Day 57 - 62 (May 11 - 16) - Buenos Aires (antes de escuela)

Day 57 - 62 (May 11 - 16) - Buenos Aires (antes de escuela)

I got to Heathrow a bit early, but better early than late. After a few inquiries at the various FX desks.... I quickly realised that without sufficient planning (do I every really plan things... no) that I wouldn't be able to get Argentine pesos prior to getting to Argentina. Thats not really a problem but I do like to have local currency on me when I go somewhere for the first time.

So I found myself in the Terminal 5 departure lounge... again. This time it was a for the BIG trip. Thankfully the flight was uneventful, I watched a few movies, sat on the plane while we stopped briefly in Sao Paolo and go into Bunos Aires early in the morning. Did the usual (got my bag, changed a little money, got a bus to town and found my hostel), a bit worrying that this is already feeling "normal".

Over the next few days I settled into a little routine, got up had breakfast, wandered around ton for some sightseeing came back and got lunch, took a nap (much needed in Argentina since most people don't eat dinner until 9pm and dont even think about going out before midnight!). I made friends with pople in the hostel easily (as is normal with people travelling). Spent one day haning out with an Aussie guy, Luke. We walked to Recoleta to the cemetary (including Evita's family cript - Duarte)and saw some sights. I also checked in on some language schools to book a few weeks of classes to try and get a little Spanish back.

One crazy thing was on my second day, I walked into reception and ran into Samy, one of the guys I met in Cape Town! Small world. We knew we were both coming through BA around the same time but hadn't tried to catch up, much less stay at the same hostel.

My first impressions of Buenos Aires are good. Its an awesome city, huge but I really like it. Its like a tarnished piece of jewelery. You can see hw it was once gorgeous and radiant but has lost some of its luster. At the same time you wouldn't want to completely wipe away the patina of age, just afix a few of the biggest cracks. Its a wonderful mix of old, antiquaded buildings and more modern architecture. BA has (what I would think of) as elements of influences from all over Europe (Spain, Italy, Germany, England) as well as an organic feel all its own. Its been described as a city of faded elegance and I'd agree.

I did finally book into a language school and will stay at a homestay for the time (hopefully to get more practise and more out of the experience). I have had a few big nights out (and in - nothing like a hostel bar that has its own beer pong rules) and seen a good bit of town already (San Telmo, Recoleta, Palermo, Puerto Madero, Congreso, Once, Villa Crespo, the Obelisk, Casa Rosada...) but the markets in San Telmo are awesome.

I have also had plenty of empanadas, dulce de leche, meat and local beer - and there is always room for more. Empanadas are great little pastry treats stuffed with meat or cheese or spinach or whatever. They taste great, are cheap and probably horible for you - love 'em. Dulce de leche is harder for me to explain. Its as integral to Argentine culture as BBQ and Bojangles are to NC (or at least my NC). Its super sweet, caramel like stuff that can be eaten alone, onbread and has been infused in ice cream, drinks, cakes and anything else that sounds like it might work. Its great but DAMN I have sugar overload. Dentists here must mint money. Meat. Well Argentina is pretty famous for its steaks, for good reason. They are tasty and cheap!! Beer is well, beer. But it comes in bigger bottles here and is cheaper! double score.