Road Trip: May 20 - June 20, 2025

How time flies.

It’s been a year since I’ve posted anything on this blog.

I’ve taken a couple of fun road trips this past year, and started writing about them, but never finished and never posted. So, let’s begin with Road Trip #1 of 2025.

West of Cheyenne WY on I-80

May 20 – June 20, 2025 (32 days) | 3,463 miles

The scattered rain and chilly morning felt refreshing as I crossed into Wyoming, but only briefly. The winds soon arrived. I’ve never been to Wyoming when it hasn’t been windy. Does it ever stop?

Zipping along I-80 while gusts clocked in around 30 mph, I practically blew through Rock Springs and Laramie before landing in Cheyenne for my first overnight stop. 

Bella 

I had ambitious plans: The Cheyenne Botanical Gardens, the State Capitol Building, Curt Gowdy State Park, and of course, finding some good BBQ, but the wind and rain thwarted everything. I stayed holed up in my hotel room instead, watching TV and eating my entire stash of road trip snacks for dinner.

The next morning, I dropped down into Colorado and stopped to stretch my legs at PoudreTrail in Greeley. It was a pretty place for birdwatching, except for a suspicious-looking guy hanging around. I kept my knife handy, stayed close to the parking lot, and made it a very short nature walk.

Bella! 

I finally arrived at my best friend Christy’s house and went straight in for a hug with her dog. Priorities. I adore that little fluff ball. I hadn’t seen Bella (or Christy) since January 2024, when I dog-sat while Christy went on a cruise. Of course, that’s when Colorado had some of its worst weather with temperatures plunging into the negative. There’s nothing like bundling up a tiny dog to take outside to poop while an arctic blast freezes us both in mid step. I felt so bad for taking her out in such horrific conditions, that I figured she could poop on Christy's carpet, and I'd clean it up later. But being the good girl that she is, she never did.

A Royal Evening with Dr. Hawass and Christy

Anyway... Christy and I had tickets for a lecture the following evening to hear Dr. Zahi Hawass speak, a big name in Egyptian archaeology, and often touted as a “real-life Indiana Jones”. We were thrilled, but sadly, our Royal Evening with the renowned Dr. Hawass was less than royal.

Our tickets were a painful $239 each. The “upgrade” got us maybe five rows closer, but we could’ve seen and heard just fine from the cheap seats. He flipped through his PowerPoint photos so quick that I missed half of them, and the images I did see, I had no idea what they were of because he was either talking too fast (in his heavy Egyptian accent that I had trouble understanding) or wasn’t taking the time to explain them at all.

The book signing afterward was chaotic, and the books themselves were pricey. Neither of us bought any books, but we stood in line anyway just to meet him. Except, he wasn’t doing a meet-and-greet. Just signing. There was a preshow VIP meet-and-greet lasting between 30-45 minutes, but those tickets were about $795 each!

Riding the carousel at the Denver Zoo

The line moved speedy-quick and when it was our turn, we were swiftly ushered behind Dr. Hawass for a photo (taken with my cellphone) while he continued signing books for the couple who had gone before us. Not once did he look up to say hello or even acknowledge us. I kept waiting, but nope. The photos were taken before I realized what was happening, resulting in a series of blurry images where I’m looking everywhere except at the camera. #ugh.

Day 4 of my road trip started with a visit to the Denver Zoo with Christy. Somewhere along our 4+ mile walk through the zoo, we rode a carousel. I’ve ridden carousels before, but not in years. Probably not since I was a kid but riding one was on my 56 x 57 list – 56 things I wanted to do before my 57^th birthday. I was able to get that activity checked off. Thanks Christy!

The next morning, I said goodbye to my friend and pointed my truck south on I-83, but I didn’t get very far.

Castlewood Canyon
State Park

Less than a ½ hour after leaving Christy's house, I pulled into Castlewood Canyon State Park in Franktown, a spontaneous stop that turned out to be a highlight. The park protects more than 2,000 acres of Colorado’s Black Forest region with elevations ranging from 6,200 to 6,600 feet.

I wasn’t dressed for hiking, but it didn’t stop me from wandering. I took a short walk along the East Canyon Trail and then along a paved path. About 100 bird species have been recorded in the park, and while I didn’t see that many, I was able to check off two new birds in my bird book - a Pygmy Nuthatch, and a Plumbeous Vireo.

