Our last week of honeymoon. Shame. The end of a 2 month long era. Devastating.We had wonderful plans though. We had rented a gorgeous 1 bedroom apartment in the Palermo Viejo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. We were going to explore this incredible city, eat a lot, drink ourselves silly every evening and celebrate being newlyweds for 1 last week before rejoining the real world.
Alas, fate had different plans for us and we rejoined the real world fast than anticipated with thanks to a wonderful illness contracted by me and passed onto Joep and passed back to me.
As I mentioned, I was sick as a dog on Sunday at Iguazu. I spent all of Monday out of action. I haven’t been out of action like that in a very long time. Joep was an absolute doll and took care of me non-stop. I felt very lucky to have such an attentive husband.
By Monday evening I was feeling a bit better (read: conscious) and insisted that we keep our pre-arranged date with our friends Gab & Marianna! These are pals of ours from the Ottawa days. They have since relocated back to Buenos Aires and we were meeting them for dinner. It was SO lovely to see them again (even though I felt pretty rotten) and we managed to wander (slowly) down to Plaza Serano for a late bite to eat. Well, it was normal eating time in Argentina. 9:30pm. We spent a lovely couple of hours chatting and eating … well, I sipped water and attempted a bit of salad … before I had to pull the plug. Despite feeling rotten it was lovely to see friendly faces! It was even lovelier when my darling husband took me home and resumed his nursing duties.
Alas, Joep’s good deeds did not go unpunished. Tuesday morning I woke up feeling somewhat better if not a smidge fragile. Joep, on the other hand, was not doing so well. And so began day 2 of hibernation.
Joep’s body managed to fight the bug better than mine did and by Tuesday afternoon he was feeling well enough to head out for a wander around Palermo Viejo. It is a gorgeous neighbourhood full of little boutique stores and restaurants. Having wandered around for a while we took refuge at a little café right near where we had spent the entire day planning our trip 2 weeks earlier. The sun was shining, the bottled water and fizzy drinks were cold and refreshing and we both felt like recovery was nigh. We absolutely loved it.
Alas Joep soon began to feel awful again and so, in the early evening we wandered back to the apartment to resume quarantine. It didn’t last too long though and at 9pm I offered to head out and do a sushi run. As I write this I realize that our choice of food was not really conducive to a speedy recovery but we had tried fruit, soup, bread. The only other restaurant food option was steak and we couldn’t stomach that (watch this space).
Joep agreed sushi was a great idea and didn’t want me on the streets at night alone so we went together to a little sushi bar nearby. It was ok. We enjoyed a nice meal of which the miso soup was likely the highlight but this is our fault not the restaurants.
It wasn’t long before we were home again vowing that Wednesday would be our day. We were going to feel better.
We didn’t feel better. We still felt gross. But we pushed through it. By 11:30am we were sitting atop a city sight seeing bus. Don’t judge us. We know it is touristy. We don’t care. It was the perfect way to see the entire city without having to walk for kilometers and wear ourselves out.
The plan was to do 1 loop of the hop on hop off tour without hopping off and then use the bus passes to head back to the spots we most wanted to see. It was a great plan and as we cruised through the cities best neighbourhoods learning all about their history we were both thrilled we had come out. The microcentre is jam packed with people and bustling full of life. Congresso is beautiful and full of amazing architecture. San Telmo looked like somewhere we simply had to go back to. La Boca was exactly what the tour books say it is – 2 blocks of coloured buildings that are a lot of fun surrounded by slums and dangerous streets where tourists regularly report muggings (clearly no somewhere we wanted to spend a lot of time). Belgrano was a hive of activity. Palermo we already knew we loved and Recoleta … well this was where we planned on getting off!!
Our initial joy at the bus tour soon turned to frustration … again, don’t judge us. We were sick. And it was hot. And we had thought the first loop would only take about an hour. It took over 3 hours. Closer to 4. And a good chunk in the middle is a bit of a waste of time. Still the beginning and end parts are worth doing so we still recommend it! Especially if you get a bus with a cover on the top so you’re not frying up skin cancers all afternoon.
