Lost Buses, Tango Nights & Too Much Meat: Our First Week in Argentina.
After months of planning, booking, re-booking, and colour-coding spreadsheets, our grand Argentina–Chile adventure finally began!
Typically, we’re “carry-on only” people (yes, even for six-week trips), but this time? Ten weeks, climates ranging from tropical to glacial.
My tiny suitcase took one look and said, “Nope.” So after nearly 20 years… I checked a bag. Character development, people.
Because we live on an island, step one was just getting to Madrid. A one-day buffer proved genius: that morning, Madrid airport workers went on strike.
While others queued in misery, we strolled in like Zen travellers who had their lives together (pure illusion).
Of course, karma balanced things out. The shuttle to our airport hotel took 90 minutes to arrive, and when we finally reached reception, the clerk cheerfully informed us, “Your reservation is for the 25th of December.” 🤦♀️
Every hotel nearby was full, so after a frantic search and a €40 taxi, we found a room 20 minutes away. But hey, bonus: the new hotel had a bus stop straight to the airport.
Day 2: The Long Haul
We arrived early (because “airport strike” is not a phrase you mess with) and breezed through check-in and security.
The flight was 12 hours of being surrounded by what seemed like an entire school trip of hyper teenagers, but movies kept me sane.
We landed in Buenos Aires at 8:30 p.m., sailed through immigration, grabbed an official taxi, and reached our Airbnb, where our lovely host swapped our euros for pesos. Bless her.
Day 3: Family, Rain & Indoor Miracles
Buenos Aires greeted us with thunderstorms, but honestly, after two days of travel, an earthquake wouldn’t have woken me.
The morning brought our first crisis: trying to get a SIM card somehow triggered my credit card to get blocked.
Hours of “Why, universe, WHY?” later, we got it sorted just in time for the highlight of the day: meeting Yonathan’s family for the first time in nearly 50 years.
It was emotional, warm, and immediately worth the whole trip. And the asado? They had a full indoor BBQ setup to defeat the rain. Endless grilled meats appeared like magic. I’m pretty sure I won’t need to eat again until mid-2026.
Day 4: Recoleta, Colours & Tango Tourist Land
The sun returned, so we headed for the Recoleta market. Naturally, we took the wrong turn, but a sweet elderly señora rescued us.
Buenos Aires has a whole army of helpful grandmas, apparently. The market was full of crafts and colour, and since we were already there, I hopped into Recoleta Cemetery. It wasn’t peaceful, more like a marble city for the wealthy dead. Beautiful but cold.
Next came La Boca’s famous Caminito, yes, touristy, yes, kitschy, but wonderfully colourful. Then the Colón Fábrica museum, where Teatro Colón’s costumes and sets stole my heart (and the ticket machine being down got me in for free!). We wrapped up in San Telmo’s sprawling flea market, where tango musicians performed on every corner. By dinner time, my legs were screaming “No more cobblestones!” so we ate near home.
Day 5: Obelisks, Mothers & Bookstore Heaven
We started at the towering Obelisk, then wound through Buenos Aires’ most European-looking avenues. The city’s main church, now famous for Pope Francis, sparked deep thoughts about habits, rituals, and how humans imitate each other without realising it.
But the emotional punch came at Plaza de Mayo, where the Mothers once marched demanding answers for their disappeared children. The painted white scarves on the pavement still hum with history. I cried. (Travel does that.)
Later, we visited the Congress building and one of Rodin’s original The Thinker sculptures… apparently even masterpieces come in “limited editions.”
A siesta revived us for my personal heaven: El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a bookstore inside a former theatre. Velvet balconies, frescoes, endless shelves. Pure magic.
Day 6: Ice Cream Karma & Tango Magic
Not every travel day is sparkles. Our attempt to withdraw pesos from Western Union nearly ended with me having a meltdown in the street. Eventually, we succeeded and carried home a comically thick lump of cash (hello, inflation).
We headed to Tigre for a nature escape. The blogs oversold it, but we did enjoy a peaceful riverside walk and then discovered the BEST ice cream (chocolate-orange… divine). I gleefully walked past the first ice cream shop that denied me their bathroom earlier, thinking, “Big mistake. HUGE.”
But the true magic came at night: a real local milonga. No tourists, no glitter, just pure tango. We listened, we even contemplated dancing, we floated home past midnight.
Day 7: Gardens, Ducklings & Street-Art Glory
Running on tango-hangover sleep, we explored Palermo’s gardens: lush botanical paths, a gorgeous Japanese Garden, and a rose garden with… no roses. But adorable ducklings more than made up for the floral no-show.
After hobbling 10 km, we joined a street-art tour in Palermo Soho. A fabulous mix of art, history, politics, and a reminder that in Argentina, the true national saints are Maradona and Messi.
By evening, my knees filed a formal complaint, but my heart was full.
Five days in Buenos Aires left us dazzled, inspired, and ready for nature.
Tomorrow: we leave the city behind. 🌿✨
