Buenos Aires (Argentina)
05 July - 11 July 2016
14 July - 16 July 2016
There's just no fighting true love, is there?
Seductive and cultured, sophisticated yet earthy, eclectic but with a strong identity, it never bores, seldom sleeps and invariably mesmerises its visitors - (no source)
(Absolutely)
Even though you find yourself in a city of nearly 13 million inhabitants, you have a feeling of being at home. It's as if the city opens its arms and says: 'This is me; come explore.'" - Sanja Hurem
05 July - 11 July 2016
14 July - 16 July 2016
There's just no fighting true love, is there?
Seductive and cultured, sophisticated yet earthy, eclectic but with a strong identity, it never bores, seldom sleeps and invariably mesmerises its visitors - (no source)
(Absolutely)
Even though you find yourself in a city of nearly 13 million inhabitants, you have a feeling of being at home. It's as if the city opens its arms and says: 'This is me; come explore.'" - Sanja Hurem
Sanja Hurem, that's exactly it. When I left Buenos Aires after my first visit I missed it. I missed it in that very real, visceral type of way. I felt loss. Not overtly of course but there was a large part of me that needed to go back and that knew deeply that I would make things happen, I would just the plain course of things in order to throw Buenos Aires squarely in my path.
Inga and I had been in Sydney for a few months. We'd finalised things with my aunts place and were rounding out our stay in Australia which we knew wouldn't be a place that we'd return to for any great length of time in the near future. This period of finalisation also coincided with my birthday and the move out from 90 Seven Hills Road perfectly dovetailed in to a few gorgeous nights at the Shangri-La at Circular Quay, one raucous night at the Shady Pines Saloon and then a flight over the Pacific to my spiritual home.
My 41st birthday - my, doesn't Inga look impressed ?Shady Pines Saloon - Sydney - Australia
View from the Shangri-La Hotel - Sydney - Australia
Birthday drinks - Shangri-La Hotel - Sydney - Australia
A good 'ole Curry Tiger - Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Capitol Theatre - Haymarket - Sydney
Buenos Aires volvemos
I love the feel of the barrio of San Telmo. From the yellowish hued light dispersed from the tall, noble street lamps and how the light the cobble stone streets to the carnivorous frenzy of the neighbourhood parillas. I can walk through here with absolute comfort & ease, somehow everything feels in place and I feel like my best self in the midst of it.
San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
True love aside this trip to Buenos Aires initially felt a little bit off. Occupying an apartment in the heart of San Telmo is usually what I, and now we, do, but this time a few things skewed our demeanour and made various periods of time challenging. Case in point. The first 2-3 days were off kilter in the sense that we found ourselves waking up in the late afternoon/early evening, having totally missed the day. To me it felt like going to watch a movie that you had built up so much anticipation for only to fall asleep and wake up to watch the credits rolling. Coupled with our jet lag was what seemed to be a sanitation strike that had left the streets to pile up with bags of rubbish. Now strike are all too common in Argentina, it's there way of doing things but this experience somehow tainted the pedestal on which I placed this city. Never fear though, Buenos Aires redeemed itself in spades latter on that same year, but more of that....well, latter.
La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Still, the tried and true of San Telmo immediately took pride of place on our 'to do' list. A midnight dinner at the much loved institution of La Brigada where cutting your steak with a spoon to prove its tenderness is obligatory. Then of course we needed to dine at Don Ernesto, a typical San Telmo parilla that isn't stunning, in some ways is very plain but has that undefinable quality that traps you in its web. It's a parilla that also give you the opportunity to leave your calling card on premises, which we've done in times gone by and which we did yet again on this occasion.
Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Microcentro - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Cafe Tortoni's - Avenida de Mayo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Bar Seddon - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Other favourites also followed, Plaza Dorrego Bar, with the scuffed black and white floored tiles, weathered and beaten furniture and our favourite blacked tied/black vested waiter, Carlos. Here we were again and his big smile and acknowledgement of our return after a few years just felt particularly comforting. We also made our usual stop for a Negroni and the more than well known Cafe Tortoni on Avenida de Mayo.
Don Ernesto - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Don Ernesto - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Don Ernesto - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Don Ernesto - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
There we are - Don Ernesto - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Buenos Aires gives you time to reminisce of course but also, there's always the opportunity to create new memories and this time didn't disappoint us at all. One of the highlights for sure was entering the domain of Fuerza Bruta (Brute Force), what Wikipedia calls a postmodern theatre show that originated in Buenos Aires in 2003, created by Diqui James. This performance was like nothing that I've experienced previously. Immersive and interactive, engaging all your senses, it challenges and excites you from start to finish. The area of performance is inhabited by everyone, there isn't that usual linear sense of sitting and viewing in that the show encompasses everyone within its grasp and makes them, the audience a player in the story line. The show has now travelled outside of Buenos Aires to a number of cites and is extremely well known for its unique style of delivery. Undeniably brilliant, we thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. If you haven't heard about it or come across them then please check it out at this link - Fuerza Bruta.