Castlewood delayed my original plan to visit Garden of the Gods, but I headed there next anyway. I arrived about 1 pm and immediately regretted it. The place was packed. My weather app claimed it was only 73 degrees, but it felt much hotter. I decided Garden of the Gods deserved a better visit with me in a better mood, so I kept driving.

That night I stayed in a less than luxurious Super 8 motel in Trinidad near Colorado’s southern border. I fell asleep fully expecting my truck to be stolen or broken into during the night, but the next morning, she was still there, as was all my stuff that I'd crammed inside of her.

Maxwell NWR, New Mexico

I was back on the road by 7:20 am, heading further south, but with no real destination in mind. About an hour later, I made another impromptu stop at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge in Maxwell, New Mexico. I added another new bird to my list – a Lark Bunting – along with sightings of Horned Larks, Eastern Kingbirds, and a Northern Mockingbird, which I’d seen only once before.

By lunchtime, I was craving Mexican food. In Las Vegas, NM, I searched and searched, but most places were closed as it was Sunday of Memorial Day weekend or looked sketchy enough that I wasn’t willing to risk food poisoning (or perhaps a kidnapping by a cartel). I finally settled on a small, local diner where it was immediately clear I was an outsider.

Two Swallows Tattoo

People who arrived after me were served first. My club sandwich came out minus the fries, which they’d apparently run out of and had to make a new batch, but other plates had fries, so who knows? The food was mediocre, and the service sucked. Nearly everyone who worked there or who came in to eat, looked like parolees, and after working law enforcement for 26 ½ years, that made me a bit uncomfortable. I paid the bill, ate quickly, although I had a long wait before my fries finally arrived, and headed back to my truck, once again expecting it to be gone.

I usually seek out mom-and-pop diners when I travel, preferring to support local establishments over fast-food chains, but in hindsight, McDonalds might have been the better choice.

Originally, I planned to head west to Santa Fe to check out the art scene, then down to Alburquerque for more sightseeing, and then eventually to Bosque del Apache NWR for more birdwatching, but I had a calling. A calling to turn southeast and head towards Roswell. 

I’d passed through this part of New Mexico during the pandemic, but never actually made it as far as Roswell. Everything was closed back then, including the International UFO Museum and Research Center. This time though, it was open.

The International UFO Museum and Research Center, Roswell, NM

Believe in aliens and UFOs or not, the museum is worth a stop. If you’re skeptical, take time to read through the volumes of witness accounts about the 1947 “weather balloon” crash and stories of alien abductions. You might still leave unconvinced, or you might start looking at the sky a little differently like I did (and still do).

My tattoo

After the museum, I wandered through the town in 80+ degree heat, buying postcards and souvenirs, but there was one souvenir I wanted, and had been wanting for a few years. One that was a little more permanent.

I had a design in mind when I walked into Two Swallows Tattoo, but after flipping through their flash art, I chose something completely different. Jessie, my tattoo artist, has been an artist her whole life, but tattooing for only about five years. I couldn’t be happier with her work.

And yes – I got a UFO tattoo in Roswell, a town famous for a UFO crash. Does anyone else find that as amusing as me? If that’s not a better souvenir than a refrigerator magnet (although I bought one of those too), I don’t know what is. I still laugh every time I look at it, and I suppose a return trip to Roswell to attend Alien Con is inevitable, if not just to get another tattoo.

From Roswell, the miles started stacking up. I spent a night in Alamogordo, NM then crossed into Arizona for lunch in Tombstone at the Longhorn Restaurant. It was 101 degrees, far too hot for a walkabout in the desert. The Courthouse Museum was about all I could manage.

Next stop: Tucson, where I stayed two nights at My Place Hotel – a great base for exploring Saguaro National Park. I’d never seen saguaro cacti in bloom before, and it was stunning (see photos below). Even better, I added two new birds to my list: a White-winged Dove and a Pyrrhuloxia, a gray toned cardinal found only in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts.

Mom

On Day 10 of my road trip, I arrived in San Diego, where I quietly celebrated my mom’s 80^th birthday. We visited La Jolla Cove, Santee Lakes, Balboa Park, and a few other touristy areas that neither of us had been to in a while. She even tried sushi for the first time. She didn’t like it though. What was to be a short visit with my mom turned into nearly three weeks before I finally began my journey home.

