I have to start by saying thanks again for everything Mom and Dad, and for being so easy on our unorganized and sporadic week of travel. While we are now quite accustomed to often not knowing where we will be or even sleep later that same day, let alone the following week, I know it’s not necessarily the typical day for you, or any non-vagabonder for that matter. But I don’t think you were concerned (or at least didn’t complain or voice it) or questioned plans once, and were overall great and now-missed “guests”. So, thanks!
Arrival in Buenos Aires
The morning of December 7th, in the 2013th year of our lord, marked the start of the vacation from our vacation, thanks to Cherie and D Price (if you were unaware Dad, that is the nickname that has been bestowed upon you by my friends). We had known for months that they would be coming to visit us in Buenos Aires on this very day, yet we left the 1,745 miles in bus rides, plus an 8 hour salt flat tour with the two of us sitting in the one front passenger seat of an SUV, totaling some 60 odd hours in cars and buses, to the last five days (not even exaggerating, we had one 24 hour break in Salta during the 120 hours of those five days, leaving 60 of those 96 hours to being transported somewhere else), legs and backs falling asleep and cramping, being the procrastinating vacation travelers that we are. But sure enough, we arrived in Buenos Aires the night of the 6th, and were at their hotel the next morning waiting to receive them (and their gifts! thanks!). I’m not quite sure the hotel staff was ready to receive us however, as the well dressed guests and workers eyed us alike. Us clearly not belonging in their up-scale establishment in sandals and tank tops and jean shorts (no I was not the one in jorts). Regardless, the rents showed up about an hour later, we rearranged our bags in the hotel lobby, and were off for the week’s adventures.
We often forget to remind ourselves that we are, in some respects, (or in all respects?), on a vacation ourselves. Ali and I, that is (though my argument against it being a “vacation” can also be made in that we are not using this as an escape from “life” or our jobs, as many may see it, but as life itself; an opportunity to learn from the other 6,732,878 (or there abouts?) people on our planet). I know, woe is me, but as constant travel becomes your norm, you forget to take the time to, like all things in life, really appreciate what you have. Right now, I’m sitting on a rooftop balcony in a bean-bag pondering life and listening to good music, on a sunny Tuesday afternoon (12:51 to be exact) in beautiful Buenos Aires. How could I not consider this vacation? Yet, I do lose track, and forget to take it all in. So with that, I just want to put the reminder out there. Don’t forget to appreciate what you have, and while you have it.
And on yet another tangent, but on a similar note, some think they would never be lucky enough (and yes, I’m making the assumption that some of you reading this are in some ways envious of a trip like this) to be able to have such an experience, though if you are interested we’d love to explain how manageable it really can be. So send us an email. It goes to show that this doesn’t have to be a “vacation” from life. It can just be part of your life. So do it now while you still can. Possibly a future post to come.
Back to our week’s adventures…
After leaving the hotel that morning we walked down to the port in Buenos Aires, Puerto Madero, and caught the next ferry crossing over to Colonia, Uruguay.
Colonia, Uruguay
It’s a small weekend get-away town on the coast where we planned to stay the first night or two. When we arrived we decided a golf cart rental would be nice, piled in, and started off, carting around town. After a short “off-roading” stint through a quite roughly cobble-stoned side street, we found a nice B&B style hotel and decided it would do just fine. We spent that afternoon walking/carting around town, and shortly after sat down for drinks and a late lunch/early dinner. As the rents had spent the night in the plane flying down, and we were still exhausted from our cross-country bus voyage, we decided catching up on some sleep was the best option and all crashed early.
Ridin’ in style.
Who let this guy drive?
Breaking bread in Uruguay.
At breakfast the next morning we decided the previous day in Colonia was sufficient enough to experience what we were looking for, and packed our bags for the next destination. After taking a short bus from Colonia to Carmelo, we ate a very large, cholesterol spiking Chivito (the national dish in Uruguay) and hopped on another ferry, this time crossing back into El Tigre, which is about an hour north-west of BA.
Family photo plus a new doggie friend.
Colonia times.
Chivito: the very delicious cholesterol BOMB.
