Buenos Aires, Argentina

May 25 - June 1

Picture links:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lotanc/BuenosAires

Arriving from Uruguay in the morning, and taking a taxi to our hotel, we saw that some streets were closed due to a running race not far from where we were staying.

When we arrived we decided to go for a run..

We met the race at a certain point, and decide to run with them.. At that point the problem was we did not know how long the race is..

It was a great race with a lot of people. Just before the 5km mark the way started turning so I realized (happily) that it is a 10km race.. the element of surprise definitly helped the excitement of the run.. Although I hurt a bit that day and the next (I also ran a bit more than 10km since I ran from the hostel to where we met the race) it was still worth it..

Afterwards we went to the ArteBA show. It is a big (and very nice) contemporary art show, displaying mainly argentenian artists and galleries, but also from the rest of South America..

Other things I did in Buenos Aires:

Walking around the various neighbourhoods, markets, and in the streets of the city, among others I visited the San Telmo neighbourhood and market, Ricoleta neighbourhoold, Puerto Madryn, and of course the colorfull La Boca:

Going to the famous recoleta cemetery which looks like a small city:

Visiting a couple museums, seeing tango shows on the streets, going out at night a lot - Buenos Aires is known of having a great nightlife, which I enjoyed..

Eating out at some great restaurants (the local specialty is of course the argentenian meat and wines which I enjoyed a lot, but I have to add that the pastas and ice creams are also great).

Boca Juniors soccer game -

I wanted to go to a Boca Juniors game. I heard that it is a problem getting tickets at the Stadium, since they do not open tickets stands, and the tickets sold by the people outside are in many cases fake (I have several friends who bought fake tickets). So I thought of going with a tour..

I met a group of 3 brazilians who said we can buy tickets in the stadium in the morning of the game.. The brazilian guy went to buy tickets to all of us..

When he was there he found out he cannot buy tickets (this option is only for Boca club members).

On the way back he was robbed (Boca is not the nicest neighbourhoods, he was walking alone, not in the nicest area), tried to fight with the 2 robbers who pulled a knife out.. He finished without his wallet (which was stolen), with torn jeans, in the hospital and having a few stitches in his fingers.

I finished without watching the game :) And I still consider myself lucky..

The next day I took the night bus to Iguazu Falls (18 hour bus ride).. This is for my next post..