Saturday, April 11, 2009

Buenos Aires! Day two…. So wonderful. I woke up late and found Sonia lying in the hammock in our living room. Adorable. I made us a breakfast of boiled eggs, toast, cucumbers, cheese and coffee. We decided to go out and explore Palermo, and try to use the Subte (subway) to get there. The closest stop to our house is Constitucion, but little did we know that it’s also a huge train station. It was MADNESS inside. Trying to figure out how to buy tickets and get on the right platform was intense. But we did it. I have to say, I was useless. Sonia did it all. She even got all aggressive with the ticket line and stuff – in a good way. Someone needed to take charge, and I was having a freak out panic cuz of the crowds.

(the subway)

(us being proud of conquering the subway)

We got out at Plaza Italia, and walked over to Palermo Viejo. We’d heard there was a cool bookstore to check out and we wanted to get a pocket Spanish/English dictionary, mostly to prevent any more menu/meat accidents. Alas, all they had was a really huge one. We got some gelado (gelato) which was SO delicious. I had no idea what flavors I was ordering. Through my experience so far, I’m learning that I love to order things off the menu with no idea of what’s coming. I like the surprise and anticipation. This time it worked out well.

(they love boxed drinks here! gatorade...)

We walked over to the botanical garden. They had a huge greenhouse which we were excited to enter, but it was pretty much full of what looked like houseplants. There were stray cats everywhere, and they were so cute! Sonia befriended many of them – she’s good with cats. I was scared that they were full of ticks and fleas. We went to relax on a patch of grass. I read my self-help book and Sonia took a nap. Then the lady kicked us out cuz it was closing time.

(erica chillin', kinda.)

(a view of the other people around us. sonia was napping.)

(we stopped and got a snack on the way home. sonia's irregular eating habits are rubbing off.)

We went back to our home barrio of San Telmo. Found another bookstore, got some postcards and the dictionary. Produce and some odds and ends. Buenos Aires is seriously beautiful at dusk.

Man, we were TIRED when we got home.

Whoo-hee, seriously! We relaxed for a few hours, but then it was back out on the town for some more fun.

We took a cab back to Palermo to La Pena del Colorado – a place that has Argentinian folk music nightly.

(our first cab ride!!)

(we lucked out and got a really nice, but slow drivin', cabbie. and, he showed us some sights on the way!)

(you can hardly tell, but that's a guitar made out of an armadillo shell. apparently, that's traditional folkloric instrument.)

(this is us at the restaurant)

(view of the restaurante and our new friends! see how they put the big beer bottle on ice, what a great idea!)

We had just bought a dictionary and were anxious to translate the menu and get Sonia something sin carne to eat. And we did it!! Sonia finally had her full vegetarian meal! A barbecued sweet potato and quinoa with peas and corn. She was smitten.

We met two nice chaps who gave us suggestions on the menu. I asked them what the best thing to get on the menu, and they suggested Entrana, which scared me... Sounded like entrails. But I went for it. And it was great! Nothing entrail like at all.

(sonia telling my tail of entrails.)

The place was super cool cuz there was spontaneous music and dance going on everywhere. Very bohemian. We left at 2:45… had no idea it was so late!

Now it’s 3:15 in the morning and it’s time for bed! Tomorrow is our last day before school starts, so we’ll probably keep it mellow.