Well the bus trip was good, passed many vineyards and
orchards on way out, while the light lasted. Strange country really, looks like
a lot of saltbush, but they are growing stuff in there somewhere.
Lots of stops at toll booths and sometimes the driver had to
stop past the toll station and do something in little shed thing…not sure if
each state/province/city have entry/exit rules.
Thank goodness for a girl from Portland Oregon who
translated for the ‘bus assistant’ asking if I wanted to be woken up for
breakfast at 6.30 in the morning.
Dinner was quite nice with chicken and potato plus other
stuff for entrée etc, that I thought was the main meal and a glass of
wine…which wasn’t the best I’ve tasted.
Slept well in my bus bed, bit of a cricked neck, but
otherwise good.
Arrived in Buenos Aires at 8.00am, it was a long trip in, I
reckon we were on the outskirts when I woke up between 6 and 6.30. The entry to the city was pretty trashy and
grotty looking.
Once disembarked, I grabbed a taxi to Querido – the taxi
driver had to ask a couple of people and other taxis where it was…a bit of an
adventure, given it’s not a Hotel in the city centre. It’s in a suburb called
Villa Crespo – a bit like Richmond, quite a few café’s etc, and lots of
Outlets.
Querido is a little door off the street, inside Romarn the
night man, was most helpful, talked to me about the map and recommended a heap
of places to eat etc. and where things were to do etc.
Decided to walk into town near zoo to catch the hop on/ hop
off bus. Stopped for a drink along the way, pretty warm already at 9.30.
Have an airport transfer already organised by Romarn in the
morning at 7.15.
It was really hot on the bus, with the sun shining clearly,
it was an extensive trip around, I jumped off early and was still on it for
over 3 hours. It headed around the city, indicating important buildings and
monuments, around the newly developing Port area, which is the quickest growing
part of town…a bit like improvements to Docklands I reckon. Drove past BOCA
juniors soccer ground, which is also significant to these soccer mad
Argentineans.
The city is quite amazing, lots of history, old buildings,
monuments to everyone, all the same names as the streets in every city – eg de
Mayo, Mendoza, Libertadore, Serrano etc etc. The tree lined streets were quite
busy, with cars, trucks, buses, bikes and people.
Lots of dog walkers with 8, 10, 12 dogs, all on leashes
walking along quite happily. I watched one guy, cross the road with his tribe of
dogs into a park, then let some dogs off at different points, till he let all
of them off in the park, some were chasing each others, others headed straight
for a big lake and swam, others just sniffed and peed and pooped. I had to
catch the bus before I could see, how he got them all back again and sorted
back onto their leashes.
Taxi and walked back ‘home’ to Querido, met Ali (Alistair)
and Marianne, the owners and paid up etc, the room is clean, colourful and
comfortable. It has air con (thank god, it’s hot), small balcony overlooking
courtyard area, bathroom, safe, cable tv – everything you need.
I have been out for a quick bite for tea, hard to do when
it’s all Spanish, had a couple of empanadas – a ham and cheese and cheese and
onion one…they were OK, but I’m fanging for a salad and that’s hard to
order…will need to work on it.
The Querido folk will help with tours etc, so I’ll sort that
all out when I’m back.
Early start, so off to bed ready for Iguassu tomorrow.
My new home - Querido in Villa Crespo
Bed.
Dog walker
The pink house. Rosada Casa
La Boca
Querido Courtyard
More dog walkers.
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