South America Part 14 - First day in Buenos Aires (BA) and "The Gastro Strikes Back"

We arrived at BA airport around 7am the next day. The airport itself was sort of like an oxymoron – half rambshakle-ly slummy – half ritzy. (It is sort of like they had run out of money when the Argentina economy collapsed a couple of years ago).

We rocked up to the “official” taxi counter and a porter took our bags to a taxi waiting outside. He then embraced the taxi driver and kissed him on the cheek (apparently – this is the norm for Argentinean men). The speed limit on the road out of the airport was 100kms /hr but it felt like we were traveling at 200kms/hr. There were several tolls along the way to the city – when the driver paid one of the tolls – he tried to chat up the toll booth lady (apparently – this is the norm for Argentinean men).

Our hostel (or bed and breakfast to be precise) is an old converted warehouse – which is very roomy and well decorated. Ant and I crashed until 2pm (as we only had 3 hours sleep the night before). We have finally adjusted to Latino time!

We both went to a Argentinean pub across the road for lunch. We both ordered “Ravioli with Chicken” and a beer each. We didn´t realize that a “beer” was 700mls big and “Ravioli with Chicken” was a little bit of ravioli with half a dead chicken and a whole baguette. This meal for me – was the start of “The Gastro Strikes Back” – and I was out of action for the rest of the day.

Ant ventured out on his own and had a wonderful time (sin Nick). He checked out the river and the shopping district and managed to get lost on his way back to the Big House Bed and Breakfast.

BA was described by LP (Lonely Planet) as being the "Paris of the South". If this is the case - we have been to the Paris of the South, the East (Hanoi), and the West and North (Paris?). It is full of beautiful old buildings and sidestreets - it very much feels like a European city...with not as much money as Spain or France.

When I managed to get off my sick bed – Ant took me to the parts of the city he had explored earlier that day. The river is almost like a “Darling Harbour/Themes in London” sort of district where it was an old unused port which has now become a ritzy restaurant / bar district. There were a couple of unbuilt buildings along the river – which tended to suggest that they had run out of money building the buildings.

At the end of the river – we found the Buque Bus ferry terminal (the ferry terminal which we will depart from in a couple of days time for a day excursion to Urguray – where we, as Australians, will be fearing our lives after Urguray´s crashing defeat against the Soccerroos recently). If you are in need of ear bleeding advertising muzak – then you should visit the following website – http://www.buquebus.com/.

Near the terminal – we managed to get a glimpse of the presidential helicopter in action – landing at the nearby presidential palace. Also – there was an interesting building which Ant calls the “Opera House” as it looks like it was trying to copy the Sydney Opera House in design.

Just down the road – I was accosted by a couple of strippers with large breasts (they didn´t look too dissimilar to the Bundy Girls in Australia) handing out flyers to some strip club. Reading the flyer – there are two “shows” – one “para ellas” with “streapers masculinos, shows termáticos” and one “para ellos” with “Sexy table dancer” and “high performance”. Apparently there is also “Body Paint / Light Buffet”. Something for everyone.

Argentina is a vegetarian’s nightmare. Everywhere sells steak, steak and more steak. You can get steak everywhere. You can buy steak down at the local shopping mall food trough for as little as $4 or $5 Australian Dollars. Even their hamburgers are filled with a big 4 inch thick steak. Due to our stomachs being both wretched – we found a vegetarian quiche option ($7 AUD for two biigg slices of quiche and two drinks). We scoffed that down and went straight for the Argentine ice cream shop. As we are spanishly challenged – the ice cream shops in Argentina are pretty difficult to order – as all the ice cream flavours are concealed in big steal drums. But once you get over the language difficulties – the ice cream is fantastic. (WAY BETTER THAN GOODBERRIES / JIZSIM BACK IN CANBERRA!).

The local soccer team had won some Argentina competition today – and BA was like a riot zone around the centre of town. Heaps of locals were letting off big (and we mean BIG) firecrackers – making it sound like there was gunfire everywhere. Like moths to the flame – we were drawn to the big mob which were hanging around the big obelisk in town. There we were approached by a crazy (slightly drunk) middle aged Argentinean couple. The woman knew a little bit of English – and I think she was keen to practice it on us. Half way thru the conversation (despite saying that we were from Australian on several occasions) – the man kept thinking we were from East Germany.

Back at the hostel – and Ant discovered he was getting the case of the “Gastro Strikes Back”.
Stayed tuned peoples…