By the time we had looped around we were more than ready to get off at Recoleta. Our only real tourist attraction ‘must visit’ spot was the Recoleta Cemetary. It is where all the rich and famous Argentines are buried including Evita. When we disembarqued we checked out the map and made our way to the cemetery. On the way Joep heard a Dutch couple from our bus chatting to each other about the cemetery and then they headed off in what Joep was sure was the ‘wrong’ direction. He was a good Samaritan and ran after them to show them the ‘right’ way to go. For the next few minutes Joep chatted to the older man who was surprised that Joep was Dutch because of his accent while I chatted to the older woman who was surprised that I wasn’t Dutch because my Dutch was so good. Go figure! We’re really morphing into each other. I guess that is what marriage does to you.
Upon arrival at the cemetery we realize awkwardly that the way the Dutch couple had originally been walking was actually a way better way to get there. We then parted ways as Joep & I went in search of refreshments before entering the cemetery.
Now I have been to my fair share of cemeteries. We have wandered through city centre cemeteries in Boston and I even regaled Joep with some funny stories of visiting cemeteries in Ireland with my parents as kids (Sheenz, I still giggle at the thought of you sliding on your stomach in your black mini-skirt …). I have never, however, been to a cemetery like Recoleta.
It is incredible. These grave sites are more like mini mansions filled with coffins. Eerie. But so interesting. We didn’t both with a guided tour because we wanted to be able to leave whenever we felt the urge so this meant that we were not successful in finding the more famous grave sites but we didn’t mind. The ones we saw were mind boggling.
We wandered around for a couple of hours before creeping each other out at the idea of being trapped in there at nighttime and agreeing that it was best we left before sundown.
Back at the ranch we relished a bit of R&R before making dinner plans. Everyone that goes to BA seems to get the same restaurant recommendations. The most commonly recommended seems to be Las Cabreras. We called to get a table but they were fully booked out at both locations!! A good sign. Luckily, the following evening they had room so we booked a table for 4 because we were meeting up with some friends for dinner!
We were still faced with the problem of dinner for that evening though. We tossed up the idea of just staying in but rejected it because even though we were sick, we were in Buenos Aires for goodness sake! And so we wandered do to Don Julio’s (another regularly recommended spot). The meal that followed was just ok. The atmosphere in the restaurant was … just ok. As was the service. We both ordered a steak thinking we were getting a small piece of meat but, once again, we were served huge portions.
This sparked a debate over dinner about quantity versus quality. It wasn’t a debate. We both agreed that a good quality small steak tops an ok quality huge steak. We were both mortified to realize that we couldn’t finish even half of our meal. Yup. You’d think that having been sick for 4 days we wouldn’t ordered something to share. Or NOT gone to a steak house. Idiots.
We were very ashamed when the waiter came to take away 2 almost full meals from our table. Not our finest moment.
The following day however, we both felt a lot better! Not 100% but better than the previous days. And so without much delay we grabbed a taxi downtown to enjoy the microcentre and Congresso for a while. We ate the greatest icecreams of all time at Via Flaminia … I am not exaggerating. Greatest ice-creams of all time. We then wandered through the centre all the way down to San Telmo. Heavenly. The sun was shining, the streets were bustling and San Telmo is a gorgeous neighbourhood. Similar to Palermo but not as fancy.
After wandering through the shops for a while we settled ourselves on a terrace in the sun for a drink and a bite to eat. As we enjoyed the atmosphere we were pleasantly surprised by an outdoor tango show! We were highly impressed and our Friday night plans of taking in a tango show and dinner were promptly cancelled. Why on earth would be spend a fortune (and I mean a fortune, these things are over-priced at best!) on a tango show when we could see it here in San Telmo? We wouldn’t!
The show was actually really great and the atmosphere on the plaza was a lot of fun. We ended up sitting there for way longer than planned and had to rush a little to make it home on time for our evening plans.
Oh side bar: We got totally ripped off by our taxi on the way home. Joep’s Spanish capabilities totally amazed me as he shouted at our taxi guide that he was taking us the wrong way. It was awesome!! But we still got ripped off. But Joep didn’t pay the full amount so it could’ve been worse.
