Buenos Aires (7 – 26 May)

After nearly 3 weeks in Buenos Aires and 3 different hostels we finally tore ourselves away...and boy was it hard! Our first week was spent doing an intensive Spanish class – 4 hours a day. This was the most brain power we’d used in a long time! Poor Mitch was shattered – he had a one to one class because he was the only beginner and his teacher refused to speak any English to him. I think the funniest lesson was where he was trying to explain what kind of music he liked and started pointing to his shins to describe the band! The teacher started translating Shins into Spanish...there was much confusion!! Anyway we got through the week and were determined to show off our knowledge of the language...we quickly realised that people don’t talk to you as slowly as the teachers do! Once we had time to stroll around and enjoy the delights of the city we quickly fell in love with it. We spent our first Sunday strolling around San Telmo market – sitting in the sun with a bottle of wine and choripan in hand watching the world go by...there’s nothing like it! I also managed to pick up a pair of vintage Ray Bans for 150 pesos – what a steal...apparently my birthday present from Mitch. We spent another day strolling around Recoleta and visited Evita’s grave. The cemetery was so interesting...nothing like we’d ever seen before. And of course we sampled the amazing Asado (BBQ) many many times...washed down by many a bottle of Argentinean wine. Our fabulous friends from Buenos Aires also brought us to some amazing places around the city that we wouldn’t have found otherwise – to see some amazing tango dancing in one of the best venues we’d ever been to and some very interesting clubs and parties to boogie with the porteños! And then came the biggest party of the century...25 de Mayo celebrations started the last weekend we were there. It was the 200 year celebration of the revolution in Argentina. We were just blown away by the celebrations. They went on for 4 days taking place on the main avenue (Avenida 9 de Julio) in Buenos Aires. The entire city shut down to celebrate on the streets! There’s nothing like standing in the middle of 2 and a half million people while they belt out their national anthem...it was insane! Although my favourite bit was on the last night when after the national anthem everyone started jumping singing “If you’re not jumping you’re English!” . I was gutted we weren’t in the crowd for that part...Mitch didn’t mind too much! Anyway, with very sore heads we tore ourselves away from Buenos Aires and our extremely hospitable friends – Clarisa and Inti to make our way southwards to freezing Bariloche. The prospect of skiing and snowboarding definitely pushed us on to that bus! Mitch had already started pricing 2 bedroom flats in San Telmo so I had to get him on a bus quickly.
(pic: Mitch looking out at Rio de la Plata)

Sharon’s birthday / Córdoba / Rosario

After another gruelling 24 hour bus journey we arrived in Córdoba on the morning of my birthday. We checked into what could only be described as a cell of a room with no windows only one into the kitchen...very handy! I keep forgetting that Argentina has no health and safety laws. We took a tour around the city which is mainly a university town and lunched for 2 for £4.50 (including ½ litre of wine)...we were happy. After a much needed nap and a giggle about the birthday cake that turned out to be pre prepared sponge to use in a cake you want to make yourself...see snaps!!

We hit the town! Suffice to say there were major hangovers the next day. The following day turned out to be a bank holiday followed by a Sunday where absolutely no shops are open (apart from pharmacies for some reason!) and with not even a restaurant in sight we decided to pack our bags and moved on to Rosario (the birthplace of Ernesto “Che” Guevara).
We arrived at midnight to what could only be described as the best hostel in the world...Che Pampa. We were delighted...especially after the hell hole we had just come from. We settled in nicely with a few beers and were dead to the world shortly afterwards. Unfortunately when we woke the next morning our roommate looked like she had too black eyes and that she had just been attacked by a swarm of bees. Turns out she’s allergic to bites and had been attacked by bed bugs during the night. The walls started to close in around me and I broke into a cold sweat with just the thought of them! We moved into another dorm at the other side of the hostel and after a thorough search and enclosing myself in my silk lining the next night I was assured that we were safe.

Rosario isn’t huge but is a beautiful town – gorgeous architecture and “birthplace” of the Argentinean flag and of course Che Guevara...which is evident everywhere. We took a walk to his old home which is now inhabited by the insurance company Mapfre...yes, my skin was curling! Running along the east of Rosario is the river Paraná which is the second widest in South America and there are a few beaches running along side the river as well. We overestimated the heat at this time year! We met some great people at the hostel here (who gave us good advice on Central America)...although not that great encouraging me in a karaoke bar...as if I need encouragement! Anyway, Mitch and I were very proud of our rendition of Endless Love although Mitch did sing the Diana Ross part which was quite hilarious. And I got a bit too into Zombie by the Cranberries...screaming instead of singing some parts when it got a bit personal...although got a great clap in the end so I was chuffed. We were a little worse for wear the next day and it was the first day where we didn’t leave the hostel since we got here but it was worth it. And we were on our way to Buenos Aires and very excited about it!