December 2009
5 posts
City boys and girl gettin' down on the farm
For our final full day in Argentina, we channeled our inner-rednecks (after all, we did attend N.C. State where we learned from the best) and headed northwest 150 kil. out of the city for a day on the farm. Three of our friends from dinner Monday night joined us—Dan, Warren and John. Things started off well enough. We had a driver pick us all up at our respective apartments in the city and...
Mas gringos, por favor!
Growing weary of Spanglish, we were ready for a feast with some fellow Americans. Lucky for us, a group of four friends touched down in Buenos Aires Monday morning. We broke down and headed to the uber-touristy Cabana Las Lilas, although, as Fodor’s puts it, “if you’re going to fall into a tourist trap, this is the one to fall into.” Bec abandoned her disgust with the idea...
A Dreary Domingo
The rain continued all afternoon Sunday, so we decide to take a respite on our 7th day and do what we typically do on Sundays in the fall…nap and watch the Redskins play like crap (well, at least in this case I didn’t have to see it, but was still able to listen to Sonny & Sam over the streaming radio feed…god bless the internet!)
Sunday night saw us heading out to Gran Bar...
November 2009
20 posts
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y!
We started the morning off at La Recoleta Cementerio, where Evita Peron’s body rests. Going along with the theme of this trip, this cemetery was unlike anything we’d seen before. Expecting to see a cemetery like those in the States, we were surprised to find 13 acres of elaborate vaulted tombs and mausoleums in the middle of the city. Here is where Evita rests:
We wandered through a...
Meanwhile, back in Buenos Aires...
After we landed and were thankful we survived our round-trip flight on Aerolineas Argentinas, off to dinner we went. We went to Sucre, which was a resto we’d been wanting to try since we got to town. It seems it’s where the posh Porteños go to play, and it’s known for its cocktails.
Matt again tried something new and got the lamb special, Bec sort of branched out and got the...
Friday at the falls
On our final morning at Iguazu, we ventured out to walk the third and final trail that takes you along the top of the falls before heading back to the airport. Naturally, jump shots ensued.
Dinner at the three borders
After an exhausting day, we bucked up and decided to head into the town again for our Thanksgiving meal, leaving behind our fellow Americans opting for turkey dinner at the Sheraton. The same driver, Walter, came to pick us up after we grabbed a cocktail at the bar with a couple from San Fran. We also met a family at the hotel from Washington, DC. They’re living in Buenoes Aires for the next...
Garganta del Diablo
After our great adventure out on the water, convinced nothing could beat it, we headed to the longest of three trails at the park. This one required a train ride that took us way up to the top of the falls, very close to the Brazilian side, to the part of the waterfall called the Throat of the Devil. Sounds enticing, eh? Thanks to our young ages (we’re convinced some people at the falls are...
La Gran Aventura
Apparently feeling brave the next morning (and not the least bit hungover), we decided to go on La Gran Aventura, the great adventure. In our tour group we had people from San Fran, Israel, Turkey, Mexico, Sweden and France.
First we took a safari through the jungle where we learned about the different species of plants and animals in the area. The park is home to thousands of animals,...
Las Cataratas del Iguazu
Wednesday morning we were back en route to the airport, this time the domestic one. Off for a holiday on our holiday to Iguazu National Park for some serious waterfall action. Back in the spirit of frugality, we cashed in AMEX points to stay at the Sheraton Iguazu which is actually in the national park.
We quickly headed out to the trails to see the falls. The photo above is essentially what...
Room with a view
Here’s a sneak peek from our hotel room at the Sheraton Iguazu. Note the massive waterfalls in the distance. Stay tuned for a full report…
Palermo days and Soho nights
It really is amazing how similar this city and particularly this area can feel to New York City. At 10 p.m., we walked in and were promptly seated without a reservation in the back area of Bar Uriarte. The space is really unique - the kitchen is open not only to the restaurant but also via the glass windows that face the street inviting in passersby.
After ordering $6 martinis (Stoli), calamari...
El dia de turistas
Fortunately for us, the people of Argentina start slowly in the mornings (how can they not when they’re starting dinner when Rebecca’s usually mid-REM cycle?). We headed to Plaza Armenia to grab lunch. We opted for the one restaurant that wasn’t sponsored by a major beer company (Heinekin, Budweiser, Miller). “I’m going to go light this meal,” Matt said. “Or maybe I’ll have a ribeye.” We decided...
Nuestro apartamiento
Fabiola was waiting for us at our apartment from Apartments BA. After much research, we decided to rent an apartment for the trip over staying at a hotel. We wanted to live like the locals, plus we saved a ton of money. (Hence the pretend portenos.) Here’s what our temporary home looks like when you wake up in the morning…I think we could sit on the balcony and watch the portenos walk...
The last supper
Some people clip coupons in a recession. Others cut back on dining out. But not Matt and Rebecca. They buy a house and book a trip to Argentina.
Four months later, here we are. Just living la vida loca in the land of gauchos. We’ll use this space to tell of our travels, so check back regularly for updates.
In the spirit of saving money, we do get an A for effort. For a mere $400, we booked a...