Getting to Argentina
We left for the honeymoon on Monday, May 25, two days after our wedding. We flew to Dallas in the afternoon, had nachos at the DFW airport, and then took an overnight flight on a Boeing 777 to Buenos Aires, arriving at 8 AM on Tuesday. We were very tired but happy to be at our destination.
Trip to the Zoo
On Wednesday, May 27 we visited the excellent BsAs Zoo. We saw a variety of animals. Many of them—elephants, big cats, giraffes—were similar to animals we might have seen at American zoos. However, there was a higher concentration of South American animals. We saw several different species of large rodents native to South America. We saw a number of interesting South American monkey species. The zoo was also run somewhat differently than American zoos. Patrons were allowed to purchase food to give to most of the (non-carnivorous) animals. And some of the animals were in cages that seemed a little cramped compared with the American zoos we've visited. Overall, we were very impressed by the BsAs zoo.
Out and About
See us go to the mall, sip "mate", and eat gelato.
San Telmo
On May 31, we went to San Telmo, one of the older parts of Buenos Aires. The neighborhood has a lively street fair on Sunday that stretches for blocks, and we also toured El Zanjon, a fancy 200-year-old residence that has been transformed into a swanky venue for private events, and visited the Casa Rosada—the "pink house" where Argentina's president works.
Mendoza: City and Bicycle Wine Tour
We left for Mendoza on Tuesday, June 2. We had a relaxing evening in the city, and then spent Wednesday biking around Maipu, a rustic town in the heart of Mendoza's wine country.
Mendoza: Horses and Wine Tour
On Thursday we splurged on a private "horses and wines" tour that involved two winery visits, a traditional Argentinian asado lunch, and riding horses in the shadow of the Andes.
Mendoza: Last Day
On Friday, our last day in Mendoza, we visited an olive farm and one more winery and then headed back to the airport with a dozen bottles of wine to jet back to Buenos Aires.
Recoleta Cemetary
On Sunday, June 7, we went to Recoleta to tour the ornate cemetary there. There were some elaborate mausoleums, as well as some that were in desperate need of maintenance. Recoleta cemetary is the final resting place of many of Argentina's most prominent citizens.
Visiting the Bosques de Palermo
The Bosques do Palermo are BA's Central Park. We went running there. We also fed the stray cats that cluster in one of the parks, and saw the dozens of dogs that spend their days in another.
Tango Dancing
Buenos Aires is the tango capital of the world, so we took the opportunity to take some tango lessons. Our instructors, Maxi and Maricel, were extremely friendly. We also visited a couple of milongas, the dance halls that are the traditoinal venue for tango dancing.