Buenos Aires es Magnificio!

If you find me with a new address, don't be surprised. Buenos Aires
has absolutely captured my heart! From the warmth of the Portenos
(locals in Buenos Aires), to the quality (and price!) of the food,
this city has surpassed French Polynesia as perhaps my favorite place on earth.

To catch you up on the past two days, after arrival at the Esplendor
Palermo hotel in Palermo Soho, I will admit I succumbed to the local
habit of a siesta before going out for an absolutely incredible meal
at Sucre. Buenos Aires has a long history of Italian style and
preferences. As such, I searched out one of the fine Italian
restaurants for our first night here, and found Sucre. It didn't
disappoint in any way. From the quality of the service and food, to
the price, it's simply one of the finest Italian meals (in the true
Italian style, not Olive Garden quality) I've experienced. While
I've had more sublime meals in Italy itself, the price here, at about
$35/person, including wine, makes this a meal worth remembering and
repeating.

I arrived at about 8:30PM, unfashionably early by Buenos Aires standards,
but absolutely necessary in order to make a 10:30PM Tango show. We
were almost the first there, with the only other patrons also
Americanos. However, by 9:00PM, the restaurant was filling up. They
definitely accommodated Americans nicely, with an English menu, but
by no means was our experience an Anglicized one. As with most of
Buenos Aires, a few words of Spanish goes a long way toward improving
the experience.

Next up was Tango Carlos Gardel. Carlos Gardel is one of the
historical figures in Argentine Tango, as one of the premiere singers
in the 40s, 50s and 60s. His namesake theatre is beautiful. You can
have dinner there as well, and by all reports it's one of the best
combination dinners and shows, but I opted instead to book just the
show, arriving at 10:30PM. While you're seated at the back of the
theatre, the view is fabulous and comfortable, and you're served both
water and the wine (or other beverage) of your choice. The show is
extremely memorable, and went a long way toward touching my heart and
soul and connecting me firmly with this extraordinary city and its
people. I was afraid a Tango show would be too touristic and
kitschy, but as promised by several local experts, this show was more
authentic than several others (which are often described as
"Hollywood style") and gave me insight into the Argentine rhythm.

Consisting of 5 sets of dancers, 2 primary dancers, 2 singers and an
orchestra, this 90 minute show never lagged and was well paced
showing the progression of Tango from its origins early in the 20th
Century. I highly recommend it! Again, I have to compliment the
assistance of Wow! Argentina, as our reserved seats were smack dab in
the center.

Back to the hotel and caught the end of the Boca y River Football
match, one of the chief rivalries in Argentina soccer, with the
hotel staff. Again, the joys of a Boutique hotel experience.

After sleeping in, was off to San Telmo for the traditional Sunday
afternoon Antiques Market and street fair. Tango bands, tango street
dancers and lots and lots of stalls offering everything from
handicrafts to moderate value antiques were found. Mostly, it was
about experiencing what Portenos do on a Sunday afternoon rather than
purchasing.

On the way I passed the Recoletto crafts fair. Next time, if I'm
here on a Saturday or Sunday, I'll head back there. Looked interesting!

Back to Palermo for a lunch experience of sushi, much assisted by a
friendly couple at the table next door who filled in my gaps in
knowledge of Spanish food terms and ordering correctly. This is
exactly the joy of experiencing a city as a traveler, rather than a
tourist. Again, the restaurant staff spoke not a word of English,
but communication was easily achieved and a lovely, quality, light
lunch at an affordable price was obtained.

Tonight was the classic Argentine experience of a Parilla (pronounced
Parisha as the Argentines admittedly speak Spanish their own way and
lla is not "ya", but "sha"), or grill house at La Cabrera, one of the
highest rated steak houses in the city. Bring your appetite, as the
beef is amazing, and the side dishes more than ample. I started with
an appetizer of Proveleta (fried provolone with herbs - sounds odd
but is amazing), a bottle of local Malbec (red) wine and sparkling
water. The waiter provided recommendations easily, but in
Spanish. Followed up by an enormous portion of Bife de Chorizo
(sirloin strip) and finished with Espresso and a glass of Proseco
(Italian sparkling wine), the meal was perfect and just over
$40/person. Have to love this city! The sirloin itself was about
$15, and a smaller portion (which I recommend, as the full size is
simply too much) was only $12. See why I could move here?

The table next to us was an American college group on an experience
for a philosophy course. They seemed just as impressed and
overwhelmed by the food (and quantity!) as did I. This restaurant
would also be perfect for just an appetizer of the Proveleta and a
cold antipasto plate or salad - more than filling!

Back to the hotel much "lubricated" on Argentine wine, and off to bed
soon. But sharing this joy and experience while still in the moment
is important to your understanding of why you want to spend at least
a couple nights here pre- or post-cruise and get out into the neighborhoods.

