time, no fights, just hugging and singing. Luckily, the home team won. We left a few minutes early and caught a cab back to the hotel pretty easily. Some additional notes. Beer hasn’t been sold in the stadium for 28 years until this year and the process of buying and drinking is onerous and limited. Katie and I had a beer but we were some of the very few. Now mind you on the way to the stadium, numerous people were offering rum and cokes, beer, and shots. Plenty of people were pregame hammered. They just could not continue once in the stadium. We have noticed a high incidence of smoking in BA and though you can’t smoke in the stadium it was in reality everywhere. The security guards were probably smoking or lighting the cigarettes of the fans around them. They say America now has a less than 10% incidence of smoking and Argentina is at 22%. I think for Argentina they are measuring the incidence at any one time, as it seems everyone smokes.Another observation was how comfortable men were showing emotion to other men. This was in their greetings and their conversations. Just always close, hugging and greeting. Last observation, Argentina employs a lot of police. They are everywhere.
Slept in then walked to the Sunday craft fair in San Telmo. Good thing we used the ATM the day before as so many cool little things to buy. We had to buy little things as our bags are jammed and we still have quite a few weeks to go.
Visited Caminito street which is an artist haven with many painted buildings.
We slept in a bit the following morning then off to El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a converted theater. Now a bookstore. Fabulous interior but we were a little cold so we sat down to have a coffee. So happens a YouTuber was filming a ‘spontaneous’ performance of Cold Play’s Fix You. They had cameras all over, a choral group, multiple singers and guitar players pop up and there we were 10 feet from the guy, Joe Jenkins, who was playing the piano. Apparently some 4 million followers, well 4 million and 2.
We visited Palermo Hollywood but honestly not much to see. We visited SoHo again but very quiet as most places are closed on Mondays. We heard of a street with many leather shops so took off for there. Didn’t think I needed a leather jacket, but now I do. They definitely don’t like credit cards here as many places will give you 40% off for cash payments.
Yesterday we took a ferry over to Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay. We walked thru the old town, down the allies and into a few of the open art shops but in general very quiet.
They do love old cars and trucks here.
We read books in a park waiting for our return ferry which turned out to be 1 1/2 hours late. We were going to go back to the hotel and freshen up but not enough time. In fact, we arrived about 10 minutes late to a food and wine pairing in Palermo Soho. No worries others arrived behind us! It’s hard to be late here.
We had an incredible ‘meal’. Eggplant with ricotta and peanuts, provoleta, blood sausages, pork, short ribs and rib eye steaks all paired with wonderful wines. Fantastic!
we are flying to Iguazu to see the falls. More to come.
