BA was sick. So much fun!! I met this awesome British girl there named Sarah, and these 2 crazy cool Tazzies names Yuri and Finn. They were like besties and adorable together. When I first got in, I took them to the street with all the black market money changers on it and traded their US$ for them as they didn´t speak a word of spanish. It´s insane--because of the 25% inflation rate a year, and the new ban on foreign money being available in the country, USD were exchanging at 7.2, when the official rate is 4.9, as all the Argentines want to convert their savings into a hard currency. I was getting 6 for the CAD which was still pretty good, but not nearly as good as the american rate. That night we went to Don Julio for restuarant which is some famous steak place, and it was delicious. Massive portions though--none of us even got through like half of what was on our plate. After our like midnight dinner, we headed to this club called Brooke at like 2am, because that´s what time Argentines go out, and met up with Alejandro there! It was so cool to see him again since travelling together, and one of the guys from our hostel when we had stayed in San Pedro de Atacama was also there visiting. BA´s nightlife is insane...I didn´t go to bed earlier than 6am the entire time I was there. And while the boys were sleeping off their hangovers each day, Sarah and I were rallying at like 10am to explore the city.
My second day Sarah and I went to San Telmo where we wandered about for a bit and then went to the Museo Nacional de la Historia, which was kind of small and disappointing--it only really talked about the anglo-franco embargo on the BA port, and not too much other history. We also went to the Mercado Central de San Telmo which had the most random and ridiculous collection of antique jewellery, electronics, clothing, weird creepy dolls, and food. And then that night we went to Club 69 which was insane! It was Carnaval themed, so there were people dressed up in these sick costumes everywhere, and then there was this awesome drag show going on onstage. The guys though were insufferable! Like creepy and annoying guys kept coming up to hit on Sarah and me, and didn´t get the message to fuck off when we weren´t responding to anything they were saying. The machismo culture here is just the worst. But in our flee from these douches, Sarah and I found a secret room in the back with another DJ who was playing a mix of like swing, electro, tango, and hiphop. Unreal. It was so much fun and so much less crowded and we got left alone by the guys there, so we hung out there for awhile before heading back to the main room, where there was a door that led right in front of the stage. The show was so much fun and we just danced undisturbed there watching the drag show for the rest of the night. So much fun...
Somehow Sarah and I rallied on my third day and went to La Boca where we saw the Bombadero--the BA fútbol stadium; la caminata--this cute pedestrian walkway with artisan stalls; and the Museo Proa de Arte Contemporano, which had an amazing view of the harbour from the top, and had some really cool exhibitons. The building was also gorgeous. Sarah had moved hostels that day, so that night the boys and I walked over to pick her up and went to this bar/club called Bahrain close to her new place. We just danced til like 5 in the morning and it was amazing. Great DJ, and such an awesome last night with the BA crew.
My final day there I went to Recoleta, and met up with Alejandro again! We went to the Feria Artisanale, and cemetary (where I saw Evita´s grave among others). It´s insance how elaborate some of the grave stones things are. And for members of the church...do people not give a shit that their collection plate money is going towards paying for massive tombstones in the most expensive cemetary in the country? Ridiculousness... We then went to the Museo de Bellas Artes, which was alright, but barely had any argentine painters...I didn´t need to come all the way to Argentina to see some french renaissance painters. But afterwards we headed to the Museo de Latinoamericano de BA, which was amazing! It was modern art, and there were some really cool exhibitions. One by this feminist artist named Tracy something, and one of her pieces was a video of her describing her experience with her abortion. So anyways, Alejandro and I were discussing this afterwards, and he told me that abortion is illegal in the entire continent! And women go into really dangerous situations to terminate their pregnancies illegally...I knew the country was catholic, but I had no idea it was still so conservative and oppressive towards women!
After Recoleta I went back to the hostel, but had checked out that morning, so just hung out with Yuri and Finn in their room where they let me have a nap, as I had to leave for the airport at like 230am. It was so sad leaving the boys, especially because they get into Rio like 2 days after I leave. But now I have an excuse to visit Tazmania. And I´m going to be meeting up with Sarah again in Brazil! Pretty much BA is just super fun, but I´m not quite sure how I survived on like 10 hours sleep over the course of 3 days. Defs need to return to Argentina as my time got cut short there--I want to see the rest of the country, and spend heaps more time in BA!
Sarah and I in San Telmo
Learning how to tango.
Somehow Sarah and I rallied on my third day and went to La Boca where we saw the Bombadero--the BA fútbol stadium; la caminata--this cute pedestrian walkway with artisan stalls; and the Museo Proa de Arte Contemporano, which had an amazing view of the harbour from the top, and had some really cool exhibitons. The building was also gorgeous. Sarah had moved hostels that day, so that night the boys and I walked over to pick her up and went to this bar/club called Bahrain close to her new place. We just danced til like 5 in the morning and it was amazing. Great DJ, and such an awesome last night with the BA crew.
Club 69!
My final day there I went to Recoleta, and met up with Alejandro again! We went to the Feria Artisanale, and cemetary (where I saw Evita´s grave among others). It´s insance how elaborate some of the grave stones things are. And for members of the church...do people not give a shit that their collection plate money is going towards paying for massive tombstones in the most expensive cemetary in the country? Ridiculousness... We then went to the Museo de Bellas Artes, which was alright, but barely had any argentine painters...I didn´t need to come all the way to Argentina to see some french renaissance painters. But afterwards we headed to the Museo de Latinoamericano de BA, which was amazing! It was modern art, and there were some really cool exhibitions. One by this feminist artist named Tracy something, and one of her pieces was a video of her describing her experience with her abortion. So anyways, Alejandro and I were discussing this afterwards, and he told me that abortion is illegal in the entire continent! And women go into really dangerous situations to terminate their pregnancies illegally...I knew the country was catholic, but I had no idea it was still so conservative and oppressive towards women!
Alejandro on a cool bench in the Latinamerican Museum.
After Recoleta I went back to the hostel, but had checked out that morning, so just hung out with Yuri and Finn in their room where they let me have a nap, as I had to leave for the airport at like 230am. It was so sad leaving the boys, especially because they get into Rio like 2 days after I leave. But now I have an excuse to visit Tazmania. And I´m going to be meeting up with Sarah again in Brazil! Pretty much BA is just super fun, but I´m not quite sure how I survived on like 10 hours sleep over the course of 3 days. Defs need to return to Argentina as my time got cut short there--I want to see the rest of the country, and spend heaps more time in BA!
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