Buenos Aires - January 29th

When we got back from dinner last night, at around 23:00, there was a party just beginning in our hostel.  In fact they asked us to join them in their asado (barbeque) which would be starting at midnight.  We have gotten into the habit of eating later, but this was far too late for us.  Unfortunately it also meant music through the night until 05:00, and a really bad night’s sleep. 

We had a relatively early start for the bus, but when we got up at 08:00 there were still people just going to bed.  I think they had stayed up to watch some of the Australian Open tennis, but that final went on far too long.  It was still going on through breakfast, packing, getting a taxi to the bus station, having a coffee there, and it was even still on when we got on our bus at 11:30.  The bus journey itself wasn’t that exciting.  Rosario is only 4 hours from BA by a big motorway (at one point there were 6 lanes on each side), and aside from one stop in the middle, it was pretty direct.

When we get to BA we take a taxi from the bus station to our apartment.  Because we are staying in BA for so long we have rented an apartment for 8 days in the neighbourhood of Recoleta.  This is a relatively posh area of Ba with apartments lining every block.  Thus the first impression of BA is that someone has kidnapped the Upper West side of New York and moved it south.  After checking into the apartment (a longish process as a representative from the letting agency has to go through leases, inventories and building rules with you) we get to look around our apartment.  There isn’t too much to see, it’s a studio apartment with a little kitchen, dining table, two chairs for watching TV and a bed.  Added are a balcony and bathroom.  It’s actually perfect for the length of time we want it for.

After we go out to look around the neighbourhood.  We are fairly well situated, there is a fruit shop on one corner or our junction, a coffee shop on another, and a laundry on a third corner.  Within a block is a nice bakery, a kiosco (sweetshop), a pharmacy,  and three mini supermarkets, including a Carrefour Express.  Best of all we are only 6 blocks from the subway, and on the way there we discover a full sized Carrefour halfway.  It looks like we are pretty well located.  Rather than going out we shop in the big Carrefour for some salad, wine and cheese and instead we spend our first night in BA in watching TV.