A couple of other new entrants on the Buenos Aires 'to-do' list were The Man Tour & Rojo Tango at the Faena Universe (hotel). The Man Tour is run by Landing Pad BA and is essentially a guided tour of Buenos Aires that offers 'typical' experience, slanted towards the male perspective, although really, everything on the tour was more than suitable for Inga, except the straight razor shave. The tour including a stop at a well known coffee at Angelito's, a stop at a well known empanada store, a measure up at a hattery where I discovered that my head size was untypically large and a straight razor shave at one of the coolest joints that I'd ever been to. A very old school type of cafe, come bar, come local barrio hangout with an old style barber shop incorporated into the mix, I absolutely loved it. The final stop was at a classic cigar bar. The only mix was right on the money and to finish off with a cigar, a neat drink and a bit of chat about the city just seemed to suit the style o the town down to the ground.
Rojo Tango is a different entity in itself. Located inside the stylish and impressive Faena Hotel, you're immediately engaged by the decor & atmosphere of the hotel. After an impressive three course meal with bottomless glasses of champagne the show commences and its just as atmosphere and sensual as the hotel. Stylish, sexy, engaging, the show is modern but of course has tango as its beating heart. For Inga I believe this was the real highlight.
Then there were the staples, the things that we had done before and of course had to do again. Like stopping in at some of our favourite bars, Floreria Atlantico, Bar Seddon & Doppleganger, an Sunday afternoon at the markets on Defensa, an evening at the La Ventana tango show and finally, an epic encounter in the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores against Independiente de Valle (Ecquador).
Now Boca Juniors are my favourite team and their home ground, La Bombonera in Boca has the most raucous & passionate supporters of any place in the world, in my humble opinion. Even on this occasion, despite the incessant drizzle and ever present cold, the stadium just rocked for the whole match. There is nothing like it, nothing close to the experience and the feeling that you can get from being in the crowd and watching Boca play. This was the second time that I experienced a Boca at La Bombonera and it was super charged. As a football lover or even a support of sports I would without hesitation say that this needs to be on the bucket list. One of the greatest sporting experiences without question.
Our time in Buenos Aires, for me of course, ended much too quickly, as it always seems to do. Every time I leave in just leaves me pining for a longer stay or to find a way where I could somehow live in the city or have an attachment to it. I did have some ideas about that of course but that's something to be discussed in later entries.
Fuerza Bruta - Recoleta - Buenos Aires
Fuerza Bruta - Recoleta - Buenos Aires
Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina
A couple of other new entrants on the Buenos Aires 'to-do' list were The Man Tour & Rojo Tango at the Faena Universe (hotel). The Man Tour is run by Landing Pad BA and is essentially a guided tour of Buenos Aires that offers 'typical' experience, slanted towards the male perspective, although really, everything on the tour was more than suitable for Inga, except the straight razor shave. The tour including a stop at a well known coffee at Angelito's, a stop at a well known empanada store, a measure up at a hattery where I discovered that my head size was untypically large and a straight razor shave at one of the coolest joints that I'd ever been to. A very old school type of cafe, come bar, come local barrio hangout with an old style barber shop incorporated into the mix, I absolutely loved it. The final stop was at a classic cigar bar. The only mix was right on the money and to finish off with a cigar, a neat drink and a bit of chat about the city just seemed to suit the style o the town down to the ground.
Cafe de los Angelitos - Congreso - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Buenos Aires - Argentina
Buenos Aires - Argentina
Buenos Aires - Argentina
This is the time I realised that being nice comes in handy
Rojo Tango is a different entity in itself. Located inside the stylish and impressive Faena Hotel, you're immediately engaged by the decor & atmosphere of the hotel. After an impressive three course meal with bottomless glasses of champagne the show commences and its just as atmosphere and sensual as the hotel. Stylish, sexy, engaging, the show is modern but of course has tango as its beating heart. For Inga I believe this was the real highlight.
Faena Universe - Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Faena Universe - Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Faena Universe - Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Then there were the staples, the things that we had done before and of course had to do again. Like stopping in at some of our favourite bars, Floreria Atlantico, Bar Seddon & Doppleganger, an Sunday afternoon at the markets on Defensa, an evening at the La Ventana tango show and finally, an epic encounter in the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores against Independiente de Valle (Ecquador).
Copa Libertadores Semi-Final 2016 - Boca vs. Independiente de Valle - La Bombonera - La Boca - Argentina
Copa Libertadores Semi-Final 2016 - Boca vs. Independiente de Valle - La Bombonera - La Boca - Argentina
Copa Libertadores Semi-Final 2016 - Boca vs. Independiente de Valle - La Bombonera - La Boca - Argentina
Now Boca Juniors are my favourite team and their home ground, La Bombonera in Boca has the most raucous & passionate supporters of any place in the world, in my humble opinion. Even on this occasion, despite the incessant drizzle and ever present cold, the stadium just rocked for the whole match. There is nothing like it, nothing close to the experience and the feeling that you can get from being in the crowd and watching Boca play. This was the second time that I experienced a Boca at La Bombonera and it was super charged. As a football lover or even a support of sports I would without hesitation say that this needs to be on the bucket list. One of the greatest sporting experiences without question.
Outside of La Ventana - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
This is one of many photos I've taken in this mirror over the years
Outside of La Ventana - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Doppelganger Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Denfensa - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Denfensa - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Pan Americano Hotel - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Plaza Dorrego Bar - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Obelisco - Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Our time in Buenos Aires, for me of course, ended much too quickly, as it always seems to do. Every time I leave in just leaves me pining for a longer stay or to find a way where I could somehow live in the city or have an attachment to it. I did have some ideas about that of course but that's something to be discussed in later entries.
