The trouble is that when something's been hyped up as much as Buenos Aires was, it leaves a lot of room for disappointment. Sadly during our first trip to the Argentinian capital, disappointment is exactly what we found.
Though the city is indeed as beautiful as it is bustling, nothing about it particularly wowed me. We'd been told there'd be plenty to keep us entertained but we roamed the streets of Soho, passing very little of interest.
That evening, as music blared from the hostel bar and crowds of people started drinking at midnight, it became quite apparent why Buenos Aires has made such a name for itself amongst backpackers. The drunken masses set out at an hour we'd usually get in and stumbled back just in time for breakfast.
The following evening we joined them but despite it being an undeniably good night, it still wasn't enough to win me over. Once we were inside the club we could have been anywhere in the world and I'm looking for a little more from my travels than just going around and getting drunk in different places. I know, grandma alert.
Anyway, as the city's schoolboy tactics didn't do the trick, we returned to Buenos Aires after our trip to Iguazu Falls with far lower expectations. And this time, absolutely loved it!
Whereas previously we'd stayed in the centre, our second stint was spent in Palermo, a quieter but quirkier part of town. We were quickly taken in by the charm of the place with its cute little cafés and sweet-smelling bakeries. Though the boutique style shops were rather expensive, the main square hosted a daily market which was always buzzing with locals seeking out a bargain.
One afternoon we took advantage of the sunshine and walked all the way to the Recoleta region to visit the world's most elaborate cemetery. Only the wealthy can afford to be buried here and lie in tombs as large as my house! They're organised into blocks which mirror the layout of the city, creating an eerie village vibe.
On the Saturday we celebrated Fareed's birthday and bought tickets to the Fuerzabruta show to make it special. This hour long experience is both eccentric and orgasmic (think Cirque du Soleil on drugs) and is by far the weirdest, most wonderful show I've ever seen. I'd love to go into more detail but the mastermind behind it all urges the audience to keep the secret and not ruin the surprises. I'm not sure my words could do it justice anyway but what I will say is that if media doesn't work out, I'll be joining the circus!
Smiling and inspired, we then stopped off at a burger joint (called Burger Joint) in Palermo on the way home. This quirky little place with its graffitied walls and cardboard cut out menus has been ranked number four in The Huffington Post's list of top burger bars in the world. I get why.
Finally it was time for some celebratory drinks. We started on the bubbly, then moved onto wine and around the time the vodka was cracked open, Godfrey had come out to play. We'd also bought a special liqueur, flavoured with Argentina's favourite sweet but it was less than enjoyable to drink (even before Fareed pointed out it was the colour of katsu curry) and is likely to have played a big part in our hangovers the next morning. Death by Dulce de Leche...
Fareed's birthday night was also his last in South America so we woke up feeling pretty sad. Before he left, we shared an amazing last supper at a crepe and waffle café in the hope that a mountain of Nutella might help. However, though the food was epic, it still didn't mask the emotional goodbyes. We've loved our little South American foursome and will really miss him now he's gone.
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