Buenos Aires II, Night 5

I wrote this on the plane after leaving Buenos Aires:

I'm trying to remember where I left off. I believe it was Thursday morning. I checked out of the hotel at around 8:50 am in the area just outside of where we always meet for breakfast. I planned to run inside real quickly to get a few muffins for the road, but while I was waiting for a to-go tin I saw the rest of my colleagues there eating, so I joined them. After wolfing down a few muffins, I was all set to leave, but the dweeb had to run back to his room. Because of this, we didn't leave until around 9:30 - past the time we were supposed to. You'll note who's fault this is, and that he was the one that was pushing for a 8:30 departure. Dork.

We're about 10 minutes into our ride driving adjacent to the Rio de la Plata when we get told to pull over the Argentine Naval police. THAT was fun! I had all my bags as well as my passport, so I wasn't all that worried. They had the party van pull over tot the side, and the diver gave him his carefully organized papers. An officer came on the bus and walked up and down the aisle. It was relatively uneventful, but kind of a cool story to tell.

We got to the new building and I began working. Working through the day actually. For lunch, we had empanadas. Very yummy, though we had takeout. I would have rather left the building for a little bit to take a break, but no worries. It was just before this time that I received an email from my boss. As you saw in earlier posts, I wound up staying. At this time, my boss is scrambling to find coverage for me, and I'm dealing with our Travel department to see if this is do-able. Turns out the flight would be a LOT more, and our hotel was sold out. Fantastic!

After getting approval from the proper executives, they changed my flight and I was booked in the Park Towers, which is the luxury hotel adjacent to the Sheraton. After we left the building for the day (which didn't happen until around 8 I think) we went back into the city and I checked in. After plopping my bags in the room, we met out front to head out to dinner.

We went to La Parolaccia, the Italian place, again. If you'll recall, this was the scene of the great Gnocchi-feast of January. I decided not to repeat that. Best line of the car-ride there? One of my Argentine Colleagues drove us, and in his VERY broken English he mentioned that he has twins…10 months old. The dweeb actually asked this: How old is the older one? Our colleague laughed it off…and he asked AGAIN! I swear, you all should really meet this guy. You'll laugh and cry at the same time.

We get there and one of our Buenos Aires friends from the new building joins us for the evening. That was cool. He's a really cool dude, and his English has gotten much better since the last time I was down there.

I ordered the Fettucini Verdi con Quatto Formagi. It was really good. I have a picture of it on my phone, I think. Very filling, but not as much as the gnocchi! We had some white wine along with it. For dessert I had tiramisu. I had to. I was going to get this other dessert, but the waiter said it would take 10 minutes to make. I decided that was enough reason to go with the old standby. I was not disappointed, but again, I really didn't really have room for dessert anyway. I was quite full when we left the table.

After that, we went back to the hotel. I went to my fancy new room. It was huge! I think the bathroom was bigger than my room in the other hotel. Separate little rooms in the bathroom for the toilet and the shower, and a separate tub. It also had a speaker in there hooked to the TV. I had some sprite (which I think was bad) and went to bed.

I'll have to write more tomorrow as the light are out on the plane and I'm a little tired.

Hasta luego!!

A long few days

Sorry for the lack of updates. Yesterday was a long day and I wasn't feeling well at all. It was either sleep, as short bug, or something I drank, but I feel much better now. I have some more training to do, and I fly out this evening, but rest assured, more updates are coming. I plan to write them while waiting for the plane, or while on the plane, and get them posted ASAP.

Thanks for reading them! I hope you enjoy the tales. I'll write more when I can.

Buenos Aires II, Night 4

Last night we didn't leave work until very late. It was almost 9pm (BA Time) when we finally got out of here. The Dweeb's boss had just flown in and he was taking us all out to dinner (the Boss, not the Dweeb). We went to an awesome place called Cardon Nuestra Cocina in this suburb where our new building is. Was a cool looking, giant brick building. Very nice ambiance!

