La Boca, San Telmo and Epic Thunderstorms

So yesterday Chirag's friend/co-researcher, Andrea, and her husband, Martin, (GAAAH TOO MANY COMMAS!) showed us around BsAs for the afternoon =D (note: I really like how trying to pronounce the abbreviation for Buenos Aires can come out as "besas" lol). Unfortunately, both Chirag and I forgot our cameras, and Martin forgot the battery to his camera, lol... All the same, it was a most splendid time, indeed. La Boca is basically a ridonkulously touristy part of the city, but one that's touristy for a reason, ya know? Tango dancers at every (overpriced for the quality of food you're getting) restaurant, and lots of little street vendor setups (not nearly as many as in San Telmo, but more on that in a bit).

On the topic of Tango dancers, though, they actually had us dance for a little bit with them, teaching us the super-rudimentary steps of the graceful foot-whirlwind that is Tango. That was legit fun times ^_^ The upstairs of the same place had a three-wall sized photo of the stadium in La Boca, too. It was pretty legit, if I do say so myself. The upstairs had an astroturf floor and everything, lol.

Also, I'm not sure if it's just the places I've chosen to eat steak at, but... Argentine steak just isn't that great, in my humble opinion. Overcooked every time. I'm gonna give it a go at a fancier restaurant before I relegate it completely to the pits of super-amateur-food-critic-hell, but it only gets one more chance. That said, THESE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEIR CHICKEN!!!! For real, the chicken here is simply too fantastic!! No matter where you get it, at that =D

Ah, so La Boca is famous for two things, really: it's futbol (soccer) team and it's whimsically colored houses. Seems the Italians who landed here way back in the day used the spare paint from their ships to do up their houses, as well. The houses themselves are mostly vacant/just for show, now, but some are used for shops, too. You go to the third or fourth (segundo o tercera, by Argentine or European terms, though) floor of some of them and get pretty sweet views of the area. Completely worth going back in the near future with a camera! (On the upshot, the day we went was pretty cloudy, so going back another [sunny] day might be for the best, anyway)

After all that was done, we hopped a bus over to San Telmo. What you need to know about San Telmo is that it is legitimately a barrio (neighborhood) of street shops. Especially down this one road... get to the right height/sea level on that road, and it legit looks like a river of people (awesome photo will be posted of it when I revisit).

While we were there, there was this beastly awesome top hat. 160 pesos (40 dollars - CHEAP as far as top hats go, and it was actually of very legitimate quality), but brown. If I can find a black one, I'm totally getting it. Also, I think I want to buy an accordion. Don't ask me why, I just have this urge to get an accordion lol. Seems there's a road not far up from Avenida Corrientes where there are tons of music shops. That'll open up on Wednesday, when everywhere else does (including the cell phone stores - tried Chirag's sim card and it looks like my phone is already unlocked, oddly/pleasantly enough).

Side note: I'm going to be extremely sad when I get back home and can't find empenadas down every road.

The streets of San Telmo were also riddled with Tango dancers. It was really quite a fun sight (though you couldn't really make eye contact or else they'd approach you and try to make some money off of you). Good times, all the same.

So yeah, Andrea and Martin were absolutely angelic with us the entire day. Super, super nice people, they are!!

Anyway, I'm late for a skype-call with the family. Peace!!