Day 1: Buenos Aires
Well, Buenos Aires has not been very bueno for me!! I arrived at the airport to discover that my suitcase did not join me. Cue a very long wait at lost luggage, an incompetent employee, and a very tired and impatient Rhiannon. Those who know me well can imagine how this interaction went. I was close to getting thrown out of the country before I’d even entered it.
As I write this 3 days later, its whereabouts are still unknown, and Iberia have been less than helpful. The tracking website claims “the search continues”, like my suitcase is on the lamb after committing a serious crime. And no Greg, not a crime against fashion! I had some good shit in there! Fortunately, as this happened to me earlier this year in Colombia, I had the foresight to pack essential toiletries and a clean pair of pants in my hand baggage. But I got my suitcase back the next day in Colombia. I fear this time it’ll never be seen again.
After checking into my Airbnb to dump my imaginary suitcase, I grab a taxi to San Telmo market where hundreds of stalls stretch for miles selling cheap tat. Why do we love a Sunday market when travelling?? It’s rammed with people, and given the heat (33 degrees), my tiredness, and my frustration with Iberia, it’s the last place I want to be. I make a beeline for El Hornero and buy two empanadas to go. This place is well-known, which explains the long line to be served. I opt for the classic beef, which is delicious.
After the market, I spend an hour or so wandering through the colourful streets of La Boca, watching some live tango and sampling some delicious craft beer at Temple bar. As expected, its a super touristy area but cute nonetheless. From here I jump in a taxi to Plaza de Mayo to see the Casa Rosada (with the famous Evita balcony). Despite being in the same dirty clothes and absolutely reeking from the flight, the taxi driver takes a shine to me and asks for my number. Must be my dazzling personality. He offers to take me out for dinner and to drive me to cheap shops where I can replace my lost clothes. I politely decline, imagining his form of payment being one I’m unwilling to make.
I head to my Airbnb to shower and change into my one and only pair of clean pants before hitting the streets of Palermo in search of much needed alcohol. I have two delicious cocktails in Tres Monos before heading to Casa Coupage for a paired wine dining experience in Santiago and Luciana’s house. There’s 8 of us doing the experience tonight, including a couple from Barcelona, a couple from NYC, an annoying solo female traveller from
Chicago (there’s always one), and a couple from San Francisco.
We start on the terrace with a lovely white wine and amazing goats cheese empanada. All wines throughout the night, and there is ALOT of wine, are tasted blind. Each set of wines is paired with a food course, and each changes the flavours of the dishes (not to sound like a total wine wanker or anything). The food, cooked by chef Paco, is incredible and I’m happy to get my first (but definitely not my last) taste of Argentine beef!
We’re all hammered by the end of the evening and head to our respective homes to pass out in a food and wine coma. Short lived for me with my jet lag, waking up bright and early at 6am.
Day 2: Buenos Aires
My original plans the next day changed, based on the fact I had zero clean clothes left. The last thing I want to do here is shop. Well, the last thing I want to do anywhere is shop as I hate it with a passion. This is where things get a little complicated.
Here’s the problem with Argentina. You can’t get your hands on Argentine pesos until you’re physically in the country. There’s two exchange rates - the official one you get when using bank cards or withdrawing from ATMs which is terrible, and the “blue rate” which you obtain illegally on the street in exchange for US dollars. The middle ground is to opt for transferring money to a Western Union and withdrawing in cash. This is the option I went for. This will get you almost double the money compared to withdrawing via an ATM. What I hadn’t anticipated was how fucking difficult it would be to find a Western Union that a) had any money left or b) didn’t have a queue a mile long.
Things here aren’t as cheap as I expected, and it’s actually far dearer to buy clothes here compared to back home. I head to an area where there are cheaper clothes (and a western union with cash!) The clothes are terrible quality, but the shop attendants carry your chosen items around as you go, like you’re having a fucking personal shopping experience in Harrods or something. I buy a few things to keep me going, along with a bar of laundry soap so I can wash as I go and rotate outfits every few days. I’ve resigned myself to being a full blown hobo for the next 2 weeks. Might let my armpit hair grow and everything. Fuck it.
Lunch today is a typical Argentinian one - Choripán. Which, if you haven’t discovered from the name, means chorizo sandwich. Luckily I’d done my research before travelling (by watching Somebody Feed Phil) and headed to Chori in Palmero. I ordered the classic choripán with chimichurri and a beer and it was delicious!
That evening I had dinner at The Argentine Experience - a concept where fellow travellers come together to learn about Argentine culture through the best way possible - food! The group consisted mainly of Americans, and I found myself being the token Scot yet again. The couple sat next to me from Arizona were a good laugh, and it was a great experience overall. They had us making our own empanadas and brewing our own mate tea, which was fun. Not much is open on a Monday night here, so I head home and fall instantly asleep.
Day 3: Buenos Aires
I’ve a lot to cram into my last day in BA due to all the time wasted sorting out my lost luggage issues. I start with a typical Argentinian breakfast - medialuna (croissant) seeping with butter, and a really decent coffee at Atelier Fuerza. From there I walk to Recoleta cemetery which you could easily spend hours getting lost in. Despite having no map, I manage to stumble upon the tomb of Eva Perón. Job well done, I head to El Sanjuanino for a beef empanada and a beer. Apparently somewhat of an institution here, but I feel it’s one of those places that has become a tourist trap and relies on its name as opposed to its food.
My food crawl continues with El Cuartito, famous for its pizza, in particular La Fugazzetta, which is literally a shit tonne of melted cheese and onions on a pizza base. There are not enough napkins in the world for the mess you will find yourself in after eating this slice.
My self-guided walking tour of Buenos Aires continues with a flying visit to the Palacio Bartolo and the Obelisk, before a pit stop in Cafe Tortoni for a typical drink, Fernet and coke, which is a type of Italian liqueur. Not my favourite.
That night I head to Estilo Campo restaurant in Puerto Madero for dinner. On approach, I see half a cow dangling above open flames and know I’m in for a treat. I’m glad I didn’t order starters as I’m presented with a 4 person portion of bread plus assorted snacks. I order the bife al chorizo (sirloin) and ask for it like I always do, jugoso. It arrives with lattice crisps, which quite frankly need to be packaged up and sold back home! The meat itself is exceptional. Arguably the best I’ve had in my time here so far. It required very minimal chewing which, after walking 14 miles that day, was welcomed as I was exhausted. The whole meal, which included 2 glasses of wine, was £20! I had a few comments on the rareness of the beef. You’re all wrong. It’s perfect and it’s how it should be eaten (and that’s coming from an ex-vegetarian)!
My night concludes with a tango show at Piazzola Tango. I have a very romantic table for one right at the front of the stage (clearly they took pity on me). I spent a LOT of time deliberating which show to see before I came here, and I’m glad I went with this one, not that I have a base for comparison. The musicians and dancers were spectacular and from the moment it started until the moment it ended I was mesmerised. If I had more time I would’ve for sure taken a tango class here! I’ll have to settle for my my mum and dad showing me a few moves when I get home!
Overall, I probably didn’t experience Buenos Aires to its full potential, based on all of my troubles. On first impressions, it seems like your typical South American capital city. But I’m sure there’s far more to it, which I didn’t have time to discover.
An interesting start to the holiday for sure. But I’ve now gone through the 5 stages of grief and have finally accepted my situation. Now it’s off to Mendoza to drink ALL the wine!
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