One of the best experiences while in Bogota was our trip to Argentina. JTP was assigned there as a TDY (big sacrifice), so we decided to all go. JTP was there for three weeks and TSP, BLP and AJP were there for two. Since the embassy put us up in a TDY apartment in a great neighborhood, we were able to do a lot of different things. Here are some of the highlights:
Food. The food in Argentina is great. We were able to go to great restaurants that were affordable. There was also a great bakery right down the street (as well as a number of other bakeries that we were able to find) where we would get medialunas (a sort of croissant). they had sweet and savory medialunas. TSP and the kids would often go and get them as our afternoon snack. The most common food seemed to beef. TSP went to the grocery store and was shocked when the beef section was three, maybe four, times as big as the chicken and pork section! We loved the empanadas. They are wonderful little pastries with a meat fillling. Overall, food was great in Buenos Aires. There was one funny eating out story. We went for pizza and asked for the “non-smoking section”. After a little while someone two tables over lit up. TSP (impatiently) asked the waiter if we really were in the non-smoking section. He said, “Yes. These four tables are the non-smoking section.”
Lemons. This is really a sub-set of “food”, but TSP is a lemon junkie. It’s a serious problem she has. This is a bigger problem in Colombia where there are no lemons. There are at least four types of oranges, two different types of limes, and two different types of grapefruits. In addition to those, there are also a couple of different citrus fruits we don't recognize . In Colombia if you ask for a lemon (limón), you get a lime. In Argentina we were able to have lemons to our hearts content. We made lemonade, bought lemon meringue pie and squeezed lemon into our water. We even brought home a big bag that we zested and juiced when we got home. Pathetic, I know.
Public Transportation. After five years in Boston and six months in Washington, we got quite used to using public transportation. We cannot use the transit system, in Colombia, because of security concerns. In Argentina, we were able to hail taxis on the street and hop on the subway whenever we wanted to. The A line in Buenos Aires still has some original trains from the early 2oth century, as well as, a few original stations. The doors, on the original trains, don’t automatically close, so AJP spent a good deal of time freaking out saying, "Mom, the doors are open. We will fall out". We were not even close to the doors! I guess all of our threatening on other trains about sitting down and being careful worked against us this time.
Sight Seeing. We went to the zoo, where we bought special food to feed the animals. We spent a lot of time throwing food at eagerly waiting animals. The first animals we fed were some ducks near a pond. We had plenty of food so these ducks were very congenial. However, more animals wanted to get into the act. While TSP was taking pictures of JTP and AJP feeding the ducks, some large rat/beaver animal came up to AJP. He was so petrified that he was actually speechless. He started pushing into his dad's legs but JTP was intent on the ducks that he just said, "AJP back up a bit, please". TSP was so busy with the camera that she did not see the animal either. Finally, TSP noticed the animal through lens and asked JTP to get AJP out of there. TSP also went with the kids to Recoleta cemetery (where Eva Peron is buried) -- photo above -- and the Japanese gardens. TSP thought the Recoleta cemetery was incredible. It is much different than a cemetery she is used to in the U.S. Most of the tombs look like the photo but usually not as grandiose. TSP had read in a guide book that the cemetery was really kid-friendly so she told AJP. He was super excited because he was expecting something like the zoo or a kid's museum. He was very disappointed when we got there and all we did was walk around. He said to TSP on the way out of the cemetery, "Mom, that was not kid-friendly that was adult-friendly." In the Japanese gardens, we bought fish food to feed the carp in the ponds. One unfortunate side effect was that the ducks want to eat the food also. After all of our food was gone, one duck was convinced we still needed to give him some food. Without any food, the duck decided to charge and started to chase AJP . As AJP ran behind TSP with the duck coming at him full speed, she got the bright idea to make them look bigger so she pushed the double stroller at the duck. The duck was unafraid and TSP realized that her other child was asleep in the stroller. Finally, TSP said, "AJP run, run, run". All survived with out any injury. We also got a horse drawn carriage ride through the city. One of the best things we did was to go on a bus tour of the city. We were able to see a lot of this great city. We went to the Boca neighborhood. It's a traditionally poorer neighborhood that is kind of bohemian now. One of the highlights of this stop was seeing the stadium where Boca Juniors play. Outside the stadium as it was getting dark, TSP saw a street vendor selling paintings. They were about $15 for two so she bought them. They next day in the morning light, she realized she had bought some color copies!
Seasons. Since it is always spring in Bogotá, it was nice to have some change. Of course, maybe summer would have been nicer than winter, but you take what you get. When we went to the zoo the first full day we were all there and had to buy the kids hats and gloves because it was so cold.
World Cup. When we were in Buenos Aires the Cup started up. The visa applicants would be watching games in the waiting area. The embassy essentially closed so that employees could watch a game. We were out one evening and got back to the apartment during the game. As we left the station Argentina scored a goal. The whole city exploded. It was like being in Boston when our beloved Red Sox won the World Series, but bigger. Too bad the hometown team didn’t win this one. (We can claim Argentina because Colombia failed to qualify for the Cup.)
Ford Falcons. For some reason there were tons of these all over the city. Pretty cool looking cars.
Security. Although we love Colombia, the security concerns can wear on you. When TSP flew in she came to the embassy. JTP went out to greet here and the first words she said were, “Where are the guns?” We had become a little desensitized and really did need a break. It was nice to not always look over our shoulders (of course we still did, but we didn’t need to).
