Christmas in Buenos Aires

I arrived on Saturday and went to our apartment in San Telmo that we would be staying in for the next 2 weeks. Mary Ann had already gotten there so I was happy to be greeted by her. I got in kind of late so we walked over to Puerto Madero and had some dinner. We had steak but it was just not the good Argentina steak that we were hoping for, way overcooked.But it was nice to sit with a bottle of wine and just loving the fact that I was back in Buenos Aires. I did get about 10 bug bites at that dinner tho. The next day we started out shopping for Christmas since we knew we were going to be cooking on Christmas and needing some other little things to decorate the place. The 85 degree weather did not make it feel like xmas at all! We went to this feria that I knew you could get engraved mate cups and when we got there the rain started to pour down on us. And of course, I had m short shorts and flip flops on because it was so humid out! We ordered our cups and went inside to a cafe while they were being made. We got them all done and after we decided to go to Recoleta. We enjoyed a better steak this time after our day of shopping. Our search for restaurants for Christmas eve was a hard one, but we found a place for new years eve instead. Most places were closed for Christmas Eve.

On Tuesday, Dad, Conor, Grandma, and Ali arrived at one so I got up early because I had to pick up my phone that was being fixed and I wanted to get my haircut. I went to get my phone which was supposed to be done the day before at 5, and it wasnt done the next day at 12. So the man told me to come back in an hour but I asked him about 5 times if it was really going to be done in an hour and he confirmed that it would. I did not want to come back for nothing! I went to get my haircut in the meantime and it was yet another fun south american experience. They just got my hair wet and then used nothing along the conditioning lines to help comb out my long tangly hair so that was fun. Then she cut it in less than 10 minutes. Then I was done. Very interesting but it only cost like 10 bucks so I guess that is what you get. I got home right after the rest of the family showed up and it was so good to see everyone. Grandma started crying when she saw me and couldn't speak. It was really cute. An exciting event of the day is when Conor walked in on gram in her underwear which was a good reminder of last year when he walked in on her naked in Ireland. He is scarred for life! We laughed and laughed just like last year. The rest of the day, we just hung out, some took naps, and then we went out to dinner at Puerto Madero again. This time we went to a restaurant that I was sure had good steaks. We asked if people were up for a 30 minute walk to the restaurant, all agreed, and then some unnamed people started bitching about how long of a walk it was and when are we going to get there. I forgot that I was dealing with jetlagged cranky people. We had a nice dinner and everyone was tired after from the long flight.

Christmas Eve was started off at our favorite cafe, cafe dorrego. We had some breakfast and I won a bet with Grandma because she thought the milk in her coffee was from a can, and I told her that it was fresh. We asked the waiter and I was right, but I still have not received my winnings! Dad and I walked to pick up the desserts that Mad and I had ordered and the others went to the market to buy the produce for Christmas. Dad and I found a restaurant for xmas eve but when we got home, the other group had found one too. So I checked them both out and decided on the one the other group had found. We went to church that night, it was in Spanish of course, but really all was the same since it was still catholic. The only difference was that during communion, people all rushed up to get it as opposed to waiting their turn. It is just the same as everything that they do in this continent so I wasn't all that surprised. We went to dinner after and it was really great. It was spanish style so it was more tapas and appetizers and they just brought everything out for everyone to have a little, even though we ordered separately. We found out later that it was their opening night which actually makes sense because the staff seemed a little nervous. They also gave us I think 7 new plates and sets of silverware. The service was almost too much. At one point in the night, my dad asked a guy to take a picture of us and then after Mary Ann decided to go talk to them and then she stayed talking to them for about 15 minutes during their meal. It was too funny and then she invited them over to our house for our wine tasting party that we had yet to plan. Then after the meal she made me go talk to them so I could have some more contacts in BA. They are actually a very nice family and I am glad she met them, but it was silly how it all happened!

