Well I didn’t end up going to the restaurant on the water. It was just a little over the top for me. I just didn’t get a charming, this-is-historic-and-oh-so-cool vibe from it. But it was very romantic and very beautiful and I haven’t seen that many people on roller blades since the 90s!
I wanted to see downtown Buenos Aires at night so decided to take a walk and find some dinner. It is such a different area at night! So few people – only tourists and everything is lit up like Christmas. Casa Rosado – which directly translates to the pink house – is our version of the White House. It’s the executive mansion and the office of the Argentine president. During the day the house is baby pink – well – more the color of Pepto Bismal. It’s awful. And at night it’s even worse – but it does make a statement. It’s lit up with bright pink lights. Yikes!
I ended up going to the historic bar in BA called Café Tortoni which is a café in the center of BA and has been visited by many renowned people including politicians and international figures. Albert Einstein, Robert Duvall and Hillary Clinton have all visited this café! And now I have as well 🙂 It was a fun café – very touristy which usually isn’t my thing but I did get a nice glass of their Copa Reserva – which is their house wine and Suprema de pollo grille con guarnicion. This is grilled chicken. And guarnicion which is any food combined with olive oil and spices. This is a typical thing to see in BA – vegetables guarnicion or potatoes guarnicion. Now I actually know what it means.
After my tourist day I was itching to get to my apartment and a nice soft bed.
Thursday:
Today was one of those days that tests me. For all of the beautiful days in BA, this was the exact opposite! It was cold and dreary and windy and rainy. Just terrible. And then, I’ve begun to realize that I SUCK at Spanish! I am seriously glad that I’m not doing another week at the school because my brain is already inundated with way too much foreign information. It’s a relatively rare thing for me to feel my age but it is so hard for me to learn! I remember in college soaking up all of this information. Now it is so much harder. I’m embarrassed and frustrated. And on top of the crappy weather, I wanted to curl up with my puppy – who is probably curled up with my BFF – and cry. But the positive thing about “traveling Aimee” is that she can get up off her self-pitying ass and realize that she’s able to do just what she wants to do and that she’s blessed! So off to feel better I went – in the rain 🙂
I wanted to go to Caminito to look for some local art. Matias had mentioned this to me on Tuesday and I saw this area during my silly bus tour. Caminito is a traditional alley – located in the La Boca barrio of BA. The buildings in this area of town are painted in many different, bright colors. This was an area that was inhabited by immigrants to BA who painted the outside of their homes with the leftover paint from the shipyard because they couldn’t afford anything else. It is such an eclectic and cool place! Very touristy but worth it. I told my host and my teacher that I was going there and both of them said, “Alone?” Well, of course. Apparently this is the dangerous area of BA. You’re not supposed to walk there to get off the main avenue and PROTECT your bag. Well, anyone that knows me knows that if someone tells me not to go somewhere that’s exactly where I’ll go. And I loved it. And I bought a small piece of art so in case I don’t find anything else I’ll be good. I also got to see some very cheesy tango dancing. Wow – bad…
I had signed up for a wine-tasting class earlier in the day. And after the “I’m old and it’s crappy” day, I was seriously looking forward to it! Anuva wines is dedicated to getting the world to try all of the famous Argentinian wines but from vineyards with limited production – so premium Argentinan wines. And I haven’t so far spent any time learning about the wines – nor drinking them – since I’ve been here.
Well, it was everything I needed and more! I walked in to a sweet little area in the middle of a residential street that was so modern and cool. The tables were perfectly set and the wineglasses placed impeccably and fresh flowers in the middle of the table. It was such a far cry from the “student” life I’ve been living. And I was embarrassed by the jeans and dirty hair I was sporting. But the first thing I saw was a couple from California – Scott and Cynthia – with the biggest, most-welcoming smiles on their faces! They were in BA celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary and were so kind and welcoming and friendly. Again, I felt like the universe had given me what I needed when I needed it. And I never wanted to leave! The tastings where amazing. All Argentinian wines but some I’d never heard of before. Torrentes – which is the white wine of Argentina – was my favorite. But we also tried a Syrah and a Malbec and a Bonarda. This is a red wine that the sommelier promised would be the next Malbec. Oh it was oh so good!!!! But more than the wine and the tapas, it was absolutely…comforting…to be surrounded by kind, sweet, engaging people who speak the same language! We all really had a nice time. From Scott and Cynthia from LA to a couple from Paris and London to a couple from Brazil to co-workers from Argentina – we all got along like old friends. It was wonderful and really changed the way I felt about the day – THANK GOODNESS 🙂
Upon my request, the sommelier recommended a place to get a good glass of Torrentes. So here I sit – in the Bar du March – drinking a delicious glass of Torrentes. Back soon…