BA & Buh-bye South America!

So, my visit to Buenos Aires was actually a really disjointed one which I have amalgamated into a single blog post as my final entry for Argentina, as well as for South America (I KNOW, I can't believe it!!). I spent some time in this big city in between the trips to Mendoza, Iguazu and Uruguay. It's a great jumping off point for all these destinations. I don't necessarily feel that I got the best exposure to BA due to the scattered trips, but I saw some great things and really tried to make the most of it.
The first day I spent walking around with Jeff! The person lucky enough to reunite with me so many times on my SA journey We hit up Palermo for lunch and then onto the theatre turned bookstore, El Alteneo Grand Splendid. I couldn't decide if I thought the abundance of books or the store itself was more beautiful!!

Our next stop was Recoleta and the cemetery of BA. Which is amazing of course, don't get me wrong. I just couldn't help comparing it to Santiago. I'll just give you my favourite pictures and you can decide for yourself what you think...

(The last picture is the green space outside of the cemetery itself)

The cemetery is quite large so Jeff and I weren't 100% sure how we'd find Evitas grave (First lady, actress, activist.. "don't cry for me Argentina"). Then we realized we just had to follow the crowds of people!...

We ended our day together with a walk back to the hostel, stopping for pictures with the BA sign along the way..

On the next stop in BA I reunited again with Jeff (see what I mean about how lucky he is ) as well as Grace and Charlotte, the other half of our Bob Squad from Bolivia. We spent Jeff's last day in South America (and our last Bob squad day) at a tango show. It started out a little rough because the bus was late but we just passed the time waiting together on the hostel couch...

Then we were seated in the corner and had to suffer through some particularly poor wine. Despite the fancy tastings and the amount of wine I've had lately, I am still by no means a wine snob. Buuuuut this wine really did suck. Saving grace was the unlimited consumption of said wine and the dinner was pretty decent.

And then, the show itself completely redeemed the evening. They provided great displays of tango styles through the years, the dancers were incredibly skilled and I was mesmerized (except for necessary bathroom breaks from the previously mentioned bottomless wine).

It ended up being a great final night for the Bob squad after all.

So lastly, my final time spent in BA, I joined a walking tour in San Telmo and the Centro area. San Telmo is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires. We walked along streets that feature some popular Argentinian cartoon characters..

Found the city's smallest house..

Then got a little bit of history of the city, visited two of the largest churches, and beautiful streets around Centro that remind me of Europe for sure..

We finished the tour at Plaza de Mayo..

And after returning to the hostel, I had finished my touring in South America.
As with Uruguay, I'm going to skip my typical list of Argentinian favourites. Between mountains, natural beauty, wine, beaches, etc. it's really fairly similar to other countries. Instead I will opt for a list of my favourite things from two and half months in South America:
- Natural beauty is all around- No matter the country, you don't have to go very far on this amazing continent to find something in nature that will completely blow you away.
- Culture- each country is full of unique and beautiful cultures to experience. I love my country and I love living in Canada but the rich histories and extensive cultures of South America are wonders to discover.
- People- I've found South American's on the whole to be so much more friendly than I expected and so interesting to spend time with. Every country has their differences of course but I have also enjoyed the things that make them similar.. Intense, passionate individuals who are fiercely proud of their countries and their cultures.
- Tourist experience- Now don't get me wrong.. I love each and every one of you who have continued to read my blog, keep in contact with me on my trip, send me messages, contact on Facebook, what's app, Instagram, snapchat, etc. But I've heard about 1001 times to 'be careful' or 'be safe' and so many warnings had me nervous to begin travelling around SA for two months largely by myself. Which was something I have been pleased to find was fairly exaggerated! I'm not negating the importance of smart decisions and common sense, and I believe that I have those and have maintained it throughout the trip. But everywhere that I have been so far has been very tourist friendly, very safe (with the appropriate precautions), and just a great place to be!
This is truly the trip of a lifetime and I'm so lucky to be here. While I am sad to go, I am also extremely excited for the next chapter.. To see my Mom!! And spend time in Central America!

"I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility" - Jon Krakauer