Traveling is my jam. 

I’m always grateful for the miles, the detours, the exciting sights along the way, even for the wind and rain, because they add to the story of my life, a story that only a road trip can deliver. 

Probably not the best story to come out of this trip, however, was after I got home, I accidentally deleted about 200 of my photos before I’d uploaded them! #ugh!

To see more of my photos visit me on Instagram or visit my Facebook page. And, as always, thank you for sharing in my journey. 

A White-winged Dove on a Saguaro

Saguaro cactus in bloom

Northern Mockingbird, Maxwell NWR, New Mexico

¡Bienvenidos a Buenos Aires! Fin.

 The End. 

Day Sixteen

Maybe it was last night’s cheap wine, but I woke up with a headache. It was a lazy morning, and I didn’t leave the apartment until almost 1pm. I went on a search for souvenirs. In all my daily outings, I hadn’t seen many souvenir shops, most were other businesses that sold a few trinkets on the side, but I was looking for something other than the usual magnets and postcards.

I Googled a few places, but none of them had what I was looking for. I wanted something Christmasy for my mom as she collects Snowmen and Santas. I also wanted to find a wood sculpture of a bird or something Argentine-related that I could decorate my apartment with. I followed my GPS back to Alto Palermo mall to a kiosk that had ‘Christmas’ in their name, but they sold nothing related to the holiday.

The energy of the city was very hectic today, but that might have been just my energy because I was almost hit by a bus! I was crossing the street, and the bus was making a wide right turn. Luckily, I stopped, otherwise I would have walked into the side of it. I’m surprised that more people don’t get run over as drivers don’t bother to stop or even slow down when pedestrians are in a designated crosswalk.

After walking about 5 miles in a fruitless search, I finally found a Christmas store less than a mile from my apartment. I bought two small wooden figurines for my mom, but when I got back to the apartment and read the label, they were made in China!

A Messi mural by artist 
Maxi Banasco.

Day Seventeen

After a twenty-minute walk to Dulce de Leche & Company to buy alfajores and a jar of dulce de leche to make my own alfajores when I return home, I went in search of a cafe. I stayed within my neighborhood, but most of the outside tables were taken. The only ones available were in direct sunlight and it was 80-degrees. Much too hot to sit in the sun and it was also during peak lunch time (around 2pm) so everything was full. 

By now, I was getting cranky as I was tired from lack of sleep due to my noisy neighbors and the sun just seemed hotter than usual, so I picked up some empanadas from Brozziano’s and returned to my air-conditioned apartment.

My time in Buenos Aires has been very slow and on the verge of being lazy, but now that I have less than a week left, I feel the need to fill my remaining days with activity. I took a cool shower and laid down for a nap with plans to go out for dinner, but I neither napped nor went back out.

That night, I opened the door to the balcony and let the cool air flow through. While lying in bed, I could hear the life of the city, and it was wonderful. It was 10pm, and I heard people in the neighboring apartments talking and laughing while kids played, dishes clanking as dinner ended, and in the distance traffic hummed. I felt connected and very much present.

 Day Eighteen

Feria de Recoleta bazaar

Instead of walking the 2.5 miles from my apartment to Museo Nacional de Bellas Arte, I took an Uber. For the 15-minute drive, it cost around $4 usd. I think I tipped the driver more than what the trip cost. 

Across the street from the museum, was Feria de Recoleta, an open-air bazaar with handmade arts & crafts. I had read about it online and that it was popular with tourists, so I strolled through the booths, marveling at everyone’s creativity.

I bought a black and white photo of Café Tortoni (which is where I had drinks with Ale on my 3^rd day here) taken by a photographer named Sebastian. I tried to talk to him a little bit, but he didn’t speak English and my Spanish was lacking. I wanted to ask if he posted his pictures on Instagram, but the two or three times I strolled past his area, he was sitting with several other men, and I was too embarrassed to approach. I also bought a small red leather coin purse and a beautiful handmade leather purse by other local artists. In hindsight, I wish I’d have bought more artwork. There were some beautiful paintings that would have looked fantastic on my walls.

