Buenos Aires

10th March. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Disembarkation was very civilized and really well done. Bags didn't have to be out until out by 6.00 am!

We then collected passports, had breakfast and good byes and of course a quick trip up to the 'Owners Suite' for a look. Large and lovely - but unnecessary. Then buses provided by the company into the city.

And there I was in Buenos Aires. Pronounced Bwannas Air - es.

I dropped my gear at Helen's hotel and off we went to the famous La Recolenta Cemetery. This was built by the Monks in the early 1800’s. It was on the outskirts of town – but is now a tourist hot spot in the middle of town. It contains the graves of people like Eva Peron, many Presidents, Nobel prize winners and a grand daughter of Napoleon.

It is nothing like I expected. Not like any cemetery I have ever seen. Inside the magnificent, huge red brick wall (which was worth visiting on it's own) – was a crowded built up area. 



It’s 14 acres and has 4691 vaults.  I was expecting a fancy cemetery like you see in the movies. Green grass with lovely headstones and a few fancy crypts.

The view out a hotel window was gobsmacking! So down we went. It was a network of busy alleys with fancy tombs with elaborate stone work and statues.

Very creepy. You could peek into them…and there were coffins just inside the dusty and cracked glass doors. And staircase leading down to the other levels full of dead relatives. Some of them had ten or more coffins on shelves. Others were a bit like little glass houses, a plinth with a coffin on in. Then a red velvet chair to sit on by the coffin….in the Argentinian heat………with a dead relative. I don’t think body bags were that good at keeping the smell in.

And so many tiny coffins.

Some of the family had died out and the vaults were in pieces, crumbling, doors falling off and glass broken. These plots get resold and a fancy new crypt is built.

Took a bit of searching but I eventually found the crypt of Eva Peron (Evita).

Others were grand with fresh flowers and clean glass.

So much strangeness. Awesome, but creepy.

I went my hotel then out to dinner with “The Gynos”, Cary & Cathy, two gynecologists from LA who were the funniest people and ate sensational steak and ribs. The poor restaurant man nearly had a heart attack when I wanted white wine not Malbec. He was horrified.

The walk was as good as the meal. The streets are so busy at night. All the shops are open. I was in the theatre district so lots of Tango houses, film houses, book shops and shows. The streets are full of statues. Life sized people doing things. Very cool. I went up to touch one…then panicked that it was a busker with great makeup at the last minute.

11th March. Buenos Aires, Argentina

A leisurely start before a trip on the City Tour Hop On Hop Off bus. Well not that leisurely. I was going to Recoleta to meet Helen, BUT, in true Raina form…..the four blocks 'that way' turned into 'four blocks that way…..then three blocks that way…..then two that way…then a taxi in the opposite direction'. But I did get there after my 2k walk and $10 taxi ride.

Buenos Aires is a lovely city. There are 12 million people but the streets are not stupid. Traffic flows really well.

Most of these people live in high rise flats. I haven’t seen a house yet. And most of them have dogs. So there are dog walkers everywhere. Most with four or five dogs…but I did see one with 12 or more small dogs. Mostly Jack Russell’s and Maltese things. What a brave person holding that many Jacks. They probably have a brawl every to blocks. And the vast majority have been pure breeds. Weimaraners, Collie, English Pointers, Chinese Crested.

And parks. So many parks. With many playgrounds for the kids form the flats. Dog parks. Just spaces filled with gardens. It is great. This really is the city of parks. And trees. The city of trees. Every street is lined with huge shade trees. Absolutely beautiful.

I walked across, then later travelled on the bus, on the biggest road in the world. “Avenida 9 de Julio”, which means “the 9th of July Avenue”, their Independence day. 20 lanes of traffic, included bus only lanes. Thank goodness for traffic lights.

La Boca. Amazing. 