We woke up on Christmas and santa had brought everyone stockings:) Grandma learned a new phrase this morning that she liked to use a lot: fuerte pedo which means strong fart! We ate lots of candy for breakfast and then for brunch, Conor and I made french toast, eggs, and bacon. I made the french toast with the paneton that they have here, but without the dried fruit. It was delicious and I will definitely be doing that again! We watched an argentine movie called Nueve Reinas that I had bought in Peru. I really liked it actually and I think the boys did too. After we watched The Holiday which was nice and girly. Uncle Doug made it in that day after his flight had been delayed a whole day. For dinner we had a wonderful american meal; turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, and gravy. It was wonderful and I was so happy to be surrounded by people and things from home. Mary Ann and I had got little gifts for everyone which included mate cups and some argentine candies and then I had gotten everyone a chullo (the alpaca hats) from Peru. Everyone immediately put them on and we took a pretty good looking picture. At night, we heard a lot of noise coming from outside, so we went out and saw this parade thing that was going on. There were drums and everyone dancing. The way they dance is just something that i don't think i can ever do even though i would love to.

The day after christmas was when Joey and Adrienne arrived. They immediately started to enjoy the quilmes, but we quickly had to leave for our bus tour! We went on a three hour bus tour and saw the casa rosada, the boca juniors soccer stadium, el caminito, and we ended at the cemetary. I wanted the family to go to this one cafe that I like, La biela, so we sat outside and ate a late lunch. We waited too long because the cemetery was closed by the time we went back, but oh well. Dad, Doug, and I decided to walk back to the house and I showed them where my old apartment was and they got to see some more of the city. When we got back, we hung out a bit and then it was time to eat again! Pizza it was this night, so we went to pick it up and ate it back at the house. That night, Conor, ALi, and I went out to a club. I took them to Maluca Belleza which is the Brazilian club. They were all shocked by it because everyone knows all of the dances to the songs. Ali kept calling it aerobics class and it really did look like it. We danced for a while in the place upstairs that you didnt have to know routines, but one can only last so long with music that we are not used to dancing to.

We got up late on Saturday and Joey made us milanesa for lunch. It was quite delicious. After, the "kids" went to plaza serrano, we did some shopping and then some drinking of beer. We got wrap dresses for everyone and other fun things. That night I wanted everyone to go to the Quilmes factory where I had been before, but when I went before, I drove with an Argentine. This time we took a cab but the cabbies told us that there are no cabs to take us back to buenos aires. So, we ended up having to pay the cab drivers to wait for us while we ate. It ended up being a long wait too and grandma had a little fit that we were eating in this restaurant, but after a beer in hand, everyone was fine. It is so difficult to have to make 9 people happy! Before the event, I told them all it was out of the city a ways, it was a beer factory, not that exciting of food, maybe a wait, and everyone still wanted to go, and people still complain! Oh well, we had a really fun time at the factory, drinking quilmes, ate some pizza and empanadas and after we decided to go to the casino! There is a casino on a cruise ship since it is illegal to have one on land. We went to go gamble and the gambling here is so boring. No one gets excited about winning, it is so serious. So Conor and I are cheering when the good numbers roll and everyone looks at us. Well I lost 200 pesos so I decided to quit. Then dad came by and loaned me 100 and we played some blackjack and I won it all back plus a little bit more. I was very happy for my loan! I love the loans that you get but don't have to pay back if you lose:) I could not stand the smoke in the congested space, so we left. It was almost 5 in the morning! My own father stayed up til 5, I was very surprised. The next day, needless to say, we slept in. We all had lunch at our Cafe dorrego, then went shopping at San Telmo market. It is a big huge market every sunday so Ali and I walked through most of it. We were trying to find new rings for this year ( liek our irish ones from last year), but didnt find any that we really loved. After we met the gang at Casa Bar to watch american football. For dinner we went to this great place called Cumana and they had amazing empanadas and casseroles. Conor had bought this tomato at the market that you throw it on the ground and it looks like it splattered but then it comes back to normal. Well, joey was playing with it and claimed that it didn't break no matter how hard you squeezed it. So when Conor had it in hand, Joey kept telling him to squeeze it as hard as he could since it wouldn't break. Guess what. It broke. All over Conors lap and t-shirt. It looked very similar to someone that had a little accident and Conor was not a happy camper. But oh well. All of us and Conor who wet his pants, went to a Tango show. I really enjoyed it! There were 5 couples I think and then the singers. The singers were highly unneccesary but needed I guess while the dancers were changing or something. They all did partner dances and dances with all of them and it was a little long, but really interesting. In the end we all had different favorites.

