salta road trip

Last week, at the last minute, I was fortunate enough to join my friends on trip to Salta, in northern Argentina. I knew little about the area besides everyone telling me it was "¡muy linda!" which it turns out, is true. Although my friends had done more research, they too didn't really know what to expect, so we were in for an adventure.

We started out on the luxurious 20 hour overnight bus ride which included a full reclining seat with a pillow and blanket, dinner, breakfast, both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, 3 movies, and a stewardess. Unlike any bus ride I've ever experienced! We arrived in Salta, the capital of the Salta region, refreshed and ready to sightsee. After checking into our hostel, we explored the small city, including the stunning San Francisco Church, the Salta Tram, and the beautiful main plaza with orange trees.

The next day we rented a car and set off to explore the rest of the region for week, staying in a different little town each night. Mainly following suggestions from guide books and tourist offices, we had no idea what to really expect.

We drove on climbing narrow, rocky, twisty roads through mountains with no barriers separating us from the cliffs below, saw breathtaking scenery, stepped out of the car into complete silence and miles of mountains, stood in a natural amphitheater, hiked La Garganta del Diablo (the devil's throat), and tasted the natural salt of the salt flats...

We stayed in small dusty, outdated towns where we were the only tourists, bought (not so) fresh produce from local grocers and cooked dinners in our homestays, ate lots of empanadas, shopped artisenaries, toured vineyards, met locals, and experienced local holiday festivals, and of course, took a lot of pictures...





Overall, an amazing experience. Read about the trip in more detail here.

new gig

Starting this month I will be the Argentina Examiner for Examiner.com, a US based website with writers, or Examiners, contributing on any and every topic. Take a look here and check back often!

caminito

Pick up any Buenos Aires guidebook or visit any BA travel site and you'll see a picture of El Caminito. Images of the colored houses are usually associated with the city but in fact it's actually a very small street tucked away in La Boca. It's not surrounded by the safest neighborhood so tourists are advised to take a cab or bus directly to and from Caminito Street. Here you'll find a few restaurants and cafes, a small fair full of various vendors, and of course, tango dancing.

From images, the colorful houses of Caminito give off a tropical vibe, something that Buenos Aires doesn't have, and therefore separates it from many other parts of South and Central America. The actual reason the houses are so colorful is because this neighborhood held a large community of Italian immigrants about 100 years ago. Most worked in the nearby port and didn't have much money, so stole leftover paint from work to paint their homes, resulting in a mismatched neighborhood.

Since I love a good opportunity to take interesting photos I was set on checking out Caminito for myself. I wasn't really prepared for our experience. Although the neighborhood is interesting and splashed with beautiful colors, it is obviously very touristy. You can't walk 2 feet without someone pulling you into their restaurant or their store, offering various deals and promises. Nowhere else in the city have I experienced such aggresiveness and it was certainly a turn off. The area didn't take long to walk through, so after some photos and taking a stroll through the fair, where we did purchase some jewelry, we hopped in a cab to head back. A sight to see, but not necessarily a priority.



Caminito Street is located in La Boca

antiques galore

While there are several fairs in BA, they're each unique. There's Plaza Serrano with jewelry and craft vendors, and clothes being sold in the restaurants and cafes. There's Feria de Mataderos with gauchos, horses, and folk dancing. And then there's Mercado de San Telmo, full of antiques, produce vendors, and tango dancing.

Starting at Plaza de Mayo and walking down the narrow street of Defensa will take you through the typical mate gourds, scarves, and various Argentina souvenirs. But as you get deeper into San Telmo, the vendors begin to change and pretty soon every table is selling a unique collection of antiques. Clothes, jewelry, glassware, records, book, sunglasses, shoes, dishware.. you name it. The items really draw you in, and I can't help but wonder the stories behind them, whose hands they were in before they made it to the market to be sold, and how they got here.



Between all the vendors are other locals trying to make a peso or two. There are human statues (creative, but kind of scary), tango dancers, live music, roasted nuts, empanadas, and puppeteers. Cafes, parillas, and stores also line the street for a chance to step out of the cold (or heat in the summer months).

The actual Mercado de San Telmo is the huge indoor market, with an entrance on Defensa that is easy to miss. The high ceilings cover even more antiques, plus several produce vendors.

With so much to see, Mercado de San Telmo makes for a wonderful Sunday ritual.

