New Year's Eve and Beyond in the Paris of the South

We went together to a fondue restaurant with a lot of the group; there were 21 of us all together. They started us off with white wine and some appetizers including these scrumptious blue cheese balls. Then, they brought us out some cheese fondue. It was delicious! In the middle of the main course, we rang in the New Year with fireworks and champagne and happy times. 2011 is going to be a wonderful New Year, and I was excited about ringing in the new year in Buenos Aires! After it settled down some—and what felt like an eternity—they brought us chocolate fondue. We had dark chocolate, white chocolate, and dulce de leche. Words cannot describe the scrumptious joy that fondue brings into my life.

After dinner, we went to find a boliche or a bar to celebrate it in. We had some trouble finding a good one, but went to a few for a while. We were exhausted, but Hunter Thompson said that “life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit…what a ride!’” and I certainly agree with him. We decided that we would check out a boliche on our way back called liquid. We tried for a couple dozen blocks to get a taxi to go there, but eventually we were just ready to go home. BUT AHOY THERE! We saw a taxi after forty minutes of searching. Our hearts leaped; smiles spread across our faces. But alas, someone got into it before we reached it. Luckily, he got out as quickly as he got in because the taxi driver didn’t go there. We almost fell asleep on the way home and went to sleep after an incredibly long day.


The next morning, Bryan and I went to a tango lesson. It was so much fun, but quite complicated and difficult. Calvin Coolidge said that “nothing in this world can take the place of persistence,” but I think that some semblance of talent would have been helpful! We had a great time, though, and after that we had a picnic in the park. While in the park, there was a homeless man with an incredible beard and bushy hair and leather-looking skin. The most remarkable facet of his existence was that his only item of clothing was a “skirt” made entirely of black garbage bags.

We met up with the group and went to the Cemeteries at Recoleta. It’s incredible to me how much money and how much work these family members put into the tombs of their loved ones. I quite agree with my sister, Kela, that death does not deserve that much pomp and circumstance. Everyone was crowded around Evita’s tomb as was I to pay my respects, but I preferred walking in the less crowded corridors. After that, we went to see the Japanese gardens and saw a Dakar race. That night we went to Puerto Madero and the lights were gorgeous! We also had the best Italian food I have eaten since Italy. The next morning—and our last day in Buenos Aires—we went to the San Telmo street fair. It reminded me of Thailand and made me feel so happy! Also, on the way there I talked with an Israeli girl who was vacationing after her time with the IDF. I was glad to be in touch with a new perspective.