A very touristy area of lovely old building, markets and restaurants. All of the buildings have been painted in bright colours. And models of caricatures on the balconies, from the windows etc. It was a visual feast. Absolutely beautiful. There were models and buskers of Diego Maradona and the Pope everywhere as this is where they both came from. All the restaurants had Tango shows and free Wi-Fi (or as it is called Whiff - ee).

There were artisans, great food, buskers. It was wonderful.

The HOHO bus then took us around the city. Past all the important places…like the Polo Grounds within the city. The racecourse, two soccer stadiums. The building were beautiful.

It got really cold on the bus, so we used our maps as capes. Very fashionable.

When we got off the bus we found an amazing delicatessen / wine bar. It was a full on shop, but also had tables. You bought your food and wine then sat there and ate it. Apparently a proper Tapas Bar. This Canberra person has never seen one.

We got a great ‘sparkling’ made by Chandon with Argentinian grapes ---- for $22 and it was great. What a great way to eat.

Another great day.

Tomorrow…..I head off into the country to become a Gaucho on the Pampas! Just like I planned to be when I was 16.

12th March, Los Cardales, Argentina.

When I was about 16, I made the decision that I would move to Argentina, live on the Pampas and become a Gaucho - a South American Cowboy. I would live the perfect horse life. (I was a horse rider).

I never did make the move (probably due to a fair bit of guidance from the patents). Dad managed to find me a Gaucho saddle. It was a fiberglass tree covered in sheepskin. Maybe he got it to get the gaucho life out of my system. But I did have fun preparing to be one.

I make a boleadoras - the leather weapon with three stones, that was twirled around the head then flung to tangle the beast. Mine was made of stockings not leather, but good old Brownie (my trusty Brumby horse) did allow me to use it and together we chased and tangled many trees on Mount Ainslie, behind our house.

So coming to Argentina to see the Gauchos was so exciting. I was going to get my life as a Gaucho.

I slept the deep sleep of a tourist. I woke up early then went back to sleep. Oh dear. My phone was on very, very quiet so I didn't hear it in my noisy hotel room. I woke up at 9.17. Plenty of time for a 9.30 pickup. I made it with heaps of time to sit in the lobby and wait. And now my stomach will have plenty of room for the Argentinian BBQ feast I am expecting.

Saturday's are busy in BA. It seemed that every one of the 12 million people are out being healthy. Running. Or walking. Or at soccer training or games. Or in big groups doing “boot camp" type fitness work. The parks all have a playground and an outdoor gym. Most stations were constantly being used.

We travelled for an hour or so along the big toll way. Each lane had a different speed limit. The left was 130 Ks The right 90. Hard to police, but makes more sense than ‘slow vehicles use right lane’.

The cars are mostly small and the lanes are a good size so there is a lot of lane splitting. Not by motor bikes but by cars. Ouch.

And when changing lanes to pass it is also done differently. They get to within about 1 meter of the car in front before pulling out. Sometimes leaving 300 mm between the bus traveling at 102 ks and the tiny car doing 100. But no scrapes.

Back on to the toll way for another while.

Suddenly we were in farmland. Flat, open and fairly treeless. I guess I am in the Pampas. My 16 year old dream was happening.

Every now and then we pass through small towns. And I finally saw houses. And they look like little haciendas from the movies. Earthy colours with walled surrounds.

When we turned off the freeway once again the traffic conditions were different. Lots of cars turning off. But no traffic lights. Everyone sorted themselves out as we went under the freeway. Cars weaving through each other. But calmly and gently.

When we were behind a small car - 500 mms behind, our driver was looking and chatting to the guide as the bus crept forwards. When our bus gentle ‘kissed’ the car in front it was not even acknowledged. That's what bumper bars are for - to absorbed the bump!

Along the side of the road are food trucks. But they are mobile BBQs. You see them up ahead by the clouds of smoke. And they have the whole hog (hahah). Whole animals on a spit. Lambs on the rack - spread flat and delicious. I wanted to stop the bus!

Estancia Santa Susanna, Los Cardales, Argentina.

