Thursday, February 27 – Buenos Aires

A day focused on animals! First stop? The zoo! When I was here last year it was closed for renovation. There is still much work being done, and there unfortunately weren’t a lot of interesting animals to see. But it is a pretty park!

On my way to the next stop, I passed through the Palermo Rose Garden. Claiming a collection of more than 18,000 roses, the garden is more than a century old. As well as the roses, it features a lake with a Greek-influenced bridge, an amphitheatre, an Andalusian patio and a poets’ garden with 26 busts of famous writers. I posted some pictures here last year, but here are a couple reminders…

My next stop was the Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo – a horse racing track with an origin dating back to 1876. When I was here last year, I visited the track, but no races were taking place. Not so today! The first race started at 3:30, and then continued every half hour into the evening. There is also a casino located on the grounds, but I didn’t check it out because: a) they only have slots and some electronic games (boring!); b) there is a dress code (surprisingly my shorts and t-shirt did not meet the criteria!); and c) after Monte Carlo, I couldn’t be bothered! (haha!) The best part about visiting the track? Free entry!!

Friday, February 28 – Buenos Aires

Time for some rest! I did run a couple errands though, and also did a little trip planning.

ATM Update: I was able to withdraw 3,000 pesos (around $50). Whoo hoo! Makes that $6 fee a little less outrageous! Maybe I’ll try for 4,000 next time!

Saturday, February 29 – Buenos Aires

Happy Leap Day! Seems like I should do something special today. How about a visit to a part of the city that I didn’t get a chance to see last year? La Boca is known for its art culture and colorful buildings, and is also home to the football club Boca Juniors. The team plays their home matches in the Estadio Alberto J. Armando, popularly known as La Bombonera (the bonbon box). Upon arrival I also discovered that La Boca is a popular tourist area. Not my favorite thing, but it was still a fun place to see. (apparently the area turns a little dodgy after dark though, so I exited well in advance of that!)

Steps update: averaging 17k steps per day over the first week of the trip. Not sustainable!

Sunday, March 1 – Buenos Aires

If it’s Sunday, then it’s time to head off to The Feria de San Telmo! Nestled in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, the San Telmo Fair is a Sunday-only outdoor market. Covering 13 blocks along the pedestrian street of Defensa, there are loads of antiques, artwork, knick knacks, and food available for purchase. Like La Boca, it’s kind of touristy, but worth the visit.

Sidenote: I had a nice encounter with a couple locals today. On my way to the market I walked under what might have been a leaking window air conditioning unit that dripped a dirty liquid on my back. I didn’t even know it happen, but first a gentleman, and then a lady stopped to let me know what happened and then proceeded to clean off my back and arm with tissues. A very nice gesture! Gracias!