Mercado de San Telmo building is located between Defensa, Carlos Calvo, Bolívar and Estados Unidos

differences

Obviously there are many differences between the everyday life we're used to and the various different lives lived throughout the world by other cultures. Being able to experience these differences first hand is in fact one of the reasons I decided to leave the US. These differences aren't bad, since they obviously work for the people who live them everyday, they're just.. different. Buenos Aires is no exception. During my short time here I've already noticed quite a few and I'm sure there will be plenty more to come:

• no pooper scooper laws
• all exit signs are green
• pedestrians do not have the right of way
• stop signs are apparently not necessary
• traffic lights change to yellow before red and before green
• a key is necessary to let yourself out of your apartment unit and building (fire hazard anyone?)
• although a lot of porteños do not speak English, American music, from Michael Jackson to Taylor Swift, is heard playing just about everywhere, even on local radio stations
• order a coffee at a restaurant or cafe and also receive a small glass (shot glass size) of water, and a sweet, which varies but is usually individually wrapped and usually includes chocolate
• eggs in the grocery store are not refrigerated

To be continued....

beef.

Being here for one month and not having had any steak could be considered a sin, but finally, a traditional Argentine beef dinner... and it was well worth the wait.

La Cabrera was everything I hoped for and more. It's one of the most popular parrillas (grills) in the city, so you'll find a mix of both porteños (locals) and foreigners waiting outside for a table. Since we got there around 10pm with no reservation we were told we had a 45-50 minute wait. Would that be OK, even though we wouldn't eat until after 11 and the Buenos Aires winter weather was setting in while we waited outside? Not a problem, since they keep their waiting guests warm with complimentary champagne and passed hors d'oeuvres of chorizo and stuffed olives. We could wait all night with this treatment. But alas, the beef was waiting for us and we were finally seated at a corner table in the cozy restaurant.

Along with our basket of bread we were served 2 different dipping sauces and a bulb of roasted garlic which was delicious. One of us had eaten here before and knew that 2 beef dishes for 3 of us would be plenty, and she was right. We ordered a beef with thyme, and another beef dish which the server recommended. They soon arrived, along with 6 little ramekins of "side dishes" each, then another platter of at least 6 more ramekins. The side dishes were a mix of hot and cold items, from caramelized garlic to cold potatoes, mashed potatoes, squash, applesauce, cooked eggplant, beans, mini caprese salad, artichoke, and more. Some were not great and didn't even get touched, but others (garlic, mashed potatoes, squash) were worth eating.

We ordered the meat medium but it came out a little more medium rare. The beef with thyme was so tender and delicious. The other dish was also very delicious, just not as tender. 2 dishes, especially due to the size of one of them, was more than enough. The entire La Cabrera experience left us happy and satisfied.

look at the size of that steak!

La Cabrera is located at Cabrera 5099, in Palermo. Their sister restaurant, La Cabrera Norte, is located a few doors down at Cabrera 5127.

el rosedal

Right in the middle of Parque Tres de Febrero is the stunning Rose Garden. Stroll through the paths to discover over 1,000 different types of roses and even more rose bushes, learn about the garden's history, and view the busts of famous poets in the Garden of Poets. Then take a break on one of the many benches, or spread a blanket for a picnic on the green grass and watch the paddleboats go by.

On one side of the garden you can enter right off the Tres de Febrero 1-mile paved running path, which surrounds the Rose Garden. On the other side of the lake you can enter by walking over the Puente Blanco, white bridge. Either way, you'll find yourself in one of the most beautiful parts of the city.

Roses always remind me of two very important people in my life, so besides
El Rosedal being so lovely, this reason also draws me to the garden.

parque tres de febrero

Nestled into Palermo is a little piece of heaven.
Parque Tres de Febrero is a sprawling piece of land covering 62 acres, made up of several smaller parks and bodies of water. From the green grass to the different types of trees to the lakes, it's easy to lose yourself while exploring the beautiful nature the park has to offer.

On any given day, especially the weekend, you'll find people of all ages biking, running, skateboarding, rollerblading, walking, paddleboating, or picnicking. The one mile paved track around the breathtaking Rosedal (Rose Garden) is perfect for most of these activities.

A great opportunity to get some fresh air, escape
the city life, and take some photos, I'm lucky Parque Tres de Febrero is just a few blocks from my apartment.







Parque Tres de Febrero is located between Avenidas Libertador, Sarmiento, Figueroa Alcorta and Infanta Isabel.