• Jane Wilkinson
  • Jane Wilkinson

Argentina

A 28-day adventure by Jane Read more
  • Trip start
    November 3, 2017

    Arrived!

    November 2, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I arrived to rain and thunder! Not too tired, and coffee in Coffee shop with Nora, then to her her sisters Sylvia, then drive 2.5hrs to Nora's with Sylvina and her friend Patricia (who are coming to Pergamino for a lecture they are giving)Read more

  • First day at Nora's

    November 3, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Went for a walk with Nora, had tortilla and beef Milanese for lunch with grated carrot and boiled egg salad.yum.
    Went into Pergamino after lunch. Lovely sleepy town, wide tree lined streets like LA. Went to the deserted train station.
    New Spanish: Claro - of course
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  • Bbq!

    November 4, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Big day for Nora et al as they were presenting a lecture for this new venture- a therapy centre for children with learning/behavioural difficulties. A great success by all accounts, lots of people came. I went for a stroll around Pergamino and made my first purchase a lovely bougainvillea for Nora that cost 90 pesos - £3.50!
    We celebrated the mornings success with my first Argentinan BBQ.
    3 different cuts of beef, the muscle covering the stomach (large thin piece of meat bigger the size of two plates) cooked with lemon, the buttock, the lower back. The buttock was juicy and flavoured with salt - all bits were delicious.

    Went for a swim in the pool in the afternoon! Was not as warm as it looked but still very nice a refreshing.
    Still a bit jet lagged so had a very early night.
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  • Buenos Aires & San Telmo

    November 5, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Left Fontezula for Buenos Aires, after spending the morning sitting in Noras garden in the sun with Silvina, Marianna, Patricia and Nora - drinking 'mate' and talking about everything- they like to chat :)
    Lunch in the car, delicious leftovers, tortilla (which Nora is going to show me how to make), empanadas (even better cold), and pizza.
    Arrived in Buenos Aires, and off to San Telmo - old colonial area of BA, lovely old ornate buildings with wrought iron balconies. Market selling leather belts, bags, shoes, antiquities from all over, and silver. Some tango in the street, and another dance...
    Quick car tour around some sights, then to Victoria's who is very welcoming and has given up her bed for me and had the bedroom painted especially! Empanadas for tea.
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  • La Boca and Palermo

    November 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Victoria took me to see the museums but they were closed, so we went to La Boca, by the port where the Tango originated- houses are made from corrugated iron and painted bright colours, lots of restaurants and tango dancers outside. Also stopped at the monument tower (name changed from 'British tower' after the falklands :/) which has a bell made like Big Bens and the chime is the same :)
    Went to Palermo in the evening, a posh area, lots of nice shops and restaurants- had israeli baba ganoush and falafel and then went to a bar where we had chips caked in paprika, which Nora perfectly described as like eating red dust. Quality of some foods (not beef!) not good here - ie spices, tea, flour, cheese - anything that has to be processed...generally has no flavour :(
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  • La Ricoleta

    November 7, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Victoria took me to La Ricoleta today where there is a beautiful cemetery- we found Evita's grave and put the world to rights debating how easy it should be to successfully run a country! Eva Peron still widely loved by lots of people in the country - the Peronist - but not by those whose families are buried in the cemetery, so Victoria amused by the irony of everyone asking directions to Evita's grave. Victoria says that those who have been running the country recently are only interested in their own power and wealth and the key to a successful government is a selfless and hardworking leader.
    Stopped in a lovely colonial church next to the cemetery, in the 'museum' next to that.
    Skyped Alice at lunch - Lisbon to Buenos Aires - technology is amazing!
    In the evening Nora took me for pizza at a nice restaurant - vv good malbec :), and a desert heston blumental would be proud of: cubes of squash (!) kept in lime (ie the stuff you paint on walls NOT the lime you eat!) for 4 days, then boiled in sugar. Unbelievable- it makes a hard crispy smooth shell like a sweet, with sweet liquidy goo inside. Bizarre. Tastes nothing like squash or walls.
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  • San Isidro

    November 9, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Last day in Buenos Aires. Had a lovely morning breakfast in the courtyard at Silvinas, learning some Spanish. A walk around the block in the sun with Silvina and the dog, admiring all the different architectural styles of the houses. Nora picked me up and we drove to San Isidro, a lovely part of town by the river, big detached houses, pavements with grass verges, felt a bit like Vancouver.
    Nice fresh air. Went to a restaurant on the river where there is a distinctly Californian air. Had another yummy homemade lemonade with passion fruit and mint. Chicken sandwich and huge salad. Good potatoes are difficult to grow here, so only a couple in the salad as a delicacy!
    Then the long drive back to Fontezuela. Poor Nora surviving on 3hrs sleep after taking niece to party at 12pm and picking her up at 5am!
    Stopped off half way at a leather store, packed to the rafters with bridle ware and cowboy rugs, and bizarrely army surplus - shells etc.
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  • Fontezuela

    November 10, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    Sunny day in Fontezuela. Did some washing, read up on Argentina.
    Nora showed me how to make Tortilla :)
    I showed Nora how to make apple crumble
    Bought some supplies from Fabrício at the store using my poor Spanish.
    Had a lovely swim in the pool.
    Went for an evening walk, stunning red sunset, huge flat landscape, with far off grazing cows, fireflies, wild guineapigs. Annoyed I didn't bring my camera.
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  • Mi casa es tu casa (bbq#2)