Floralis Generica

I spent about an hour and a half wandering around the bazaar before heading across the street to the museum. It was a small museum, and admission was free. I was happily surprised by what I found inside: artwork by Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, and Manet, to name a few, and there was even a Van Gogh painting (Le Moulin de la Galette 1886)!

After the museum, I walked in the direction of my apartment but took my time enjoying the beautiful day. It was 67-degrees, warm, and breezy; very different from the scorching 80-something degrees of yesterday.  

Floralis Generica is a steel and aluminum sculpture in Plaza de la Naciones Unidas. It was a gift to the city by the Argentine architect Eduard Catalono. Catalano describes the flower as “a synthesis of all the flowers and, at the same time, a hope reborn every day at opening.” It was created in 2002 and was designed to move, closing its petals in the evening and opening them in the morning.

Plaza Alemania

I stopped at Museo de arte de latin America, but I couldn’t purchase tickets there. I had to buy them online. General admission was only $8. I tried to buy a ticket online but couldn’t figure out the site as it was in Spanish. Trying to navigate the site was frustrating and after a few minutes, I decided it wasn’t worth the stress. I visited the museum’s tiny giftshop and bookstore and then moved on.

Plaza Alemania is a square located in Palermo. It houses the monument-fountain of Argentine Agricultural Wealth, which the German community gave to the Argentine people in celebration of the Centennial of the May Revolutions. The monument has enormous figures that represent agriculture, livestock, and the cultural imprint of Germany in Argentina.

I walked almost 6 miles before reaching my apartment. The blisters on my feet were hurting and I was too tired to go out for dinner, so I cooked up some pasta, elevated my legs and watched TV. However, later that night I went over to Shawn’s apartment, and we watched “Deadpool and Wolverine”.

Another great day in Buenos Aires.

Day Nineteen

Lunch at Chori

I woke up with grand plans to take an Uber to San Telmo to an even bigger street bazaar and to see 9 de Julio Avenue, the world’s widest avenue, but it was raining. I’m lazy on most days, but rainy days make it worse so, regrettably, I didn’t go. 

A few hours later, the rain stopped so I walked to Chori for lunch. Chori was one of the stops on the food tour I had taken. I ate a Chori de Cancha (sausage sandwich with chimichurri). As a small bite during the food tour, I thought it delicious, but as entire sandwich, it was too dry with too much bread and not enough sauce.

Deliciousness!

Since the weather had cleared, I kept walking around Palermo and ended up at an outdoor mall, Distrito Arcos Premium Outlet. At the Puma shoe store, there was a long line outside the door. I think they were having a 50% off sale, but it seemed like a lot of people gathered just for a sale. I glanced inside, thinking there might be an event with a famous athlete who was responsible for the crowd, but it appeared to be only shoppers.

I window-shopped but the stores seemed no different than in the United States. I just wanted to get some steps in for the day. On the way back to my apartment, I stopped at a snack shop and, surprise! bought several packages of alfajores.

Dinner that night was at Dandy Grill with Shawn. He recommended the tomahawk steak with cheese and spinach sauce and, by far, it was the best meal of my trip. The meat melted in my mouth and the Tiramisu for dessert was scrumptious. It was a comfortable evening for an after-dinner stroll to walk off our dinners – 64-degrees, cool air, scattered clouds, but no rain and no jacket required.

Enjoying great weather and splendid company was the perfect way to end an amazing trip.

Day 20

I awoke tired and sad knowing I was leaving beautiful Buenos Aires today.

Shawn & I at Urbano Cocina

My check out time at my apartment was at 11am, but my flight wasn’t until 9pm, so with my suitcase bumping along behind me, I toddled around the corner to Shawn’s apartment to hangout. We watched “The Creator,” a movie about artificial intelligence that I wasn’t expecting to like but enjoyed very much. 

Afterwards, we went to Urbano Cocina California for lunch. I had a salmon salad, but the fish was dry. This meal ranked as the worst of my trip and unfortunately, it was my last meal in Buenos Aires.

During the ride to Buenos Aires Airport, it rained heavily and there was lots of traffic. I had plenty of time before my flight, so I welcomed the delay. It gave me a chance to see the city outside of Palermo. It took a little over an hour to reach the airport and I still had about four hours left until my flight, so I shopped for souvenirs. I bought a few, including a replica Lionel Messi jersey, which ended up being too small after I tried it on when I got home, but at least I now have a jersey. 

