Friday, December 18, 2009
Tango
One of the treats for this trip was learning a few Tango steps and going to a show. After learning the 8 basic steps to Tango while sipping champagne we had the honor of watching a great Tango show. The show was held in a fairly small venue and we were packed in there pretty tight. It made the show more enjoyable since we were so close to all the acts. For much better coverage then I can provide head over to the Kogod in Argentina blog and see the "Tango, Steak and More" post.
Bodega Norton
This was a great trip to the one of the major Argentine wine companies. The tour included plenty of wine tasting, a presentation on the companies history, a lesson on wine tasting, and a cool set of 'carnival' style games to wine prizes (you guessed it, free bottles of wine)!
Here is a picture next to the fireplace at the entrance.
Some of the group taking advantage of the lounge area.
Our wine expert giving Andrew some one-on-one advice on the art of wine tasting.
One of the carnival style games was a ring toss over wine bottles. Successfully getting 3 of 5 rings around any of the bottles earned you a free bottle of wine from Bodega Norton
Here is a picture next to the fireplace at the entrance.
The Norton Malbec and Quorum wines used for our wine tasting.
Tuesday -> Steak and Touring
Let's pretend I did not go X days without posting something. It's been busy. Tuesday night was an incredible dinner at La Cabrera in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires . I had an amazing Argentine steak (Quirrosqutio?) and some of my classmates ordered the Lomito con pimienta, a great looking sirloin steak flavored with pepper (pictures pending). After having a taste I may have to go back for more before we leave.
The day also included touring the city and included a visit to Eva Peron's grave site.
We tried to go to Plaza de Mayo, a famous square in Buenos Aires known to host frequent protests...
Unfortunately they were protesting while we were there, so we were not allowed off the bus. Okay, I am about 5 posts behind so I will try to get caught up throughout the day.
Things to come... More grammatically sketchy Espanol, the tango show, interesting cuisine, pictures!
The day also included touring the city and included a visit to Eva Peron's grave site.
We tried to go to Plaza de Mayo, a famous square in Buenos Aires known to host frequent protests...
Unfortunately they were protesting while we were there, so we were not allowed off the bus. Okay, I am about 5 posts behind so I will try to get caught up throughout the day.
Things to come... More grammatically sketchy Espanol, the tango show, interesting cuisine, pictures!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The First Full Day, Let's Go for a Walk
Today's activities included a few hours of walking going starting from Microcentro and going through Recoleta and Palermo neighborhoods. The initial goal was to visit the planetarium (Planetario Galileo Galilei) while also stopping to see take advantage of the sights and photo opportunities along the way. The sights along the way included Plaza Ruben Dario (dedicated to the famous Nicaraguan poet), the Recoleta Cemetery. I included some pictures from the cemetery. You will notice I did not actually enter the cemetary... not my thing.
Long story short, the planetarium was closed when we arrived, but at least we had a chance to see the city and take some pictures. I also had my first experience with Carrefour for lunch (it's like wal-mart, but cooler).
Now in 70+ degree weather you would expect to see more people in shorts, but as I walked around in my cargo shorts I must have truly stood out as being a tourist as almost nobody, except other visitors, seemed to have shorts on. Seemed like everybody was wearing a jeans (pantalones). About an hour into walking I realized why, since every mosquito on the east side of Buenos Aires took a bite out of me.
To cap off the night we enjoyed a nice little dinner at a local cafe. The lifestyle here is so much different as you are never rushed to eat and go. In fact, you have to ask for the check or they will just let you sit and chat with friends all day. There is no rush!!! If I tried to do the same thing in the US the waiter would probably catch an attitude... hmm I could get used to this.
Word/Phrases of the day (Disclaimer: I do not claim that these are grammatically correct, but at least they were understood):
- mosquitoes
- pantalones
- Cafe no leche.
Be sure to check out the 'official' AU blog for this trip at http://www.kogodinargentina.blogspot.com/
Adios!
Long story short, the planetarium was closed when we arrived, but at least we had a chance to see the city and take some pictures. I also had my first experience with Carrefour for lunch (it's like wal-mart, but cooler).
Now in 70+ degree weather you would expect to see more people in shorts, but as I walked around in my cargo shorts I must have truly stood out as being a tourist as almost nobody, except other visitors, seemed to have shorts on. Seemed like everybody was wearing a jeans (pantalones). About an hour into walking I realized why, since every mosquito on the east side of Buenos Aires took a bite out of me.
To cap off the night we enjoyed a nice little dinner at a local cafe. The lifestyle here is so much different as you are never rushed to eat and go. In fact, you have to ask for the check or they will just let you sit and chat with friends all day. There is no rush!!! If I tried to do the same thing in the US the waiter would probably catch an attitude... hmm I could get used to this.
Word/Phrases of the day (Disclaimer: I do not claim that these are grammatically correct, but at least they were understood):
- mosquitoes
- pantalones
- Cafe no leche.
Be sure to check out the 'official' AU blog for this trip at http://www.kogodinargentina.blogspot.com/
Adios!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Welcome to Buenos Aires!
After 14-16 hours I finally arrived in Buenos Aires. It is summertime here and the weather is much warmer then DC. Along the way I met a friendly Argentine lady traveling with her daughter who filled me in on some places to go and foods to try during my stay. Let's see if it pays off!
Day one consisted of a lot of walking through the 'Microcentro' part of the city, which is the business district. Also took a stroll down Florida Ave., a place with a lot of shops clearly geared towards tourists. The American music and pricey merchandise are sure give-aways. The AM treat was a Toastado sandwich, an Argentinian version of grilled ham and cheese that is amazing.
Most of the day was spent napping and getting adjusted to the new environment. The next post will be more enjoyable, I promise.
Word/Phrases of the day (Disclaimer: I do not claim that these are grammatically correct, but at least they were understood):
- Cambiar dolares para pesos?
- Gracias!
Day one consisted of a lot of walking through the 'Microcentro' part of the city, which is the business district. Also took a stroll down Florida Ave., a place with a lot of shops clearly geared towards tourists. The American music and pricey merchandise are sure give-aways. The AM treat was a Toastado sandwich, an Argentinian version of grilled ham and cheese that is amazing.
Most of the day was spent napping and getting adjusted to the new environment. The next post will be more enjoyable, I promise.
Word/Phrases of the day (Disclaimer: I do not claim that these are grammatically correct, but at least they were understood):
- Cambiar dolares para pesos?
- Gracias!
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