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Buenos Aires, Argentina: Paris of the Americas (Part Two)

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…

Tips for surviving a 24+ hour bus journey with your sanity

When travelling in South America, large buses/coaches/colectivos/micros are the main form of long distance transport. It is not uncommon to travel for over 24 hours on the bus to get to your destination, as the distances between towns and cities are vast. Whilst the scenery might be amazing, you can only look out of a window for so long. Thankfully, most of the buses offer decent seats, the occasional rest stop and if you are lucky then you could have a shared TV playing movies (in spanish or silent). To survive the inevitable boredom, it is wise to follow some of the below tips.

Snacks

I have seen a few hopeless tourists embark on a 24+ hout bus journey with no food in hand, and then moan about being hungry for several hours. There are normally rest stops but you cannot guarantee what food will be on sale, or the regularity of the stops. Go prepared. There will not be a fridge so choose savoury items that will keep. Empanadas is a great choice. A large bottle of water is a good idea, but also kids sized fruit juice cartons can come in handy, to give you some much needed vitamins. I made sure to keep all my snacks in a separate bag to my main rucksack so that I could keep it on the seat with me, and not disturb everyone each time I needed something from the overhead shelf.

Batteries

Whilst some of the buses have USB chargers over the seats, this is not the case with all of them. I have found a portable charger (fully charged beforehand) to be invaluable. You can bet that you will not be able to access any signal or internet for the majority of your journey either so there is no need to waste charge on your phone trying and failing to get 4G. Put your phone on airplane mode, and you will be surprised how long it lasts you.

Bathrooms

There is normally one toilet on the bus and toilets at your infrequent rest stops. You can be assured that the hygiene of toilets being occupied by 30+ people in a short period, will not be good. Not only can you expect poor hygiene, but also dodgy locks and no toilet paper is common. Take tissue and anti-bacterial gel with you, I can not stress this enough. It is also not a bad idea to carry some pills to avoid any unexpected stomach problems on a strenuous and very shared journey. To give you an example of the demands of the on bus toilet… on a 26 hour journey, I put off going in the bus toilet as long as I could, until I could wait no more. I took myself to have a wee, to the toilet which by this point (hour 20 maybe) was a state. There was not only no tissue, but also no water in the tap, and I had thought the door was locked. Apparently not. When I went to pull up my pants, another lady threw the door open, and said “I’m sorry but I have to go in, I am going to be sick”. She then vomited into the only toilet for a bus full of people about four times. I did not use the toilet again that journey.

Offline entertainment

Before your long journey, do an audit of your phone/tablet/laptop apps. How many of them can you use offline? There are actually a lot of games that you can access offline that can provide some easy entertainment. I have become a regular player of the offline chess.com app at the this point, but I am still struggling to beat the computer… Previously downloaded tv series and movies on streaming services like Netflix or Disney+ or music from Spotify can also be a great way to kill off the long hours. You can also take to the traditional pencil and paper, and do some sketching, or journaling. I have been improving my sketching by drawing copies of photos I have taken of local scenery and wildlife. If all else fails, maybe bring a book?

Offline work

If you have the sort of job that you can work offline with, such as writing, then this can easily be a way to lose some time. If you are feeling like you want to put that time to good use. It is a good idea to test this out before your journey by disconnecting yourself from WiFi at your hostel, to see that everything works okay before you start promising on deadlines to be completed. I have been burnt by this myself when I assumed that the Microsoft Word on my chromebook would still work okay offline, it turned out that it was still powered by an online service, so I missed out on doing hours of work.

Sleeping

If you are on a long journey by bus, you will be travelling overnight, and testing out those reclining seats to the maximum. It can be cold on the bus in the evening, as you have not been moving around much, and the drivers always seem to crank up the AC for some reason. Probably to stay awake themselves. The problem is, this also keeps me awake. If you have a light blanket or something to put over yourself, make it reachable. I tried to get my coat from the overhead shelf in the middle of the night (4am), and it was very dark, and very awkward when in pulling my coat out, I accidently knocked a shoe off the shelf and it fell and hit the sleeping passenger in the face who was sitting in front of me. It was really bad.

