25 January 2010 Buenos Aires

Since our last post we have travelled 1500ks to BA.
On 22nd we packed up camp and left at 6.30am. We stopped on Puerto Madryn to drop off 8 of our colleagues as they were catching a plane to BA so they could attrend a concert by Metallica that night.
There were 11 of us left, and so we had 2 seats each on the truck. We had breakfast on the road - meusli bars, yoghurt and banana. So we drove 750ks that day, with a short stop to have a picnic lunch, and a couple of stops at petrol stations. Only hiccup was when part of the exhaust fell off the truck. Riki repaired it that night, until then we sounded a bit like a steam train.
As the day went on it got warmer and warmer. Sights along the way - we started to see the first agriculture, around Viedma. Until then it had all been desert steppe country. Still very few houses and nothing in between.

Camp that night was on the coast at a large camping ground, in the middle of nowhere. Lovely spot, with a much appreciated swimming pool. People from Argentine, Chile and Brazil all seem to go camping for their holidays, in very small tents with all the family in together. They are all up till late at night, South American fashion.

Next morning (23rd) we had breakfast and left at 7am. 550ks to go! It was a scorcher of a day (nearly 40 degrees, the hotteswt on BA on record). It was now through agricultural land, evidence of a higher rainfall environment. Mostly flat all the way.

The road finally became 2 lanes each way, there were lots of trucks on the road and overtaking was necessary as they travel at 80 or 90ks, so when it became 2 lanes that was much easier. Then we hit 4 lanes, and heading into BA 6 lanes.
The houses (apartments) began about 25ks out. We arrived at 4pm. Our hotel is in the centre of the city, John and I have them penthouse suite....well, we have a large (for here) room at the top of the hotel. It is hot, as only has a fan, no aircon.

That night we went with a large group of us to a restaurant on the Docks, a big steakhouse. The Docks were the original port buildings and have all been beautifully refurbished as restautants and offices and apartments.

The city is surprisingly attractive, many old European style buildings. Lots iof Plazas and trees on the streets.

Yesterday, 24th, we wandered around the central city in the morning, and went to a large market. Being Sunday all the shops were shut and it was fairly quiet. In the afternoon we went on a tour of the city highlights. First to La Boca, where the area is fanous for its coloured buildings made from surplus port materials 120 years ago by the new immigrants. They used iron and timber, and painted the houses with leftover boat paint.

We also went to see Evita´s tomb in the famous Recolleta cemetery. This cemetery was full of amazing mausoleums, all laid out like in a city on little streets.
The guide explained the history of the city, and talked about the many statues and monuments. We caught the underground back for the last 1.5ks, the original carriges (refurbished) on what was the first underground in the Southern Hemisphere.

On the evening we took a taxi with Charles and Pat to La Boca for dinner in a local restaurant. Lovely meal. Finally got to bed about 1am.