BA Day 2

Bless Meredith's heart.  Buenos Aires is where I really wanted to go to soak up some of South America's finest. Referred to as the 'Paris de Sudamerica,' I was really just looking to stroll and meander. People watch. Window shop. Coffee drink. Something my wife struggles to do. No agenda equals chaos. But she said we'll try it. 

Thus our morning began late. After finally sitting down to eat at an appropriate Argentine dinner hour (9 pm) the night before, early to rise doesn't necessarily follow. However, we went around 10 to finally eat our hotel breakfast. What a spread! Breads, fruits, cereals, yogurt, cheese, lunch meat, medialunas, coffee, tea, fresh juices. We tried not to overundulge ourselves based on quantity. We did just sit and enjoy a moment. 

Afterward, we knew our supply of clean clothes was running low. We scouted out a place the day before, so today we loaded up all our (smelly) articles and marched them the 5 blocks to the lavandería. It was 78 pesos ($12) for our 2 loads. Not bad. 

Then we started our strolling adventure. Today's attempt is Palermo. Unfortunately, guidebooks break up this barrio into many sub-barrios including Palermo SoHo, Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Viejo, Palermo Chico, Palermo Alto, and Las Cañitas. I broke down our tourist map into the stated border streets, marked potential sights and shops, and we were off. 

I've noticed many street names repeat throughout Argentina. Salta, Mendoza, and now BA all have an Av San Martin, a Belgrano, a Godoy Cruz, Las Heras, and now twice we found this one: 

Applicable for my wife and traveling partner. 

Then we started taking some turns. Mer didn't remember Palermo being so residential, but rather more bohemian and boutique shopping. So we did. We sought out a park to just and read and enjoy. 

Eventually, we found a more 'strollable' area. Shops, restaurants, cafés, bars galore. We scouted out potential places during our read time and headed for them. En route, we passed many quality food options. When we reached one which was a dinner prospect, there was a sign they had closed their doors after 20 years. Boo. 

However, I did finally get to indulge on the way. I heard news stories of a new Coca Cola being marketed in South America, Coca-Cola Life. Supposedly 'naturally' sweetened and thus earth-friendly, the company ditched their classic red to a more eco-sensitive green. Up to now I could only find it in 1 or 2 liters. Today, I found a 12 oz can. Perfect for sampling!

That's the joy of meandering! (Or so I'm trying to convince Meredith) With lunch plans still unresolved, we went back to a place we had previously passed called Magdalena's Place. We had a moment of wifi. Started a game of cribbage. Then our food came. 

The food was delish. (We might have been hungry as we scarfed our food without pausing to talk.) However, we did finish our cribbage game and then just sat for a moment and enjoyed. 

We plotted our next point which would take us to the western-most point of Palmero (specifically Palermo Hollywood, for those of you following along on a map at home.) We reached a cafe called Oui Oui. It was my goal to just sit at cafés, so I did. I got a coffee and two more medialunas. 

After a certain point, we looked at the time, 6:30. We needed to pick up our laundry by 8, only we were 40 blocks away. High-tailed we moved through the streets as the sun set around us. There was time for a photo shot over a train bridge. 

But we were off like a shot again. We darted through a main commercial street and around a mall. We finally made it with 20 minutes to spare. We loaded our laundry bags the last 5 blocks to our hotel and then collapsed in the sweaty heat of fast excercise on a chilly night. 

We rested a moment before realizing it was nearing 9 pm on a Friday night. Dinner prospects were slim on such an important dining out night (Mer previously admitted her corporate stay always included Friday night reservations.) However, neither of us were terribly hungry. While we considered the very real option of a McDonalds dinner (hey, it's cheap, quality, nearby, and no reservations necessary) we instead veered around the corner and found La Madeleine, a fast-ish food place with a menu you look down to order, waiters, and a decent bar option. We got the pizza. 

Sure it was an alfredo sauce and included the ever-present green olives (they're in a surprising number of Argentine dishes!) We ate most of it before paying our bill. (Again, we were charged 15 pesos each for cubiertos, which is literally 'silverware' but works more like a sitting fee. That sitting fee tips the scale to not an easily affordable meal.)

Afterwards, I tried to negotiate for ice cream (even with the unexpected cubiertos charge), but we were both quite stuffed. Since we still had laundry to sort and a looming 10 am checkout, (early by Argentine standards!) we decided to head in. Besides, more cribbage awaited!