Day 4 and it's Sunday. We had a good nights sleep and feel fully refreshed. It's overcast and a bit cold and it's the first day of the congress but we decide to skip and head to San Telmo. Every Sunday there is a famous Market here so we decide to take the metro and walk to see what San Telmo is like. Below Sharon checks her email in the hotel lounge area.
We head off to San Telmo and take our second journey on the metro which is only 25c each. We arrive at the Pink Palace (the Presidential and Government Office) on Mayo Square the most important place in all of Argentina, and we head for Dorrego Square where the San Telmo antique and art market is held. We stroll down Defensa which is about 10 blocks long and lined with stalls selling jewellery, scarfs, hats, and other tit tat. Sharon buys a few nice presents but the rain begins to fall and the stalls are being covered. We buy a cheap umbrella and keep heading for the square where we are to meet K. We arrive and head for the cover of the Bar Dorrego where K is to meet us. We eventually get seats and a text to say that K is staying put in the dry at the congress. After our refreshments we head out into the square and thankfully the weather has improved. We get our first encounter with Tango where a distinguished old gent is dancing with nice young girls he plucks from the crowd, then every so often shows us how its done with his equally elegant and elderly lady partner. The stalls mostly consist of old pieces of small antiques but really don't interest us, but I'm sure dad would have liked the watches.
The final is due to start soon so be begin to head home taking in a few of the boutiques and shops along Defensa Street. A quick taxi ride to the hotel a fast change of clothes and we head to the congress centre to see the match with the rest of the crowd. There is a small Spanish group with their flags we join them. It wasn't a great match but I don't think I've ever see so many missed opportunities in one game. We all celebrate with the Spanish and afterwards head off across town to eat. Six of us on the metro again and a bit of a walk to where we agree to meet. On Florida Street the main shopping street in BA and we encounter our first (and hopefully only brush with pick pokets) we are sprayed with something white resembling bird pooh and two "helpful locals" offer us paper towels and water to wipe us down. Fonrtunately I begin to suss what's happening and in any event I have moeny and valuables in zipped pokets inside other pockets and we get away safely.
We find a packed restaurant that we reckon looks good and get sitting for all 15 of us. Although it is out on the terrace but they fortunately have heaters. We have some fab steaks and good wine and are well looked after, and it was very reasonable for a top quality meal. Its now time to find our ways home.
Pat digs into a huge steak!