El Tigre/San Antonio de Areco, Argentina
There, not knowing exactly (or at all…) where we were going, and having received some contradicting directions, walked through El Tigre for about an hour before finally finding the right bus to catch to the main bus terminal. It was a long 30 minute ride in a packed public bus, but we arrived just in time to catch the only bus leaving for San Antonio de Areco in the next few hours. And the only reason we arrived just in time was because the bus should had left an hour before but was caught in traffic, allowing us to catch the 6:30 bus at 7:30. Just in time, however, turned into waiting for over an hour for the bus that was already over an hour late. Such is South America. We were just happy to be on a bus finally heading to our final destination for the day. We didn’t get in to San Antonio until about 10:30, and after our first choice was found to be full, found two rooms in the motel/hotel next door.
Ben loves waiting hours at the bus station. Can’t you tell?! (Billy this face is for you)
We spent three nights in San Antonio de Areco, in three different types of lodgings (hostel,hotel and estancia), and each night was better than the last. We had come to the town specifically to be able to visit an Estancia (which is the South American term for a large old-style ranch) and couldn’t have been happier with the decision.
I spy with my little eyes, 1 Cherie Price.
Ali’s favorite flower in Argentina.
We walked and biked around the small town on day two, picked up sandwiches and ate lunch in the park by a river, grabbed a nice dinner in the main town square, and that night stayed in the hostel we had attempted to the previous night. It was a great little place, family owned and operated, and succeeded in making you feel exactly like at home. The next morning we had a taxi picking us up to take us to Estancia El Ombu de Areco to have a full day of estancia-ing, which if you unfamiliar, includes: fresh empanadas and wine upon arrival at 11AM followed by a nice and easy 2 hour-long horseback riding tour of the property; an all you can eat parrilla (Argentina’s famous BBQ) lunch with wine and live gaucho-guitar music; afternoon nap; late afternoon horseback riding; finished up with dinner, more wine, and of course desert.
Estancia El Ombu is home to more than 70 horses!
Oscar el Gaucho, no es un Groucho.
A man and his trusty steed.
Despite contrary belief, this is not D Price.
Not to mention, the late afternoon horseback riding also included a guest entertainment appearance, with none other than Cherie Price herself, racing past the group on her trusty and sinewy steed, hooting and hollering in a very stereotypical Hollywood portrayed Native American style. Her reward? A nicely chapped bum. Sorry Mom.
The estancia itself was (is?) absolutely gorgeous, with a massive brick-structure guest house at its center, built in 1880. It’s quite a picturesque scene, with a coral full of horses off near the barn, cows and sheep grazing all around, two pools, a soccer pitch and dogs everywhere. That night we experienced a quite powerful summer thunderstorm. Though it may have kept some up, it’s a strangely-comforting feeling having been away from the beach storms for so long.
Is this thing on?
The following morning we had a delicious breakfast and went on our third and final horse-back riding tour (sans Momma Price and her chapped bum), which included a pretty awesome several minute full-on gallop through the fields. Having never been horseback riding before it was actually a pretty legitimate thrill. We packed what we had, enjoyed our departing empanadas and wine, and were back off to the bus station for our final destination.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Our bus from San Antonio de Areco arrived in Buenos Aires late that Monday afternoon. We would spend the remaining time there until they flew out on Wednesday night. We made it another relaxing night that first night and decided that wine and hors d’oeurves on their status-upgraded room’s balcony would do just fine. The next two days were spent tooling around the city, both with great local lunch breaks, and the second night included our final Argentina adventure. The Tango show. No Argentinian vacation is complete without a typical Tango show; or so every tourist office/guide/recommendation says. And even though my expectations were not high to begin with, assuming to see and somewhat cheesy and over-done performance, I was pleasantly surprised to witness 90 minutes of non-stop, amazingly choreographed and executed Tango performance. And on top of that, the five-man “big”-band group accompanying the show was stellar, showing true musicianship on all instruments. I could not have asked for a better Tango experience.
Japanese Botanical Gardens in Buenos Aires.
It takes two to Tango.
Final Farewells.
And that was our week, or six days rather, mostly Argentina vacation. Thanks again for visiting us and for making our first week in Argentina an unforgettable one!
greetings from blank 