Buenos Aires – Day 2 (KB)

I woke up feeling overwhelmed with everything that I want to do. I’m stressing Chris out. I can’t help it – I always feel like this when I go somewhere new. I want to do and see everything available that a city has to offer.

Woke up around 10ish. Chris had a wild hair to work out. That doesn’t happen very often. Gotta take advantage when he’s up for a workout. The gym at this hotel is incredible. The cardio machines have Internet access and a nice television station selection. Seriously. Great weight equipment and machines. Cold cucumber towels for a post-workout refreshment. Très chic.

Great day although it didn’t go as planned. We had planned to ride the tour bus but it didn’t quite work out for us because (1) the bus stopped at 5 pm (2) we could only buy tickets at the first stop – we were picking it up at the last stop. It circles the city all day.

So, we had lunch at La Biela in our barrio. I had a ham & cheese sandwich and Chris had a steak sandwich. We had Imperial beers and potato chips. I haven’t eaten pork in a long time but my cured ham sandwich was pretty good. Gotta get my belly ready for Madrid.

Since the tour bus thing didn’t pan out, we decided a wander around the market in Recoleta. Lots of arts and craft booths – we couldn’t hit them all. We were saving our shopping chops for Sunday’s shopping excursion at San Telmo, a well-known weekend market.

We decided to go to the Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires (MAMBA). A short cab ride later, we were wandering around MAMBA and viewing some beautiful modern art. The museum is free so it is a great find.

After the museum, we walked around San Telmo for a bit then realized that it was 6:30pm. Dinner reservations were at 9. Time to head back for a disco nap and bath before dinner.

Refreshed and starving, we headed to our dinner reservation at the hotel that included a tango show. I was finally getting my tango fix!! And, my foodie fix. Five courses. Champagne to start. Unlimited wine refills.

First Course:

Foie gras with pink salt, brioche and black caviar, roll of fresh anchovies flavored with Malbec wine bread, smoked salmon ice cream

Second Course:

Steam zucchini flower stuffed with prawns and cauliflower. Lime and basil sorbet.

Third Course:

Pan fried mullet and black code fish on smoked eggplant cream and Torrontes wine sauce

Fourth Course:

Grilled Dry aged beef tenderloin with black truffle and oyster mushroom butter. Roasted garlic and leek cream. Potato terrine.

Fifth Course:

Gratin of figs in almond sabayon and fresh "Lincoln" cheese ice cream

Dessert After Dessert Course:

Variety of cookies and sweets along with cappuccino

I loved, loved, loved the tango show. We had front row seats. They performed a variety of group dances and individual dances. There were multiple costume changes and each dance had a specific theme. I did learn that the women dancers wear super-high heels but their heels never touch the ground. A tip that I will try in my Zumba classes. Ha! The dancers were all beautiful, graceful, and wonderful. They all had the typical dancer-type bodies. Super-thin and toned. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were envious of our calorie-laden, rich entrées like we were envious of their fat-free bodies. I mean, we were chowing down on foie gras, caviar, beef with truffle butter and ice creams while these lithe dancers were dancing around us.