South America - March 11th - Buenos Aires

Bariloche had the most efficient airport I’ve ever had the pleasure of leaving from. We got to the airport, they took our bag, handed us a ticket without showing ID, walked through security that may or may not be able to identify if you’re carrying an assault rifle under your shirt, and onto the airplane. We landed in Buenos Aires and de-planed on the tarmac. Old school style. Down the stairs and across the airplane parking lot (I mean really, that’s what it is….or maybe bus stop would be more accurate).

Buenos Aires likes to think of itself as a European city and it has a much different feel than Santiago. There are many more cafes and tiny restaurants. Pedestrian walking shirts and the like. The streets are narrow and almost all one way. Well, except for the 24-lane Avenida de 9 Julio. We took a bus tour of the city and saw the typical sights of independence and revolution. We stopping in the La Boca neighborhood to walk around. La Boca is home to La Boca Juniors (the team of Argentine star – read god- Maradona) and was probably once a really neat, artistic part of town. All the buildings are painted different colors due to the fact that they just used leftover paint from the ships back in the day. Now it is full of tourists and I think any flavor that it once had is now just fake and part of the show. Also, you aren’t supposed to go there after dark.

That night we went to a tango show. The way one of these things work is that a meal is packaged with the show. But let’s be honest. These guys specialty is dancing. Not cooking beef and empanada’s. Speaking of empanadas. You know that Coke commercial from a few years back when one roommate eats the other roommate’s empanadas and drinks his Coke. I never really understood that commercial because I didn’t know what an empanada was (let alone had I have ever tasted one). Empanadas are like little meat filled tarts. Kinda like a Hot Pocket. Speaking of Hot Pockets, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten one without burning my mouth…it’s almost warning me that it’s filled with processed cheese and meat. Back to the empanadas. I now know that if my roommate had eaten my empanada I would have killed that dude and buried his body in the backyard. Those things are delicious. Back to the tango show. The actual show was in this tiny little venue with a raised stage. There were a lot of scandalous outfits, twirling, dancing, singing, and accordions. It was fun. About on par with Stomp. Really fun for 15 minutes and then the same things for another 90 minutes.