Mis Padres en América del Sur (continued)

So, after a late night at Casa Cruz, we returned home, caught some sleep and spent all of Saturday just exploring Buenos Aires. We started at the Recoleta Fair, an area next to the Recoleta Cemetary where probably over 100 vendors sell local crafts and souvenirs. After that, we hopped on the subte and went to Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Forest). This is Buenos Aires' version of Central Park - I usually bike here on the weekends. On any given warm weekend day, this place is packed with people sunbathing, walking, biking, and roller blading.

Since tonight was my birthday, I made reservations at Piegari in Recoleta. Like La Cabrera, the portions here are huge and they serve the best Italian food in South America.

After dinner, we went home and went right to bed because the next morning my parents flew to Salta (in the northwest of Argentina) for a few days. I wish I could have gone with them, but I had work that week. I booked everything in Salta for them in advance, including the airfare and the hotel. They stayed in El Lagar, which is a former mansion that was converted into a boutique hotel. It is quite exclusive and doesn't advertise. In fact, they are quite picky about their clientele and one can only stay there if they are referred by a past guest or know the owners. After arriving in Salta, my parents had dinner and woke up the next morning very early for a 12+ hour trip to San Antonio de los Cobres, climbing to 3,744 meters (over 10,000 feet). That night, they sampled northwest Argentinean fare and the next day they went on a city tour of Salta before flying back to Buenos Aires in the evening.

The next day (back in BA), my parents were supposed to go to an Estancia (an Argentina farm/estate where guests observe gaucho performances and eat an asado) but it was closed for repairs, so they ended up signing up for a walking tour. It started at the Casa Rosada and, when their guide showed up, they were pleasantly surprised that they were the only guests so their tour was extremely personal! The tour took them on the oldest subway line in Buenos Aires, where the trains still have old wooden doors that you have to open manually, and to the Congreso building. Later, they walked to Puerto Madero (a posh neighborhood filled up with businesses and wealthy expats) and into Recoleta. They could not have flown all the way here and NOT have seen a tango, so for their final night in the big city, we went to Esquina Carlos Gardel, a traditional, upscale tango in the Abasto neighborhood. Gardel is known as the "King of Tango" and is revered in Argentina. In fact, in local slang (known as lunfardo), if someone says, "Sos Gardel!" that means "You're the best!"

The tango didn't end until midnight so we went straight back to my apartment. The next day my parents spent at leisure, getting last minute gifts and just relaxing before I returned to my apartment from work with enough time to say good bye before they hopped into their taxi after a whirlwind trip to the "Paris of South America."