We had a very big table for 12. The tables were wooden with some sort of leather table top. Interesting. We ordered some wine, first was a Gran Lurton, Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza, 2004). That was very tasty. We had an impromptu status meeting with the Boss (not my boss, the Dweeb's Boss) and then started having some entrée's. A piece of sausage, some toasted bread…all standard. They served these awesome home made rolls - probably the best bread I've had down here.

The big thing for the night, I tried Sweet Bread. I'm not a hundred percent sure what it is…but I know that I don't want to know. If you feel the need, perhaps google it? And it wasn't what it sounds like. It was fried I think - but it was okay. I just tried not to think of what it could be that I was eating!

The discussion of progress continued and we ordered dinner. I went with the Ojo de bife de 380 grs (rib eye), con tartar de veruras y hojas de runcula. I'm not sure what the rest of that means either. It was basically leafy vegetables…maybe something like spinach. I went with the Rib eye since I only really have had Lomo since I've been here. It was good - but I think I got it cooked to long. I said medium - but it was more like medium-well. I wish it was a little juicier. But the wine made up for that! The second bottle was a Luigi Bosco - the same kind we had the first big night of this second trip.

During the meal, we went out onto the back terrace to check out the lunar eclipse. Well, I went out to check out the cute waitress, but the eclipse was cool too. I also saw the Southern Cross, which is as impressive as it sounds. After that, we headed back in and ordered dessert. I had the Flan con dulce de leche since that was the only thing I understood on the menu. It was not translated into English, and we had a bunch of people with us that I had never met before, and I was playing it cool. The Dweeb was constantly checking his Spanish/English phrase book and looking like…well…a dweeb. It really is a very appropriate name. I knew what I was in for, so I just acted like I've been there before…which is always a great rule.

Some discussion was had earlier in the evening about when to start work in the morning. Since it was to be my last day, the though was to start early so they'd have me for as long as possible. We had planned to have a car waiting at 8:30. Check that - the DWEEB suggested the car pick us up at 8:30. I knew that I still had to pack, check out, and try to grab a muffin before then, and after airing my initial protest, I let it go. I won't be a squeaky wheel.

I must say, after dessert, it was absolutely stuffed. It was after midnight, and I saw the dweeb back outside taking pictures of the eclipse (yes, I know…it looks like a little dot. Didn't make sense to me either). I mentioned "there's no way we're all going to be ready by 8:30" He said "oh yes we are - I already arranged the car service". I replied "You do realize that it's after midnight and we're still not done eating. We still have to finish and get back to Buenos Aires. There is no way we'll be back by 1:30. There is no way we can do 8:30" His reply "Yes we are, I already arranged the car service." Sigh.

After that meeting of the minds, I went back inside and sat at the table where I heard Dweebs Boss basically say "there is no way we can do it that early, let's say 10am to start." Ha! Great minds DO think alike! The Dweeb walks back in and is informed by his Boss that we'll be starting at 10 (which is a 9:15 car). His response "I already called the car service." Boss: "Call them back". The Dweeb's Boss instantly became one of my favorite people.

In the party van back to the hotel, the Dweeb's Boss told us tales from the road, and was generally an interesting person. At one point, the Dweeb interrupted (after a comment by the Boss that there were many people along the edge of the Rio de la Plata for 1am) saying that "the Argentineans keep an interesting schedule. When I go for my walk tonight I'll see families out in the park hanging out." Boss (deadpanned): "Great. Give us a full report tomorrow." Love this guy! Another colleague surprised me by catching my Pink Panther reference about a Minkey (his reply…"did you say "Minkey"), so we had a laugh-filled ride back to the hotel.

We got back around 1:30. After packing as fast as possible, I was in bed around 2am.

On the next Blog Update - Nick check's out and has a bite to eat in the Club Room - and the Dweeb was late and almost missed it (Irony - table for 1). And, the party van was pulled over by the Argentine Navel Policia

Bravo American

I spent much of a previous post bashing American Airlines due to their practice of and handling of the over-sold flight that I took down here to sunny Buenos Aires.

A few hours ago I recieved an email from American applogizing for the delayed service. They said that they wanted to make it up to me by giving me 5,000 miles credit as a way of saying they were sorry.