Buenos Aires is a world class city and we are grateful we were able to go there. Since we haven’t gone back to Spain yet, this is the closest we think we’ll get for a while. Now we know why so many people fall in love with Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Food. The food in Argentina is great. We were able to go to great restaurants that were affordable. There was also a great bakery right down the street (as well as a number of other bakeries that we were able to find) where we would get medialunas (a sort of croissant). they had sweet and savory medialunas. TSP and the kids would often go and get them as our afternoon snack. The most common food seemed to beef. TSP went to the grocery store and was shocked when the beef section was three, maybe four, times as big as the chicken and pork section! We loved the empanadas. They are wonderful little pastries with a meat fillling. Overall, food was great in Buenos Aires. There was one funny eating out story. We went for pizza and asked for the “non-smoking section”. After a little while someone two tables over lit up. TSP (impatiently) asked the waiter if we really were in the non-smoking section. He said, “Yes. These four tables are the non-smoking section.”
Lemons. This is really a sub-set of “food”, but TSP is a lemon junkie. It’s a serious problem she has. This is a bigger problem in Colombia where there are no lemons. There are at least four types of oranges, two different types of limes, and two different types of grapefruits. In addition to those, there are also a couple of different citrus fruits we don't recognize . In Colombia if you ask for a lemon (limón), you get a lime. In Argentina we were able to have lemons to our hearts content. We made lemonade, bought lemon meringue pie and squeezed lemon into our water. We even brought home a big bag that we zested and juiced when we got home. Pathetic, I know.
Public Transportation. After five years in Boston and six months in Washington, we got quite used to using public transportation. We cannot use the transit system, in Colombia, because of security concerns. In Argentina, we were able to hail taxis on the street and hop on the subway whenever we wanted to. The A line in Buenos Aires still has some original trains from the early 2oth century, as well as, a few original stations. The doors, on the original trains, don’t automatically close, so AJP spent a good deal of time freaking out saying, "Mom, the doors are open. We will fall out". We were not even close to the doors! I guess all of our threatening on other trains about sitting down and being careful worked against us this time.
Sight Seeing. We went to the zoo, where we bought special food to feed the animals. We spent a lot of time throwing food at eagerly waiting animals. The first animals we fed were some ducks near a pond. We had plenty of food so these ducks were very congenial. However, more animals wanted to get into the act. While TSP was taking pictures of JTP and AJP feeding the ducks, some large rat/beaver animal came up to AJP. He was so petrified that he was actually speechless. He started pushing into his dad's legs but JTP was intent on the ducks that he just said, "AJP back up a bit, please". TSP was so busy with the camera that she did not see the animal either. Finally, TSP noticed the animal through lens and asked JTP to get AJP out of there. TSP also went with the kids to Recoleta cemetery (where Eva Peron is buried) -- photo above -- and the Japanese gardens. TSP thought the Recoleta cemetery was incredible. It is much different than a cemetery she is used to in the U.S. Most of the tombs look like the photo but usually not as grandiose. TSP had read in a guide book that the cemetery was really kid-friendly so she told AJP. He was super excited because he was expecting something like the zoo or a kid's museum. He was very disappointed when we got there and all we did was walk around. He said to TSP on the way out of the cemetery, "Mom, that was not kid-friendly that was adult-friendly." In the Japanese gardens, we bought fish food to feed the carp in the ponds. One unfortunate side effect was that the ducks want to eat the food also. After all of our food was gone, one duck was convinced we still needed to give him some food. Without any food, the duck decided to charge and started to chase AJP . As AJP ran behind TSP with the duck coming at him full speed, she got the bright idea to make them look bigger so she pushed the double stroller at the duck. The duck was unafraid and TSP realized that her other child was asleep in the stroller. Finally, TSP said, "AJP run, run, run". All survived with out any injury. We also got a horse drawn carriage ride through the city. One of the best things we did was to go on a bus tour of the city. We were able to see a lot of this great city. We went to the Boca neighborhood. It's a traditionally poorer neighborhood that is kind of bohemian now. One of the highlights of this stop was seeing the stadium where Boca Juniors play. Outside the stadium as it was getting dark, TSP saw a street vendor selling paintings. They were about $15 for two so she bought them. They next day in the morning light, she realized she had bought some color copies!
Seasons. Since it is always spring in Bogotá, it was nice to have some change. Of course, maybe summer would have been nicer than winter, but you take what you get. When we went to the zoo the first full day we were all there and had to buy the kids hats and gloves because it was so cold.
World Cup. When we were in Buenos Aires the Cup started up. The visa applicants would be watching games in the waiting area. The embassy essentially closed so that employees could watch a game. We were out one evening and got back to the apartment during the game. As we left the station Argentina scored a goal. The whole city exploded. It was like being in Boston when our beloved Red Sox won the World Series, but bigger. Too bad the hometown team didn’t win this one. (We can claim Argentina because Colombia failed to qualify for the Cup.)
Ford Falcons. For some reason there were tons of these all over the city. Pretty cool looking cars.
Security. Although we love Colombia, the security concerns can wear on you. When TSP flew in she came to the embassy. JTP went out to greet here and the first words she said were, “Where are the guns?” We had become a little desensitized and really did need a break. It was nice to not always look over our shoulders (of course we still did, but we didn’t need to).
Buenos Aires is a world class city and we are grateful we were able to go there. Since we haven’t gone back to Spain yet, this is the closest we think we’ll get for a while. Now we know why so many people fall in love with Buenos Aires, Argentina.
1 comment:
It's going to take a concerted effort on my part to believe AJP is really 5! He looks so big! I can hardly believe Her Nibs is almost 3. I hope we can get all the cousins together in the fall when you're state-side again.
Your trip sounds fabulous!
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