2022 | Go Go Chlo

Following my first trip to Buenos Aires, I returned to the capital city at the end of my three month trip around Argentina to have a final week there, enjoying some attractions I had not been able to visit in my first visit. This time I was joined by a travel companion and was staying in a luxury hotel.

A focus on Evita

Following my first visit to Buenos Aires, and visiting the grave of Evita, a famous Argentine first lady, this time round, I visited the Evita museum. I was keen to learn more about her life and work for the state. The museum is housed in a previous home for the poor that was set up through a foundation that Evita begun. The museum has several rooms with projections of Evita’s film clips as an actress, her speeches as an activist and also a viewing gallery for her red carpet gowns.

I found the museum to be really interesting but unfortunately photos were not allowed. The information was really good about her early life, career, relationship with president Peron, and her death. I learnt that she had a lot more involvement in charity work than I had realised. She also won the vice presidency but turned it down, which I was not aware of. After finishing our look around the museum, we had a tasty lunch in the museum’s restaurant which has a very nice courtyard.

A walk around the parks

I was able to visit a few more of the park’s in Buenos Aires this time, although not all of them, as the rosalade (rose garden) was closed for upkeep.. very annoying. I did manage to visit both the Botanical Garden and the Eco Parque which are next door to each other. This took a full morning, and both parks were worth a look, and free to enter.

The botanical garden has many exotic plants and large trees as expected, and had attempted to theme different sections by different garden styles, for example french or italian.

The Eco Parque is a very different experience. This pretty park used to be a zoo with many large exotic animals, and elegant victorian styled animal houses. In recent decades, most of the animals have been moved to other locations, or sent back to their natural habitat.

There are a few that still roam through the park though, because they are either too old or unwell to move, or do not need to be relocated. The park still has an old camel, plenty of capybaras, strange half rabbit half deer things, and even some monkeys. It is a pleasant place to take a walk in the middle of this huge city, as you never know what new animal will be around the corner.

Nightlife

In the evening, I was lucky enough to be rejoined by my German traveller friends again as they also finished their journey in BA. We headed out to Palermo Hollywood for a night of clubbing and mischief. After a night that lasted until around 6am, I was glad for my full hotel continental breakfast the next day!

La Plata

For a day out, we decided to visit the capital of the Province, the city called La Plata. The city was easy to get to, only 90 minutes on the train, and the main attraction there is a beautiful cathedral.

The cathedral is gorgeous on the inside, and as well as the main church, the attraction offers exploration of the crypt with a museum about its construction and original pieces, the opportunity to be lifted up the tower, and a sweet restaurant. A lovely morning out.

Horse riding in the Pampas

The province of Buenos Aires is part of the ‘Pampas’ region, and this is where the gauchos (Argentine cowboys) farm cattle the most. So, I decided to book us a day of horse riding in the area.

The four hour riding experience included a traditional asado lunch at the house of a local which was pretty special, and the horse riding itself was an unforgettable experience. For good and bad reasons…

The horse I was given, was a little young and barely broken in. This was coupled by the style of gaucho riding which is very different compared to english riding. The saddles and riding kit on the horse is very different and there is no front to the saddles. You are also expected to ride one handed and without a riding hat.

Whilst a little nervous about my horse’s behaviour, I took on the challenge. We rode through long grasses, roads, ditches, and woodlands and after trotting, cantering and a little bucking by my horse, I did manage to stay on the horse! Even though I was a little banged up. The experience was good fun, but the major downer was the extreme amount of mosquito bites I endured all over my legs i was rubbing toothpaste on my legs for days after! (Fun fact: it takes out the itch).

Lunch in Uruguay

We became aware that you could visit Uruguay easily from Buenos Aires’ port by crossing in the river ferry for around an hour. It’s always tempting to cross another country off the list if the opportunity arises, so we booked our ferry tickets and took the pleasant ride across to a town called Colonia del Sacramento. From here you can also take a bus to Montevideo (Uruguay’s capital) but we decided to save that for another trip. Colonia del Sacramento is a picturesque town with a very portuguese style to it, from when it was colonised by Portugal.

There are a couple of small museums and a church in the town to enjoy, and we had a long and luscious lunch of a traditional Uruguay dish called ‘chivito’. This is like a giant inside out meaty sandwich. Like Argentina, Uruguay also does not skimp on food portions.

Before we knew it, it was time to take the ferry back across the river. We had a good laugh about how we left the country just fot lunch though! 🤣

Tango

You can’t visit Buenos Aires and not watch a little Tango, as the traditional dance of the city. Not only can you see people dance this in the streets of Caminito in Boca, there are also plenty of theatres offering shows and classes. I wanted to do a class but they were multiple hours and I felt too lazy about it, plus I only had walking boots to dance with.

I did decide to book a show and after a little research, I booked a show at Teatro Porteno. You had an option of paying for the show on its own or with dinner included. I chose to purchase just the show which was about £23 but then on arrival, we were also provided with another menu to pick and choose food. We went for some empanadas and a delicious ham and cheeses board.

The show itself was amazing! Focused on locations around Buenos Aires, there was a variety of styles of Tango on display. They also had an act that used drums and cattle whips to create impressive rhythms with the music. I was really glad I visited.

Another location where tango can be viewed and learnt is Cafe Tortoni. This is one of the oldest and most fabulous cafes in Buenos Aires. The decor is very traditional italian/ bohemian and many famous faces have eaten here. We decided to visit for a merienda (afternoon snack) and really enjoyed our visit with some great sandwiches and cake.