A quick costume change and re-medication and we were off for an evening out!! Luck had it that Joep’s pal Maurice was in town with his charming girlfriend Annalies. Yippee!! We met up at Plaza Serano and immediately settled ourselves on a terrace for a few drinks.
After a few drinks we moved from Plaza Serano to Plaza Viejo where we grabbed a table on the roof terraca at Mama Rasta’s for a few more drinks. Things were getting rowdy. Thankfully we had dinner reservations to get to so we couldn’t get too out of hand.
Las Cabreras – Our partners in crime had already eaten there but were kind enough to go there again because Joep & I hadn’t been able to try it yet. Turns out, we were at the Las Cabreras that they had not yet been too! It is the better of the two restaurants according to our landlord who told us to book in at Cabreras Norte.
The long queue out the front and around the corner of the restaurant led us to believe that we were at a good spot. We were very pleased that ‘Pepe’ had made a reservation. Yes. Joep often referred to himself as Pepe in Argentina. Apparently it is Spanish for Joseph. Joep likes it. We liked it too. Because it was kind of funny.
Within minutes of arrival in the giant queue however, Pepe had arranged for us to be seated at our table and we were able to continue the revelry. The meal was the best so far in Argentina and we were all in high spirits.
After dinner we decided that the alcohol was definitely killing the germs in our stomachs and we should go onto 1 more bar. Annalies was totally in the know and lead us all to a very cool bar that is not signposted but rather, you have to knock on a door and hope to be let in. We were let in. It surprised me as much as I’m sure it surprises all of you.
For the following hours we enjoyed cocktails and chats and lots more laughs. When Maurice announced that it was 3am and we should probably get going as they had a flight to catch I was shocked! 3am!! Where did the time go?!
We stumbled home shortly after this revelation and all agreed that the evening was a huge success.
The following morning however, our ‘alcohol kills the bugs’ theory was over-ridden. I was sick. Really sick. Again.
Who do I have to blame? Myself. Only myself.
Joep wasn’t as sick though so I do feel like I got a bit ripped off.
We had planned on spending our last day in Buenos Aires shopping for leather goods. Bags and jackets. We didn’t get to do it. I think it was a blessing in disguise because it saved us money. The day was spent in a manner similar to Monday. We had plans to meet up with Gab & Marianna at 6pm but I couldn’t do it. I tried. I got dressed and ready to go but I was too sick.
I needed another few hours of recovery time before dinner. You see, we had made reservations at Astrid y Guston, a very fancy Peruvian restaurant, to celebrate our last night of honeymoon. I was adamant that we would not miss this dining opportunity. Even if it meant I only ate bread and drank water and watched Joep enjoy the gastronomic wonders!
By 9pm I was feeling semi alive again. We made it to the restaurant which was gorgeous and we were glad we had dressed up. Joep ordered wine, I ordered water. Only water. The meal that followed was amazing. My only regret is that I was too sick to get the 7 course gastronomic menu. I would’ve loved it.
Instead, we shared an amazing cerviche starter followed by a succulent lamb dish for Joep & a delicious prawn / wanton broth for me. It sounds average. It was not. The flavours were amazing and the food was of such good quality. The service was the best we received in Argentina and the atmosphere was great! Oh to be 100% healthy!
Despite the illness I’m super glad we made the effort to check out Astrid y Gaston. It was an awesome way to end the Argentina portion of our honeymoon!
The end. Can you believe it? We can’t. The following morning as we packed our backpacks one last time we were both feeling a bit subdued.
The last 2 months have been the best of our lives. People thought we were a bit nuts doing a 2 month honeymoon … we have loved every second of it. 2 months of travelling around to exciting new places with your exciting new husband – What more could a gal dream of?
Well there is 1 more thing – Moving to Melbourne! Yes! Whilst we were sad to leave Buenos Aires, and more than a little bummed that our last week of honeymoon had been marred by illness, we were very excited to board our flight to Australia to start the next chapter of our married life!
The honeymoon is over … but not really.