Tomorrow it's off to the Leather Markets, a short rest at the hotel,
then out to the airport for a late night flight. Most international
flights to the US and Canada leave very late at night, so if staying
at a smaller hotel such as this, it's worth it to arrange a half day
room if possible to allow you to shower and rest before leaving for
the airport. It all depends on availability, but will make the
flight home more comfortable being fresh and rested after a day of
shopping. It's costing me about $80, but I'd say that's worth
it. You may choose otherwise, and most hotels are happy to store
your luggage for you from their regular check-out time until you
leave for the airport. Just another factor to consider as you make
your plans for Buenos Aires.

Probably won't be in touch again until I arrive home to Denver and
give you the final details, then one last post in this series on last
thoughts, on the ship, itinerary and other considerations when
planning a journey like this.

Of course, if you don't hear from me for a few extra days with the
wrap-up, don't worry - I'm likely just overwhelmed with clients who
have been awaiting my return. Of course, it may be possible I simply
couldn't bear to board the flight and instead am investigating
long-term rentals in Buenos Aires and how to forward my toll-free
line down here!

Things Always Change

You've probably figured out by now that I'm a rather thorough
planner. Just my nature. However, for me planning isn't about
having a rigid schedule, but instead feeling comfortable with the
choices I've made, along with knowing the other options when the
inevitable glitches occur. With travel, it's not if something
unexpected happens, but when and how often. Planning can minimize
their occurrence, and also the impact.

Yesterday was Montevideo. Another glorious day, mid 70s, fair with a
bit of wind (at least a bit at the start, but we'll get to
that). Unfortunately, all night long I'd had a bad night, feeling
like I was catching something, and when I awakened, felt I would be
far better off and wiser to stay on board rather than go on my
planned tour. Phooey! However, the rest of the group went on to the
excursion, a City Tour and Vineyard Visit booked independently
through Port Compass. The information here is based on what they
told me when they returned.

The tour left at 8:30AM, which was perfect. Not immediately after
docking, but still early enough that on the City Tour portion, they
beat all the Princess (and Oceania) busses to the locales and had
them to themselves. The group was 10 people, all from
Princess. After the very informative City Tour with a guide they all
adored, they headed out to a fairly new vineyard not too far from
town. The reports were of excellent, though young wine, nice short
tour, and lots of tasting (and of course opportunity to purchase).

They returned to the ship around 2:30PM, with plenty of time to head
back into town for shopping or further visiting if they wanted to
after their return. The evaluation of the tour was uniformly
positive with glowing references, and I'm looking forward to being
able to take it next year when I return.

Last night onboard the ship. Always melancholy, but after 16 nights
of such a monumental, emotional trip, there's also some anticipation
to be starting the homeward process. Okay, and a bit of relief at
leaving Princess beds behind. Even with an egg crate topper, these
are still some of the hardest beds around. Sorry, Princess, but you
really need to pay attention to what your sister companies have done
with their bedding.

There were the inevitable lines to pick up the trip DVDs (which
turned out FABULOUSLY! For those of you on the February sailing,
don't even wait, just go ahead and order yours immediately), and
those last night formal pictures, etc.

Speaking of pictures, there's one truly outstanding photographer
onboard. If you can, go to him for your photos. He is in his early
20s, dark curly hair and a bit of a beard. His Latin name suddenly
escapes me, but he's the only one who even comes close to matching
that description. Also, the tall thin blonde woman with the short
hair. She moves with the grace of a cat and she also does an
excellent job of making sure you get the best results.

Because of the very tight customs rules in Buenos Aires, all luggage
is requested to be out by 10PM, and their preference and strong
request is that the majority be out around 5:30PM. They're serious
about this. No waiting until 1-2AM on this itinerary. So be
forewarned, you may want to pack at least your warmer layers on the
last sea day, as you won't have much time between your return in
Montevideo and the last dinner.

Now about the real flexibility necessity. We had amazing weather the
entire sailing, but our last two ports, Punta Arenas and Montevideo,
along with this morning trying to disembark in Buenos Aires, the wind
kept trying to play tricks on us.

Star Princess is an extremely tall ship, and in higher winds,
depending on their direction, she does have an enormous sail effect,
getting blown about a bit, even when the seas aren't terribly
bad. If the wind comes from a particular quarter, it can play
havoc. In Punta Arenas, it was making it difficult to raise the last
two tenders, requiring assistance from a local tug. As we departed
Montevideo, Gale Force winds keeled us over a bit probably about 15
degrees off vertical plane. Nothing where you got panicked, but
definitely got your attention especially if you were standing up. A
few items slid around on tables and such, but nothing serious, and we
righted ourselves immediately, just as she's designed to do. A few
more lesser rolls and we got out of the wind and turned a bit to
avoid further unusual tilting.

This morning as we came up the river into Buenos Aires, the winds
tried to get us again. We had to anchor downstream a bit for a few
hours. Wow, the sunrise this morning was spectacular outside my window!

At 7AM (when we were actually due to arrive in Buenos Aires), there
were Force 8 winds whipping around, and because of the narrow
channel, the Captain came on and said he and Pilot felt it would be
safer to remain at anchor until they died down. About 7:30, the
winds finally calmed, and we proceeded up river again, arriving at
our berth a little over 3 hours late at 10:15AM.

