Buenos Aires

Well, well, well where do you start with a city like BA?

I spent nearly 8 days in the city and it really is a fantiastic place. I was staying in quite a party hostel, however nearly all of them are party hostels in BA. The thing I liked about mine was that the bedrooms were upstairs away from the noise so if you needed a sleep, it was possible.

I arrived after a delayed flight so my first night involved a short walk around, town filling in documents for work the UK and going out to a Thai restaurant which was quite a treat after travelling all over South America without it.





The next day off to the very working class area of La Boca (the mouth or lips in spanish) it is a very colourful neighbourhood where all the houses are painted bright colours by the original Italian immigrants. It is the birthplace of the Tango which originated as a dance between sailors and prostitutes.




Today despite being a tourist attraction with street tango shows, it still maintains its working class roots and it is home to Boca Juniors one of the biggest football teams in Argentina home to national hero and hand of god Diego Maradona.

















The next day a complete change of scenery with a trip to Recoleta, home to the rich and affluent. It is the flashiest part of town complete with french styled arcitecture, designer stores and hotels. It was probably the only part of Argentina not to feel the brunt of the economy collapse in 2001.





We went to the famous cemetary and saw Evita's grave and although she was for the working class she ended up burried here as she was the illigitimate daughter of a very distinguished man.









Thursday involved coffee and ice cream (dulce de leche flavour) with the two lovely aussie girls in my room Lyndall (a true aussie complete with crass slang and a great laugh to boot) and Kate (the super sweetie) this was of course followed by some shopping. That night was party night in the hostel followed with a trip to Club 69. A somewhat wild club complete with a drag queen show.

It is hard to describe the lifestyle of this city dinner is had at around 10-11pm, to which after you have a few drinks and then you head to the club at around 1:30-2am and would not dare to go any earlier. This is followed by returning home the next day usually around 10am or even later. So the partyness can take a toll and had not helped me get over my cold at all.

The next day involved some sulking around and us nursing our hangovers. A walk around town and then dinner and a quite night.

















Sat was a super shopping day hitting Palermo Hollywood I guess the Soho of BA. As a female repressed from shopping for 7 months it was a true delight. I got to by shoes and some nice clothes that I can wear in the UK. I spent a lot but the value for money here is incredible for what you get. Trendy local designer stuff for 20-30 dollars.

That night dressed in my new duds, it was off to meet a local my mum set me up with. We had dinner and met up with Lyndall and Jemma (a super super sweet english girl who has the worst spanish pronaounciation I have ever heard!) then went to a bar and then a kind of rock club. Again a big night and that left for a quiet sunday. Where I had a lovely dinner with an Irish friend, again I ate pasta while I watched him eat steak!!!

















Monday was more like my last day so the girls and I spent it wandering around some of the beautiful parks and gardens of BA. After coffee I took myself to the hospital as the cold I have had for 10 days had reached a point of being terrible (I do not think the partying helped) so I saw a doctor who has given me some meds and I think I am on the mend.

That night was hard for me as I had to come to a realisation that one dream of mine to travel in Central and South America has come to an end. I felt very overwhealmed by the places I have been to, the people I have met and the goals I have achieved along the way. I found it difficult to leave as I have adapted to the way of life here so easily.

I love it here and this whole continent holds a place in my heart which I find hard to let go. I am somewhat scared by what lies ahead of me in the UK. But now I have some dreams to return to South America and maybe call it home for a while (sorry to scare you again mum).