Sometimes, being awake when everyone else is asleep can be a blessing though. It is super quiet, and you might see an amazing sunrise that everyone else misses. That is what happened to me on one journey…

Overall, don’t underestimate the planning needed before your long road trip. If you put in a little effort to prepare, you will be glad you did.

Argentina: Central Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province)

Following my visit to Argentina’s Lake District, I continued my journey South into the center of the Patagonian region and one step closer towards the bottom of the world. This area is full of mountains, and glaciers, and many national parks!

Perito Moreno

After a 13 hour bus journey from El Bolson, I made it to the small town of Perito Moreno. I was the only person to exit the bus at 1am and make my way to my little wooden cabin in the town centre. I had come here for only one reason, to see the Cueva de las Manos, only accessible by car or tour.

Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands)

I joined a tour group of Argentine people, and we made our way across some very bumpy roads and past wildlife and huge canyons, before finally arriving at the UNESCO site of Cueva de las Manos. This world famous spot has an amazing collection of ancient cave paintings and hand prints, not inside the cave but across the front of it, along a huge rock face. The guide on the site escorted our group through a long boardwalk running across the side of the paintings and with views of a canyon on the other side.

These amazing paintings crowd the walls and include handprints of adults and children from possibly three different times. You can also see illustrations of animals that they would hunt, geometric shapes, that are suspected to represent a map, and there is even a suspected paw print of a puma! The whole collection is made up of different colours, including yellows and bright blues, and are made from different natural materials. I imagine that the person that discovered this must have been completely astonished by all the haunting raised hands.

Patagonia Park

The tour also included visits to other interesting locations nearby such as the Patagonia Park, which had huge salt flats to see.

The locals prepared a lunch for our group of traditional and locally produced food. It was delicious and in true Argentine style, the portions were huge. I tried to tell the people in the group that I was full, but the little old ladies in the group said they wanted to fatten me up and they are like my ‘abuela’ (grandma) and want to look after me! haha

Coloured mountains

The last stop was an hour hike over some amazing hilltops/mountains that were brightly coloured in oranges, red and yellows. This is due to the properties in the rocks and all the minerals being brought out by rainfall. It was pretty awesome, and the short walk to the top gives you an amazing view!

El Chalten & Fitz Roy

Next stop on my trip was to the little town of El Chalten. Getting there was a struggle. It had been raining the night before, and so they rerouted the bus to the only other motorway that took us to the bottom of the country then we turned back around and went back up… A 10 hour journey took 18 hours… craziness.

On finally arriving, I headed straight out for a short hike to a nearby waterfall. It was great to get some fresh air and put my head under the flowing glacier water. I also got great views of the landscape and the town. El chalten is a part of this natural landscape and is an absolute haven for hikers and climbers.

Laguna de los tres

The next day, I started the strenuous hike of Laguna de los tres to Fitz Roy mountain. This hike is only 20 km but it took me about 9 hours. The final km took about two hours as the climb was a directly up ascent on difficult terrain. Normally I walk 4-5 km per hour.

The trail passes through forests, rivers, lakes and grasslands, as well as going through two campsites. It was a very warm and busy day on the trail, but this gave me the opportunity to meet many people. During my day of trekking, I befriended two different groups from Argentina and a girl from Spain. Making conversation with strangers is one of my favourite parts of solo trekking, as I meet so many interesting people from all around the world.

On reaching the top, I collapsed in a pile for a few minutes, then made my way to the lake that was formed by the melting glacier, and took an icy drink, before taking a dip. I spent a few hours here, relaxing and enjoying the sights of the Fitz Roy mountain and the falling water to the drop below.

