After checking into the final bed i discovered that i wasnt actuallt tired so decided to get back up and went down to the bar, accidentily forgetting to put any shoes on so got a few wierd looks. In the bar i met Joe, American lad, and had a beer with him. I discovered that he was moving hostel the following day to "The Milhouse".
Milhouse is a really good hostel and well known for being a really good laugh and has lots of backpackers. After checking in the following morning I watched Chelsea kick some Gooner ass and win 2-0. YES GET IN !!
Afterwards I felt that this clearly wasn't enough football for one day so I booked on the Boca V Lanus football tour which was set to leave in 1 hour. I chucked all my stuff in my room and headed out. The football was really good and was good to see Boca in their `La Bomba` stadium. Unfortunatley they lost 2-1 from a last min penalty so the fans weren´t too happy however Boca had wasted numerous chances so it serves them rite i suppose. After returning to the hostel me, Yael (Isreli i met in Mendoza) and Tom (an Irish lad i met on the bus to the match) went for a beer and pizza.
The following day i met up with Yael and a twat of an Isreli guy and went for a walk around the Palermo area of BA. Palermo is a really nice neighbourhood full of little botiques and bars. It is also on the edge of a number of nice parks and gerdens which we had a pic-nic in and generally chilled out. In the evening I went to "La Bomba" a percussion show. There were approzimatley 15 bongo players playing various songs, Very loudly. It was amazing. After the show we went to the other Milhouse, there are two close to eachother, and had a few more drinks.
The following day I had a slightly foggy head and headed down to use the computers. I met a guy called Cameron, Scottish, and had a chat. We discovered we were both planning on doing some shopping so headed out together. I wanted to get a book "In Patagonia" as I am heading through Patagonia when i leave BA. I managed to get it along with a lovely tripod for my camera that was a complete BAR..GIN. After returning to the hostel i read a book about Ron Kray, Its actually a really interesting book. In the evening I had steak in the hostel and played some pool with a group of english lads.
The next day I went for a walk around BA on my own. First i headed to "The Pink House" where Eva "Evita" Peron did here speaches. I then headed to another neighbourhood called San Telmo and had a look around. San Telmo is a rougher neighbourhood but had some nice areas. After returning towards the hostel i went for a lovely lunch of Milanesia Nepolitana. In the afternoon i went back to San Telmo to meet Caroline and Sam, Dragoman truck drivers/guides, and went to the cinema to see "Inception", the Leonardo De Caprio film. After the film we went for a beer and a catchup. I then walked back to my hostel and on arrival was ambushed by my room mates to go to a tango show. I ran upstairs and got changed and headed out with them. The tango show was in a local hall and was for locals not pro's. It was really good fun and they ran a number of classes from Beginer to Expert and then had a free dance at the end when the best dancers took command and strut their stuff. On return to the hostel we joined the party that was being thrown before going to bed. What a day!!
The next day I went to the main train station to meet Sam and Caroline. We then walked to the "Recoleta" neighbourhood and had a walk around. We went to the famous cemetary and saw the grave of neumerous generals, presedents and of course Evita. After a very nice lunch we went to have a look at the mirrored flower which it ginominous. we then walked back to the centre before splitting off and doing our own thing. In the evening I cooked Spag-Bol with a few of the other guys in the hostel.
The next day i spent chilling out in the hostel reading and hanging around. In the afternoon Tom and I went to San Telmo and had a beer in the main square whilst watching a live tago show. In the evening we both met up with Sam and Caroline and headed to "La Cabrera". This is meant to be the best Steak House in BA, If not Argentina, and it is easy to taste why. the steak was mind blowing, even by argentinian standards. and also bloody cheep. We had steak with all the trimmings a lovely bottle of Shiraz great service for 16pounds inc tip. BAR..GIN !!!
The following day was a Saturday so we headed to the markets. I went with Harry and Rebecca to Palermo but unfortunatley the market was starting to close. We had a drink, G and T obveously, befor walking to Recoleta. This market was deffinatley not closing up and was really good to have a look around. I took some nice people watching photo´s here aswell. In the evening I went to the takeaway around the corner and got a lovely couple of short rib steaks and chips.
On Sunday Me, Harry, Cameron and a Dutch couple, Marcel and Sarah, went to San Telmo market. This market is massive and stretches over 10 blocks down one road and includes various side streets. You can pretty much get anything here, including a rather nice antique belfast sink. It was however very busy so inevitably we all ended up loseing eachother but never mind. In the evening i went for dinner in a restaurant around the corner with some guy i cant remember the name of as everyone else had gone to the football. Hey better than eating alone.
Monday was a bank holiday in Argentina so lots of people were around and the markets were still on. Cameron and I decided to head to Palermo to try and get a t-shirt. after a false start in a shopping centre, far too expensive, we went to Palermo-Soho. Here we found that the bars have local traders in the bars and you can buy their wares. We found two really nice t-shirts in different bars and got them. Hey were not exactly going to be bumping in to each other all the time wearing the same shirt. Also they were a propper bargin at under 20pounds for the pair. In the evening i went out with Lauren, Rhian and Mitch for dinner in San Telmo and had a pretty good steak, Steak just isn´t the same after "La Cabrera".
On Tuesday I did the La Boca tour. La Boca is notoriously a slightly dangerous area so I booked on the tour. We started by going to the stadium and club meuseum. We then went for lunch before having a walk around. La Boca is where Tango originates from and you see people in the streets putting on shows. The area is quite run-down so they have painted the buildings in amazing, bright colours. It is really nice and works soo well, sorry i´ll take my Urban Design hat off. In the evening Marcel, Sarah, Cameron and I all went to a little Peruvian restaurant and had dinner before playing some pool in the hostel.
On Wednesday I went on the "Grafittimundo" tour. This tour, as the name suggests, showed you lots of grafitti in BA including a couple of galleries and bars. The tour was very informative and there were some really nice pieces around. In the evening I cooked with Marcel and Sarah before sinking a few pints and heading to bed.
Today I have checked out and checked into to my hotel as I start my next Dragoman trip to Patagonia today. Tonight I also go to see The Dave MAtthews Band so that should be eppic.
