Markets, Neighborhoods, Delicious Food

2 nights ago, the four of us joined a local bar tour with a large group that was an absolute blast. In total, we went to three bars and one discoteca nightclub. A very fun experience for us as we met some new people and got to appreciate the local nightlife culture. This did include a 5:30 am bedtime which is customary here.

Yesterday we woke up around 2pm (still getting used to the shift in schedule) and found a breakfast place that served brunch from noon to 7pm. The food and coffee was delicious, fresh, and cheap. The waiter also educated us how to properly order at restaurants, and since then, Calvin and Jaeson have really upped their Español game.

Afterwards, we found a local weekend market we wanted to check out. On the way, we stumbled on a cultural science center that was free to roam around. Admittedly, it was aimed at younger kids, but was still fun to experience (especially this face symmetry simulator game they had).

We finally got to the market and walked around the 50+ booths where local artists sell their pieces. There was anything from handmade jewelry, to trinkets, to clothing items. We all decided to become jewelry guys while here and invested in some necklaces, bracelets, and rings. As well, with matte being a popular drink here, lots of venders were also selling authentic gourds with filter straws.

Even in Colombia, Peru, and other countries that i’ve traveled to, I enjoy trying local indian food to see how it compares globally. I must admit, the indian food here was some of the best i’ve ever had. We visited a restaurant called “Mumbai” and tried vindaloo, fish curry, and of course, chicken tikka for hunter.

We called it an early night around 1 or 2am last night (yes… this is early) after playing a few rounds of cards and taking some chill time.

This morning, Hunter and I went on a run around some of the city parks. We need to maintain some level of fitness for our Patagonia trek coming up which will be pretty physically demanding. The city has a lot of bike paths that people use and we saw quite a few people running. Like Medellin, there are a lot of free outdoor gym spaces to use as well. Overall, Buenos Aires seems like a pretty active city so far. We cooked a meal at the Airbnb today before heading out to explore.

We took an uber back to Florida street to exchange more cash. On the way, our driver rapidly started talking with another driver stuck in traffic and for a second, it seemed like they were going to get in a fight. Our driver pulled over and we finally realized that he had a flat tire, so we walked the rest of the way. Very glad we didn’t get in the middle of something.

We shopped around for a bit and took another uber to a neighborhood called La Boca, very well known for its history, food, and art. Tango was extremely popular in this area and there were even live performances at restaurants. It is still a debate whether Tango originated in Uruguay or Buenos Aires, but either way, still a very impressive and elegant form of art. I’ll let pictures explain the rest.

Meat is very popular here and an integral part of local Argentinian diet. On average, locals here eat about 1.2kg of beef a week. Tonight, we are going to a popular steak house to get ourselves a taste. Should be yummy!