I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 5, and the same day I met my sister Isabel for the first time. I have had a great time with her this month, though it has been hard for me to keep up with "porteño" life. Super late lunches (2PM), even later dinners (11:30PM) and bar or club hopping that only begins at 2AM is quite a change for me, and the first two weeks I was just worn out. Add on top of that the all day celebration of Chile's national birth on September 18, and my introduction to the pisco sour. Once I managed to wake up before 11AM (that would be, oh, 12 days ago), I really started to enjoy Buenos Aires for it's more cultural aspect. I've toured all over, museums, theatres, the extensive parks, and some seriously cheap shopping. The currency exchange is 3+ pesos to every dollar, so meals average $4 and clothing about $15.
I've also taken a few trips out of Buenos Aires, to a small ranch near San Antonio de Areco, where I toured pastures on horseback, watched gaucho (cowboy) shows, and even...yes, ate the country's famous "parrilla" aka beef. i thought it tasted a lot like the fake meats i enjoy at home. Yesterday I went to Tigre, right on the river's delta. It was a beautiful small town where the island homes are right on the water with private docks, and even some communal campgrounds where people played volleyball, sunbathed and waded in the water. After a ferry tour, I managed to do some shopping in the open air market there too.
Three weeks ago I moved out of my hostel and in with my great-aunt Franca, who at 89 is living on her own, active and super fiesty. She plays bridge incessantly with dozens of old ladies who are equally as entertaining. She's also been able to tell me so much about the Giarda family, and has wonderful photos from the 1800´s when my family moved to South America from Italy. She also has plenty of opinions, on just about everything...so I guess we know where I got that from.
Tonight is my last night in Buenos Aires; tomorrow I head across the world's widest river to Uruguay, where I will tour around some small colonial towns, the country's capital Montevideo, and some beach towns. And since it's spring here and the weather is about 73 with lots of sun, I'm pretty excited about relaxing on a beach. you know, since the past month has been so stressful...Anyway, then I come back to Argentina and will be traveling around the northwest part of the country, to the mountains and northernmost part of wine country. I have a hiking excursion planned, and hopefully another horseback riding tour.
1 - me and my sister Isabel outside the recoleta cemetery and church
2 - me over looking la boca's caminito from a balcony
3 - la casa rosada, the famous presidential home of Evita
4 - me in the tower of the palacio barolo overlooking greater buenos aires
5 - jorge, isabel, franca and me, at franca's apartment in la recoleta