Highlights: Farewell to Buenos Aires - Meet our Cruise Group (FUN!) - Argentinian BBQ Dinner
Our last day in Buenos Aires. We had breakfast at the hotel and I updated the blog. We checked in with the cruise person. Tonight we have a cocktail reception, but we learned that we have to get up at 4 am tomorrow as we have an early flight to Isuaia.
We decided to use this last day to experience Buenos Aires on foot so we walked up Avenido 9 July to look at the shops, food and people. We walked back down Florida Street and got a Christmas ornament for our "travel tree" - a couple doing the tango of course! We then walked back to Casa Rosada for a closer look. President Christina was in as her flag was flying on top of the state house.
We walked to the obelisk and back to Recoleta for lunch at Biela - a sidewalk cafe under the branches of a 250 year old gum tree. Then off for ice cream (helados) at Freddo - yummy! We walked back to the Park Hyatt Hotel to repack for Antarctica - we'll go from 90 degree weather to 30-40 degree weather so we need warm clothes ready.
At 3:15 we set out on foot for the Argentinian Congress Building - a 45 minute walk from our hotel unfortunately in heat and humidity. We checked in (despite a language barrier) for a complimentary tour that they give at 4 pm in English. Sylvia was our guide and so delightful - she took us all over the building, even into rooms that normally are reserved just for the Senators (since they were on Christmas holidays). Evita laid in state in one of the Congress halls briefly and the huge domed room is for President and former President funerals. Evita was taken to a labor hall for most of the 14 days she laid in state since she identified more with the workers (whom she called the shirtless ones). It was a beautiful stately building with imported materials from Europe and lots of oil paintings of former Argentine leaders - including Juan Peron.
It only took us 30 minutes to walk back to the hotel. We showered and dressed and went off to the cocktail reception for our cruise participants. Interesting people - should be a fun cruise! Plus there were 5 other PLU's (at least) - Tim from California, Victor and Tommy from NYC, and Jim and Ralph from NYC. I had an extremely interesting discussion with John who is with his wife (Audrey) and mother-in-law (Eleonore) from Orlando - he had a farm in Kenya for 12 years and encouraged us to do a gorilla tour in Uganda when we go. He is personal friends with Jane Goodall. Also, Jennifer (Chinese) was with her parents - Patrick and Susan. A fun (and drinking!) group so we think this will be a good tour.
Tim and I walked to Recoleta after the reception for an Argentine BBQ dinner. We selected La Chacrita that was a meat grill place. Tim had the best goat he said he has ever had in years (Baaaaaa - Not Baa Baa!). I had a fabulous filet - another perfect Argentinian steak.
We are LOVING the Argentinian malbec wines - Terrazas de los Andes Reserva was especially good. They have all be dark purple and flavorful. Excellent. We laughed several times that at least they weren't f**king merlots (like in Sideways movie!)
Back to the hotel to finish packing and put our luggage outside the door for pickup by midnight. It was a short night so we went to bed at 10 since we had to be up by 4 am. The flight leaves Buenos Aires leaves at 7 am and they are telling us it is a 5 hour flight. So we'll arrive in Ushuaia around noon.
To think we flew 8 hours from MIA to Buenos Aires - and now we are flying 5 more hours south - and then getting on a ship and going 600 more miles south. No wonder it will be cold when we get there.
Off to bed.
Larry and Tim
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