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Showing posts with label Avenida Defensa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avenida Defensa. Show all posts

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Buenos Aires (Argentina) - The Proposal - Part (I)



Buenos Aires (Argentina)

The ‘Proposal’ – Part I – a place to call my own
17 NOVEMBER – 25 NOVEMBER 2016

Argentina and Buenos Aires has left an indelible mark upon me. No other place in the world, other than the city I grew up in (Sydney), and the city that I associate with my family, and where I lived for a few years (Belgrade), has allowed me to feel as at home, feel as comfortable and be in my place as Buenos Aires. Ever since I fell for this city back in 2010 all I ever wanted to do was to carve out a piece it and have it for my very own. Somehow  that opportunity had now arrived. This was now my time.


First stop Rio de Janeiro - Brasil - just a transit port this time

This is exactly the feeling you have after 14 hours in the air
Rio Gallegos Airport - Brasil


Sometimes when your stars start to align or when your plan starts to come together, you begin to see reasoning behind how the pieces of the puzzle actually managed to fit. You see what was once disparate reasoning, which never truly made sense, all of a sudden form that needed single view, that picture of complete clarity.

I’d been within Inga for 18 months at this point and had known for quite some time that I wanted to ask her to marry me. Now, as any man will tell you when they’re faced with the various facets of this scenario, your mindset immediately goes into planning mode, Where will I ask? How will I ask? What sort of ring would she like? ...there are in fact endless questions to which answers need to be found.

In the weeks where these questions formed and started to turn over in my mind there was a point in time where most of those unknowns became clear. My first requirement was that I needed to set the premise, or the proposition to Inga about the location. This step I’ll call laying the foundation. There had to be a logical reasoning for wanting to head to the deep south other than the notion of just wanting to go for the sake of it. That in itself would bring up more questions that I wanted to answer in a situation where I needed to be as clandestine as possible.


San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Cafe con leche - Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Inga of course knew that I'd always had a goal of buying a place in Buenos Aires. The time for simply wanting and forlornly looking through real estate advertisements was now over. So what better way to get serious and make the idea a reality than being on the ground in your destination city, to get a look and feel of a place and particular location in the city that we're both very fond of. Of course it was obvious in the end and my reasoning to her made it obvious, we just had to go to Buenos Aires...of course we had to go to Buenos Aires...in order to propose and buy an apartment – wrapping it ALL up into one unforgettable memory. Now that would be something that just couldn't be beaten.

In my planning therefore I started to consider what I’d like to call, the sweetener. What could I do to elevate the entire experience into something even more unforgettable? To me, in order to heighten an experience you need to be able to share it. It gives the experience a different perspective, energy and degree of excitement. So, I threw out the option to Inga. Why not ask her brother Davis to come down to Buenos Aires with us? We could show him around the city that we love, have him experience something totally different to Europe and of course get his feedback on our potential apartment purchase.

….so the plan was activated and put into action – on the 17th of November, 2016 it was due to commence

Landing in Buenos Aires on 17 November 2016  made it my 7th time in this wonderful city since  my first time in 2010 .Not bad for a Sydney boy with absolutely no affiliation to the country other than his love of meat, Malbec, Messi and football.

That feeling I have when driving from the airport in Ezeiza is always the same. Excitement, energy, anticipation, only that this occasion it felt like an arrival on steroids. Overwhemling anticipation that would lead to a proposal, potentially an apartment purchase and also Inga’s brother joining us for the whole adventure, well, this was going to be epic.

Typically Inga and I find ourselves hiding out in the barrio of San Telmo when we stay in Buenos Aires. This is the oldest barrio in the city, the most atmospheric and the one that has the most character. It’s colonial buildings, cobble stoned streets, antique shops, parrillas, tango parlours and cafés all combine to make this part of the city truly special, but also, Inga and I have a lot of great memories that have been banked away from occupying this corner of the world at various times.


San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Brigada Parrilla - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Cafe Tortoni - Avenida de Mayo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Walking in San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Walking into Plaza Dorrego Bar one morning we were greeted by the smiling face of a waiter that we’d gotten chatting with on previous occasions. Plaza Dorrego Bar is an old school café across Avenida Defensa from Plaza Dorrego itself. The waiters are all male and have the standard black tie, black vested uniform that makes you think of a bygone era – a classic, evocative, old school space with traditional Argentine style chequered floors, a weathered wooden bar and wooden tables. It has that old musty smell that just melds perfectly with this section of the city, and I have to say, is a favourite morning spot for me in San Telmo. My order is always the same, a cafe con leche y tres medias lunas.  Our waiter already knew, it was saying my order to me at the same time that I was.

