So I arrived very early on the 29th of June in Buenos Aires with much anticipation and excitment but a little worried - I had heard so much about this city and expected it to be just amazing and was concerned it would not live up to my expectations....but no concern was needed! It exceeded even my high expectations and now tops my faviourite cities list, ahead of Berlin....
So I think that perhaps BA is a town constructed entirely for me. They do not function in the morning....everyone drinks copious amounts of coffee...late nights, dancing and vino are absolutely complusory...there is an abundance of boutiques (more than even I could cope with!), art galleries, museums and amazing restaurants...and the architecture is the most interesting of any city I have ever been too. Getting the drift that I loved this city?
Of course this was helped by the fact that I was met at the airport by Mauro, a Buenos Airean, who was simply the most amazing host during my stay.
During my time in BA I visited many of the different areas (San Telmo, La Boca, Palmero, Recoleta, Puerto Madero etc), went to several amazing tango shows, shopped until even I was sick of it, ate at copious restaurants and cafes, and of course went to my conference....
My favourite art gallery was the MALBA - full of interesting and amazing contemporary latin american art (having my own personal curator also helped a little!), my favourite restaurant was easily Olsen (think Jacksons), and my favourite wine the 2004 Catena Zapata Malbec Malbec. Finally there was some good coffee!! Most of which comes served with a shot of water to have after you have finished!!! (love this little trend).
The drivers here are as insane as in the rest of south america and they have these crazy intersections of two, one-way roads that have no lights, no stop signs or give way signs, no roundabouts or anything - they are just negotiated car by car!! Then there are the random guys who look after sections of the road - they just pick a segment and wave cars in and out of, too park (free street parking areas I might add) and then while you are gone they watch your car and you pay them when you leave?! So bizarre!!!
Other randoms pleasures included Dolce de leche (think a caramel substance around the consistency of peanut butter) and submarinos (a hot chocolate that is made by giving you a glass of hot milk and a chocolate bar to melt into it!). The amazing honey pepper lemon martini I got...yum!
Oh and I learnt that nobody does anything quickly here....everything takes forever....the time from when you ask for the bill to when you leave a restaurant can take as long as the rest of the meal! And it is very rude to take the bill to the register, so you just have to sit there!!
After leaving BA for a few days, I had the pleasure of flying back into BA at night and seeing the whole city in lights - wow!! Amazingly beautiful and absolutely huge!! Then just two last nights and it was with great sadness that I left the city......
