After a few hours in the air from Guayaquil, Ecuador, we arrived in Buenos Aires airport at 4am and checked in to the uber design Faena hotel+universe in the docklands-like Puerto Madero district. A deep half nights sleep in luxurious beds, a delicious buffet breakfast and a paddle in the infinity pool before David turned up. It wasn't long before we were talking property deals and checking blackberry's and making calls to Hong Kong to secure some land in Koh Samui. David was back and so was 'the real world'! We had an excellent time in BA, eating a LOT of steak washed down with copious amounts of Argentina's own Malbec red from Mendoza, visiting the various districts of the city and of course, people watching and dipping toes in the strictly not cool to swim in the Faena swimming pool.
|
We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit a colleague of David's whose parents had an estancia fairly near to Buenos Aires. They were extremely hospitable and we sat down for an asado (see pic below) and BBQ under the shade of a huge tree in their 'garden'. The garden is a good 1200 hectare working farm, with cattle, llamas, horses and a cheeky 9 hole golf course. We went for a swim in their pool and David went horse riding. It was a very lovely afternoon.
|
Xmas eve is a quiet affair in BA, with most people at home celebrating with their families, but the concierge booked us in to Casa Cruz restaurant which served a few courses of delicious food and an open bar of excellent wine (although the waitress required a polite word to encourage wine glass filling to 'Brits Abroad' levels). We then went out to meet Annabel and Daniela, the twins from London we had met by the pool, and soon found ourselves at a table of bottles of vodka and mixers, by the dance floor in a club which was just getting going. Next thing the sun was well above the horizon and we were absolutely having it.
Fortunately for E-J, she spares herself the embarrassment of being on films below as she's taking the video!
You know you want some more, here's video 2
Carbon (Simon), Hicksey 06 (Chris) and Milsamundo (Mills) arrived a couple of days later. Especially impressed by Hicks' willingness to rejoin us after his last experience with us in Mexico, it was great to catch up everyone. We went out to restaurants and bars and back to the fantastic La Brigada restaurant in San Telmo for more excellent steak and wine. We also hired mountain bikes and a tour guide for the day which was a great and occasionally dangerous way of seeing the city. We watched tango dancing in the squares of San Telmo, went window shopping on the beautiful cobbled streets of Palermo Viejo and took a billion photos. We all loved Buenos Aires, but New Year's Eve was approaching so we had to grab the Buquebus ferry to Punta del Este, Uruguay.
|