Davis flew into Buenos Aires the next day. His arrival added a totally new dimension to our time here. It almost felt like we were showing him around our home town. I felt the same way I’d feel if I was guiding someone around Sydney, of course, you want them to like your town and you feel its your job to show it off to the best of your ability…which is what we absolutely did, and in spades.

From the day that he joined us on Defensa with the traditional Sunday afternoon markets, we guided him to all of the spots that were both known and loved by us. Starting in San Telmo, post market day, we showed him the Che mural on Pasaje San Lorenzo, walked around the old antique stores and cobble stoned streets, ending up at the famous Parrilla La Brigada in the evening for a round of Malbec and steak, their famous moniker being that their steak is so soft ‘that you can cut it with a spoon’.


Cafe Tortoni - Avenida de Mayo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Cafe Tortoni - Avenida de Mayo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

El Ateneo Grand Splendid - Avenida Santa Fe - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Bar El Federal - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Bar El Federal - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Avenida President Roque Saenz Pena - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Buenos Aires - Argentina

Of course, we also spent some time down in the colourful barrio of La Boca. An historic and proud barrio of Buenos Aires located next to the city’s port where the Riacheulo River meets the Rio de la Plata. This area has always been known as poor part of town. In some ways bleak, very industrial and rough, the barrio can be intimidating if you find yourself strolling into its unsafe areas. Tourists are constantly warned not to stray off the well trodden paths for the sake of getting robbed. The main area of Calle Caminito however is rather kitschy and largely touristic. Filled with cafes and open air tango shows it’s the typical tourist trap that you'll find anywhere in the world. Of course you can get off the beaten track but perhaps not best down in a solo manner. Still, for what it is, it’s worth showing, even from an historical aspect of the city and in terms of photography. The colours and the theatre just make this area stand out in photos.


Retiro - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Retiro - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Four Seasons Hotel - Calle Posadas - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Calle San Lorenzo - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Feria in San Telmo - Defensa - Buenos Aires - Argentina


Feria de San Telmo - Avenida Defensa - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Feria de San Telmo - Avenida Defensa - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina



La Poesia - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Brigada - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina


Our path through Buenos Aires on this occasion was largely dictated by my apartment hunting. I’d orchestrated my search was with the assistance of a well known BA consultant, Michael Koh, who’d put me in touch with an agent he trusted and had worked with previously. I found Michael online after a fair amount of research. Essentially, in his role as a consultant, he assists foreigners like me, who are interested in real estate investments either in Buenos Aires or Argentina, to go through the ‘discovery’ and contract process. A process, which without prior knowledge, can be quite complex and being Argentina, inevitably takes many twists and turns. He was, without question, the consummate professional and made himself available to answer my queries at all times. Absolutely phenomenal guy I have to say.


La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina


La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aries - Argentina

La Boca - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Michael’s recommendation of looking outside of my favourite barrio, San Telmo, therefore extended our search out to Palermo, Palermo Viejo and Palermo Soho. These areas are typically known as the trendiest parts of the town, so coupled with real estate viewing we took to showing Davis parts of the town that were within our search zone. So aside from the old staples like Café Tortoni and Recoleta cemetery, we also took in a dinner at Don Julio in Palermo, which incidentally in 2018 made it to #6 on the list of Best South American restaurants, https://www.theworlds50best.com/latinamerica/en/the-list-2018/Don-Julio.html  currently #55 in the world. 

Another evening we were back in Recoleta and took to seeing the wonderful Fuerza Bruta (Brute Force), a post-modern theatre production that incorporates music, theatre, light shows, water, smoke and a plethora of interactive engagements in a setting that completely surrounds you. As a member of the audience you effectively stand in the middle of the stage as the performance takes place above your head, on the walls, on the front stage, everywhere. It’s so completely immersive, mind blowing in its action and free flowing, it pushes and pulls you in all directions. I’ve only ever seen the show in Buenos Aires, and even though it can now be seen in cities around the world, the concept and production originated in this city.