While I won't get back the afternoon I could have spent exploring the ciudad, I am impressed that they offered this to me without my having to write a complaint email. While American still won't be tops on my list of carriers to fly, they are not on the bottom.

Then again, they never were. United has set up shop down there.

Why go home?

Welp, I was supposed to be flying home tonight, but due to circumstances beyond my control (work) I will be here a few more days, leaving Saturday evening. Stay tuned for a post about last night's dinner - it was a big one! And look forward to more tales of great food and greater wine.

Now if I could just find someone to feed my fish...

Buenos Aires II, Day 4

Today I woke up and wanted to go back to sleep. That's usually the case though, so I got up and burned my retinas when I opened the blinds. Stupid me. Melrose was on the TV again, and I met my colleagues for breakfast again at 8:30. You might as well scroll to yesterday's breakfast, because it was basically the same thing.

The van took us back to the new building where I hit the ground running. Made a ton of progress again. So glad. Lunch was later - and I was starving. We went back to the Lion Café that we went to yesterday as there are not many restaurants in this suburb. I had a regular steak this time and it was okay - not the best that I've had, but still better than most. Papas Fritas, of course! Y una Coca Light!! And then I capped off lunch with an espresso. I may have to look into purchasing one of these machines and just dealing with the ridicule when it comes. It's so good!

Lunch conversation was fun as our Argentine hosts were asking a little of America - weather and such, as well as our elections. We explained our system a little - then we all had a nice belly laugh.

After that we came back to the building and I've been working ever since. It's about 8:30 now (5:30 ET) and I'm tired and hungry. Not sure what dinner will bring, but I bet it will be a new place!

One day left.

Buenos Aires II, Night 3

Sorry for the late entry - it's been a busy morning.

Last night after work, we got back late to the hotel. We returned around 9ish. It was a long day, but I got a lot accomplished. Our host was not coming out with us, so we were on our own. I knew of a couple of places, as did the dweeb. He seemed a little insistent on going to a place called Dora. Some dude on some airplane recommended it to him at some point, and Frommer's had it rated well, albeit expensive. Here's the problem. Dora is a seafood restaurant. Cuz when you go to a country that is world renowned for it's beef, naturally you want to go out for seafood. Dweeb. I had suggested the joint I went to last time I was here that had really good beef…but I didn't push it, just threw it out there.

He seemed a little insistent, so I backed off. I was fine with going to Dora, but one of the members in our party doesn't do seafood. He graciously backed out, though I felt bad about it. But it wasn't my fight to fight - and I wasn't paying the bill, so I just went with the breeze. I also figured that I hadn't been there - which is always a good reason to try a new restaurant - no matter what the cuisine.

The five of us get there and sit down. We had a very pleasant old waiter, who did his best with our language gap. We ordered a cold calamari dish, which was interesting. I'm not the most adventurous eater, especially with seafood, but I threw caution to the wind. It was okay - though slimy and tough. I don't think I'd go for it again, but I lived. Then we had another appetizer of crab meat wrapped in a what I think was a crepe. That was really good. I wish I had just stuck with that!

My main dish was Bife de paz espada: Swordfish. I….was not impressed. I have only had swordfish one other time in my life, and it was fantastic. Perhaps I didn't like the way it was prepared. Perhaps it didn't juxtapose well to the awesome crab dish. Perhaps I was too focused on the dweeb across the table that strong-armed us into going to a seafood place in a beef city. Don't get me wrong…it was okay, but I've had better…and I've only had it once before.

The wine for the evening was a Lagarde Viognier, 2006 out of Mendoza, Argentina. That was good. And strong! I was definitely feeling it last night. We capped it off with a lemon liquor that I know I shouldn't have had, but it did finish of the meal well. The conversation was good too - for the most part. Most of us talking about traveling around and vacation plans. Good stuff.

We returned to the hotel, and the night pretty much ended there. I went back to the hotel and just about passed out. It was a long day, and I was a little tipsy. I figured it was a good time to call it a night.

Until next time...