We arrived Estancia Santa Susanna and were greeted by gauchos in their amazing costumes bearing wine and empanadas. This was going to be good.

First thing I did was to go for a horse ride. I was to be a gaucho after all. The horses all stood around in a yard. They picked a horse. Then a rider. No mounting blocks - so it took a good bit of charades to tell them that my two metal knees didn't bend, but with my maybe 30 words and exceptional acting skills it finally worked. The man hauled me up onto my horse and it was so worth it. It was just a mob trail walk but lovely. And these horses really worked off their necks. It was lovely. School horses that bend and listened. In Polo style, the gaucho horses had trimmed tails. Ours had full tails.  It's a novice horse thing.

One of the Gauchos was riding a spectacular horse. Again after much baby talk from me and acting, I got out of him that it was a  "Patacon". I think this is the Argentinian Warmblood Sports horse. This one was stunning. A really heavy breed about 15hh. There were more of them later in the show.

The saddles were like the one I had, a fiberglass tree with a blanket over it. The girth held the saddle and the surcingle held the blanket. Very comfortable. There was a carriage ride for the non-riders.

It was then in for lunch. Through the gift shop of course. And there were the Boleadoras. Bet you know what I did? I now have my Boleadoras. But I shall hang this lot on the wall – not go hunting trees with it. And they are not made of stockings. They are very thin leather.

I then remembered that I hadn't been to the museum so raced over. It was the original house and was great!

On they way back to the dinning area I passed the BBQ. WOW!

Lunch was great. But mucho everything. Chorizo. Unbelievable. I don't think I will ever eat it again. This one was so light and with soooo much taste. And the skin from the open flame was absolutely perfect.

The blood sausage, ……….not so much. I only tasted a piece the size of peanut The taste was fine but the texture......... YUCK!

Huge steaks. Whole scotch fillets cut into slices 6cm thick.

Then chicken, then lamb. And bread and salads. Great salads. And desert. Fantastic fed! And wine. Of course I shocked people when I wanted 'Blanco' wine not Malbec - but it did mean no one shared my bottle.

A bit sad for the three guys from Turkey I sat with. Vegetarian Muslims. Lucky the salads were so good. Must have been torture for them. The Gauchos just kept coming with more and more meat.

The show was fantastic too. Tango. Singing. Etc. I really love that it was just done in Spanish. That is what we came for. A genuine Argentinian show. Don't pander to the tourists. Give them what they came to see. The MC was the singer. He was great.

The dancing was amazing. Almost every place you go to eat has a Tango show. But this was great. Tango. Flamingo. A gaucho dance with the Boleadoras. Ok. I'll admit it after seeing this, Brownie and I still had a way to go before we were real Gaucho.

And then it was outside for the horse show.

First part was one gaucho with a lead horse wearing a bell, a mob of horses followed the lead horse. His team of 8 horses worked at Liberty like invisible lead ropes. And there were three different groups. Cantering around the paddock, stopping, starting. When they can up to the fence people rushed forward to pat them. The coloured horses with wall eyes (bluish) sent people into a frenzy. It is so funny to see the reaction of the non-horse people.

Then a tent pegging like activity. Gauchos used a thing like a pen and tried to capture the metal loop. Then they gave them to people in the crowd. Very skilful with a tiny tool but not a patch on tent pegging. Entertaining though. Then people could go jump up behind a gaucho and go for a canter. The old guy charged them a kiss.

I was happy. What a great day. And I don't think it was the 3/4 of a bottle of ‘Blanco’ wine that did it.

In reflection I do believe that I made a good decision not a Gaucho on the Pampas. I do think that teaching was the far superior career choice. I may have made an excellent Gaucho and maybe even would have become a 'five goal' Polo player. We shall never know. But I would have missed out on a few other things! I made a good choice.

But I did live my day on the pampas being a gaucho.

Sunday 13th March

Buenos Aires

Day 31 of the trip – Day 1 on the ship.

