Hi everyone, here's what's going to be a long blog on what we've been doing in Buenos Aires:

We arrived on Monday at about 8:45 in the morning, after an overnight journey from La Falda. We've stayed at Kilca Hostel in the Monserrat neighbourhood of BA, a busy but local area, slightly removed from the tourism the Microcentro, but still with plenty going on. The hostel was really quiet, slightly arty and slightly rundown, but we were happy enough there. Upon arrival in BA we really noticed a drop in temperature! There's a real chill in the air, winter has definitely set in, and Jo and I walked the streets in hats and gloves. It's an awesome city though, with tall buildings lining wide avenues, huge plazas and loads of 'portenos' (locals) coming and going everywhere. Jo and I have really enjoyed its almost European vibe.

On the Monday we walked along Avenida 9 de Julio, which is supposed to be the widest street in the world. At its widest it is 16 lanes, but it looks much bigger with two parallel sidestreets. We took some pictures, including one of Jo under the 'Av. 9 de Julio' sign, and made our way to the road's centrepiece, a huge obelisk which stands in the centre of the road, 67 metres high. We also strolled around the Plaza del Congreso, near our hostel, home to the Palacio del Congreso, which is modelled on Washington's Capitol Building.

Tuesday was possibly our favourite day in BA, as we caught the Subte (underground metro) to the Palermo neighbourhood of the city. We wandered around the Palermo Soho area, doing a bit of window shopping. This area was full of cool boutique shops, quirky furniture and furnishings and designer clothes from both Argentina and abroad. All along the way were pretty cobbled stone streets, and it was much quieter and well-heeled than the city centre. Both Jo and I felt slightly underdressed! Beautiful buildings had been converted into the aforementioned shops, and others into cafes and restaurants with big windows perfect for watching the world go by. We really liked the area. We did a little souvenir shopping and I naughtily treated myself to a new jumper. There was a lot of walking involved that day, however, none more so than the walk from the shopping areas over to Palermo's parks and recreation spaces. As soon as we arrived at the Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays, we collapsed on a bench to eat our picnic lunch. It was a sedate little place, with an old chap asleep on the bench opposite ours and loads of feral cats, which were getting a lot of attention from locals. Over in this part of town, we also visited the Jardin Japones, a prettily cultivated garden with loads of pink cherry blossom trees, koi carp in the ponds and little bridges, platforms and waterfall.

On Wednesday we visited the unmistakeable La Boca area of the city, and its famous street, Caminito, where the houses had been painted vivid colours. The working-class residents, dockworkers and meat-packers, had splashed paint previously used to touch up shipping barges, all over the corrugated iron walls of their homes. This had ensured the area would become a big draw with tourists, and we had to dodge the street vendors and touts as we walked along the street. The different colours definitely made the street very cute and quirky. From here we made our way to 'La Bombanera' (literally, 'the chocolate box'), home of Boca Juniors, Argentina's most famous football club. Part of the stadium housed the 'Museo de la Pasion Boquense', which gave loads of information on the club's history, showcased the various football shirts worn by the stars over the years and displayed prominent trophy replicas they've won in glass cases. I enjoyed reminiscing about players I remember from Championship Manager in the 1990s whilst dragging Jo around! We also paid to tour around the stadium, looking out on to the pitch from the stand, peaking into the changing rooms, standing on the terraces and locating Maradona's box. We went out for dinner this evening in the vicinity of our hostel, obviously to a locals' favourite, as it was rammed! We had tasty steak, wine, chips and salad (our usual), this time for about 8 British pounds each!

Thursday was set aside for Microcentro, the city centre. But before that, we took a stroll around the relatively calm Puerto Madero. It was nice to walk along the waterfront (although it was very cold in the shade!), looking over the docks to posh apartments, offices and restaurants housed in brick former shipyard warehouses, and the city's important buildings and skyscrapers beyond. We walked past an old naval ship, now converted into an onboard museum, and a cool bridge. Microcentro was full of its usual hustle and bustle, especially along the pedestrianised Florida, where its almost difficult to walk because of the crowds! Along Florida, we stopped at the Galerias Pacifico, a beautiful shopping centre, both inside and out. The ceilings had murals painted in the 1950s, and alongside the designer shops was a fountain and food mall. It was all very ritzy and impressive. We also spent part of the afternoon in the Plaza de Mayo, the city's main square. It's surrounded by impressive buildings, including the pink Casa Rosada (housing the President's offices), the vividly white Cabildo, and a Greek temple-esque Cathedral. We got some cool photos looking down the city's main arteries from the square. We timed our visit to coincide with the protest march every Thursday at 3:30 of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, who have been campaigning incessantly since 1977 for the government to admit accountability for the Dirty War atrocities (their children being detained, tortured and killed, or still not accounted for) between 1976 and 1983. They were now wizened and small old ladies, characterised by their emblematic white headscarves, and holding aloft pictures of their children who had disappeared. It proved to be a thought-provoking and moving procession.

Yesterday, on our final full day, we went up to Recoleta in the morning, first dropping by the Recoleta Cemetery. It was huge, and we easily lost the crowds, apart from around Evita's grave. There was literally row upon row of sarcophagii, all dedicated to different families, like miniature houses for the dead. Like in Valparaiso, they were ornate affairs, but this time without the decay, and grander. Stained glass windows, towers and statues crowned the splendour. There was even a street sign down one 'street'! In the afternoon we headed southwards to the San Telmo neighbourhood, another part of the city we've really enjoyed. The area had cobbled streets again, and great buildings everytime you looked up, filled with quirky stores and antiques shops. We spent our time browsing the shops and buying postcards and books. In the evening we went back over to San Telmo for a tango show, at a place called Tocaneando. We had a really good deal where we got dinner and a show for around 25 pounds. The food wasn't the greatest, although the steak and chips made up for it, but the show was a fun spectacle. The tango band, made up of a violinist, pianist, accordion player and double bassist, were excellent, and definitely one of the highlights, all playing quick and intricate solos. We also had two singers, with one of them getting the audience to sing a line of his song. Jo and I didn't have a clue what we were supposed to sing! The dancing was probably the best bit, with quick choreographed moves, fancy footwork, slicked back/pinned up hair and sparkling outfits. It was a lot more skilled than I had imagined and really worth going to see. It was a late night for us though, and we didn't get to bed until about 1!

Whilst in BA, we've managed to make the most of it's great cafe culture as well. We've been to numerous places, many with very refined surroundings. Chandeliers, leather chairs and waiters in bow ties have perfectly complimented our coffees, hot chocolates and submarinos, and been a perfect place to get out of the cold. We also sampled Argentina's famous 'helado' (icecream), which has been very tasty. They're really creamy, and whole 'heladerias' (parlours) are turned over to their creation. They happen to be very generous with their portions too!

Today, we catch the bus overnight to Puerto Iguazu, in the north-east of the country. It's going to be our last stop in Argentina before we cross the border into Brazil on Tuesday.