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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.


Monday, September 19, 2016

Istanbul (Turkey) - holier than thou

Istanbul (Turkey)
19 September 2016

Flights in and out of Tbilisi occur mid-morning, as in, the 3am sort of mid-morning where you internally debate the validity of sleeping as it seems a redundant concept. What this early departure time means therefore is that it puts you on the ground at your next destination at awkward hours, leaving you to remain tenuously supported by  the quality of sleep that can only be uniquely defined by economy class seats, turbulence and calisthenics at 40,000 ft.
Our flight out of Istanbul to Belgrade was leaving at 1600 that day which meant that we had 9hrs of time in the lovely city of Istanbul. Unfortunately we spent close to 3hrs of the allocated 9 hours spread out over a few benches right in front of the baggage carousels in the arrival halls. Sleep, no matter how brief or strangled, can be sweet when you desperately need it. During this morning all I really recall  of those truncated hours was the human tide filling the hall and then washing away past me through exit signs and barriers. A wash of travellers moving with the rhythm of global flight arrivals.

When the both of us eventually came to our senses later in the real ‘mid-morning’, i.e., around 10am, the plan that we had for the day was to get into the city centre in the suburb (area) of Faith and see both the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) and Hagia Sophia. Both world renowned structures for their offering to incredible architecture,  their sheer enormity and religious significance.


Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey


On first sighting you recognise quickly that Sultan Ahmed Mosque has scale, it is enormous! It’s size and grand posture certainly gives the building an aura and sense of overwhelming power. The mosque itself has five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It’s final design being the culmination of nearly two centuries of Ottoman mosque development. It incorporates some Byzantine Christian elements of the neighbouring Hagia Sophia design with traditional Islamic architecture.  Standing inside and witnessing the space it envelopes and occupies just makes you wonder at both the audacity and human intellect & ability to be able to complete a project of this magnitude.


Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque "Blue Mosque" - Istanbul - Turkey


The interior of the mosque is lined with more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles and the upper levels of the mosque, dominated by a blue paint colour, have more than 200 stained glass windows. Standing there was simply impressive and something that I’d always wanted to do considering it has always been an iconic and symbolic structure of  the city that straddles Europe and Asia. Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia juxtaposed with Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is just as grand in size as Sultan Ahmed but far more attractive in terms of its interior and overall design. Incredibly moody and atmospheric, there’s a weight and presence inside the building that is captivating. I often wonder how inanimate objects can be so revered , but standing under the grand dome it’s not difficult to understand why it’s held in such esteem and apotheosized.

Formerly a Greek Orthodox patriarchal cathedral, later becoming an Ottoman mosque, and now a museum, this building has worn many hats during its time. Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the middle ages, it became famous for its massive dome and was at one stage in time the world’s largest  building. A true marvel of engineering.


Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey


The building has a tumultuous history, entering and exiting many phases of ownership throughout its life. As recently as this year, 2019, Turkish President Erdogan made the suggestion that Hagia Sophia should once again be turned into a mosque, ending its tenure of being a museum since 1935 after Turkey became a secular nation in 1927.

As one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, the interior is decorated with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings that have immense artistic value. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed, ‘Solomon, I have outdone thee’.


Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey

Hagia Sophia - Istanbul - Turkey


Vast, impressive, heady. So many much that can be felt from just a building. Certainly it stand as testament to human endeavour and capacity, especially when driven by an assumption of the divine.


Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey



Another iconic building of Istanbul and indeed the world, I feel fortunate to have spent a few hours in its shadows simply appreciating it.