Around South America in 80 Days

February 18, 2019

Buenos Aires, Argentina

For my first day in Buenos Aires I signed up for a city tour set up on the Cruise Critic roll call. It was a HAL tour but for just 8 of us (we had a 24 seat bus so it was very comfortable).

Our guide was Maria and we started the tour by going to Floralis Genericus, a giant steel and aluminum flower that opens each morning and closes at sunset.

Next, we stopped at Recoleta Cemetery. It has an amazing array of vaults. First opened in 1822 in the garden of a disbanded convent, it is still being used today. Probably the most famous person buried here is Maria Eva Duarte de Peron, often referred to as Evita. Some of the mausoleums are well-tended, others have broken glass and are in poor shape.

Then we went to El Ateneo Grand Splendid which has been named by National Geographic as the world’s most beautiful bookstore. First opened in 1919 as a theater it was then turned into a movie theater before its transformation to a book store. I was pleased to see many people still buying books in this digital age.

We then went to Plaza de Mayo, the center of Buenos Aires. Our first stop was to get some cash because the ship was not selling Argentinian money. At the first bank we went to, Patty, Sherita, and I could not get any money. Very much like the experience I had a few days ago, the ATM accepted the card and when it came time to get money, an “invalid request” notice came up. Maria took us to another bank and we each had some success but the most you could get was 1500 pesos (about US$40).

In the square we saw the Casa Rosada – the executive mansion and familiar to anyone who has seen Evita. We then went into the Metropolitan Cathedral which houses the remains of the liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru from Spanish rule, General Jose de San Martin. On the way back to the bus we could look down and see the obelisk of Buenos Aires.

Lunch was in Puerto Madero (not included in the price of the tour) at an Italian restaurant. Service was slow and the food was just OK.

The last stop was in La Boca. It is one of the neighborhoods of the city and it is very colorful with lots of artwork everywhere. There were a number of restaurants with Tango music and dances. We had 40 minutes to wander around. I bought a magnet and tried to stay out of the sun (it was a hot summer day).

By then it was after 4 pm and we had been going since 9 am. A couple of people in our group were going to a Tango dinner so we needed to get back to the ship.

Today was a turnover day and we lost about 100 passengers and rumors differ as to how many got on (anywhere from 100-160). I knew two of my friends from my two Westerdam cruises were going to be in the Crow’s Nest at 4. I went to see if they were still there and they were. It was great to see Ann and Pat again.

I had much earlier decided that I was going to the Lido for dinner. They were having an Asado Steak dinner and it was very tasty – actually one of the best steaks I have had onboard.

I had missed 4 pm trivia so I headed back to the Crow’s Nest for 7 pm trivia. Patty and Sherita had gone to the Tango dinner so Pat and another new passenger, Chris, joined us. We had 17 out of 18 but the winners had 18.

1) What sauce is made of garlic and mayonnaise?

2) In what city would you find the world’s largest bullfighting ring?

3) What is the official language of Papua New Guinea?

4) What is the only country that is crossed by both the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn?

5) What is the most common type of plant in the world?

The show tonight was “Pampas Devils Gauchos” described as a traditional gaucho show with the Argentine Tango and tap dancing and bolos. It was a good show but I was beat by the time it was over at 10:30.