02/03: Disembarkation Day
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
The cruise is over and it's time to get off the ship. In some ways it's sad but in other ways I'm really happy. We saw a lot of beautiful sites, missed out on some (Falkland Islands), ate way too much food, saw some good shows, met some interesting people but we spent more time at sea then I liked. Now it's time to move onto the next adventure.
Our first view of Buenos Aires.
The Obelisk of Buenos Aires during the day and at night. :
"The monument itself was erected in 1936 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the first foundation of Buenos Aires by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536, and it marks the spot where the Argentine national flag was raised in the city for the first time. The obelisk is 67.5 metres in height." It's great to have unlimited free internet again.
We needed to get some Argentinian Pesos and as the banks were closed (it's a Saturday) the fellow at the front desk suggested a money exchange in "the mall". This is the inside of the mall. Fresco like ceiling and the interior walls were made to look like exterior walls of old buildings.
We found a pretty park in our wanderings where Ed found his first Argentinian geocache.
Monument of General San Martin in Plaza San Martin.
Some of the streets in Buenos Aires are very wide like 9 de Julio (the road the obelisk is on), others are very skinny with tall buildings down both sides. One of thousands of beautiful old (I think) buildings.
Soldiers we found walking to the "pink house", Argentine's Government house.
The front of the Pink House, Argentine's Government house. The lawn in front of the building appears to under construction as it much of the area.
Buenos Aires Cathedral outside with construction.
Buenos Aires Cathedral inside. It is currently being restored.
Saint Ignatius is the oldest church preserved in Buenos Aires. The first building, which was made of adobe, was built by the Society of Jesus in 1675. The southern tower and the present facade were built in 1686, and the rest of the Church construction started in 1712. Today's church was completed in 1722 and consecrated in 1734. The photo of the statue will always be a reminder for Ed and myself to pay attention to your surroundings when you are travelling. Ed had just finished taking this photo when the two of us stopped to look at a map. Next thing we knew we had been hit with liquid and a lady was offering us Kleenex. Out of know where a man came and started wiping Ed's pants. We may have not been paying attention to what was going on around us but we did know to carry the backpack on the front, and wallets in front pockets (the wallets didn't have much in them). Ed said he felt the guy pushing at his pocket but to no avail, it wasn't coming out and Ed was ready to grab the guys hand. At this point the pickpockets left hopping into a taxi. Just before she left the woman said --- it's just water. Well it was dirty water but it did wash out.
We asked at the front desk for restaurant suggestions and the fellow asked if we liked meat. We answered yes, so the fellow at the desk suggested La Estancia.
When we arrived it wasn't busy, when we left every table was full. A large portion of the "meat" is cooked over coals from a wood fire. There is a fire box that has a rip roaring fire in it, and when coals are needed for cooking they are removed from the fire. Your meat arrives at the table on a metal tray that is sitting over a dish of hot coals.
Our first view of Buenos Aires.
The Obelisk of Buenos Aires during the day and at night. :
"The monument itself was erected in 1936 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the first foundation of Buenos Aires by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536, and it marks the spot where the Argentine national flag was raised in the city for the first time. The obelisk is 67.5 metres in height." It's great to have unlimited free internet again.
We needed to get some Argentinian Pesos and as the banks were closed (it's a Saturday) the fellow at the front desk suggested a money exchange in "the mall". This is the inside of the mall. Fresco like ceiling and the interior walls were made to look like exterior walls of old buildings.
We found a pretty park in our wanderings where Ed found his first Argentinian geocache.
Monument of General San Martin in Plaza San Martin.
Some of the streets in Buenos Aires are very wide like 9 de Julio (the road the obelisk is on), others are very skinny with tall buildings down both sides. One of thousands of beautiful old (I think) buildings.
Soldiers we found walking to the "pink house", Argentine's Government house.
The front of the Pink House, Argentine's Government house. The lawn in front of the building appears to under construction as it much of the area.
Buenos Aires Cathedral outside with construction.
Buenos Aires Cathedral inside. It is currently being restored.
Saint Ignatius is the oldest church preserved in Buenos Aires. The first building, which was made of adobe, was built by the Society of Jesus in 1675. The southern tower and the present facade were built in 1686, and the rest of the Church construction started in 1712. Today's church was completed in 1722 and consecrated in 1734. The photo of the statue will always be a reminder for Ed and myself to pay attention to your surroundings when you are travelling. Ed had just finished taking this photo when the two of us stopped to look at a map. Next thing we knew we had been hit with liquid and a lady was offering us Kleenex. Out of know where a man came and started wiping Ed's pants. We may have not been paying attention to what was going on around us but we did know to carry the backpack on the front, and wallets in front pockets (the wallets didn't have much in them). Ed said he felt the guy pushing at his pocket but to no avail, it wasn't coming out and Ed was ready to grab the guys hand. At this point the pickpockets left hopping into a taxi. Just before she left the woman said --- it's just water. Well it was dirty water but it did wash out.
We asked at the front desk for restaurant suggestions and the fellow asked if we liked meat. We answered yes, so the fellow at the desk suggested La Estancia.
When we arrived it wasn't busy, when we left every table was full. A large portion of the "meat" is cooked over coals from a wood fire. There is a fire box that has a rip roaring fire in it, and when coals are needed for cooking they are removed from the fire. Your meat arrives at the table on a metal tray that is sitting over a dish of hot coals.