All posts by ggnb

A 3-Day Weekend in Buenos Aires, Part 2

Historic buildings in Centro, Buenos Aires
Historic buildings in Centro, Buenos Aires
Part Two: Day One Continued…
A little classic Old World-style charm at Cafe Tortoni
A little classic Old World-style charm at Cafe Tortoni
Upon wrapping up a quiet hour at the Recoleta, I head for the Centro District for a late lunch. Here, I might opt for a visit to Cafe Tortoni, a bit of a cliche perhaps, but it ticks a tourism box if you have never been. It’s the most famous old cafe in Buenos Aires, and it has a nice classic feel to it with high ceilings and old posters and photographs. The food is okay, but you aren’t really visiting here for a gourmet experience anyway.
 After lunch, I stroll along the grand, Parisian-style avenues of Centro, including Buenos Aires’ own obelisk on Av. 9 de Julio (one of the world’s broadest avenues, incidentally), and looping in the Evita theme, I pause to snap a few pics of the Casa Rosada (Pink House), and the balcony where Perron once stood to speak to her people. The streets nearby are covered with the sky-blue-and-white flags of Argentina while many signs of protest are posted next to them. Political and economic protest is very common here. I spend a couple of hours walking around and admiring the architecture  I head back to my hotel in Palermo Hollywood in the late afternoon to shower again, change, and prepare for the evening.

Continue reading A 3-Day Weekend in Buenos Aires, Part 2

A 3-Day Weekend in Buenos Aires, Part 1

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Stretch your travel legs a little bit further next long weekend by heading south to Buenos Aires.
I have admired the melancholic charm of Buenos Aires from the first time I set foot in the magnificent cemetery at Recoleta. In stark contrast to the vibrance of its neighbor Brazil, modern day Argentina seems to yearn for days gone by—days before the collapse of the peso and before striking graffiti and broken glass marred the pot-holed streets of the grand capital they once referred to as the Paris of the Americas.  The recent run to the World Cup final by the famed Albiceleste shifted a positive limelight back on to Argentina for the first time in a while on the global stage. The capital city also makes for a compelling setting for photography in the black-and-white mode.
It was the first new country that I visited on my round-the-world journey six years ago. Because it is in a similar time zone to the US and Canada and leaves the traveler from these areas less susceptible to jet lag, it is a viable location to visit on a long weekend, especially if you are able to sleep on flights and take advantage of the red-eye offerings in both directions.

Continue reading A 3-Day Weekend in Buenos Aires, Part 1

Around the World in 58 Days: An Intro to the Round-the-World Ticket

Driving through the Sacred Valley of Peru
Driving through the Sacred Valley of Peru

It was May of 2008. I zipped my plasticky waterproof shell up to my chin, leaned over the edge of the little zodiac boat, raised both arms in the air, and yelled at the top of my lungs while the waterfall plunged down on me with such force that my voice was inaudible, and my eyelids immovable. I felt so alive at that instant: it was a singular moment, not only in my traveling career, but in my life in general. And experiencing the majestic power and beauty of Iguazu Falls in Argentina was just the beginning of the life-changing experiences on my first solo round-the-world trip.

Continue reading Around the World in 58 Days: An Intro to the Round-the-World Ticket