BUENOS AIRES BLOG 3

Okay, so we have about a day and a half left here in Buenos Aires, and it's been frigid down here. I thought we were down by the equator. Isn't it supposed to be warm? Anyway, my apologies for not blogging yesterday, but we headed to Uruguay via Ferry that left at 8 am. So I had no opportunity to blog about the day prior, which was actually a fun one because it started with a wine tasting, that set the tone for the rest of the day. Drunk Americans! We still have not visited the Cemetery of Recoleta, where Eva Peron is buried, though we did try. They were closed by the time we got there, so we may try again today or tomorrow before we leave for the country side.

We left for Colonia, Uruguay yesterday morning before the sun rose, but no thanks to our concierge service, which was included in our apartment rental package. The one thing that I'm learning about Argentinians is that work is an option - not a necessity! We booked this trip twice and both times the concierge messed it up, so we took it upon ourselves to find our own way to Colonia, a beautiful colonial looking city that still has cobblestone streets. Some of the main attractions in this city were a lighthouse, which you can climb if you can brave the heights, and an abandoned bullfighting stadium, that had been closed for decades so nobody was allowed in. 

The ferry that we took to Uruguay was called Buquebus Travel, and was a huge Carnival Cruise-like ship that had these airplane seats in in for the passengers to lounge out in. Also aboard this one-hour cruise was a cafeteria with snacks. For 140 pesos, we upgraded to keep away from the steerage passengers and sat upstairs, where there was more room to relax. Upon arriving in Colonia, we chose to rent golf carts to get around the city. I kid you not, within 5 minutes of driving, our friends drove the cart into a ditch.  He fell out of the driver's seat and was all scratched up, and his girlfriend, who helped steer the vehicle out of the ditch while we pushed, drove straight into a park bench right in front of her. Historical Colonia at its best! I must've laughed for a good hour. 

When they finally figured out how to drive these things, we were off to see the sites! As I mentioned earlier, we stopped at an abandoned bull fighting ring that was fenced off, but the girl at Thrifty rentals told us that if you search, you'll find a hole in the fence, which we did, and we entered! Of course, you can't tell an American not to do something because 90% of the time, we'll do it anyway! The bullfighting ring was the highlight of the day for me. The echoes, the crumbling walls, and the eerie feeling of all the matadors who died where we stood was very interesting. Next we headed to the lighthouse, that many ships used to find their way to  Colonia. We were able to climb up to the top for 4.5 pesos (these people make will make a buck on tourists whenever they can - believe me). We braved the heights and headed up. Here is a pic of the lighthouse and the bull fighting stadium:

We're off to spend the day with our friend and his family in the countryside of Argentina! This should be pretty interesting. Hopefully, we run into some Gauchos!

BUENOS AIRES BLOG 2

Yesterday, we took a city bus tour of Buenos Aires. Yes, one of those double decker buses that we see all the time in NYC. It's the touristy thing to do, so we did it. I have to say that there is a lot of history in this city. Above is a pic of the Presidential Office, where Eva Peron and her husband have had many famous pictures taken. In fact, the 1996 Madonna film "Evita" was filmed here. It was some pretty interesting stuff, and this city is rich in culture. 

The bus tour took us on about 20 stops, where you can actually get off, and meet another bus an hour later since a new bus came every hour. The only problem about riding on the top of this double decker bus was that we were freezing our asses off because, as I found out when I arrived here on Saturday morning, it's the fall season down here in South America. Oh, well! So much for the shorts and swimming trunks that I packed for this whole week! I mean, it was frigid! I think my other half even caught a cold from yesterday's excursion. 

We made one stop in a town called Caminito by the river, which was a very artsy town, where artists were peddling their paintings on the street. There was some amazing art here, and obviously, we had to buy some to bring home. It was a nice little town set up to trap tourists with their gift shops lined up down its streets. The one thing that we've learned so far is that there seems to be no room for negotiation at these places like there were in Shanghai and Cancun. In fact, every time we tried, they would say "no" and walk away. I guess they didn't need our business that bad. 

We continued on our journey and waited for the bus tour to pick us up in the freezing cold for 45 minutes, which made me really happy that I paid 90 pesos per person for this trip. The couple that we're here with joked, "We're Americans, let us on first." That didn't get a good reception, but I laughed! Anyway, our trip ended early because we couldn't take the cold anymore, so we jumped off 5 stops early and took a cab back to our apartment.

As we prepared for dinner, our friends suggested going for sushi. My first thought was sushi in Argentina? Hmmmmm....I'm not sure about this, but he read that actor Benecio Del Toro frequents this restaurant, so how bad can it be? The name of the restaurant was Osaka, and there was not one Japanese or Asian for that matter behind the sushi bar. So, were were putting our Argentine sushi experience at the hands of the locals. Uh-oh! Needless to say, the appetizers were great, but the sushi was terrible! I had a sushi roll that had Parmesan cheese on top, so we asked about it and the waiter suggested that it was a fusion restaurant, so we joked a fusion with Japanese and Italian? What the hell? Thumbs down on this place!

