Second Impressions
It had been two years since I had set foot in Buenos Aires and I was apprehensive about how I would feel about the place. The last time I had loved the city, and it had demoted Rome to second place in my favourite cities list. Would I like it as much this time around?
On our flight to Ezeiza International Airport, we were told 20 minutes before landing that we would instead be landing at the Buenos Aires Domestic Airport, because the international airport was too busy. This was great news for Christian and I, as we were renting an apartment in Palermo, which was not far from the domestic airport. For other passengers however, this was far from good news, as they had international connections to catch. The baggage reclaim area was even more hectic than we had become used to, with passengers desperate to get their luggage in order to rush over to the international airport (at least an hour away).
We had been warned that the taxistas would try and scam us on our arrival, and I said to Christian “we’ll be OK, look, we have a lady driver” as our taxi pulled up. What was I thinking, that female loyalties would protect us? She drove off before she would tell us the price and hugely overcharged us despite our objections. Not a good start to our time in BA.
However, things soon picked up when we arrived at our apartment. Booked through an Argentine agency (http://www.bairesapartments.com/) we were staying in a two bedroom apartment in Palermo Hollywood (where the film and TV studios are based). Sergio, the owner of the apartment was charming and showed us around the apartment and communal areas. It was fantastic!
Can anyone spot a glass of red wine in this picture… and also the fact that the shot is a little out of focus? The two are connected.
There was even a handy pair of shoes hanging outside, to help us locate where we lived
On our first day in Buenos Aires, Christian hit the sun terrace whilst I wandered around Palermo. It was just as I remembered. Cafes, boutiques, outdoor dining, and tree-lined avenues. The district of Palermo is perfect for strolling, enjoying a coffee, and people watching. And the people of Buenos Aires are quite nice to watch!
That night we met up with dad (who was staying a night in another fancy hotel) and Emily for dinner at La Cabrera, one of the best steakhouses in the capital. The meat was magical and the portions huge. The next day dad moved into the apartment and was amazed at the high standards I had managed to attain. I think he was worried I would have him staying in a shack (much like our Cuban experience, sorry again dad!). He spent a while “wowing” at all the fixtures and fittings, and then we headed out to the parks of Palermo. The botanical garden is beautiful and full of cats, which makes for my perfect park. Following our first visit, dad and I returned with some cat food and made a good friend out of a scrawny tabby cat. (at the end of our stay we forgot to take the remaining cat food out of the fridge, so I am wondering whether Sergio the landlord now thinks we eat cat food!)
Clearly signposts do not apply to cats
A statue in the botanical gardens
Very close to the Botanical garden lies the Evita museum, which is housed in a shelter house that Eva set up for people without homes. It is a lovely building and for my dad and I, who are both fans of Eva Peron, it was a fantastic place to spend an hour or two. The exhibition charts her life from childhood, through her hedonistic years on radio and film (you can hear her singing and watch clips from her films), to meeting Peron, all the changes the couple bought about for Argentines, the clothes she wore, and finally her death. You can hear her final shaky speech to the people of Argentina and the footage of her funeral procession is mesmerizing and very moving. A fascinating museum (with a good cafe).
The Japanese gardens… a good place if you like trickling water and big fish
After a stroll around the Japanese Gardens, we said goodbye to Emily, who had a flight to New York to catch, and had a home cooked meal for the first time in weeks.
The Stylish Dead
The next day a taxi driver, who was happy we weren’t Americans, drove us to Recoleta cemetery. The cemetery houses many of Argentine’s rich and famous dead, including of course Eva Peron. The cemetery is more of a town than a cemetery, and the graves themselves are more like expensive homes.
Dead Street
We found a fresh one!
Eva Peron, buried in the Family Duarte vault
The cemetery makes for a peaceful stroll in the otherwise busy area of Recoleta, and like the parks, you are likely to meet a few friendly cats on your way.
We lunched in a design restaurant where both dad and Christian attempted to urinate in the sink, before they realized there was a urinal behind them. We then took a look around the Fine Arts museum which had some fantastic sculptures, and wandered over to see the giant flower sculpture (Floralis Generica) that opens and shuts with the sun.
Late that evening we discovered Emily had not in fact left Buenos Aires, she had sat on a plane for a few hours before the pilot decided there was too much snow to land in New York. And so back she came, via a swanky hotel, paid for by the airline.
