12.07 - Day 23 - Buenos Aires, ARG




Buenos Aires, Argentina
Monday 12th July 2010

A personal best lie in to 10:20 and following good filter coffee in house and brilliantly, cake for breakfast we amble to a non-existent stop to get the bus to Boca. 40 minutes later we arrive at the district that the guidebooks tell you to go to but ONLY in the three tourist streets and NOT outside this. Outside is a rougher area including the stadium of Boca Juniors, former team of Argentinean hero Maradonna. Of what there is though the tourist area is lovely – reminiscent of Valparaiso with the multi-coloured frontages of buildings. Boca also includes various Tango dancers on the streets to entice would be eaters at restaurants.




Overlaid on all this is a gypsy feel; the colours used and the fonts on signs. After warily traipsing the back streets against all advice for the bus terminal we sit on the bus for well over an hour riding it to the other side of the city to Palermo.

Immediately its apparent this is a much smarter neighbourhood and rumbling stomachs as we walk down Jorges Luis Borges Avenue (a favourite author of Krish) have us stop at El Pinguino de Palermo where we plump ambitiously for the Argentinean specialty of Parilla. Basically a grilled meat feast. Costillas Cerdo (short pork rib), Pollo, Chorizo Pork sausage, Black sausage (left unfinished…), Cerdo (pork), Chinchulines (“thin bowels”) and Rinones (kidney). 


Feeling gorged as the sun starts to drop we waddle back to Chillhouse (we may only eat one main meal a day but we should still do some exercise).

After telling him we don’t really have any fixed plans for the night, Antoine informs us of a live music night that is a) close by, b) cheap and c) finishes not too late. Perfect then for a pair of 28 year olds. First things first though, we pop back to La Violet for a CafĂ© con Leche.

We head out with a mousey Canadian Anne-Marie who is living and working in La Paz but holidaying in BA. The Konex has a discussed concrete warehouse feel to it, crammed with locals listening, bopping to a 15 man strong metal drum contingent. A slight rip off of the Blue Man Group, their point of difference being that these guys wear orange overalls. Most musicians swap instruments during the set and four take a turn at conducting using musical sign language. 

For two hours the beat rises and falls, quickens and slows. Unexpectedly a man with an accordion with a penchant for singing lyrics from Madonna’s “Music” joins them on stage at one point. It would appear that being able to play the accordion is no guarantee for a good singing voice though… Excellent suggestion from Antoine and only 25 Argentinean Pesos (£4.10). Supported by one litre Quilmes in giant plastic glasses. 

En-route back to the Chillhouse we purchase a beaker of Chocolate Sundae from Freddo’s; a highly reputed heladeria in BA. As the back packing budget extends to only one between us we sneak back to the hostel to share and saviour this gooey delight.