We headed back to the apartment after we tried to hit a Hooka lounge which was closed. Our friend, who lives here in Buenos Aires, met us back here with his girlfriend, whom we met the night before. He introduced us to the country's tea they call mate. You put it in a small bowl with sugar and drink it from a straw. My first question was, "Does it get you high?" and they laughed at me and said "No". So, I asked what the point was. Either way, we had a lot of fun drinking this stuff, though I didn't drink that much, but my other half did. 

Today, we're off to the Recoleta Cemetery to see Eva Peron's grave site, do some wine tasting, and hit some museums. Oh, and I am so upset! We found out last night that the Rock 'N' Roll All-Stars were here in Buenos Aires. The RNR All-Stars consisted of members from Kiss, Guns N Roses, Def Leppard, Billy Idol, The Cult, and Alice In Chains. That would've been cool to see in another country. Oh well, off to our next excursions!

Buenos Aires Blog 1

Okay, now that I've settled in and grown accustomed, somewhat, to this South American lifestyle, I'm ready to come home! All kidding aside, I've only been here for a weekend, and already my wallet has taken a hit. To get around down here, our only means of transportation is by way of a Taxi, which is no walk in the park. These guys rip you off worse than any New York City cabbie. The driving down here is absolutely insane to a point where if you take a step into the street while the light is green, you're taking your life into your own hands because these cars, seriously aim for you. So, our only option is a taxi or a subway, which is more confusing than our subway system back home. 

Yesterday, we went to an open air street market in San Tealmo, and we walked away feeling more ripped off than we did when we were in Cancun last September. You try negotiating prices with these people, and they tell you "no" and walk away. Aren't supposed to be the ones saying "no" and walking away, while they beg for our business? Oh well, once again, we spent a fortune buying things from the natives.

Last night, we met some friends of ours, who used to live in the U.S., and while it was great to see them, we had already made plans to see a Tango show at a place called Cafe Tortino, so we asked him and his girlfriend to come a long. When we arrived at the Cafe, they wouldn't allow our friends in because we didn't buy a ticket for them earlier, so unfortunately they chose to wait an hour across the street for us to see this well-publicized Tango Extravaganza. What sham! We paid 100 pesos per person to see a small band on a small stage with 4 Tango dances. Once again, Argentina ripped us off! 

Then it was off to dinner at a restaurant called La Cabana with our friends in tow. Yes, it was 10 pm and we were heading to dinner. That is the standard time that South Americans eat dinner, and for us Northerners, it was a little weird. Well, La Cabana was a steakhouse, and wow! These were some gigantic pieces of meat. I ended up eating a 2 pound piece of prime rib! I was in heaven, but again, my wallet wasn't. Was it worth it? Yes!

Today, we're off to do a Buenos Aires City Tour. I'll be back tomorrow to blog some more of our adventures.

AIN'T OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY GOES

Art is art; no matter the shape, size or color, right? Well, in this case, its size and shape that's the issue. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a statue like this before, but I love it! Unfortunately, the owner of the statue is catching some flack from his neighbors because of his decision to place his statue of this obese naked woman outside his home in full view of a pre-school and a church. That's right! This story keeps getting better and better!

Bill Tonnesen, a Tempe, Arizona contractor, said that the robust sculpture was supposed to resemble an ancient artwork known as the Venus of Willendorf. Tonnesen went on to admit, "I love it, and I'm crazy about it!" Tonnesen's neighbors, on the other hand, want the hefty figure to hit the road because it might scare little children away and offend churchgoers. Who cares? If it keeps people away from your property, then it's doing its job like a scarecrow. Besides, why would an obese woman scare a child or offend churchgoers? That's just wrong to think that way! I would be offended that a churchgoer would think that way.

One neighbor said, "I think the placement of it makes it an issue. To have the statue on the side of the street in such open viewing space is a topic of concern." My thoughts on this neighbor's statement? Mind your own business! Mr. Tonnesen is not telling you what you can or can't put on your front yard. Leave the guy alone!

Tonnesen said that the city recently gave him the okay to place the statue wherever he wants, and he wishes his neighbors could just see it as a work of art, and not just a nude woman. That's the thing! Are his neighbors pissed because she's large or because she's naked? Would a nude statue of a Greek goddess make more of a stink in a neighborhood where there was a pre-school and a church nearby? It makes no sense to cause uproar over art.

Tonnesen's neighbors aren't alone in this. Apparently, his wife isn't a fan of the statue's placement either, and has made him cover it with a sheet. He told one news reporter that until he can work something out with his wife, he's going to leave the statue covered. What a crock! I have to agree with some of my friends on Facebook! We've become a nation of crybabies. This is art work at its finest. Why would anyone care what somebody puts on their lawn? Why should he worry that he will offend somebody? The town said he can put it an anywhere he wants, which only means, it's not offensive! I do have to say, though, I'm a little curious to see the woman who modeled for this sculpture!

All next week, I'll be blogging from Buenos Aires, Argentina.....I hope! Maybe I'll have even more disgusting statues to share.