Itinerary Argentina November 2007

Argentina. Land of wine, delicious meals and even more delicious desserts. Una vaca por día, my husband says.

My husband Steve is receiving a one-month sabbatical from his company, eBay, to mark his 5-year anniversary. I never thought we would really use it to go on a huge trip like this. But we are, and next Tuesday (November 6th) we leave for Argentina. My in-laws, who have lived in Michigan for most of their adult lives, are originally from Buenos Aires. Before I met them, my knowledge of Argentina was strictly based on information received from Andrew Lloyd Webber.

So when Steve and originally spoke of going to Argentina for a month, this is what I had in mind: A castle in the middle of nowhere, wine, ducle de leche, learning Spanish, and of course, una vaca por día. But what has emerged is, for us, a true adventure. I have the snow jackets packed, the Dramamine, the computer and the international cell phones are ready. Our son is prepped to try a new school, and my husband promised me that he plans speak Spanish out loud (he understands it very well, but, he is a quiet one).

So here we go:

• 6-7 November 2007: In flight Arrive in Buenos Aires, American Airlines from San José, California via Dallas. Erin immediately heads to Freddo, the local ice cream chain.
• 8 November 2007: Buenos Aires, dinner with Steve’s grad school buddy Marcos
• 9 November 2007: Buenos Aires, dinner with family friends
• 10-16 November 2007: Mendoza, Wine Country
• 11 November 2007: Start Spanish classes: Intercultural. Francisco starts preschool in local “Jardín Infantíl”
• 16 November 2007: Leave for Bariloche and the Lake District, 1st real splurge: 1 night at the Llao Llao Hotel and Resort thanks to Steve
• 17 November 2007: Move in with host family
• 18-23 November 2007: Start classes at La Montaña, Francisco starts at local preschool
• 23-24 November 2007: El Calafate, Interior Patagonia and the Perito Moreno Glacier
• 25-27 November 2007: Trelew, Coastal Patagonia and with luck, Punta Tombo
• 28-30 November 2007: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego (to truly appreciate this, one needs to imagine my mother-in-law, collapsed on her kitchen floor in Michigan. As soon as she reads this, she will clutch her chest in desperation and cry, “Where are they taking my beloved grandson!”). Of note, she is actually from Argentina, but she is a big city, porteña girl.
• 1-6 December 2007: Buenos Aires
• 7-8 December 2007: Fly home to San José via Dallas
• 9 December 2007: Begin intensive training program to work off diet of ice cream, meat and red wine.

Recommended Reading

Frommer's Argentina

2nd Trip May/June 2006

At the end of May of 2006, Steve's Abuelita took suddenly ill and the three of us joined Steve's mom, Judy, in Buenos Aires. Martha Kotín de Bartha died May 27th holding the hands of her daughter and grandson. What seemed a sad and stressful trip at the time, has settled into a rich memory. I keep thinking of Judy's childhood confidants calling us (in our rented and tiny flat), full of warmth and support…the walk to the hospital for the twice-daily visiting hour…sitting in the waiting area, practicing my Spanish with our family friend Ester…taking Paco to our favorite park (and our favorite bakery for sandwiches de miga and alfajorcitos)…buying a huge bowl of ice cream (me encanta el helado de Argentina) only to have Steve and his friend Marcos say "oh, we don't want any" (then they ate it all)…having dinner with our friends Beatriz and Rolando (and Judy's Spanish becoming faster and more Argentine throughout the evening) …But of all, what I remember most fondly was the morning tradition of Paco (who slept crushed between us on a double bed), waking up with a start, sliding off the bed, marching out to Judy in the front room shouting "Aba, I eat now" and then the hushed, sweet sound of their daily breakfast chat in español.

My first trip to Argentina: September 2004

We traveled to Buenos Aires to visit Steve's maternal grandmother. Abuelita's first words (as we walked in to her room at the nursing home) were "I never thought you would come." All three of us had an extraordinary trip, thanks to the incredible hospitality of the friends of my in-laws: Marcelo & Marilú and Rolando & Beatriz. Marcelo hosted us generously, (including running into his neighborhood ice cream shop when he saw me trying to order with my hands). And Steve was more than happy to guide me through the city of his parent's youth. I fell in love with La Recoleta, El Rosedal, bife de lomo, empanadas, galletitas de membrillo, café cortado, but most of all, the Porteños themselves, each of whom had a smile and a welcome for our Francisco. And he, too, must remember the journey, because he still gets a joyous grin every time we say "Fran-see-ko" as the Porteños do.

Itinerary Coming!