Beinvenudo a Buenos Aires

Today I find it hard to believe that I'm boarding an Aerolineas Argentinas flight bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina. A full week has yet to pass since confetti rained down on Super Bowl XLIX and yet a new adventure awaits below the equator.  Its been nearly a full turn of the calendar since my last intercontinental excursion but it's incredible what changes a year can bring. This year I'm fortunate to travel with just my parents, something I haven't done in years. Our 11 hour journey freed us from the icy grip of NYC and transplanted us into the Middle of a hot Argentine summer day.  We arrived around 4:30am local time and were driven to Hotel Scala by our tour operator, Mauro. Exhausted from lack of sleep on the plane we were eager to secure any 2 rooms that were available in order to get a couple hours rest before heading out on the town. After our nap we clearly needed a bit of fuel in our bodies. We headed out to find an organic restaurant that was recommended to us. After walking aimlessly for 20 minutes we realized that my Dad had held the map upside down and had been walking the wrong direction. We eventually found our destination and a delightful meal provided us the much needed energy to head back to the hotel. When we returned back to Hotel Scala we met Sabrina, a friendly Argentinian woman, who would be our guide for our city tour. As we hopped in the back of the minivan and sped off we were a bit fearful if we'd return safely to our hotel since our driver found common rules for driving merely suggestions as curbs became negotiable terrain and lanes were rendered obsolete. Sabrina educated us on the history of Argentina riddled with political corruption and architectural miscues as we passed historic landmarks in the city. We stopped and walked around La Boca, an area in the southern part of the city with colorful houses. However, we were advised to avoid the southern areas at night for our safety. 

Our next destination was in Recoleta where the tomb of the beloved Eva Peron remains. Prior to entering, Mom of course needed her gelato fix to keep her going. We toured the grounds before heading off to see the wealthy area of Palermo. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and said goodbye to Sabrina before resting up for dinner. Despite the long day we were thrilled to have done the city tour the first day so we knew what to explore on day 2.