Index for this page (scroll down to see in order): Buenos Aires, Argentina - Jan. 2020
Santiago, Chile - Feb. 2020
Santiago, Chile - Feb. 2020
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Buenos Aires, Argentina January 2020
We spent ta few days in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before boarding a cruise to Antarctica and were delighted to discover such a colourful, vibrant city.
We set off at the crack of dawn on January 17 to meet our friends, Margot and Jocelyn at the Brisbane airport. A smooth flight to Sydney followed, where it was pouring rain, much to the joy of the whole drought stricken country, but it meant our connecting flight to Santiago was delayed a little. The 11 and a half hour flight passed surprisingly quickly as we slept well in the comfortable seats. We landed in Santiago earlier than when we left Sydney, thanks to gaining a day by crossing the International Date Line. In Santiago we rushed to make our next connecting flight to Buenos Aires, but needn’t have worried as it, too, was late. |
The flight over the Andes was spectacular, and before we knew it we were landing in Argentina, the place where God and football are worshipped equally. After almost 24 hours of travel, we decided to brush off the cobwebs with a walk to explore our hotel neighbourhood.
Buenos Aires was bustling on a Friday night and the evening was clear and warm. We walked down pedestrian streets full of shoppers and tango dancers and came upon the pink palace where Eva Perón gave her famous speech in Mayo Square.
Buenos Aires was bustling on a Friday night and the evening was clear and warm. We walked down pedestrian streets full of shoppers and tango dancers and came upon the pink palace where Eva Perón gave her famous speech in Mayo Square.
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As the evening cooled and the light faded we passed many beautiful old buildings and impressive statues immortalising heroes of the country. Exhausted by this time, we found an Italian restaurant close to our hotel. Italian food is quite prevalent due to post war immigration. We slept deeply that night and into the following morning.
Our first full day in Buenos Aires was very warm. We strolled along the river, where redevelopment has changed the old wharf area into a lovely walkway flanked with restaurants. We then followed Comic Strip Walk through San Telmo, where we spotted many sculptures paying homage to Argentina’s most famous cartoonists.
We passed through some interesting outdoor markets before reaching La Bocca, a most colourful neighbourhood. In La Bocca we passed the big blue and yellow stadium which is home to the Bocca Juniors, the much loved local soccer team. There had been a match on, being a Saturday, and fans roamed the streets in their supporting colours. Food aromas wafted around the streets, and colour and music bombarded us from everywhere. We eventually found Caminito, La Bocca’s most famous street - an open museum full of colour and art, named after a famous tango.
Dinner on the waterfront at Puerto Madero was a perfect ending to the day. Sipping wine as the sun went down whet our appetites for the humongous Argentinian steaks we were about to devour.
Our second day was a scorcher, and as we walked another long trek we quickly burned off the previous night’s beef intake. We explored Recoleta, enjoying more beautiful art work and architecture, and passing through local outdoor markets on the way to the city’s famous cemetery. The Recoleta Cemetery is named after the convent of monks who were previously on the site. It became the city’s first public cemetery in 1822 and its vaults are architectural monuments from a time when Argentina was a powerful emerging economy. We found Eva Peron’s resting place where she lies with her family.
Fortunately for us a nearby rooftop bar offered good views over the cemetery and cold beer to refresh us before the long walk home.
Our third day was just as hot, but gentler on the feet. The girls headed off on a foodie tour and Reg and I ambled down Florida Street, one of the oldest in the city. It is a busy pedestrian street full of shops (some selling supposedly the best leather in the city), shoe cleaners, and people touting tango shows and money changing. Turning onto Avenue de Mayo we were glad to walk in this wide tree lined, shady street with its interesting cafes and old bookstores.
A siesta was in order as a late night lay ahead. We went to Madero Tango, set by the waterfront, and enjoyed dinner and a show and the company of some Brazilian tourists at our table. This was the last tango in Argentina for us and it did not disappoint.
We departed this gorgeous city the next day, regretting we had only chosen to spend a few days here. There is so much to discover in this capital city of wide tree-lined avenues and stately buildings that we could easily have spent more time.
Santiago, Chile Februray 2020
After cruising to Antarctica from Buenos Aires, and then around Cape Horn and up the coast of Chile, we disembarked at San Antonio. The hour's drive to Santiago passed through agricultural areas before reaching the capital. Our hotel room was the size of a large apartment and was situated in a pleasant area close to the Mapocho River, which runs through central Santiago in a deep cut, stone-lined trough. We spent the next five days walking many, many kilometres exploring different areas of the city.
One of the things that struck us about the city was its plentiful green areas and walkways, which were a blessing in the summer heat.
As well as all the lovely green areas, we were struck by the colour that seems to embody the warmth of the country. Bellavista, a rather bohemian neighbourhood, is one of the most colourful. It is decorated with vibrant street art and is known for its lively night life – bars, clubs, and great places to grab dinner. From Bellavista you can access Cerro San Cristobal, through Santiago’s Metropolitan Park.
Of course one cannot live on sightseeing alone, and all that walking in the Chilean summer sun raised a mighty appetite and an even mightier thirst.
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Despite many beautiful parts of the city, all is not rosy in Santiago. Protests over the past few months have drawn large crowds around Plaza Italia, and much has been defaced and destroyed. The unrest was triggered by an increase in subway fares of 4% in Santiago. The young protesters, who are also experiencing the strain of an underfunded education system, were joined in mass demonstrations by many other Chileans who are frustrated with rising living costs, low wages and one of the worst rates of inequality in Latin America. We were not very far from Plaza Italia, and one night while walking home we felt the effects of tear gas blowing our way. It stung our eyes and burned our throats.
Despite the unrest we never felt unsafe, though we were careful where we walked and when. We found much to love in this city and hope they solve their problems in the long run. There is talk of a referendum in April about a new Constitution, which is good news.