Week 12 - Buenos Aires Part II (Exploring the culture).

Hello one and all,
After feeling a touch guilty about giving Buenos Aires a bad report last time around, I have tried to be a little more objective in my views on the second half of the week in BA. This has been refreshingly easier, as my remaining time has been filled with visiting famous cafes, tango lessons and shows, a visit to the town of Tigre, seeing the famous 'Teatre Colon' and a few delicious stakes thrown in too!

So here we go!
After a pretty frustrating start to the week, by Wednesday I had decided I need to make more of an effort to go and find some interesting things to do. I had already enjoyed the previous night's walk through the busy streets, which come to life in the evenings with night market sellers, and some street tango! (see below)



I thought it was time to be mix the real experience with a bit of tourist activity and so I booked to go and see a tango show, and have a lesson too. A bus picked me up from my hostel, and on entering the bus, I was met by a sea of foreign faces (mainly Brazilians - and all female!). What a good idea this was, I thought! The bus picked up a few more passengers, including another 2 guys, ( I was relieved at that!), and off we went to the show. We were initially shown to various different tables, depending on the groups we had booked with. Some people had dinner, others didn't! I had booked alone and was not paying for dinner, so perhaps unsurprisingly, was seated by myself, next to the stage... I have to admit I was not feeling so comfortable about that. Then the rather large empty table next to me filled with 7 Brazilian ladies from my bus! One look at me and they obviously took pity, as all the Brazilian people I have met have been so extra friendly!A minute later and I was sitting around the table with these 7 ladies, sipping red wine, and ready to enjoy the night!
We were all escorted to the tango lesson, and with a ratio of 3 men to about 15 girls, us guys got a lot of practice doing the basic steps!
The clas was fun, as was the instructor, (well worth a go if you come to Buenos Aires - Home of the tango). We then sat back over dinner and enjoyed the show! I was twice pulled up to dance with the cast as part of the show, so here's some pictures from the night!



After the show the Brazilian ladies invited me back to there hostel where a weekly disco/party was happening and so we danced the night away, and I was even complimented on my salsa skills, which coming from Brazilians was a real compliment!

The following day I hit the well known cafe circuit, and joined a regular que to have afternoon tea at Cafe Tortini, famous for political scandals and it's well known and well preserved decor!. The wooden panelling and the waiter's smart dress added to the popular atmosphere, and the cup of tea and cheesecake I had wasn't bad either! href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DHSbUcH2sH3vRO_JfXhDQSgSsL7Y2VG9pfAhYDqcdNYhALhjGUUzVYzna9nh0n7jPa12WL-drn8AshLLZunbAZ8JWpHzsnInaiu32Hf6ETGeWZ6cj6PfFkpcAzHW0P5R0iJhgvEnJNg/s1600/DSCF0939.JPG">

In the evening I continued my quest for culture and went to an orchestral concert at the very recently reopened, and famous 'Teatre Colon'. It is a quite an amazing building, and my interest was to see this famous place, more so than listening to the concert inside it. There were only standing tickets available.. at price of 25 pesos (less than 5 pounds!). Enjoy the views!
There was no let up in my schedule for the final day in Buenos Aires, as I headed out of town to the popular weekend town of 'Tigre'. One hour on the slow train from the city centre for just 7 pesos.. (just over a pound!) and I found myself in a different world.
I was just in time for a boat tour, and found myself enjoying a tour of the area on the water ways. The scenery was unusual, with houses perched on the river banks, a theme park, and boat yards all in clear view! A quite unexpected and relaxing journey only an hour from the centre of Buenos Aires!

So as the day drew to a close and with the sun setting as I returned to town....

I packed my bags in preparation for a return to Santiago and a long journey home. I was to spend the last evening with my friend Valerita and here friends, as we met at Coty's apartment, drank beer, ate pizza and talked the night away.
I looked at my watch to see the time read 0330, and quickly had to leave to return to the hostel, pick my things up and take a taxi to the airport for my early morning flight!