El Calafate

Next day, I was off to Calafate, on the other side of the National Glacier Park from El Chalten. This town is bustling with tourist shops and restaurants. I have a dwindling budget so I cooked whilst I was there, but still managed to admire the Patagonian Lambs being roasted over the fire through the restaurant windows.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The main excursion to take from El Calafate is to see the huge Perito Moreno Glacier. You have to take a tour which costs about £35 to get to the glacier which is a few hours away. There is then a small charge for the entrance to the park. We were given four hours in the park. I was given a choice to pay extra for a one hour boat ride that takes you closer to the glacier, but I chose not to take this option, and just enjoyed the various boardwalk routes around the front of the glacier.

This huge glacier is very unique and larger than the entire city of Buenos Aires (which blew my mind)! The glacier is apparently in balance,meaning that it loses the same amount of ice each day as is returned to it, due to how the water flows around it. There are three different routes you can take around the glacier’s boardwalk, and they vary by height and length. I did all three, and found the boardwalk system to be very efficient and plentiful in relaxing balconies where you could eat your lunch and watch pieces of the glacier fall into the water below. This phenomenon was amazing. I saw not only the ice fall and splash against the lake, but also the lower layer of ice boil up to the surface and spin around in circles. Very cool.

Rio Gallegos

My last stop in Argentina for a while, was Rio Gallegos. I came here to the bottom of mainland Argentina, to cross the border into Chile. There is not much to see here but it is a good supply stop, and there are some sculptures along a promenade walk and a small house that you can visit as a free museum.

For now, I am off to Chile, for some more trekking and to see the other side of Patagonia, before I return to Argentina, to visit the bottom of the world…

How the Camino de Santiago has changed me

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Before walking the Camino de Santiago, I had thought that people were being cheesy and over sensitive when they talked about their camino experiences. After 828km of different cultures, landscapes, and physical and emotional challenges, I know better now.

It is hard to explain why I began this great challenge in the first place. I liked walking, I wanted to practice my spanish, and I suppose I wanted to prove something to myself, but the truth is that it goes a lot deeper than that. It has a lot more to do with feeding the soul (I know that sounds corny, but it is true).

‘Normal’ life is so fast paced, and so fixed on superficial goals; making the most money you can, being the best at your job, being popular, educated, prosperous in all things. I found that I had become lost in the noise of it all, unable to relax, nor ever fully able to satisfy the expectations of others. Life was not energizing me, and after suffering the loss of loved ones too, I could not see a way out of the maze I was in.

When I decided to leave everything behind to start travelling and begin walking the camino, many people told me that they envied my courage. The truth is, whilst it is brave to leave your comfort zone, that is not what led me to walk ‘the way’. When you get so desperate to live happily, you will try anything to reconnect.

The Camino de Santiago is not a leisurely walk, or even just a physical endeavour. It is a spiritual journey full of physical anguish, beautiful moments and life changing epiphanies. That is what my life needed.

Every day, there was only one goal, to follow the bright yellow arrows, and find the next place of refuge. The only priorities are food, water, shelter and occasionally if I was lucky, heat & hygiene.

There were moments when putting one foot in front of the other was agonising. With blistered feet, tired muscles, sweat streaming down my face, as I carried everything I had on my back. I’d wonder if I made the right choice, if I could carry on. Then, something would happen, something small and natural, and it would change my thoughts. Things like finding an ancient cave, seeing a rare eagle fly just next to me, or a beautiful mountain view.

I had one day, when I had been walking for two hours in the rain, uphill, I was in pain and not enjoying myself. Then, suddenly, the rain cleared and I was at a natural park with views of the sea and rivers running past, birds swooping down to the water below… and then above me a rainbow appeared. This almost moved me to tears. It rejuvenated me and reminded me that all storms are followed by beautiful light and life.

But isn’t that what life is about?

Working through the struggle to get to the happier moments. Life is a constant search, not for happiness as a constant state, as this is not possible. It is a search for moments of happiness, contentment and peace. You cannot have moments of happiness without the contrast of pain and struggle.