Maneuvering through the airport was easy enough, but when I went through the metal detector at security, it beeped. I think it was rigged to flag foreigners, because while waiting in line, the airport agent asked me if I was ‘American’ and then directed me to a certain lane. The woman in front of me was also a foreigner and sent to the same line. Coincidence? I think not, but after a quick pat-down I was free to go.

Airport artwork

At a kiosk directly across from my gate, I bought a bottle of water. I had drunk it and was about halfway through my refill when it was time to board the plane. Over the intercom, I heard an announcement in Spanish. I understood the word “Agua,” meaning water, but nothing else so I didn’t pay attention.

Prior to boarding, airport agents checked everyone’s carry-on bags. When the agent found my bottle of water, she asked if I spoke Spanish. When I told her “No,” she held up my water and rudely told me I wasn’t allowed to bring it on the plane. I told her I bought it at the kiosk, which was about 50-feet behind her, but that didn’t matter.  

I was irritated by both her attitude with me because I didn’t understand Spanish and the fact that I couldn’t bring water on a long-haul flight, so I took the bottle from her and chugged down a good portion of it while maintaining eye-contact with her. It was probably more water than I should have drunk at one time, because my stomach hurt afterward, but by the look on her face, I could tell she wasn’t happy with my impudence, however, I felt vindicated. Sidenote: The airlines did provide water on the flight, although I didn’t drink as much as I would have if I had had my own bottle, but at least it was available.

For the in-flight dinner, I chose steak over chicken, hoping it would be like the steak at Dandy’s, but it was dry, flavorless and bordering on disgusting. Luckily, I had some leftover empanadas in my bag that I had eaten earlier while waiting at the airport, so I wasn’t that hungry. Breakfast was French toast, which was just okay. Airplane food sucks and I don't know why they can't make it better. All it takes is a little seasoning. 

My harmless little jar of dulce de leche

My connecting flight was again in Houston, and I arrived with plenty of time to pick up my luggage and go through a modified security check point. Unfortunately, the jar of Dulce de Leche I had in my carry-on that was allowed on the plane in Buenos Aires, wasn’t allowed in my carry-on from Houston to Salt Lake City.

I had debated about which bag to pack it in, but thought it safer in my carry-on, however, that was the wrong decision. I wasn’t about to dispose of it because it cost me almost $8! I lied and told the agent “They” told me I would be allowed to bring it on the flight as a carry-on. 

One last empanada

When she asked who "they" were and I told them they were the agents at the airport in Buenos Aires, she responded that they’ll say anything. I thought that an odd comment to make and wondered if she had ever met any agents from that airport. Probably not. It seems the majority of TSA Agents I’ve interacted with (on this trip and others) are always rude.

The agent wouldn't allow me to take my own jar back to the unsecured part of the airport, so I had to wait for a 2nd agent to arrive. I laughed when the 2nd agent went to grab the jar and the 1st agent pulled it away and told her to put gloves on first. I wanted to tell her that that was a bit of security overkill, and it was only caramel sauce, not a bomb, but thought that might get me sent to the strip search room, so as hard as it was, I kept my comments to myself. 

When I returned to the counter to check in my jar, I had some fun with it. I placed the jar on the counter and told the clerk I had to check this in as part of my luggage. Since my suitcase had already been checked and sent through the bowels of the airport to wherever luggage goes, she looked at me, at the jar and then at me again. She was clearly confused as to how to check in a single jar. I shrugged and watched her face as she struggled with what to do, but then she saw my carry-on and said I had to check my entire bag, which I didn’t mind because it gave me more legroom on the cramped flight home.

The view flying into SLC

To get to my gate, I had to return through security, but because I was wearing a baggy hoody, I was patted down again. The agent was so unsafe in her techniques that when I moved my arm, I nearly elbowed her in the face. I can only imagine what would have happened had I accidentally hit her.

The entire episode at the Houston airport was ridiculous and now I understand why TSA Agents are always angry. They make their own jobs harder by the way they go about doing it. Work smarter not harder!

I landed in Salt Lake City on time. It was 72-degrees, but the air quality was horrible due to the Yellow Lake Fire burning in the Uintah’s. All the smoke had settled over the city and made it difficult to breath. Although I was still in the Uber on my way home, I was already thinking about where to go next. 

