Buenos Aires - The base of operations for the entire Argentina stay. I went to BsAs a bunch of separate times as I traveled throughout Argentina but it always seemed to call me back. Although I had an intro to the city earlier in this blog, a whole lotta lotta happened during the next few visits back.
San Telmo
After Patagonia/Mendoza/Cordoba, Bri, Mark and I returned to BsAs where I immediately left for my first camp in Chascomus (about 1-2 hours away from the city) and they stayed with Mark's couchsurfing host Carolina in Caballito. Unfortunately, not many couchsurfers can host more than 2 people, so when I'm around we have to move to hostels. We met back up after my camp at America del Sur hostel back in San Telmo. Since I stayed there last time, something about this place never sat right with me: a little too much hotel, a few too many older people (40's-60's) staying there, a little too corporate/clean for a hostel. Then they charged me an extra night after trying to change a mistake in my reservation, and I told myself I wouldn't go back there again.
Anyway, in San Telmo, I paid for a haircut for the first time in probably 5-6 years (unstoppably high fade no matter how you describe it, even worse in Spanish). Not that I know how to even describe my hairstyle in English, but geez. We also ate some great steaks, checked out a few bars, went to Palermo to go shopping and bursting, and hit up the San Telmo Antique Fair on Sunday.
Imagine this scene for MILES. The cobblestones make it painful on ankles/knees.
Not sure I've mentioned this, but the Simpsons are like the most popular pop icon in Argentina. Souvenirs, murals, advertisements/stores using the Simpsons. Mark and Brian were in heaven.
Palermo
After leaving and coming back from my 2nd Camp in Chascomus, I found out Bri and Mark were staying with couchsurfers, Moi and Bruno in Abasto. I met them there for a fernet y cola fest and a little hookah before cooking them adobo. These guys were really cool and generous, but a couple Rafi jokes later, we were on our way to Play Hostel in Palermo. There we had a free private room upgrade, and basically a private room after we got kicked out of the upgrade. We hung out mostly with Sm-Ashleigh from Australia, whom we had met and remembered (and stalked) since our Mendoza bike ride.
Ashleigh and Dolores Park Tshirt (it smelled) @ Sugar
AHEEE!
On Saturday, we headed out to the Palermo market near Plaza Serrano. Probably one of the better bursting days in BsAs: Palermo brought out its best for the market.
Toilet seats
The market itself
Bamboo Bikes
El Zombie Banda
We met a few members of EL ZOMBIE Band (Ska/Reggae) back in Cordoba. They invited us out to their rehearsal and Album Release party. We did out best to meet up with them for their rehearsal, but our friend Mauricio (Bass) gave us the completely wrong address (one that didn't even exist). We wandered up and down the streets trying to listen for live music, even popping into a few restaurants to use wi-fi. Mark was elected to ask ANYONE carrying a musical instrument to see if he could get directions to a known Sala de estacion (practice space). He even ran down 3-4 blocks chasing a guy with a drum. Eventually, we ended up asking a parking garage attendant to let us use the phone to call him. The attendant yelled at Mauricio (for whatever reason) and got us the correct address, 3 blocks away from where he told us.
We arrived at the practice space in time to meet the band and dance in tight quarters in their rehearsal studio. These guys are GOOD, they know how to get the party started.
The next day, Ashleigh crewed up with us and came out to their album release party in Palermo, with a major fernet y cola festival. The show was nuts, we got their autographs and even grabbed a choripan with them and their friends to celebrate their accomplishment.
(Where are all my pictures of these folks??? Apparently all I have is video. Lots of video.)
VAMOS a la BOCA! (No es peligrosa!)
The next day, we postponed a move to Rosario in order to enjoy the sunny day in BsAs. Brian, Mark, Ashleigh and I headed to La Boca, probably the least safe part of BsAs, to check out Caminito (brightly colored houses) and search for Boca Juniors Bufandas (Football Scarves). Didn't know what to expect from this trip, but it was super lively and some interesting stuff to see.
Before hopping on the bus, we went for a quick empanada run. Mark grabbed the box and we got on the crowded bus. After a few minutes, we cracked it open for our snack and saw that they had given us a bunch of random pastries by mistake. GEEZ.
Alright. OK.
Caminito
BOCA (Mouth) Painter
"License Plate Game"
Restaurants along Caminito
Finally found my scarf! This was a solid purchase considering how cold it got in BsAs in the next few weeks.
Tango shows are everywhere here. Since it's considered the ghetto of BsAs, I didn't realize that it was very touristy during the day. This was the first of any Tango I saw in Argentina after already having spent almost 2 months there.
Tango show in the streets
After La Boca, and the fiasco with the empanadas, we went for a flavor move. Bus out to Puerto Madero for Choripan for Parilla Mi Sueno.
One of the best deals in food in Argentina. And most powerful.