Quite a few times during the walk, I compared it to what I imagine childbirth is like to some degree. Your feet swell, your back hurts, you have an agonising physical experience, then when it is over, you forget all the pain and can only think about the amazing result. Often, people forget about the pain so easily, that they want to do it again!

What is perhaps more important that this, is that the more pain you have endured, the more happiness you have the capacity to appreciate. I used to wish that the bad things that had happened in my life, hadn’t happened, but if they hadn’t how could I have the strength and search for happy moments that I have. If you never stumble, how can you learn to get up?

Many people already have all they need to live happily. Medieval pilgrims would have seen normal people today as rich in all they have, and expect us to know our blessings. In the western society though, people no longer can appreciate it. I would now argue that we have become too comfortable, too lacking in the struggle to survive. This is why it is harder to feel happy moments when they come, instead you feel nothing at all.

If you lived in nature, and it began to rain, you would need to find or build shelter to escape it. You may also rejoice the rain, because after long drought, your survival depends on it. I cannot count all the times I have cursed the rain, and been angry about it, simply wishing it would stop, meanwhile I effortlessly wonder into my home, that I did not take any risk in acquiring.

When exploring the ancient lives of paleolithic cave people during my walk, and visiting their shelters, I realised how ungrateful I had been. These people had barely anything, and what they did have, they spent long periods of time making themselves. They lived in damp hard holes in the ground, and had to fight bears and other animals for the right to be there.

This made me reconsider things. I should be grateful for the rain that many others might pray for still today, and the home that I did not have to bleed for.

Once I began to change my mindset, I started to appreciate things. Everything became more special. Whilst the rain may not be may favourite weather, I could now look up and smile in it.

A piece of bread was now vital substance, my socks and shoes were precious gems, and passing animals became welcome friends. I watched the snail slide down the same path as me, and considered his struggle, following the same hard terrain with no tools, and his home on his back. I found a new respect for many creatures that do not possess the aids that we have. I could not match the struggle of the snail, the donkey or the stray cat. I must remember and appreciate this.

It all comes down to perspective, and there is plenty of that around on the camino, from the scenery to the people you meet.

I met so many different people, and had such varied conversations. From simple laughs with local bar tenders, to deep life conversations with diners on the next table to me. Most of the pilgrims I met were searching for the same thing as me. Meaning.

I met a couple that had already been cycling for four months from their home in Germany, wanting to find more joy in their lives. I spoke with an Englishman that wanted to live day to day, and a man from Belgium, who was looking for a new direction.

The nuns, farmers, small business owners and simply just other pedestrians, we were all sharing the same need to slow down. The culture of Spain in general is very relaxed, and people savour their meals and take their time to talk to strangers and neighbours alike. The amount of times I was stopped by a local that wanted to talk with me and ask about my journey, is hard to count! It was so warming, and it just made me feel connected to these people.

Whilst I have met many people, most of my time was spent alone with my thoughts. Friends have asked me if it’s horrible being alone, and don’t I get lonely.. well I did get lonely, and sometimes it made me sad, but more often I was happy.

I could sing as loud as I wanted to songs that I do not know the words, cry about stuff that only mattered to me, and work through my thoughts. I know that it can be scary to face your thoughts and feelings, but it is the only way to move past them.

I don’t believe these are things that someone could have told me and I would have then understood. They needed to be lived. Going back to basics as far as possible, this was the shock I needed, to remember what I have and what life offers us all. To be able to be grateful to just be on this planet and living this moment, and enjoy it!

It truly is a pilgrimage, and a journey to explore yourself, and I would recommend that anyone who feels lost, walks ‘the way’.

Camino de Santiago: My top tips

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After two months walking Camino del Norte through all sorts of weather and terrain, these are my top tips.

1. Walking poles

Lots of people walk without trekking poles, and it is a personal preference. For me, after so many consistent days of walking, I don’t think I could have finished without them. They take the pressure off your legs, offer you something to lean on when there is no dry seat, allow you to test the depth of mud, catch you when you fall, and make good weapons if you need them!