Casa Rosada
One day dad and I decided to go and visit Casa Rosada (the pink house). This is the governmental building that stands in front of Plaza de Mayo. If you are a fan of Evita, you will recall this as the building from which she makes her stirring speeches to the people of Argentina, the balcony from which Madonna sings “Don’t cry for me Argentina”. Go on, take a look, you know you want to!
It is virtually impossible (for me and Christian anyway) to walk around Plaza de Mayo without singing Evita. We tried to go inside the museum here but it was shut for the day, and when Christian and I visited a week later, it was still shut. Note: you can’t trust guide books or official opening times in South America, if they fancy a holiday they will take one.
After failing to get inside the Case Rosada, we had a giant lunch in Plaza Dorrego, whilst a couple tango danced next to us. Dad and I also went to the Carlos Gardel tango show one evening to witness some amazing tango and a noisy American (I thought dad might hit him!).
I think she is looking for her contact lens…
The rest of our days in Buenos Aires were spent relaxing by the pool, wandering around the boutiques and cafes of Palermo, and pondering where to go for dinner. I love the days of your life when the biggest decision you have to make is where to go for dinner! Our last sunday in Buenos Aires with dad deserves a whole blog to itself, since it was so full of incidents, make sure you read “Poems, fakes and cockroaches”.
Day across the water
One day, dad and I decided to take the ferry across to Uruguay. Surprisingly (since this involves not one, but two South American countries), this is a very efficient and speedy process. We arrived bright and early at the modern ferry station at Puerto Madryn, an hour before our ferry departed. We had a good cup of tea that was served very efficiently and politely to us, I used a bathroom that had toilet paper in, and we boarded the ferry and set sail on time. It was like being back in Europe! The ferry over to Colonia takes 2 hours (if you want to go to the capital of Montevideo, it is 5 hours). Colonia is the closest town in Uruguay to Buenos Aires and this is about it’s only claim to fame.
Stepping off the ferry in Colonia is like stepping back about fifty years. The streets are cobbled, the cars are antiquated, and there is no-one around. A dog befriended us very quickly and led us into the centre of town. Colonia was a Portuguese colony and still has elements of Portugal about it, including some remnants of architecture. It is probably one of the sleepiest towns I have ever visited, but it has a gentle charm about it, and would be a great place to relax, if you had the money! It is surprisingly expensive here. We stopped for an expensive coffee and cake, but after 45 minutes we went without cake (back to South American efficiency) and moved on to look at the port.
After watching a yacht struggle to moor for a long time (these are the things you can do with time on your hands!) it started to rain, really rain! And so we ran into the nearest restaurant. It may have been ridiculously expensive, but it was a great find. We were the only human guests and were given first-class attention from the staff. The floor was topsy turvy tiles, the walls were covered with original paintings (that captivated dad) with hardly any space between, the windows were overflowing with plants, and there were seven dogs and a cat inside! It was a very bohemian place to share a salmon lunch.
Once the rain had stopped and we had parted with too much money for lunch (these are the kinds of thing a Scotsman and his daughter remember), we took a slow walk around the coastline back to the ferry. As on the way out, we both fell asleep on the journey home, which makes two hours go very quickly. (once again, I am writing this in a cafe and Bonnie Tyler is singing!) Back in Buenos Aires, it was time for dad to pack ready for his flight the next day.
Lots of farewells in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires marked the end of my time with Christian, I had to say goodbye to Emily, and it was also the end of my week with dad. Lots of goodbyes. Dad’s visit had been well timed, as it was exactly half way through my six month trip, it had been so good to see him, and to be reminded of his sense of humour, intolerability to heat, and generosity. Thanks for all the treats dad!
Dad, it’s time to invest in a new panama!
It was also time to say a fond farewell to Christian, my travel buddy of three and a half months. He was moving on to Bolivia for a week or so, and I was staying in Buenos Aires a few more days before heading to Peru. Before we left England, I think we both had reservations about whether we would get along for such a long time together, and I can happily say that we got along famously, with no arguments or cross words. Christian, I will miss you!
What? You mean I have to go to Bolivia and speak Spanish on my own?…
I spent a few extra days relaxing and meeting up with friends in Buenos Aires, before it was time to leave. I still love Buenos Aires, for me it is a great mix of history, design, open space, romance, great wine, great food and cats. I think the best thing about it is the crossing of two cultures, South America with Europe. Something tells me I will be back… and so once again (all together!), don’t cry for me Argentina, the truth is I never left you.
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