    November 11, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today (hoy) we were invited to the parents of Marianna (Nora's best friend) for a BBQ. Marianna was sick so couldn't come, but that didn't stop the parents (Elena y Julio) hosting a random stranger :)
    Julio is a master at marquetry, which he does just for fun, but his daughter has persuaded him him to exhibit so all his work was out on display getting ready for the exhibition. Beautiful work.
    Another delicious rump steak (muy rica).
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  • Day of planning

    November 13, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ 🌫 18 °C

    Day spent in cafe with internet in Pergamino planning for the Mendoza trip.
    Bought some beef from the butchers for dinner, quickly fried (Delicious, tasty, tender, moist) and made my first tortilla (cut pieces smaller, use more oil!Read more

  • Route to Mendoza day 1

    November 14, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    A very nice leisurely morning reading, sunbathing, swimming and drinking tea and keeping an eye on the spider.
    Then off to Mendoza via Córdoba.
    Drive was 5 hours but flew by, roads long and straight. Nora was surprised by all the flooding and I was amazed by all the birds. Huge birds.
    Didn't stop for photos but it's a bird spotters paradise.
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  • Route to Mendoza day 2

    November 15, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ 🌫 18 °C

    Stayed in a hostel on a campsite in Córdoba, just outside a little sleepy town - sadly no photos.
    Then the next leg of drive to Mendoza.

  • The unexpected

    November 17, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Today we were planning to go to the thermal spa's, but on route to the University to pick up some olive oil a car crashed into us. A first for me and Nora, and not nice, but amazing kindness from everyone got us through. A boy stopped who spoke English and talked to me whilst we waited in the car for the ambulance to arrive, he brought us cold water to drink, and was generally very very kind, calm and re-assuring, he must have been only 20. No-one else speaks English so I was very very grateful.
    Nora rang the Airbnb lady, whose husband arrived straightaway and took the important things out of the car. Nora was taken to a different hospital as she had health insurance, and I was taken with the driver of the other car to another hospital, which was a bit scary to lose my Spanish translator. But the owner of the Airbnb met me at the hospital, and stayed with me, for about 2 hours whilst we waited for the X-ray and results.
    The results didn't come, and after the shock gradually wore off I felt much better, so we left the hospital and met Nora (who was also amazingly ok) and the husband drove us back to the Airbnb. The accident must have been at 10, and we got back around 2.30 or 3. An amazing meal was provided from nowhere:
    Grilled aubergine, rice, fish, a bowl of *homemade* green olives as big as your head, green salad, tomatoes and boiled egg. Tapenade and crackers, and homemade tomato ketchup. And a beer.
    This made everyone (well, me) feel much better. The Airbnb lady has invited us to a wedding she is going to tomorrow- she says it will be very nice and traditional and we should go! (Hospitality!)
    We will see how we feel tomorrow. My left ribs are very sore, I think from the seatbelt, and to do anything (especially sneezing or coughing) hurts them, but otherwise all seems to be ok.
    The husband has now taken Nora to the Police station to be breathalysed (a bit delayed!)
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  • Wine tour

    November 18, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Wine bus. $550
    Wine, and tasting $535
    Balsamic (gifts). $250
    Salad for tea. $80

    Total $1415 (£61) over budget

  • Mendoza - day 3

    November 19, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Last day in Mendoza. Bus at 4pm. Packed up in the morning (slowly, as we both move like 85 yr olds!), then off for a wander around the a lovely market in the plaza. Forgot to take any photos of how lovely the leafy streets are, and some of the nice pottery on sale at the market. Those little cactus plants I like are popular too in little painted pots. And also, oddly, balls wrapped in crochet.
    Bought a present for Adriana (upside down pot made into a bell - very nice) and some wine for lunch.
    Then another Delicious lunch, from lovely Adriana. Takeaway BBQ beef ribs, and whole spatchcock chicken cut into pieces. Yum. Also should have taken more photos of the house, as it was so lovely. Big scrambling white rose, rustic antiques everywhere, tree house, plant pots.
    Taxi to bus station in Mendoza. Industrial strength ibuprofen for ribs, helped. New black eye for Nora.
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  • Back in Fontezuela

    November 20, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Marianna picked us up from the bus station at 8.
    Took us for coffee and pastries and we caught up.
    Went back unpacked, watched tele with Nora, relaxed.
    Rice for tea as dodgy stomach
    Went for a walk - beautiful sky after the rain
    Watched woody allen film in the evening
    Rained all day, thunder and lightning
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  • Last day in Fontezuela

    November 21, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    Relaxing in the garden
    Bird watching and cleaning the pool
    Shopping with Marianna for belts
    Nora sorts out insurance
    Met Jo and Fabrizio who give me silver jewellery and several kilos of salami!
    Expensive wine and champagne to cheer up Nora and celebrate my departure
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  • Day in Caballito

    November 22, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Took taxi to Victoria's from Fontezuela.
    Went for a walk around the park and streets, first time in BA on my own! Asked for directions got lost, bought wine and a pastry. Lots of street art.
    Victoria cooked steak for dinner and marinated aubergine :)Read more