2. Getting used to bread and ham

Always keep a little bread and some snacks in your backpack. There are many stretches without services, and the walking schedule does not match the spanish eating schedule. Supermarkets close on Sundays and many restaurants are shut on mondays. Restaurants will not serve meals until their meal times (3pm and 8pm). The only thing you will get is a ham sandwich. Get ready to get sick of ham real fast!

3. Energy drink powder

I never used to use energy drinks or add anything to my water before the camino. I decided to buy some on the way and start using some strawberry flavoured powder. I ended up really being able to tell the difference between days I had it, and when I didn’t. It also helps to supplement the lack of access to meals as I mentioned above.

4. Sending your backpack on

Correos, Spain’s postal service, offer a backpack transport service for pilgrims. This runs all year on the french way but only up to the end of October on other routes. I used it for my first three days and final two days. If you can do it, I would recommend doing it for the beginning at least, so you can gradually get used to the trek. Especially, if doing the North route, with lots of mountain climbing at the start! The service is really good, and cheap!

5. Download the Buen Camino app

I used the Buen Camino app every few hours. It was really a great tool. The app has an up to date map, with the official route and alternative paths and shortcuts. Also, up to date information about issues on the route, attractions and accommodation. I cannot recommend it enough.

6. Bring a portable charger

My phone is a little on the old side, but regardless, bringing a portable charger is a really good idea. You are likely to be without a plug outlet for up to 10 hours at a time on some days, whilst draining your phone with music, photos and apps. This helped me out a bunch of times.

7. K-Tape

I used K-tape on my sore muscles for the first few weeks. It really helped me to feel better, and prevent hiker’s knee. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to apply it.

8. Paper tourist map

When in a city or large town for more than a day, it can be a good idea to get a paper map from the tourist office. This is a prevention method like the portable charger. When all your devices fail you after a long day out sightseeing, you will still be able to find your way back to your bed. Plus they are fun!

9. Plastic bags and newspaper

If you are walking during a wet time of the year, although you can still expect rain at some point, have plastic bags and newspaper handy. I have now learnt that there is no such thing as a waterproof shoe. No shoe can stand up against the rain of the autumn/winter camino. Putting plastic bags around your feet is a temporary prevention that helps. To dry your shoes overnight, stuff them with newspaper balls, this sucks out the water.

10. Have small change

Spain has not yet become a cashless society. Do not kid yourself that you will be able to wonder around with only ‘contactless’. Many shops, cafes and albergues will not accept card payments, and will be moody if you give them big notes. Many of the washing machines and dryers are also coin operated, so you will need to keep some coins handy if you want to wash your two outfits!

11. Check your check in times and leave early in the morning

Many accommodation providers have random check in and check out times, and if you turn up late they will not let you in! There is also likely to be situations where you have to phone the reception from a locked door outside, as many do not man the receptions full time. Additionally, I would recommend leaving early in the morning. You never know how long a walk is really going to take, and you want to maximise daylight hours, and rest time in the evening.

12. Take lots of short breaks and dont sit for long

I tried to sit for about five minutes roughly every two hours and up to 30 minutes for lunch half way through. If you sit too often or for too long, it will just keep getting harder to get up and going again!

13. Don’t think too far ahead

Don’t think about how far away it is to Santiago, or even the town you are trying to get to at the end of each day. It is too overwhelming, and frankly discouraging. It is better to think of lots of short distances whilst walking, for example the next town or landmark. Then when you have done that, you look at how far to the next one. It makes each one, a little win.

14. Accept that there is a good chance that you will need to take public transport sometimes.

You may well do the camino entirely walking, but don’t beat yourself up if one day you just have to take the bus. There will be days when you just have nothing in the tank, or the weather is too dangerous to walk, or you might have an injury.

15. Don’t forget to stretch and take your ibuprofen!

Pretty self explanatory, but I forgot to stretch often, and it makes a difference. I also really needed ibuprofen by the end!

Buen camino!