GE 2018: Drowning in Buenos Aires: Day 1

Day 1 in Buenos Aires was AWFUL water thunderstorm after thunderstorm.  We walked in the rain, biked in the rain... we have been drenched all day. But what a fun city. Buenos Aires is so much like New York City: fun and hip with different neighborhoods, all with totally unique personalities.

We visited the city cemetery to find famous people’s resting places.  The rich and famous of Buenos Aries have palatial “final homes” with columns and turrets and reception rooms with cushy chairs so friends and family can come and comfortably grieve. 

Of course, finding Evita's crypt was one of the scavenges... with fresh flowers brought every day (still). 

Then off to the Museum of Fine Arts to see Picassos and Matisses ad Van Goghs…

Even a Rothko (same artist as the all-black Rothko chapel in Houston.  This man obviously over-concentrated the day that they taught "shading of one color" and took it to heart

And you can never have too many vagina and penis renditions.

"Holding" the obelisk downtown

Biking along the natural reserve …. And stopping for Gnobili

One scavenge was to make new social media friends.  We got the bike rental guy to not just "friend" us… but put us on the company facebook page. Sweet, sweet fame.

Favorite bonus scavenge of the day:  Eat at a Puerta Cerrada restaurant.  This turns out to be an “underground” private restaurant where a great cook turns her living room into a tiny restaurant and serves you at home.  After asking almost a dozen people about this - and getting a lot of blank stares - we hit jackpot with our new bike rental friend. He knew of one of these places and called and booked us a table.  We got out of the taxi in a quiet neighborhood, knocked on a regular and unmarked door, was buzzed in and told to come to the second floor. It was either going to be a great night or we were going to be starring on the next episode of "Missing  and Murdered Abroad." But a lovely  couple met us and showed us into their trendy living room (with great art) and - over the next 3 hours - they brought us course after course of gourmet food along with detailed descriptions of the preparation of each dish and every ingredient. It was such an unusual and interesting evening.

Chef and wife...

Living room aka our private dining area

After dinner, we went to a Milanga (or tango dance hall) and watched people – of ALL ages – tango.  It was almost midnight and couples in their 80s were twirling about… pretty impressive.

Off to bed ... I'm exhausted