Hi everyone,
Well it´s our last day here in Buenos Aires, tonight we catch an 18hr VIP bus to Iguazo Falls to see the World´s 2nd largest waterfalls, after Victoria Falls in South Africa. VIP because it has fully reclining seats that turn into beds and they serve champers apparently! All for 40 pounds which isn´t too bad!
So Buenos Aires has been all that we expected and more....
Our flight here had to land at Cordoba airport for three hours because all radio communication with BA had been lost so that was annoying but couldn´t be helped. Carl and I are a lot more chilled out about delays and disruptions and are quite used to killing a few hours doing nothing.. Part of travelling I guess. So when we arrived in Buenos Aires it was already 6pm instead of 2pm, our airport transfer was waiting and we headed straight to the hostel. It has been a really great place to stay, called the Garden Art Factory it´s got lots of funky paintings on the wall and the staff are all really friendly. Plus we have had the biggest, comfiest bed in the world for 6 nights so that´s good!
When we checked in we mentioned that we were going to the football the following night and they said that they also had tickets, how much had we paid? We found out that the company (which shan´t be named!!) we had booked with were charging DOUBLE what we would be charged through the hostel for the same thing! So we sent an email saying our plans had changed and we needed to cancel and then re-booked with the hostel! Saving 60 pounds!
Our first night we went to a restaurant called Desnivel in San Telmo (the area we are staying in) which is pretty well known amongst both locals and tourists. Carl had a steak with pepper sauce and I had some homemade Gnocchi which is very popular here. Very decent food and wine and pretty cheap.
Day 2 we headed out for a walk to get our bearings and found the main commercial street called Florida. Had a Hot Chocolate with Churros in a traditional cafe and then wandered back to the hotel for the football that evening.... We organised the match with a tour because it is inadvisable to go to the ground yourself because La Boca is a very rough area with lots of poor people. So we were picked up from the hotel at 5pm and we were with about 20 other people in the tour group. First stop was a traditional burger stall near the ground (just like home!) where we were given Choripan which are chorizo sausages in pan (bread), I was given a quesopan!! Cheese and bread! The ground opened at 6 and we walked round to the entrance along with lots of locals. Police did security checks on us and then we showed our tickets at the turnstile and we were in! Our tickets were in the cheap standing section which we didn´t mind at all... The singing started straight away even though we had 2 hours before kick off! As the kick off neared the stands were getting packed with people! Certainly a maximum capacity doesn´t exist here! The stands were so full people were almost crowd surfing to get a good position! People were climbing up railings and over barbed wire to hang their Boca Juniors banners it was crazy! The opposition (Arsenal, local team) were booed as they ran out and then Boca Juniors appeared and the crowd roared. Loads of fans had smuggled in fireworks (great security!!) and they set these off just before kick off. The stadium had also arranged fireworks and there was ticker tape and chanting and it went absolutely crazy!!! The match was the South American Cup Final 08 so it was a great game to see... Boca scored with a volley within the first 5 minutes and the crowd went mental! They jump up and down all the time and sing nonstop! This game was the second leg of the final and Boca were already 4-0 ahead on aggregate. Just before half time Arsenal scored. Usually half time in English football is pretty dull, long queues for the loo and the bar, here though WOW!! We were in the terraces and the away fans were above us... They started chanting rude songs at us and threw water all over us. They also ripped up the seating and started throwing plastic seats over the railings! Crazy but we were well protected so not too scared! The most eventful half time ever!
Second half and Arsenal scored again but the aggregate score meant Boca were still winning. Arsenal got two players sent off, both of whom were escorted from the pitch by armed police! The Boca goalie was yellow carded for time wasting and then Boca scored with minutes to spare levelling the score... When the final whistle went the whole stadium went crazy!!!! More fireworks, ticker tape and the fans were incredible....! We watched the presentation too which was great and had the most incredible time!!!
So the following day we walked to Palermo and had lunch in a veggie restaurant. We also visited the Evita Museum which was interesting and in a really beautiful building. In the evening we went to an English Bar which is popular here and had some tea and a few drinkies...
Friday we walked to Recoletta and saw the famous Recoletta cemetery where Evita is buried (after her body being moved and buried in two previous places). We also did the Lonely Planet walking tour around the area and had lunch in a nice cafe. In the evening we booked a Tango lesson followed by dinner and a show... Our tango technique was interesting to say the least!! Bumping heads and treading on each others toes! We had fun though! Then we had a nice dinner and watched an incredible tango show.... A must for Buenos Aires.
Saturday we went to La Boca again this time to see the famous El Caminito, a street full of tango dancers and bars. All the houses are brightly coloured and there are lots of street sellers.
Sunday we walked around San Telmo antiques fair which was really lovely, lots of street performers and musicians also.
Today we´re killing time now until 1900 when we have to be at the bus station...
We´ll be in Iguazu for two nights then cross the border into Brasil and see the falls from that side. We´ll then work our way up to Rio De Janeiro via Paraty and Ilha Grande (beaches!!!) to be in Rio by the 12th...
Less than two months now until we´re home!
Becs and Carl xx