Monday was the day to find me an apartment! I had been looking on the internet for the past week and had made a couple appts. I went first to an apt in Palermo and the good thing was that it had a pool, but then i saw the pool and was not impressed. More like a little bigger baby pool and the apartment was pretty ghetto. The next place was in Las canitas and dad and I were early so we walked around the neighborhood. So cute and much cleaner than lots and there are many restaurants and bars in the area. I saw the apartment and really liked it but wanted to see at least one more before we decided. We went with a real estate agent to another place in Palermo Hollywood, but I was just still thinking about the Las canitas one, so I sat down with dad and we made a plan. On the 29th of every month here, you are supposed to eat gnocchi, put money under your plate, and then it will bring you good luck with gaining money during the month. I called the landlord before we ate and offered her a lower price and she told me she was going to call me back. She called me back and took my offer so the gnocchi's worked! I am going to eat them every month on the 29th now:) When we got back to the house, the family had already started the drinking games so they were overly excited to hear about my apartment. For dinner, we went to La Brigada which we had to reserve a day in advance for a monday night since it is so popular. Conor's friend Garrett was in town by chance with his sister on vacation. They joined us for dinner that night too so there were 11 of us. Dad told the guy that he wanted the thickest steak he had and he wanted it rare. The waiter said he knew exactly what he wanted and brought him just that. My steak was about 1/8 of the size. At one point I had to go to the bathroom and realized I was stuck on the inside and there was no way to get out unless everyone did. We weren't even through appetizers yet so i made all 5 people get up for me to get out and get up again for me to get back in! Mary Ann, meanwhile found more people to talk to in the restaurant and invite to our wine party. After our great dinner, I went back to pack. Conor and Joey decided to stay out til 3 when we got up at 430 to go to Iguazu Falls.

We got up nice and early to go to Iguazu and we got to the airport to figure out that we were at the wrong airport. So we hopped in new cabs and hauled ass to the other airport. We managed to make it on time and half of us got business class seats since they had filled up the coach. Luckily I was one of them but dad wasn't. I told him that it was his punishment since he was the holder of all the tickets and didn't look at the airport. He was not having that and was very mad at me. I know that if I was holding the tickets and got us to the wrong airport, I would never hear the end of it! But i guess i still love him anyways. We got to Iguazu nice and early, had some brunch and sat by the pool. The only way to stay cool enough was to jump in the water every ten minutes. We made plans later to cross over to the Brazil side to see the falls and have a cocktail. We didn't really know what we were getting into but we ended up getting to walk along this bridge to look up at the falls and it was amazing. Just like everyone said it was going to be but better to be in front of it. Dad brought along the Danville Weekly so we took a picture with it because they post pictures of people in cool places. Hopefully we will make the cut! lol. After we went and had a caiparinha which is the famous Brazilian drink and then we went to dinner. The next day was my favorite part of Iguazu! We got up early and went on a Grand Adventure tour. This consisted of a ride through the jungle on this truck until we got to our boat. We had to put all of our stuff in a waterproof bag and had to put on our lifejackets. Once we got all that on, we were off. There was some major power on the boat because we were going the opposite direction in strong current. We noticed the workers putting on full rain suits so we knew we were in for it. They got us as close the the waterfalls as possible and we were absolutely drenched. And then they took us to another one and did the same thing. These waterfalls were absolutely huge! It was like being at a waterpark but way better. Then we had to walk back to where the train station was while we were completely drenched. I could have gone without that considering we had to walk along way in the heat where of course I got a sunburn and we saw a different angle of the falls. We had lunch in the hotel before we were off. It was a quick trip but there is not much to do there and I felt like we did it all. We hopped back on the plane and managed to get home in decent time to start getting ready for New years eve!

