SAN TELMO MARKET

The feeling, spirit and vitality of the San Telmo area of Buenos Aires (where we have our apartment) is captured in the Sunday market  The sidewalks are lined with artisans, vendors and native craft makers selling authentic Argentine goods. The market is over a mile long and is packed with both locals and tourists looking for bargains and an enjoyable afternoon outdoors.  Impromptu music is everywhere!  And you can find on nearly every block a street cafe for some refreshment and local cuisine

Carnaval !!

Buenos Dias, I said yesterday morning,  Let's go to Carnaval!

Of course when I woke up (as usual it was not so early in the morning) I had no idea of how to go to Carnaval.  I remembered reading in Frommer's that every Saturday in February there is the Argentine  version of Carnaval, or Mardi Gras.  So I took up the book  to find out where the Argentine equivalent of Bourbon Street was.   Well,  it was certainly not in Buenos Aires,  but in Gauleguayachu about 3 hours north of Buenos Aires!!
   Because it wasn't the travel gospel of Rick Steves  (WWRD) that we were used to,  I called Eva (Apartment Manager)  to find out if it was a good idea and how we would best get there.  Talking on the phone in Spanish and understanding the other person is not so easy but I did hang up knowing that there was a locutura on Defensa and Universidad where we could buy bus tickets.  I just wasn't sure if she said she was going to meet  us there or would come by for us.


We did find here there and after several minutes of discussion with the man who worked there (whom we found out later was her son in law) we learned that the best he could get was tickets leaving about 7 pm and we would have to buy return tickets when we got there.  I was rather deflated but we decided that we would go to MicroCentro (bus station) to see if we could find something better.  We actually did, we bought tickets for a 4:45 departure and a 3 am return!  We even had time left for a couple of pizzas before boarding our bus.  (The Napoltina pizzas are so very good!!)


After such a poor beginning to the adventure, and some frustration on my part with not always being able to understand Spanish as perfectly as I wished,  we were certainly surprised and very well rewarded for the effort to make the journey!  


It was like seeing the Rose Bowl Parade combined with the Octoberfest of Germany on the stage of the Moulin Rouge with unbelievable floats and beautiful dancers in Las Vegas style costumes with lots of skin and feathers.   It was definitely HOT! HOT! HOT !!!!!  I can't imagine Rio being any better!

The Tango!

Near the apartment is a plaza with a few restaurants and during the evening they have Tango dancers showing their stuff.  A passion of the city - the tango dancing goes on until the wee hours of the morning in the clubs.  With dinner at nine - they don't start dancing until after midnight.  Then they go out for drinks after that.  We've been pretty used to eating dinner at 9 anyways, but we will have to see about not going to bed until 5 am!

This is a little plaza nearby that we stopped at to have a little "picada"  a light meal to hold you over until
you have your real meal.   It seems that the traditional picada is a platter of cold cuts,  cheeses and olives with fresh bread.   It it ok the first time but it can get old really fast.  Anyway,  while we were eating our picada in the plaza this couple was dancing.  Wow!  I would love to have legs like her,  I think I will take up Tango for sure!

We also went to a nighttime Tango show at El Viejo Almacen to watch the truly professional show on stage with a live band playing. Lots of  traditional songs - and  amazing dancing!

Shopping For "Essentials"

So our first order of business after settling in was to find something to wear and something to eat. No car, no malls, no idea where to go to find what we needed - let alone in the right size, color, fabric and style for us to at least not look like we just arrived from another planet!

But after some suggestions from the apartment keeper Eva, we set out on the SUBTE (BA's underground trains) to the shopping area. We found all kinds of shops  - but no clothes.  Finally we found a shop for "personal items" and knew we could at least change something  - even if we had to put the same clothes from the flight back on us (or not once we got home!) The ladies there (next posting) were most kind to us and gave directions and suggestions for all kinds of things (about 10 blocks away!)

So we were able to find something after a nice "early dinner" (6pm) and got some shirts and a few shorts and flip-flops.  The big dinner (starting here about 9pm) had to be skipped -and it was home to do some laundry and to go to sleep for the night.

a quick bite to eat

Bonnie gets to use her Spanish

roho? para mi?

washer? . . . yes.   dryer? . . . sort of!

view from the bedroom up

BUENOS AIRES!

We're here!  Our luggage isn't!
We got so lucky to have been able to make it here though.  The only United flights that go to BA out of the US leave from Washington DC.  Three feet of snow just shut down the airport this week on several different days.  Our original flight was cancelled, and moved to Monday - the only day that the flight was able to leave for a whole week!  But unfortunately our luggage wasn't so lucky.  So our first thoughts were . . .  it's hot and humid,  and we had no clothes to change into.
But after a cab ride into the city we were able to see that this was going to be a great trip.  The apartment we were able to rent is just fantastic (pictures below).  Its in an area called San Telmo - famous for it's old history, good restaurants and the Tango dance.
The apartment is two stories with the front living room window opening right onto the street.  It is old and worn - but the furnishings are fantastic!  The garden room has an open ceiling to let the rain and sun in. Very comfortable and cozy!!

  dining room

formal living room

garden and kitchen

front entrance hall

garden patio room - open ceiling - notice the shoes on the shelf, and the candle chandelier

breakfast!