Well, I feel like I should write something about my eleven days in Buenos Aires. But where to start? I loved the city and had a wonderful time. On top of that, I had perfect weather – sunny blue skies every day, warm but not hot. I spent time with an old high school friend living in the city who introduced me to some great local art shows, had many amazing meals, and met some very cool people - including a great traveling companion who I would meet back up with later in my trip.
I stayed in Palermo, a neighborhood rich in stylish bars and delicious restaurants. So I suppose I should start with food – because really, don’t I always? From juicy steaks to morcilla (blood sausage) and mollejas (‘sweetbreads’ – glands), provoletas (grilled provolone cheese) and papas fritas (french fries) to choripan (grilled sausage sandwiches) on the corner, and empanadas, literally, every day. And I’m leaving the city still hungry for more! All topped off with delicious, and cheap, wine. Much like warm dry weather, good cheap wine was something that I very much missed in Peru and Bolivia. One of my favorite meals sort of happened by accident – the best kind. I went with two friends to a pop-up art show in La Boca, a neighborhood that is known to be dangerous at night and usually accessed (by foreigners) only by taxi in and out. The show turned out to be a bit of a bust, but it so happened that my friend spotted a restaurant down the street that was supposed to be great, El Obrero. Sure enough, it was packed. We sat on the curb and drank a beer while waiting for a table, and then proceeded to have the most amazing meal of steak, ravioli, and all the fixins – followed by melt-in-your-mouth panqueques con dulce de leche.
My nights were so filled with good food and wine that I honestly did a lot of nothing during many of my days in Buenos Aires. The beautiful weather, plentiful parks for napping, and numerous cafes for relaxing or catching up on email made doing a lot of nothing quite easy. But I also fit in a few of the touristy things too. I visited the MALBA (Latin American Art Museum) and Evita Museum, went on a great (and free) walking tour of downtown, shopped the Sunday antique market in San Telmo, and strolled through the infamous Recoletta Cemetery.
Before my visit I wrote off Buenos Aires as just another big city, preferring to spend more time in small towns. But after just under two weeks there, I fell in love with the city just like everyone said that I would. My heart wanted to stay, but my wallet would not allow it – so now I’m off to explore what else this great country has to offer.