We got to the restaurant and it everyone seemed very happy with our choice...phew. About time everyone was on the same page! Garrett and Melissa joined us again for dinner. We got up to our room and it was great. It was nice to have our own little area. We started getting our 5 course meal and we ordered some vodka tonics and when it was time for the second round, they didn't quite understand. They are not used to us american drinkers. It was a great meal and the 5 meals were small so I didn't feel completely stuffed after, just nicely full. After dinner there was dancing! The cooks whole family was there so the staff and customers were dancing but it was cumbia (argentine music) which we all liked but are just not used to. The older folks were about to leave when all of a sudden, YMCA came on! And the whole family got on the dance floor. Then the american songs started flowing and of course dad ended up in the middle of the circle at some point. The "kids" stayed a little after the adults, but we eventually left and went to Crobar. We had our favorite taxi cab driver take us since there were no taxis in site, and we got there and danced and what not. I ended up running into the two british boys that Josi and I met in Chile...the ones we taught how to play beer pong! It was random and coincidental again, which seems to be the theme of my trip. We decided to head out about 5:30 then we waited for Jorge because the other cab drivers were charging 120 pesos for a 20 peso ride. We told Jorge to find us a restaurant but we never ended up finding one so we finally got home about 7. Conor decided to talk to everyone of his friends at home and Dad was not happy about it the next morning. Conor's drunken voice isnt the quietest. We got up late that day had breakfast at our fave cafe and then napped some more and the got ready for the wine party. An american woman that is living here is a wine lady and she came over and brought us some wines and told us about them. It was more my style because she didn't talk for hours like some wine connoisseurs. We actually had a pretty big crowd because the family that Mary Ann met on Christmas Eve decided to come. Their kids are just precious and it was fun to have them. It was an interesting mix of english and spanish speakers. The boys left early to watch football and we met up with them later. We went and ate something since the football wasn't too exciting and then we were tired so went home. It was kinda pointless to even go there at all but oh well. It is hard to want to stay out and drink again after new years eve. The next day was the day of departure:( But we had til the nighttime so we got up and dropped my stuff off at my new apartment so everyone could see it. Then we went out to lunch in the neighborhood. It was definitely a little pricey, I am living in a little more upscale area I now know. After lunch we went shopping on Florida street and I got myself some new work clothes with the help of auntie! My fave shopping buddy. I later went out with gram to try to find me a leather purse because she wanted to buy one for me for my birthday present but I couldn't find just the right one. So I am going to wait til I see something perfect. Back at the apartment, we had a final glass of champagne and then they were off. It was just as hard to see them go as when I left but I am excited to start the next part of my adventure of working and living in Buenos Aires. That night I went back to take advantage of the vonage phone and called some of my friends. Meanwhile, the neighbor came upstairs and starting yelling at me for being there because I wasn't supposed to stay that night and bla bla even though we had already told the landlord. She told me I had to get out before the cleaning lady came at 8 and I was thinking ya right but said fine fine. She was speaking spanish and told me the same thing over about 5 times thinking that I couldn't understand even though I understood perfect that she was crazy. The next morning I got all my stuff ready to go and was waiting to hear from Jorge, but he didnt call me til noon but I just hung out in the living room where the cleaning lady already cleaned so I was out of the way. I heard later that they were all complaining that I left so late and dad also forgot to leave the keys in the apartment so the owners were not to happy with us! I went to my new apartment, unpacked and then went out with Shannon, my grand big sis from my sorority that happened to be here at the same time. We went to dinner with her law school friends to this all you can eat steak house and I ate chicken cuz I simply couldnt eat more steak after being with the family. After, just her and I went to Kilkenny which is an irish bar. We had fun there catching up and what not when we got interupted by some argentines who wanted to tell us how beautiful we were. They are way too much for me. Then i was translating love poems to shannon that doesn't speak spanish from the argentine that doesnt speak english. Interesting to say the least.

Overall, it was a great trip with the family and I am very glad they came. I am happy to be staying there because I like where I am, but also miss everyone a lot. A couple months is nothing in the long run I figure so I will enjoy this while I can!