The “morning” of the 26th, we found a breakfast place right off Playa Grande, one of the largest and busiest beaches here. Thankfully, it was a rainier day so it wasn’t too crowded. What was surprising was the cost of food at restaurants by the beach vs. a few blocks into the city. They pretty much were all the same, a few hundred pesos more expensive than Palermo. This was the first meal with seafood we got to try which included a piece of toast, a spread, and smoked salmon on top. Most breakfast meals also come with coffee and juice as well.
After breakfast, we Ubered to the local Aquarium, which ended up being more of a zoo right on the coastline. There were a variety of birds, fish, and other random animals that were fun to look at. Even got to feed a small fish to a massive sea lion. There was an access point to the beach where we explored the anemones and clusters of mussels.
The night of the 26th, we found a block which had 10 different seafood restaurants to pick from. We found one we liked and ordered a massive combo of hot and cold seafood samplers which included calamari, crab, and many others. At night we ventured back to Playa Grande and enjoyed their nightlife, which Mar del Plata is known for.
The morning of the 27th, we went more north towards another popular beach called Playa Verese and found a beach restaurant for out first meal. We walked the beach and then headed into the city towards a local Artisan market. Finally, we all purchased gourds and filters for drinking mate (in case anyone is unfamiliar, mate is a tea which tastes like a stronger green tea and is consumed from a mug called a gourd). We see everyone walking around with their mate and thermos’s and every small kiosk also sells hot water, so it’s clearly a popular beverage. At night, we tried a sushi platter for dinner which was delicious and fun to try.
The night of the 27th after dinner, we all just hung out at the Airbnb and talked and laughed for over 4 hours. There was a study I once heard on a podcast about the longest running study in history. It essentially recorded people throughout the course of their lives and would constantly ask subjects about their happiness with where they were in life. The study concluded that the people with the best relationships, from partners to parents to friends, lived the longest and happiest lives. I don’t doubt the validity of this study. I am thankful everyday for having people in my life who I can wholeheartedly trust and care for. And relationships are not built over a day month or year. It takes so many of these little moments and experiences to bring people together. Here’s to many more random nights like this on this trip and afterwards.
Today, the 28th, we found a local cafe for breakfast, walked through a super fancy mall, and took an easier afternoon with a nap and R&R. Tonight we plan to head back to Playa Grande one last time before leaving Mar del Plata. Should be a fun night!
The food, the price, and the beach all sound amazing, but more importantly, the friendship is noteworthy.