An entry in the TFS Travel Journal
Dragged ourselves out of bed in our just-a-tad-too-warm room (the air conditioning would only blow lukewarm air), enjoyed the breakfast buffet - sin tremors this time - and taxied back to the airport. As we were settling into our seats (the front row of the plane), we struck up a conversation with the couple behind us who were obviously American: Rich is originally from Long Island, Courtney’s from Charlotte - and 21 weeks pregnant, they’ve been married about two years and have been living in BA since July when they moved so he could help open Nationsbank’s new office here. They were full of helpful suggestions, and we made plans to meet for dinner tonight at his favorite steak place.
We checked into our hotel in Buenos Aires, where Wendy charmed the reception clerk into upgrading us to a spacious suite, with a living room and little office space. Wow, this hotel is one of the nicest we’ve ever stayed in!! (Just what was needed after the biking trip lodgings; brilliant planning, Milton) It is indeed a Palace. . .
We immediately took one of Courtney’s suggestions and went to a nearby hole-in-the-wall place for empanadas. We had the soup, a beef tamale and two empanadas and really loved it all! In fact, we’re planning on making it a regular lunch feature of our three days here.
We did a quick shop at a grocery nicer than any in NYC, then taxied across town to the Sunday San Telmo flea market. Quite the fun scene, with street performers, tango dancers and myriad little stalls filled with some high-quality antiques and assorted detritous. One interesting “performer” was a young (20s?) woman who wore heavy white make-up, had braids of coiffed white rope, and was draped in a white sheet. She then moved slowly in place, striking various classical poses and looking beautifully, well, statuesque.
We enjoyed the various musicians, Wendy bought a pretty antique brooch, then we walked to the nearby modern art museum. Not too interesting, though quite modern. One of the best features of that neighborhood is the several old large family homes which have since been turned into apartments on the upper floors and courtyards filled with small shops on the ground floor. The courtyards are skylit with wonderful classical architectural features and old tiled floors. We perused a few more streets worth of antique shops before heading back to the Palace.
We successfully struggled to resist buying any of the old copies of the NYTimes at the hotel’s newstand (especially at $4 per issue and $17 for Sunday’s), but did pick up our old friend, the Int’l Herald Tribune. We relaxed in the room, then went downstairs and met our new best friends, Rich and Courtney.
We all had a lovely walk over to the verdant and tranquil Plaza San Martin, passing more classically beautifully buildings, where we then got a cab to the Puerto Modero, the South Street Seaport of BA. We dined at Cabana Las Lilas, enjoying the best beef either of us have ever had! (thinking of you both, JB and PC) We all got a different cut and shared, with the rib-eye and baby beef the winners, but they were all light and tasty in a pure kind of way. We enjoyed a good Argentine cabernet/merlot, and had a fabulous dessert of papaya custard with cassis, along with another of crepes filled with the ubiquitous dulce de leche. We talked for a while, then cabbed back to the Palace, returning to find a plate of delectable chocolates left for us in our suite.
Buenos Aires is such a crazy driving town — there are some of the widest streets - 8 lanes each way - but also many corners with no stop signs or lights, but lots of traffic!! Fortunately, most every street is one way, and it’s the time of summer when everyone’s at the beach, so the city is much emptier than usual.