Best graffiti I saw in Buenos Aires
Puente Mujeres - Ladies Bridge. According to some (Bri), this is supposed to be shaped like a man dipping a woman during the tango.
Since it was Mother's Day, afterall, we went for the big mother's day party - AfroMAMAJams at Makena in Palermo. Some good live music, 10-20 people rotating on instruments and vocals and just playing the hits. In between, DJ's spun some crazy funk/soul that Muz would've loved (SHAZAM FEST) and we ended the night with a few Insanity Moves on the dance floor. The Argentinian girls love it.
Abasto
I didn't spend much time in Abasto, but Mark/Bri stayed with couchsurfers there. We came here one day to get some Peruvian food and check out the mall. The mall is huge, and has a ferris wheel that would probably rival the Irvine Spectrum's in size. Inside.
@Ang - Go Team Neverlands!
Chaufa or Chow Fun. Peruvian rice and noodles kind of fried rice.
The food court is large in size.
Balloon enthusiast. Self-soft timer.
BIG HOMER - having a nice dinner conversation with Mark's good friend on the streets.
Trinamic's final day in BsAs
On their last day of this SA Journey, Bri and Mark needed to get some shopping done for last minute souvi's. We ended up walking all around Florida street para comprar cosas.
Fashion in BsAs - GAP Logo Hoodies (non-zippered) and ANYTHING Argyle. These can be spotted as often as a hot girl, generally on hot girls.
Best non-Craftsteak steak in my life - Gran bife de costilla con papas souffle provenzal from Palacio de la Papa Frita. FlavorPOWER.
"The worst money in the world"
It's pretty terrible.
It's pretty terrible.
Bond Street - Kind of like The LAB/Anti-Mall. Lots of independent sneaker/skate shops, tattoo studios, comics/graffiti. Definitely my steez.
One of the 900 identical football/sports shops along Florida street. We went into at least 15 of these.
For their despedida, we joined couchsurfer Carolina at Makena in Palermo to see another El Zombie show. We invited the band to come to California to perform, and they said hopefully they will be making it out sometime in 2013.
Headed back to the hostel to grab bags and say goodbye as Bri and Mark hopped in a cab to the airport.
Solo mission
The Bautista boys headed back to LA en route to Vegas, and I needed to readjust to being on my own on the road. I had a few days to chill before my next camp, so I decided to spend an extra day in BsAs before heading back to Rosario to hang out with some friends.
This is Juli, born in Rio but moved to BsAs when she was a kid. She's a gamer, she likes drinking whisky and heavy metal. She and I have a lot in common, like trying to own this wall. Also, she's wearing a wig.
She was in the mood for a milkshake, so we went to a 50's diner in Palermo to grab one of the best milkshakes in my life. Dulce de Leche and Caramelo y Vainilla.
Later that night, I hung out with my Maria, who I met in Rio and lives in BsAs. This is her new apartment near Congreso. She's really into vintage furniture/decor.
Since I hadn't yet been, we headed to the famous CAFE TORTONI, the oldest cafe/restaurant in BsAs and famous for its tango shows and coffee/chocolate
Also, it's one of the "cafe notables" in BsAs
Submarino y churros - Milk Chocolate shaped "submarine" submersed in hot milk to create hot chocolate. Churros on the side.
Mi ultimo dia en BsAs
As part of my plan to max out my time in Colombia, I only gave myself one day in BsAs after my last English camp to say goodbye to Argentina. I stayed with my co-workers at Eco Pampa Hostel in Palermo as my base of operations. We checked out early in the morning, and I took a bus out to Chicarita Cemetery, the bigger, but less famous, cemetery in town.
Too bad it was freezing cold and looked exactly like Recoleta, or else it might have been cool.
After leaving Chicarita, I stopped by the mall and then back to the
hostel to enjoy the view from the roof. It was pretty cold throughout
the day, but I wanted to look upon the city as I made peace with saying
goodbye.
Eco Pampa is pretty cool for being ecologically-minded. The roof has a mini-garden and "lawn" and sports the only solar panels I've seen in Argentina. This is their kumquat tree, of which I ate probably 20 of these with the peels and all. Fresh.
Later that night, I hung out with Maria again and she took me to an interesting restaurant/art gallery. The shot she's holding is sweet wine, and I had like 7 of those bad boys.
We went for the Cordero Patagonico (Patagonian Lamb), as well as a dessert of cheese and nuts that she talked me into. Palermo dollars status. A good send-off meal with great company.
As the sun set on my last day in Argentina, I definitely felt a sadness take over and feeling anxiety for moving onto another country after falling in love with this one. I had had a nice long stay in Argentina, gotten to know the culture and see a good portion of the country. I ate some great food, met amazing people, saw some beautiful things, and thoroughly enjoyed my time. I am very thankful to friends and family who shared the fun times here with me.
With only 3 weeks left, I knew I had to continue making the most out of my South American time and money and venture on.
Next stop...COLOMBI-AWOO!
