2012: tango + mate

Tango: walk straight, keep the balance, strengthen the harmony with the other, feel happy.

Mate: get the right angle, the right temperature, the right taste, meditate, reflect, calm down.

A bunch of Argentinian wishes to you all!

Costa Verde or Costa Gris?

Argentines can justly claim a bunch of South America's superlatives: the highest peak, the widest avenue, the most exciting capital and the prettiest ladies... but when it comes to exotic and award-winning beaches, they drew the short straw. To our ex-Mediterranean eyes, Costa Verde means, above all, endless grayish sandy beaches, cloudy sea water and zillions of construction works surrounded by a bunch of green pines and birds. 

To our new-born Argentinian eyes, however, it seems like an absolute Mecca on a long weekend. For locals (like Tom), 4 days mean 40% of their annual holidays :) So thanks to Mary's immaculate conception and Cristina's invention of "days for tourism", we joint the 2-million mass (whole Slovenia!!!) that flocked to the South. Mind you, 1cm on the map means in Argentinian terms 450 km and 6 hours of bus that worms it way through traffic jams and fields (highways? dream on).

Lessons learnt:

1. a weekend + 2 days = prices x 3 & people x 4

2. beware of December sun! five days later, our noses still sulk

3. lower European cleanliness standards (even in **** hostelerias)

4.  Argentinians are a hungry people so book the restaurants way in advance

5. don't look for adrenalin in places where you're meant to relax

Conclusion: a lot of fun yet not sure to return soon

Next chapter: Uruguay beaches

Some photo proofs:

relax baby relax

dvojina / dual

 waiting for january tourists 1

 waiting for january tourists 2

holidays that give you wings

... and restore your balance

when the world belonged only to Tom

Week end in the far far away Chivilcoy countryside

The old family mansion where we've been invited 

Who is not eating ?

Our first "asado" en el "quincho". You can read the famous tradition "Un aplauso para el asador" which means Clap your hands for the BBQ man, so did we.

 

Very relax after the Asado...drinking Mate 

Of course we rode horses as it is very popular and every argentinian seems to be a great rider

Easy jolly jumper

The Mate girl : "bombilla" in the right hand and hot water in the other one

Sure we're conquesting new world

Another kind of asado with an entire pork cooked in that way during 3hours , delicious. The pork is the smaller one.

The inside of the old mansion from 19th century which remains exactly the same

First shots from Buenos Aires downtown...enjoy the feeling

Palacio aguas corrientes, amazing building which was in fact a huge water tank to prevent fires

 

El Congreso, copy paste from Washington DC

Edificio Bariolo whose headlight on 22th stage could be seen till Montevideo

Buiding where Eva Peron "Evita" pronounced her famous speech (look at the movie)

Avenida 9 de julio and the obelisc, the center of the city...their "champs elysees" or "Fifth avenue" where football celebrations take place

Catedral on Plaza Mayor

Cafe Tortoni, the oldest restaurant of BA, tourist place but really worth it

 La Casa Rosada, the president place

Cristina's office ! we've visited her presonnally

Plaza Mayor with the "Cabildo", the colonial spanish building

 Argentinians are authentic protesters with always some good words!

What did i say ?

Is there some French influence ?

Avenida Diagonal, full of european-style buildings, links Plaza Mayor to the Obelisc.

Plaza Mayor with casa rosada : the pink color symbolized the alliance between the 2 opposites parties, red and white.

 

Villa Crespo - a genuine argentinian district

We're a bit lost, Villa Crespo is not a tourist place...

...and found some freshness under the trees

Petra now gets a local friend

..and a homeless friend who dropped us some chicken, just look at his right hand

We found the local URBAN FOOTBALL

One of the numerous "cartoneros" who walked the streets and look at every trashe to collect paper....it is the official argentinian way to recycle!

Probably our next acquisition

Latin&Lemon party - Paris leaving

Remember on 22september 2011 the Latin&Lemon party at 12 rue Gay Lussac, Paris. We've celebrated our leaving through a fun yellow night and 10 lemon kilos! Here some pics