Cemetario de Recoleta - Buenos Aires - Argentina

 Buenos Aires - Argentina

Cemetario de Recoleta - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Don Julio - Palermo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Don Julio - Palermo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Cafe Tortoni....this guy....'Siiiiiiiii'

Cafe Tortoni - Avenida de Mayo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Of course the hits just kept coming in terms of experience as post Fuerza Bruta we hit the Hard Rock, the Four Seasons for drinks and then went to Floreria Atlantico, another Buenos Aires highlight, ranked #14 in a list of the World’s Top 50 bars, http://www.worlds50bestbars.com/fifty-best-bars-list-2018/?ist=11, this place is one of those cool, interestingly hidden places, where you could easily walk by on first passing. From the outside it’s just a florist shop, and indeed during the day that’s all at is, but this late night florist holds the coolest secret. Through a non-descript door you descend the stairs into a very cool Latin American speakeasy. Admittedly it’s not my favourite bar in Buenos Aires as it gets packed quickly and early here, and really, there’s just better set-ups around, but with that said, the drinks here are on point. The bartenders now what they’re doing and the drinks are special.


Sunday, July 5, 2015

Buenos Aires (ARGENTINA) - melancholy and the infinite sadness

Buenos Aires (Argentina)
01 JULY - 05 JULY 2015



...And here we now were, back where we started 3 months earlier. 

Below I've included an email that I wrote to Inga on the evening of 18 NOV 2014. It was just an idea at the point, formulating slowly, but when I look back at what I wrote I can see that what we framed in our minds pretty much came to fruition, and not just in terms of things eventuated but in terms of the plan, the way we moved, even the timings of where we thought we'd be and how long we would stay.

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Ok, so this is my 'rough' idea of how we should attack South America. In my thinking process I've considered what we both would like to see, the ever changing weather and the time we need. I think we're going to have to take a few flights internally but that's ok, I'll organise that, so no need to worry there......so here goes.



Arrive Buenos Aires 28/29 March - stay 5 nights, including a very important birthday!!


I think from there its best to head south. If we want to do some hikes around Torres del Paine or Monte Fitzroy then its would be best to do that early, in April where we're still ahead of the Southern Winter. So, for travelling south I have two options;



Option 1 -  Fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate - take some time to see Torres del Paine, Monte Fitzroy and Perito Moreno. After that, a bus up to San Carlos de Bariloche (which is a beautiful town on lake Nahuel Huapi), then up to Mendoza (wine growing country, great vineyards and red wine, especially Malbec). From there take a bus across into Chile and see Santiago and the coastal town of Valparaiso.


Option 2 - Bus from Buenos Aires to Mendoza, stay there for a few days (red wine hangovers), bus across the Andes to Santiago and then Valparaiso. Come back to Santiago and then fly down to Punta Arenas where we can base ourselves to see Torres del Paine, Monte Fitzroy and Perito Moreno. After that, bus up to Bariloche and then continue north

I anticipate this first part in Argentina and Chile will be close to three weeks - up to nearly the third week of April.
 
Heading North
After this initial section I was thinking of heading north either through Salta in Argentina or San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. From there we would aim to go for Uyuni (Bolivia) and see the Salar de Uyuni, then perhaps go to Sucre if we are ok for time, if not, then straight to La Paz where we'll be able to ride the Death Road and maybe do a hike or two. From there go to lake Titicaca and walk across the Isla del Sol. From there we could head up to Puno (Peru) and see the famous floating Uros reed islands. From there we would head up to Cusco, which is where we can base ourselves before heading up to Macchu Picchu. After that we could head to Ica, perhaps see the Nazca lines and then make our way up the coast to Lima.
I'm guessing that this part may take us to up to almost the middle of May.
For me personally, I'd like to head north and see Colombia for a few weeks. So I would probably buy us a couple of return flights from Lima (Peru) to Bogota (Colombia). I'd like to spend about two weeks in Colombia - specifically I'd like to see Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, and some of the beaches up to Santa Marta. Depending on how we're doing for time, perhaps also Medellin and Cali.
I'm guess a couple of weeks in Colombia would take us to the end of May. I'd prefer seeing only Bogota, Cartagena and some of the Caribbean beaches than running around too much.
Heading South
Right at the end of May we could fly back to Lima and then fly from Lima to Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil. This I think would be the start of June. After 2-3 days seeing the falls we could go either to Curitiba ..or Sao Paulo, or preferably along the Costa Verde,  perhaps seeing either Paraty or Ihla Grande before getting to Rio on the 11th of June. As you know we have about 8 nights in Rio, but that can be a shorter time if we don't feel we need to stay there that long. From there I think we could head back down the coast, see Paraty if we haven't already, Florianopolis, 'maybe' Porto Allegre and then head down to Uruguay. I personally don't think we need to spend a lot of time in Uruguay, I'd like to see Cabo de Polonio, which a kind of bohemian/hippie commune, then perhaps head to Montevideo, Colonia de Sacramento and maybe even Carmelo.
I would imagine getting back to Buenos Aires in early July, either the  3rd/4th or 5th. Stay a couple of days and then get ready to fly home on the 7th.
As you know, I've had a trip like this in my head for a while, so this was the 'sort' of plan that I had. It's rough, it doesn't need to have any fixed dates. I think we can travel how we want, stay where we want etc. If we like a place we stay, if not,we move on, and I know very well that plans change and things come up. Also, if you don't like any of my ideas then please tell me, or if you don't like parts of what I've added, or if you think I'm missed something, then just tell me :)
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We arrived in Buenos Aires on the 1st of July, one day in advance of my 40th birthday, which was the next day. Checking into the Pan Americano on Aveninda 9 de Julio, somehow felt like an achievement. Additionally, Buenos Aires to me feels like a home, and it felt like I had returned home. I understand that saying that out aloud seems odd. Sydney has always been my home having grown up there, and Belgrade is a sort of home as a lot of my family reside there but there's no attachment or connection to Buenos Aires other than the experiences I've had. I can't even say why but I've adopted this city in a way and relate to it in a way that can't be compared to other places I've only visited. Some places are special for reasons that you can't define, so, that's the way Buenos Aires is for me.



