24 JUN 2010
Apparently good 'ole Chavo is a presenter on TV in Buenos Aires, so you could kind of understand my confusion and Catholic schoolboy laughter when on page 4 of the Aerolineas Argentinas in flight magazine Mr Fucks was proudly lined up alongside his glorious Chn 23 colleagues. I suspect that it's all in the pronunciation and just like Cockburn isn't actually pronounced the way that it's spelt, I'm sure this Fuck guy also has a perculiar twist on his name.
Lifting up into the skies this afternoon with a pounding head and hazy mind, I tried to gather a few of the thoughts that had some how escaped me from the night before. Fortified with whiskey sour glory, we conquered the Shady Pines Saloon bar and the 'hacks over time' graph got more than just a work out with all the 'impressed woman' marvelling at the skill, dexterity and
sheer commitment to the cause that only a hacky specialist can muster. Well, perhaps they were only impressed by the fact that I was using a prop - 'So hey baby, what to you think of my graph?'. Wonder how that line is going to work for me in downtown Buenos Aires tomorrow night?
So, I'd like to thank the following people for their commitment to the cause, JJ, Jet, Craig, Maeve, Ali, Katie, Nat, Rob, Alex and Sandra, for getting me across the line from tired and wrecked uni deadbeat that had just gone12 rounds with a couple of exams - to, ...wait for it, a tired and wrecked uni deadbeat that was absolutely trashed by the witching hour. Also, big thanks to Nat and Rob for driving myself and Jet home. Huge props, even if you did manage to take a couple of ordinary photos of us crashed out in the back!!! ....Oh, and just to add, the rest of you that didn´t make it ´plainly suck - monkeys gonads may I add!!´
With that all done and dusted, am heading out from Auckland airport shortly and will be on my way to Buenos Aires for the night before catching the afternoon shuttle across the Atlantic to Madrid. After months in the planning I'm starting to turn some of my dreams into memories.
Buenos Aires (24-25 June)
My first glimpse of the sixth continent that I was about to step foot on was a couple of hours outside of Buenos Aires. By that time we'd been in the air for approximately 10 hrs out of Auckland, I'd not really had a hell of a lot of sleep and the sun was just piercing through the window and reflecting off the wing. With that said, I was pretty damn excited.
BA EZE is located about 35kms outside the centre of the city. My man Ricardo discussed the intricacies of the Argentinian football team and his confidence in their propensity to 'stuff a good thing up'. I had to say, I wasn't in his camp and advised him that mentally I'd already crowed the Argentinians as world champs, time will tell.
On first impressions BA did not really look like the typical South American city, not that I really know what one looks like but on first impressions it had a type of shabby chic Barcelona type of feel. Making my base in San Telmo for my one and only night this time around I did what I usually do when I get to a new place, I hit the streets and walk...and walk...and walk. For me it's the best way to get comfortable, get familiar with your surrounds and to pick up the vibe of the neighbourhood that you're in.
It certainly didn't take me that long to get a feel for San Telmo, beautiful cobblestoned streets, cafes , bars and 'tango bars' lining the most of them, it had that Bohemian vibe that I really love, and even though any of the buildings are in slight decay it just adds to the atmosphere. I walked for quite some time, along many of the streets that I'd only seen on maps previously. Starting off
at 1351 Balcarce I made my way north to Avenue Belgrano, hung a left and then walked for what felt like an eternity until I finally hit Avenue 9 de Julio. This thoroughfare is enormous, eight lanes in total, this things splits Buenos Aires down the middle. The focal point/drawcard being the large obelisk at the intersection of Avenue Corrientes. This huge 'phallic' symbol which is 'the' iconic structure of Buenos Aires was built in 1936 to commerate the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the city - it was built on the spot where the Argentinian flag was hoisted for the first time - standing at a most honourable height of 67 metres.
San Telmo, home of the Tango and Senor Elisher
The Obelisk of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires - Avenue 9 de Julio
I then took a walk down Avenue Corrientes, considered ito be the 'Argentinian Broadway', it is lined with theatres, cafes and cinemas for many blocks. Developing a bit of a hunger mid stroll I stopped off a few blocks north of Avenue Corrientes to try and land some 'stock standard' Argentine cuisine. After some indecision and mindless strolling some Brazillian looking Argentinian guy sold me on the quality of the bife de chorizo and their set menus, which for a whole $8 ended up being a tasty steak main, a glass of red wine and some ice cream for dessert. No complaints with any of it from the guy on the receiving end, it was 'perfecto'!
On the way back to the hostel I stopped off at Plaza de Mayo. I had an idea that it was historically significant but it was only really the next day, with some expert guidance via a Buenos Aires tourist guide that I discovered that it is considered to be the most historic place in the city. Some of the most significant events in the countries history commenced in this spot, such as the 1810 Revolution, the Constitution of 1860, the Peronist concentration of 1945, and the events of December 2001. It was only after stopping here that the jet lag really started to catch up with me and hence I made my way back to home base. I've got to say, the moment
I got to my room I completely crashed out, it was 'lights out for Senor Elisher' on night one of a Year Full of Saturdays.
As this was only a stopover on the way to Madrid this was to be like a range finder for me, time just to get acquainted with BA before jumping in at the deep end come the start of October. I've got to say, I'm already really looking forward to the time that I''ll be spending here on the return leg!.