Maybe somewhere tropical. Won't you join me?

This was a life-changing adventure for me. Each day as my confidence grew, I learned to trust in myself. I realized I am capable and, although it might be scary at first, stepping outside my comfort zone is a good thing and can lead to amazing adventures. I am eager to travel again and see what the future brings now that I know I can do it with or without someone by my side. 

I loved the city's energy and beauty, but I think what I found so attractive about Buenos Aires, was that it was actually a reflection of myself, of the woman I had become in those three short weeks. And I admit, by the end of my trip, I was feeling a bit of a badass. 

To follow me on my journey and to see more photos, visit me on Instagram and Facebook. 

To follow Shawn on his world adventures visit him on Instagram.

Interested in staying in Babel Arcos in Buenos Aires? Visit here.

Selfie in front of Eduard Manet's
The Surprised Nymph at the
Museo Nacional de Bellas Arte

Random graffiti on a street corner in Buenos Aires

Plaza Alemania

Artwork created from toys at Distrito
Arcos Premium Outlet Mall

Waiting to go home and 
listening to all the announcements
in Spanish that I didn't
understand :)

¡Bienvenido a Buenos Aires! Part Five

Introduction: This blog entry is continuing with my adventure to Buenos Aires, Argentina. I thought this might be my last entry about my trip, but there will be at least one, maybe two, more. I am enjoying sharing my journey to one of South American's most beautiful cities with you and I hope it inspires you to travel, whether it be to a destination a thousand miles away, or to a new place just down the street. As always, thanks for reading. 

Day Eleven

Beethoven's 6 Pastoral Symphony Statue

My itinerary was flexible and whatever I did for the day was based solely on how I felt when I woke up. This morning, I felt energized, so I took a 1.25 mile walk to Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays.

The day was beautiful as I wandered through the gardens taking photos, birdwatching and wishing I had brought my sketch book.

Carlos Thays Botanical Garden was designed by French architect and landscape designer Carlos Thays in 1898. It has three distinct landscape gardening styles - the symmetric, the mixed, and the picturesque, recreated in the Roman, French, and Oriental gardens. In 1996, the garden was declared a national monument. 

Carlos Thays Botanical Garden

It is a little over 17 acres with approximately 5,500 species of plants, trees and shrubs, five greenhouses, as well as 33 artistic works including sculptures, busts, and monuments. Thays and his family lived in an English style mansion located within the gardens between 1892 to 1898. The mansion, built in 1881, is currently the main building of the complex. 

 Not far from the gardens was Museo Evita.

María Eva Duarte de Perón was an Argentine politician, activist, actress, and philanthropist who served as First Lady of Argentina, from June 1946 until her death in July 1952, as the wife of Argentine President Juan Perón.

Unfortunately, I thought the Evita Museum small and boring.

I connected my phone to the museum's website so I could listen to an audio tour, but I didn't have my earbuds. Each time I moved my phone, the audio cut out and I'd have to scan the QR code and start all over. I didn't even know which room I was supposed to be in while listening to the audio anyway, so by the third or fourth time I was disconnected, I gave up. 

Most of the signage was in Spanish and I grew tired of having to use Google Translate at every exhibit, so I wandered through the museum not knowing what anything was. However, there was a video with English subtitles I enjoyed watching and her dresses that were on display were pretty, but I wasn’t allowed to photograph them, and they were the only things worth photographing. The entrance fee was 7,500 pesos, about $7.40 usd. 

I did meet another couple, sort of. There were two couples who came in together shortly after me and I heard them talking English with one of them telling the clerk at the ticket counter she was from Los Angeles.

As they caught up to me in the museum, I attempted to make small talk by asking where they were from and letting them know I live in Utah. One couple simply ignored me and walked away, while the other man curtly responded, “California” and followed after the first couple. The other woman said she was from Australia but lives in Oregon. And that was the extent of our conversation. 

When I come across other travelers who are rude, like these people, they most often end up being from the United States (and usually from California). It's disheartening because Americans are already stereo typed as being arrogant, rude, and entitled and these people I attempted to talk to, perpetuated that image with their outright rudeness.

I, on the other hand, try to be a conscientious traveler. 