View from the PanAmericano - Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Happy 40th birthday! PanAmericano - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Aveninda 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina

The view from the PanAmericano - Avenida 9 de Julio - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Our final days were somewhat poignant, filled with plenty of time to reminisce, to reflect and to also enjoy the last few days that we had left. Of course we returned to Plaza Dorrego and stayed in a great place across the way. We investigated new areas in Palermo and even made it to a few tango shows, which by the way, were fantastic! The two that we went to on this occasion, and that I would recommend for different reasons, were Querandi and La Ventana.

Querandi was more for those really wanting to experience the different elements of Tango. It give you a historical journey of tango and provides an insight into its development, changes and impact on BA society. La Ventana on the other hand is a show, in that tango supports various additional elements of the entire performance. The show at La Ventana is entertaining, humorous and also quite powerful. At one juncture they had images of Evita Peron being displayed on the screen, and then all of a sudden the entire audience was surrounded by flag bearers waving large Argentinian flags with fervor whilst the anthem played and was overlayed with audio of Eva delivering a speech to the masses. I'm not sure what exactly caught me, whether it was the power of the imagery, or the meaning encapsulated in what was happening, or the fact that it was just our last night but I started to tear up...who really knows why...and Inga admitted to me a little later that the same thing happened to her.



Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Plaza Dorrego Bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
I love this place




Bar Federal - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Aveninda Defensa - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Querandi Tango - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

For our last drinks we headed to Todo Mundo bar, a place right on the edge of Plaza Dorrego. A cool joint, full on weekends, but quite empty at the time we wondered in. We ordered up a few Negroni's and washed it down with a healthy dose of melancholy, because there we were, reality had returned to meet us. We didn't have months, or weeks, or even days left, we only had hours. In the morning I was only a flight back to Australia and a day later Inga was on her way back to Riga


Evita on Avenida 9 de Julio


Don Ernesto parilla - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina
We've been back since then...and we'll be back again

 Todo Mundo bar - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

 I've taken my photo in this mirror a few times - it resides just outside of the La Ventana tango show - I like to think that a little part of us stays here every time we stand here.



San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina


San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina

Hanging out with Mafalda and friends - San Telmo - Buenos Aires - Argentina


Only Negroni's - Bar Seddon - another San Telmo favourite - Buenos Aires - Argentina

When the morning broke it was all there for us absorb. I don't remember how we got to the Tienda Leon bus station, maybe we walked, perhaps we took the Subte to Retiro, that I can't say, all I know is that there's a strange sort of anticipation that comes before you say your final goodbyes. It's kind of like going to a rock concert. There's excitement and noise all around you but when the band leaves the stage and the crowds exit, there you are, in an empty space, with your own thoughts and in silence. To me that's what it felt like. Saying goodbye and having the bus roll out of the bus station after spending literally every single moment with a person for three months....well...that sucked. We knew it was going to happen but preparing for it doesn't make it easier.


Lima airport - Peru

The last ride home - Santiago airport - Chile

As the bus made its way down Eduardo Madero and onto Autopista 25 de Mayo, my head was full of thoughts. These months since my father has passed away had been monumental. Huge decisions had been made, life changing ones, and not just for me but for people around me. I was now going back to that, but also, I was leaving something behind. I didn't want that something left to be a permanent goodbye, but for right now it had to be left. My next steps, wherever I was going to be taking them now had to be about how I could bring all that I wanted back together.