Disembarkation of a ship this size is always a bit time consuming,
but when you have this type of delay, and an entirely manual system
of luggage unloading, it can take a bit of patience. Fortunately for
most, flights to the US and Canada generally leave late in the
evening, and most people on those flights had Princess tours or were
going to the courtesy hotel, so no problem there, just a bit of a
delay. Some flights which connect in Latin American countries, such
as Mexico, leave mid-afternoon, but even then the passengers were in
pretty good shape. The Purser's office worked hard to help everyone
get taken care of, even pro-actively calling some passengers. I'd
say that portion of it was extremely well handled.

We were in one of the last groups to disembark, as I'm staying 2 more
nights in Buenos Aires to enjoy this wonderful, beautiful city. Once
off the ship at about noon, it was another 45 minutes before our
luggage was unloaded and in the hall. A bit unorganized, but as the
majority of passengers' luggage had been taken directly to
post-cruise hotels or the airport, it wasn't unmanageable. But
again, patience is the key.

I had arranged a private vehicle to pick me up and transfer me to my
hotel in the Palermo Soho area of Buenos Aires. I'd been concerned
about the taxi situation with three ships disembarking at the same
time. Since we were delayed, I think it would have been okay to have
the taxi, but it was such a relief to have the driver awaiting me
outside the luggage hall. A very pleasant driver arranged by WOW!
Argentina travel agency again, the same agency which had taken care
of my arrangements (and changes necessitated by the flight
cancellation at the beginning of this trip) up to Iguazu Falls. When
they learned about the ship delay, they called my cell phone to
inform me that they'd arranged for the driver to pick me up later,
though he still had to wait a bit before we got through
disembarkation. Let me tell you, I'm truly impressed with the
service from this local company, and will be referring them in the
future for this type of local arrangement. They take care of their
customers and are great for the local aspects. While I am a travel
agent, my job isn't to try to book every little detail for my clients
myself; it's sometimes better to know when to hand off the
arrangements to be co-op arranged with a local expert. This is one
such case. It would have been much more stress this morning trying
to contact a private driver without their assistance. And yes, even
on a weekend they're available and pleasant.

The Palermo Soho neighborhood is charming. Tree-lined residential
streets with boutique hotels scattered on the blocks. A few blocks
away is a trendy restaurant and shopping area I'm looking forward to
checking out. I'm staying at the Esplendor Palermo, part of a small
chain of hotels in Buenos Aires. This one just opened up about 3
months ago and has that "new hotel" smell to it. My room is large
and comfortable, with a lovely view out to the trees and across the
rooftops (with several rooftop gardens). Very nice! The bathroom
arrangement is a bit quirky, but that's part of the fun of staying in
Boutique hotels. It's nice to spend the pre-cruise downtown (though
I didn't get as much time there as expected due to the flight
cancellation) and post-cruise somewhere a bit different to get the
flavor of this city.

After visiting the ATM for some more Argentine Pesos (I always
recommend this as the best way to get cash in almost every country),
had lunch at a very locals' pizza parlor on the way back to the
hotel. Not a word of English spoken by any of the staff, nor on the
menu. Fabulous! It was deep dish pizza at its best. Simple,
perfectly done, yummy. Got a bit of assistance from a couple other
patrons in deciphering the menu (young people are usually good
candidates to ask if they speak English), and the rest of the process
was easy. Universal point and smile always works well. The
restaurant has been around since 1942, and is obviously a very
popular lunch place with the neighborhood. I couldn't have chosen better.

Tonight it's off to Tango Carlos Gardel, one of the well-established
and revered tango shows in Buenos Aires. Opted for just the show,
not dinner, so will eat unfashionably early (or extremely late) as
the show starts at 9.

I can't sign off for today without a quick comment about the
Champagne Waterfall on the final formal night. In my past
experiences with Princess, this has been a rather boring affair, just
watching everyone get their picture taken pouring the champagne into
the glasses and awaiting your glass of the bubbly to be brought
around. In an example of the excellent Cruise Director staff
onboard, this turned out to be one of the highlights of the
cruise. They had the most popular entertainer onboard, Maurizio,
playing the piano while they assembled the glass pyramid, then spun
dance tunes as soon as the champagne started flowing. Three decks of
dance party. There were several of the wait staff dancing on the
stairs and the Cruise Director staff were front and center dancing up
a storm to keep us all going.

Several nights this cruise the atrium and the upper decks surrounding
it turned into quite the lively late night scene. Basically, any
time Maurizio played there, the dancing crowd arrived and had a
wonderful time. I do hope this is something Princess is adopting
fleet-wide, as it makes the Champagne Waterfall the signature event
of the cruise it's intended to be, instead of something which
visually is stunning and is an assembling feat on a moving ship, but
otherwise is usually rather ho hum. Well done!

Will report tomorrow on the Tango and Sunday at the antiques market
in San Telmo. We're winding down, but still not home yet. Keep reading!