I spent the morning catching up with Manuel, an ex student who was on exchange in 1994. He lives in Buenos Aires and is a university lecturer. It was great to see the city with a local and hear so much about it.

After lunch he dropped me at the ship. Check in was amazing. Straight through. Not a single person in front of me in any of the stops, then down to me lovely room.

Spoilt.  

So here I am checked in on Rhapsody of the Seas (Andy - the one we did Christmas 2014 to Queensland on - with the split level Concierge Club).

We have an overnight in Buenos Aires tonight so no Muster Drill yet. We sail tomorrow evening.

14th March, Tigre Delta, Argentina.

I headed off to the Tigre Delta. The Tigre River is one of the main rivers in the district flowing down from the inland jungles. It flows into the Parana Delta. The water is coffee coloured and apparently very rich in iron. It gets it’s name from the many ’tigres’ or jaguars that were hunted in the area. It’s a popular weekend spot for Buenos Aires people.

I walked about 5 blocks to the train station and eventually found the correct part. I caught a commuter train, the 'Linea Mitre', up to Tigre. The trip was an hour long. It could have been any commute train anywhere in the world. Clean and busy. 

But much more exciting. There were buskers, and people selling things, walking up and down waving their items at you – ear phones, selfie sticks, phone cases, drinks, chocolates.

Two guys had a little amplifier. They moved through each carriage and sang a few songs. Everyone clapped and cheered, then the bucket came around. Very happy to contribute.

The train travel parallel to one of the main roads I have travelled a few times. But was further back so I got to see the racecourse and of course many other things.

The railway bridges are really pretty. Red brick with lovely patterns. The rail system was built by the Brits so was efficient and lovely. The government is closing lots of it off. Especially the long haul trips. They are not making enough money. No wonder! My one hour trip cost me a whole 6 pesos. That would be 60 Australian cents.

Further out of town I finally got to see the burbs. Terrace house with little yards. Inner Sydney types. And later again, bigger houses with larger blocks. But still there were many large blocks of flats popping up.

I arrived in Tigre and found the boat trips. The area was full of wild swamps and of expensive houses. Not fancy houses (although there were a few) but expensive houses. 

All on at least 1/4 acre blocks with many bigger. And all with jetties.

There are no roads into the area. Just boats.

The river is huge with many islands and branches. I spent a very pleasant hour cruising along on a boat munching empanadas. Two empanadas and a drink - $5.

After the boat trip I went for a long walk to see the Buenos Aires Rowing Club and other lovely buildings, and drains choked with lilies. 

Then back to the train station. I was traveling back on the scenic train. 'Tren de la Costa'. It runs down the coast. It was really pretty and really expensive. 20 pesos! $2! But.... It was at a different train station. I was almost half way there in my last walk. Oh well it was pretty. Back I went. I did get to go and see the “Puerto de Frutos” which was indeed not a fruit market - It was now a craft market. Then on to the train. I went past a polo fiend with men in suits setting up linen table clothes and ice buckets of wine.

The train ended at Mitre station and with a change onto another train to the ship. This leg cost 10pesos. $1AU. Well I suppose it is OK to call it a “stunning coastal train ride”. It did follow the coast down. But well inland so at only one place did I get to see the ocean. And the view across the bay to Buenos Aires. A very "filtered view" but a view.

At Mitre I spent about half an hour at the antique markets. And I nearly cried. Such nice gear for so little money. I don't think my luggage will even fit a teaspoon, so I bought nothing. They also sold modern pine furniture at one shop. Ugly and more then twice the price. Why?

The weather turned today. Back to that hot Buenos Aires I experienced a month ago. Hot and sweaty. I think I shall move on to a cooled clime. I MISS THE ANTARCTIC WEATHER.

I was back in time to have a shower and a cool down (and to do some washing) before muster drill. It was then lounge time and chatting. Then sail away. We have a huge journey tonight. Its almost 200 ks across to Uruguay. We may need to travel backwards.

NEXT TAB  - AROUND THE HORN!