Buenos Aires
For some reason I didn't feel very good this morning, so it was especially hard to get out of bed when our alarm went off. Breakfast was good, and Luis was right on time to take us on one last cab ride to the airport. He talked the whole way about his plans to get ahead with the lessons he learned from a book called "Rich Man, Poor Man". At least I think that's what the book was called. I was glad he wasn't looking for an actual conversation, because I don't think any of us were up for that this morning.
At the airport we were disappointed to learn our flight was delayed a couple of hours, but we found a good spot in the cafeteria and nursed ourselves back to health with Pepsi Light (so much better than Coke Light) and water. When our flight was finally called, we passed through security, and then spent a little more time waiting in there before boarding our plane.
Waiting at the Airport
We finally made it onto the plane, where we were treated to a yummy little snack pack.
Snacks courtesy of LAN Airlines
Our cab driver back to the Rochester Hotel in Buenos Aires was huge. I'm not sure how I fit into the seat behind him, but I did. Heidi managed to get a picture: "I need to get a shot of you and the ocean from the cab" she managed to say with a straight face as she took the picture of me squeezed in behind the cabbie.
Tight fit
Despite the snack, we were starving by the time we made it to the hotel, but we didn't want to eat so much we'd spoil our dinner, so we gave in and ate at Burger King. And I'm not ashamed to say it tasted really good!
Mindy and Heidi ordering at BK
We spent the afternoon doing a little sightseeing and a lot of shopping. We shopped along Calle Florida and then went back to Plaza del Mayo and the Casa Rosada (aka the Pink House, the Argentinian equivalent of the White House), which we'd first seen on our walking tour with Daniel, but didn't realize what we were seeing.
Casa Rosada and Evita's Balcony
We then stumbled across a little indoor market, full of all sorts of cool jewelry, books and other odds and ends. We poked around in there for almost an hour, then decided it was time for dinner.
We'd consulted our guides earlier and decided on Bar Uriate for our last dinner in Argentina. I'm pretty sure this was the best meal I had the entire trip; everything was delicious and the restaurant itself was cool and fun. Unlike most restaurants, Bar Uriate's restaurant is at the front of the building, so you can see it from the street, or from the second floor loft above the restaurant.
Toasting to our fabulous vacation
The kitchen as seen from above
The Restaurant
Overly full and very happy, we made our way back to the hotel for one last night's sleep at the Hotel Rochester.
February 7 - Buenos Aires
February 8 - Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
February 9 - Ushuaia to the Beagle Channel
February 10 - The Drake Passage
February 11 - The Drake Passage to Aitcho Island
February 12 - Half Moon Island and Deception Island
February 13 - The (First) Best Day Ever
February 14 - The (Second) Best Day Ever
February 15 - Blown Out of Penguin Island
February 16 - The Drake Shake
February 17 - The Drake Passage
February 18 - Ushuaia to Buenos Aires
February 19 - Colonia, Uruguay and Buenos Aires
February 20 - Iguazu Falls
February 21 - Iguazu Falls
February 23 - Buenos Aires to Home
At the airport we were disappointed to learn our flight was delayed a couple of hours, but we found a good spot in the cafeteria and nursed ourselves back to health with Pepsi Light (so much better than Coke Light) and water. When our flight was finally called, we passed through security, and then spent a little more time waiting in there before boarding our plane.
Waiting at the Airport
We finally made it onto the plane, where we were treated to a yummy little snack pack.
Snacks courtesy of LAN Airlines
Our cab driver back to the Rochester Hotel in Buenos Aires was huge. I'm not sure how I fit into the seat behind him, but I did. Heidi managed to get a picture: "I need to get a shot of you and the ocean from the cab" she managed to say with a straight face as she took the picture of me squeezed in behind the cabbie.
Tight fit
Despite the snack, we were starving by the time we made it to the hotel, but we didn't want to eat so much we'd spoil our dinner, so we gave in and ate at Burger King. And I'm not ashamed to say it tasted really good!
Mindy and Heidi ordering at BK
We spent the afternoon doing a little sightseeing and a lot of shopping. We shopped along Calle Florida and then went back to Plaza del Mayo and the Casa Rosada (aka the Pink House, the Argentinian equivalent of the White House), which we'd first seen on our walking tour with Daniel, but didn't realize what we were seeing.
Casa Rosada and Evita's Balcony
We then stumbled across a little indoor market, full of all sorts of cool jewelry, books and other odds and ends. We poked around in there for almost an hour, then decided it was time for dinner.
We'd consulted our guides earlier and decided on Bar Uriate for our last dinner in Argentina. I'm pretty sure this was the best meal I had the entire trip; everything was delicious and the restaurant itself was cool and fun. Unlike most restaurants, Bar Uriate's restaurant is at the front of the building, so you can see it from the street, or from the second floor loft above the restaurant.
Toasting to our fabulous vacation
The kitchen as seen from above
The Restaurant
Overly full and very happy, we made our way back to the hotel for one last night's sleep at the Hotel Rochester.
February 7 - Buenos Aires
February 8 - Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
February 9 - Ushuaia to the Beagle Channel
February 10 - The Drake Passage
February 11 - The Drake Passage to Aitcho Island
February 12 - Half Moon Island and Deception Island
February 13 - The (First) Best Day Ever
February 14 - The (Second) Best Day Ever
February 15 - Blown Out of Penguin Island
February 16 - The Drake Shake
February 17 - The Drake Passage
February 18 - Ushuaia to Buenos Aires
February 19 - Colonia, Uruguay and Buenos Aires
February 20 - Iguazu Falls
February 21 - Iguazu Falls
February 23 - Buenos Aires to Home