City Tour, Great Food, Lots of Beer, Crazy Cab Ride

That was our day in a nutshell!

We started the day with a city tour - three neighborhoods (of the more than 40 in the city), the important buildings and churches, the Recoleta cemetery, May Square, a delicious lunch of local cuisine, tap houses and breweries on our own and a $3 cab ride home.

Our guide, Lucretia, picked us up at 10am, and led us on a part driving/part walking tour of the greater areas of Buenos Aires.  Downtown looks pretty much like any large metropolitan area - large nondescript skyscrapers, wide avenues, and some green space.  But then it goes all french with lovely white stone buildings with wide mansard roofs and intricate ironworks.  WOW! 

We visited the largest cathedral.  It's in May Square - so named for the May Revolution, when Argentina claimed its independence from Spain.  It looks more like a bank until you go inside.

The floors are beautiful mosaic tile

The ceilings are kind of plain, but the altar is gilt and lovely...but - oddly enough - not decorated for Christmas.  In fact, there is VERY little in the whole city that's dressed up for the holidays.  They just don't do it...it was weird, but kinda refreshing not to see Santa, Rudolph, and cheesy decorations at every turn.  The Argentinians celebrate with their families a bit earlier in the month with a gathering much like our Thanksgiving.  Christmas?  Not so much.

St. Martin is the local hero, and he's entombed in the city's main cathedral.   Love the guards.  They change every two hours.

I love this statue of the Archangel Michael.  It's delicate and fierce at the same time.

There's a "mall" much like our own in D,C. that joins the memorial obelisk to the pink palace (the president's office).

This is Evita Peron's balcony - where she gave her "Don't cry for me, Argentina" speech.  Go watch the movie - Madonna be damned.

Next we went to La Boca - a very bohemian neighborhood with colorful houses, lots of tourist spots, bars, cafes, and restaurants.  

It really reminded me of New Orleans, but so authentic and diverse.

We visited the local soccer stadium and then headed to the Recoleta neighborhood.  Soooo french and lovely - my favorite.

In the Church of Our Lady of St. Pilar, there's a depiction of Buenos Aires in the 1700s - way before they moved the river, even before the neighborhood our hotel is in was created.  it's simple and telling.  My how things change!

This is a 300 year old rubber tree.  It's the oldest tree in the country...just...because.  It's just huge.

 I love this support for one of the branches.

We visited the Recoleta Cemetery, built in 1822.  It's full of crazy giant mausoleums - again, much like New Orleans, but far far more over the top.

This is Eva Perons' family mausoleum, where she is buried.  She is here because, well, its a crazy long story.  Go check it out here.  

Then Lucretia took us to a local restaurant for lunch - empanadas, steak, and a chorizo sandwich - God I love Argentinian beef!   And a liter bottle of beer.

After lunch and a short break, Joe and I set out to explore the local beer scene.  We were not disappointed!  

We hit two tap houses just steps from our hotel.  We headed to a different neighborhood and hit a fabulous brewery (clearly there's an American influence in their IPA production).  And I love their bar (made out of old books).

Finally we went to a hamburger house that had the best double stack hamburger that I've ever had...what was it I was saying about the beef here???

Dayyam!!!

It was time to head back to the hotel so we hailed a cab.  A quick ride (about 10 minutes) cost us all of $3.  Three dollars!!!

All in all it was a great day - a good tour, good time to spend on our own, and great finds in our own neighborhood!

Tomorrow we have a free day, but a steak dinner at a local person's house!