From the Jungle to the Deep Freeze - Antarctica

 


Packing for 3 different locations and their weather forecasts:
87-90 in Buenos Aires
rainy and 34-48 in Ushuaia
19-27 in Antarctica.


I arrived in Buenos Aires on day two and treated myself to a guided tour of Teatro Colon, the magnificent opera house with perfect acoustics, opened originally in 1857 and restored to “white-marble glory” in the early 2000s. National Geographic rated it as one of the ten best opera houses in the world!
I wanted to see a performance, but the season had yet to begin.

The architectural style is best described as “Eclecticism” - a little bit of everything - French and Italian architecture, busts sculpted by Luigi Trinchero, detail reliefs adorning the walls, stunning frescoes, and incredible stained-glass ceilings and windows.

Brian and Vicki, my Wichita, Kansas peeps who traveled to Patagonia with me in 2016, surprised me when I arrived for the tour. It was great to travel together once again.





Lunch was on our own, so the three of us headed to Pizzeria Guerrin. Vicki was the researcher for restaurants, and Brian navigated. I knew not to object and tagged along agreeably. One garlic-scented whiff after we opened the door, we knew we had made the best decision. Empanadas, pizza crusts awaiting chosen toppings, and customers eating on the go packed the entrance.  



The only problem was too little cheese on our pizzas (haha). 
My four-cheese pizza ended up being two kinds of cheese when I deleted the gruyere and Roquefort, but they agreed to double the provolone and mozzarella.  





Day 3 provided more chances to explore Buenos Aires a second time for Brian, Vicki and me - some new and some revisited from 2016.


The Mosque

Neighborhood soccer stadium.
So timely that Argentina was still in the World Cup
and later won the championship!

Who knew tango performances were practiced
in such eclectic surroundings?



Return to La Boca and its colorful Bohemian districts







My first visit to the incredible Recoleta ornate cemetery and its marble mausoleums, intricate sculptures, and the Peron family burial.







 
This is actually a mausoleum, 
not a cathedral.


The Peron Family mausoleum.


I couldn't resist Broccolino's massive carbonara for lunch, complete with extra parmesan cheese and breadsticks for a family of at least five.














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