I have done a lot since my last post, and while I don't want to downplay ANYTHING I've done, I'll try and touch a little bit on everything:
At the beginning of May, we had two girls join us from North Carolina, who have accompanied us for many adventures. They are leaving in a week or so and I just wanted to add that I've had a blast with them and I hope we stay in touch!
We began the beautiful Sunday afternoon at La Fería del Mataderos to partake in some delicious food. It was my first time having fried empanadas, and I fell in love instantly. Accompanied by a cup of sweet red wine, it was the perfect combination, but it wasn't enough. Next I had a gyro and the inevitable and irresistible choripan. At the end of our time at this market, I'm happy to say I even made a few material purchases (which is unlike me). I have been wanting to get a pair of crazy colored pants since I got here, and that's exactly what I did. I also bought a Quilmes wall hanger, and some ankle bracelets. No buyers remorse here!
This week is La Semana de Mayo which is the week of May celebrating May 25th, the day the Revolution took place in 1810. Along with not having class and many people not having work, there are festivities happening in La Plaza de Mayo outside La Casa Rosada. Yesterday we went and there were a ton of people drinking beer and eating good food, and jammin' out to the rock band that was playing. After we enjoyed this little concert, we started making our way to the intended restaurant "Des Nivel" in San Telmo, and found this amazing drum show on the way.
When we reached our destination, it turned out that Des Nivel had moved and turned into "Don Ernesto." The food and wine was amazing all the same. We tried locro for the first time, which is a thick stew; a national dish of Argentina. Unfortunately none of us really cared for it.
The night was ended with some drinks at "The Cycle Bar."
Saturday was spent in Colonia, Uruguay. As students, we are here on visas that are only good for 90 days, and in order to renew our visas to extend throughout our time here, we had to leave the country and re-enter. The easiest way is by taking the hour-long ferry ride over to Uruguay. This city is the polar opposite of Buenos Aires. It's one of the oldest towns in Uruguay with a population of around 27,000 people. The day was spent looking around shops, eating, and drinking medio y medio a mixture of white wine and champagne.
The day was a tad bit chilly and it seemed that the only people around were those who were touring the city, but the trip made me nostalgic for my hometown. The traffic was minimal and it was very peaceful. Here are some highlight pictures:
I have been diligently working on my studies, and bracing myself for my departure from this amazing world. My time left will consist of studying for finals, the four day trip to Northern Argentina, and fitting in the things that I want to accomplish before I leave.
Onto more exciting news: in a few days my adviser and her students are coming to Buenos Aires and I wanted to give a bit of advice. It is getting colder here and I would suggest jackets, longer pants (not shorts), and scarves. The weather fluctuates a bit so dress in layers. I would advise against flip flops or sandals and suggest a closed toed shoe of some kind. I usually wear my canvas shoes when there is going to be a lot of walking. Spending money is going to depend on how much you want to do and buy. An average meal costs about $100 pesos, extra if you want drinks and dessert. You can get souvenirs pretty cheap here, but that also depends on the authenticity, etc. My friend just bought a really nice leather belt for $200 pesos (about $23 US dollars). I advise focusing more on the experience than the material items, however.
Some restaurants that I've been to that I like are:
Abasto Grille, Cafe Tortoni, Don Ignacio, Las Violetas, Don Ernesto, Cumaná, Miranda (not just because of the beautiful name).
If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll see you all in a few days!
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