There were plenty of other bits and pieces I experienced in this bustling capital, but these were definitely the highlights. My return to the UK following Buenos Aires was a very long journey, but also gave me time to reflect on my amazing journey around this beautiful country.

After my return to the UK, I will soon be embarking on my next journey, working on board a cruise ship around the Mediterranean…

A new year brings new possibilities, and after two years of Covid travel restrictions, and a worldwide vaccination programme fighting off the latest variant, everyone can finally start to consider their well deserved holiday breaks. So the question is, where to go?

I have a good idea of what locations are on my list to visit during 2022, perhaps you would agree with my top ten choices for this year. Hopefully, I can tick at least some of them off this year.

Patagonia (Argentina & Chile)

Patagonia, the place, not the clothing line. With my tickets already bought, I am very excited to be visiting Patagonia this year. The region of Patagonia is shared between the South American countries of Argentina and Chile. It is an untamed area of 400,000 square miles, full of mountains, lakes, and glaciers. This area is as far South as you can go before you hit Antarctica.

Popular with nature lovers and active travellers, it is full of activities but can only be visited at certain portions of the year, as during the Winter, it becomes too cold and dangerous to inhabit. I plan to hike as many national parks as I can, as well as visit wild penguins and if I am lucky, see some whales!

Scottish Isles

Another one, for a good bit of hiking and bird spotting, I can not believe that I have not yet visited Scotland! I keep meaning to head up the road to visit the land of the Scots, but I have not yet got to it. If I can get the cash together, I would like to purchase a van, do a campervan conversion, and use Scotland as my testing ground for the vehicle.

There are so many islands surrounding scotland, (over 900 in fact), making this a beautiful region to enjoy. These isles benefit from rolling wilderness, gorgeous beaches, castles and further whale watching! I am particularly interested in visiting Calanais Standing Stones which is actually older than Stonehenge.

Valencia, Spain

Valencia is the place to go to get warmed up, it has over 300 days of sunshine each year, and 2000 years of history to explore. During a city break, ancient and modern monuments, as well as beaches can be found. It is also the origin place of Paella!

I was due to visit the romantic city of Valencia during 2021, but I had to come home early due to Covid restrictions. I am determined to rectify the situation this year, and I am also lucky enough to have a local friend who can show me around the area.

British Columbia, Canada

British Columbia is the must see tourist region in Canada, and home of the rocky mountains. I was all booked up to visit the area before the pandemic, but then my trip was cancelled. The area is massive, and of course includes lots of mountain sport and trekking activities, but you can also travel through the area more gently on a luxury train.

The region is bursting with wildlife and I am determined to see some bears when I visit, but I also want to visit Calgary (which is the gateway town for those flying from the UK). Calgary is the location for the Calgary Stampede, which is a summer agriculture show and rodeo. It is world famous, but was cancelled during the pandemic, I hope it will be back in full action over the next year.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica seems to be in the media a lot at the moment, and for good reason. This small country makes up 5% of the planet’s biodiversity, as it is full of rainforests, volcanoes, and wonderful experiences involving wildlife and culture. It is also not short of a white sandy beach…

I have known about the destination for a while, because of its passion for conservation and eco-tourism. Costa Rica has 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, 8 biological reserves, and a series of protected areas. I can just see myself abseiling down waterfalls, and camping out amongst the wild animals.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Another location that catches my eye because of its eco friendly credentials, Ljubljana in Slovenia, is one of Europe’s smallest capital cities. With a backdrop of snowy mountains, nature seeps into the city as they have created multiple outdoor spaces. It sounds really inspiring to see and I can just imagine taking a super nice breath of fresh air there.

Ljubljana has things to do and see throughout the year, and is another place where hiking is easily accessible. The Velika Planina seems to be a particularly unique attraction, as an area with small huts that look particularly pretty.

Norway

Norway, is a place that I (and probably many other people) now highly associate with either the movie ‘Frozen’, or superhero/god, Thor. As well as these mythical beings, the country has stunning fjords, glaciers, and the ‘northern lights’. It just seems to be a magical place to exist in.

I would love to travel by boat around some of the 1000+ fjords and hopefully not get too much seas sickness… I have also discovered that Norway now has an attraction that can be visited, which is very unique; an ancient ice tunnel below the highest mountain in the Alps. I am not normally one for cold places, but this seems like a must!

York, UK

I have done the Yorkshire Three Peaks (technically, I struggled through two…), but I have not actually visited the city of York yet. York, is supposedly very similar to my home town of Norwich, and of course has the famous York Minster, which I would like to visit. York seems to be heritage heavy, which is really up my street, and along side some great places to eat and relax, it sounds like the perfect retreat.

North York Moors National Park is a great place outside of the city to set up the telescope, and enjoy the dark starry skies. I would be happy to add on some camping there, and the end of a city break in York.

Zakopane, Poland

Zakopane, is a resort town in Poland on the other side of the border from Slovakia. It has picturesque wooden chalets and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in the surrounding mountains. The town also has plenty of thermal spas to relax in.

Poland is still a very cheap place to visit, and I also have some contacts in the country, that I could visit as part of my trip. This could certainly be an easy break to make happen.

Columbia

Columbia is a country with a mixed brand of coffee, politics, and now disney’s ‘Encanto’. For a long time, I knew little about Columbia, but I now have a dear friend, who is Columbian. He has described to me about the friendliness of the Columbian people, and the lush jungle and mountain scenery. So, now I am intrigued.

This huge nation has several large cities, with beautiful colonial architecture, and a thriving nightlife. In the wild rural areas, there are plenty of opportunities for trekking, sport fishing, diving, and bird watching. I hope to visit with my friend when he next visits. It is always great to be with someone that knows the area.