I don't expect everyone to speak and understand English. I take the time to learn a few words in whatever the native language is and found that when I try to speak the language regardless of how bad I butcher it, it is appreciated. I travel with an open mind and know that the hotel room, restaurants, customs, etc. won't necessarily be like what I'm used to in the United States. I try to adapt to my surroundings and, as much as I can, act like a local. I wish more American travelers would travel like that, but I think how they act in a foreign country is how they act in America. They're rude and obnoxious regardless of what continent they're on. And it's not that I don't have unfavorable opinions about the country I'm visiting, I just keep them to myself until I get home. 

Okay...let me step down off my soapbox.

After a brief rest in my apartment after my 5-mile walk, I returned to Almacen Pizza for a bite to eat. It was much too early for dinner and too late for lunch, so there was plenty of empty tables at the restaurant. I ordered a Milanga Sandwich – beef Milanese, ham, hardboiled egg, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Delicious! I ranked this meal as one of the best of the trip.

Across the street from the restaurant was a little store that sold soda pop, candy, and snacks. I bought several alfajores for dessert. I love those things! It was an early day as I was back to the apartment, showered, and in my pajamas by 5pm, but around 11:30pm, my neighbors were on their balcony playing their music again and woke me up. Ugh. 

Day Twelve

From all my walking, I've developed big blisters on the bottoms of my feet, and my calves are sore, so today was a rest day. I ate my leftover Milanese sandwich for breakfast and spent the day in bed binge watching “Manifest” on Netflix, reflecting on my trip, writing about my adventures, and looking at all the photos I've taken so far.

Day Thirteen

Time to Tango!

Well, not me specifically, but I have reservations for the Tango Porteño Show, which includes dinner. I didn’t pack any sexy, after dark attire, so I grabbed the cleanest pair of jeans I had from the three pairs I'd packed, slathered on some makeup, wrapped a scarf around my neck and tried to look as presentable as possible. And to be honest, I looked and felt rather cute. 

On the shuttle bus that picked me up to take me to the venue, I was hoping to meet some other people, but they were all couples who only wanted to talk with their partners. Sometimes, in moments like these, I wish I had someone to share these amazing experiences with, but instead of feeling sad, I leaned back and enjoyed the city sights on the way to the theater. It was going to be a good night regardless of whether I was by myself or not. 

Someone once told me it is better to do something alone than not do it at all and have regrets later on. Going on this trip is me embracing that philosophy and, although it's been scary at times, so far, it's all worked out. 

At the venue, I was seated next a Norwegian couple who didn’t even notice I had sat down next to them. Just as I was feeling like a 3^rd wheel, and thought about asking to move tables, another tourist, who also arrived as a single, sat down next to me. He was from Canada and spoke English!

Although conversation with Gianni was great, the dinner and tango show were unfortunately, just average. 

Gianni & I

Dinner started with empanadas, followed by steak and then a dessert of several different things. I think it was flan, ice cream, chocolate mousse, and maybe cheese (?), but I'm not sure. I couldn't differentiate the tastes. The dessert presentation was nice, but I don't think they paired well with each other.  In the dim light, I thought the ice cream was a bread roll and tried to pick up. 

Dinner felt rushed. I assumed they wanted to clear the dishes before the show started, but the waitress tried to take Gianni's plate before he was even done eating!

There was lots of dancing and some singing, but very little tango and that is what I had come to see. I was also seated towards the back and my view was obstructed by a family of four with the dad holding up his cell phone for a good portion of the evening taking crappy photos and video in the darkened theater. 

Overall, I was disappointed with the experience, but what did I expect for an $87 dinner show? Next time I'll splurge and pay a bit more, but I still had fun and made a new friend.

Day Fourteen

Another day of stepping as I walked 6.3 miles round-trip to El Ateneo Grand Splendid. About a mile of that was me getting lost and having to backtrack. Along with seeing a tango show, visiting this place was at the top of my itinerary.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bookshop in Buenos Aires that was named the “world’s most beautiful bookstore” by National Geographic. The building, designed by Pero and Torres Armengo with ceiling frescoes painted by Nazareno Orlandi, opened in 1919 as a theater with seating for 1,050 people. 

In the late twenties, the theater was converted into a cinema, and in 1929, showed the first sound films presented in Argentina. It was then converted into a bookstore and music shop under the direction of architect Fernando Manzone and in 2007, they sold over 700,000 books. 

