Our week in Buenos Aires!

Whew!
What a whirlwind week we've had!
Baby Gabe recovered nicely in Futrono, Chile, before we bussed back to Bariloche, Argentina, then flew to Buenos Aires! He's back to 100% and just in time for another exciting week in Buenos Aires.
We arrived and settled into our townhouse in the cool, soho district of Palermo on Tuesday and the next day we were out and about exploring. We visited the Frigata Sarmiento (the official name is the frigate ARA Presidente Sarmiento), which in 1897 became the first ship in the Argentine Navy built specifically for training purposes. Built in England, it made ​​39 trips touring around the world, totaling over one million nautical miles. It is currently moored in Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires and has been turned into a really cool museum. The boys loved climbing all over it and we loved reading about the history. At only 5 pesos (about 50 cents, US), it was a fabulous and inexpensive way to spend a sunny afternoon.

That evening, we enjoyed the sunset with a trip to the local square that had a lovely playground for the boys. It seems at every turn in Buenos Aires there is something kid-friendly! The boys loved going to the playground on every sunny day and we loved that it was less than a block away!

The next day was spent with our heads buried in the computer screen trying to book our way home. Which worked out after all...it was very cold and rainy but when the rain let up to a mild drizzle, we ran out to one of the many nearby cafes and treated ourselves to traditional submarinos. Buenos Aires is famous for these sweet delights. The shop ladies bring you a huge, near-boiling cup of milk and a dark chocolate bar on the side. You get to drop the delicious (and also famous!) chocolate into the milk and stir until it all melts. Its typically served with medialunas, which are the smaller, sweeter version of the traditional French croissant, and a tiny cookie alongside. The boys loved watching the chocolate melt and we thoroughly enjoyed our treat.

can you tell we liked them?

The next day was sunny and beautiful so we took the boys to the Buenos Aires Zoo! It's a lovely old zoo with great original architecture and lots of animals to see. Plus, the street vendors right outside the gates sell choripan, a local specialty that is grilled sausage piled high with crispy papas fritas, covered with mustard, and served on a warm, fresh bun. Delicious and at only $3 each, it was a real bargain as we walked around the zoo. We saw huge pythons, a sweet old elephant, white tigers, an anteater, condors, and even a pygmy hippo that caught food in his mouth as you threw it!

 

On Saturday, a sister of a friend from home took us to El Tigre, a quaint old district north of BA. It was the Hamptons of Buenos Aires in the 1920's and 30's and all the rich and powerful of the city had their vacation homes out there.  The art deco architecture was visible everywhere and even though it was cloudy and drizzly, it didn't stop us from window shopping and watching the boats pass on the canals. The boys loved "Miss Romina" and we enjoyed a lovely morning with her.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a cafe con leche and a traditional Buenos Aires flan before heading downtown to see the main square. We toured the capital's cathedral, saw General San Martin's tomb, admired all the amazing architecture, and even got to see the famous Casa Rosada, the presidential palace.

Our last day was spent at the beautiful La Recoleta, Buenos Aires's famous cemetery. It was just stunning with its crumbling and haunting tombs. The famous grave, of course, is Evita's and we listened in on one of the establishment's free tours to a bit of history on the famous first lady. A cemetery might not be too high on a must-do list but we highly recommend this one.

As luck would have it, our last night was the semi-finals of the Copa America 2015 and Argentina was playing! So, we enjoyed a fernet con cola, Buenos Aires's famous alcoholic drink, and watched Argentina win over Paraguay to advance to the finals! A great way to end our stay here!

As always, check Instagram (#dclandromomania) and Facebook (MikeandKatieDeSa) for daily updates and stay tuned next week for our adventures in Montevideo, Uruguay!