I went to each floor and wandered through the rows of books, however the section for books in English was tiny, just a couple of shelves, but I did buy two books by H.G. Wells (The Invisible Man and Island of Dr. Moreau). The downstairs section was devoted entirely to children and the stage area was made into a café where you could enjoy drinks and pastries, but by the time I was done exploring the store, all the tables were full.

Over a million people visit El Ateno Grand Splendid each year.

Later that evening I had a dinner date with Gianni.

We dined at La Pescadorita a few blocks from our apartments as he was also staying in Palermo. I ordered pink salmon with white polenta, Mollet egg and vegetable ragout. It was good to have fish as I hadn't eaten any since I arrived in Buenos Aires, and it's mostly what I eat at home. I was having fish withdrawals! We shared two salads – one with couscous and the other a more traditional lettuce salad. For dessert, we shared chocolate cake with roasted hazelnuts and ice cream.

La Pescadorita Restaurant

The entire dinner was delicious and ranked among the Top 3 meals I’ve had so far on this trip, plus the company was enjoyable.

Day Fifteen

I woke up with a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat from allergies. Tall, blooming trees line the sidewalks of Palermo and when the breeze blows, the air is filled with their flowers. After two weeks of inhaling pollen, as well as secondhand cigarette smoke, it's no surprise I got sick.

I knew a walk around the city would be my cure and I set off that afternoon in search of a bakery, but I enjoyed walking, so I didn't bother to stop anywhere. However, after only about 1.5 miles, I ran into Gianni who was also out sightseeing. We bought a nice bottle of wine and spent a few hours in conversation before I returned to my apartment to get ready for tonight’s food tour.

Picsa Restaurant

I met our guide, Tony, and the others at Picsa Restaurant about 6:30pm

Victoria and Alex, a 30-something couple from London, were working on visiting 40 countries by the time they turned 40. They were friendly and engaging, especially Victoria.

The other couple were young, maybe in their late 20s or early 30s. He was from Ireland and did most of the talking. The woman, who was from Calgary, had very little interest in speaking to anyone in the group. Whenever someone asked her a question, she would give one- or two-word answers, but mostly she wouldn’t answer at all and defer to the Irish man. At first, I thought she was introverted, but as the night progressed, I thought her behavior rude because at no point did, she try to interact with any of us.

Tortilla at Paquito

We started our food tour at Picsa sampling roasted red peppers with red onions spread on focaccia bread. A fried beef empanada followed, and we washed it all down with red wine. A good start to the tour.

At Paquito, we ate fritters filled with goat cheese and a tortilla filled with potato and egg, which was my favorite taste of the night. When Tony ordered us a “tortilla” I thought of the flat flour tortillas I eat at home. I was a bit disappointed, thinking I came all this way for a tortilla? but when it arrived, and we cut into it…delicious!

Sausage sandwiches were on the menu at Chori Papa, but my least favorite food on the tour was at Voro Steak House. We sampled a sliver of sausage and a slice of beef, but the steak was so tough I had a hard time swallowing it. I didn’t bother finishing the small amount we were given because it was that bad.

To end the tour, we had ice cream at Antiche, which was fresh and creamy since it was made on-site. There were so many good flavors to choose from, but I had salted caramel cream with a sweet and salty peanut crunch.

We all sat around a table together and sampled each other’s ice cream, however, when I asked the woman who hadn’t spoken to any of us all night if she wanted to sample my ice cream, she gave a curt “no” and when everyone else offered up their ice creams for a tasting, she didn’t partake.

Ice cream at Antiche Tentazioni

Our food tour ended after 9pm and I found myself alone and about seven blocks from my apartment. I was apprehensive about walking at night by myself and thought of calling an Uber, but the streets were crowded as the dinner rush was still going strong. 

I stuck to the busier and well-lit streets and saw lots of women out on their own. That gave me confidence for being out after dark and, although I was a bit afraid, I enjoyed the evening and made it back to my apartment just fine.

Carlos Thays Botanical Garden

Plaza Inmigrantes de Armenia, Palermo
(Place for Immigrants from Armenia)

Thank you for following along on my journey and stay tuned as the next, and hopefully final, installment will be published within the week.