New Years – 2016 – Day 5

It was another beautiful day in Buenos Aires when we awoke.  The ship was to leave port at 6:45pm and they wanted us to be there by 3pm so we had the morning to do things and a little into the afternoon.

After breakfast, we took a cab to the only major site that we had not visited, the Opera House.  They had English tours at 11am, 1pm and 3pm so we got there at 10:30am and the 11am tour was booked so we made reservations for the 1pm tour.

Then we walked about 15 minutes to the oldest café in Buenos Aires and had pastries before taking a cab back to the hotel to pack.  After packing we took another car to the Opera House in time for the 1pm tour.

This opera house is huge, with seating and standing room for over 3,000 people.  It has 7 rows of seating and has been totally restored having been built in 1909.  We were told that the Opera House was rated #1 for best acoustics for Opera and #3 for orchestra performances. 

After the tour, we took a cab back to the hotel, picked up our bags and headed for the ship.  When we got to the port we found out that all of the porters were working for another cruise line as most of the Celebrity passengers had boarded the day before, while we stayed in town. 

We finally found a young girl representative who found a cart and we started in with our suitcases with her pushing  the big cart full cart.   After a short trek inside, we arrived at a Celebrity booth were the Guest Services Manager and a couple of his assistants were there.  He had one of the assistants take us through immigration and then we came back for our luggage which the Manager took himself through all of the security procedures and then to the shuttle bus to take us to the ship.

At the ship, they had 4 room attendants who met us at the shuttle bus who took our luggage right up to our room.  So what started out as a terrible boarding situation turned into a great one.  From the hotel to our room only took 1 hour had no line to stand in!

We went up to the top deck and had some pizza, checked out our table for dinner and then came back to the room to unpack and take a nap.

After our nap, we went to the 7pm show, which was a musical and very good and then went to dinner.

Our table was set for 7 and only one couple showed up and when we asked them where they were from they said, ElPaso, Illinois – now what are the odds on that?   They seem very nice and we had a good dinner with them and good conversations.

Then it was onto the Casino to meet our host Dimi and Casino Manager Palo.  Also, one of our favorite people, Carla, was a casino supervisor.  So far, Carla was the only person in the casino that we had known from before.

There was only one person playing blackjack and he quit after ½ hour and Ed was down just a little and Barb was up at slots, so we were up a very little for the night.  But, at least we were up and got in some playing time.

Tomorrow is Montevideo, Uruguay - night

The Opera House

The oldest café in town
 

 

 



Ready to go out for the first evening

New Years – 2016 – Day 4

Sunday in Buenos Aires was another beautiful day with tempt again in the high 80’s.

We had breakfast and then took a taxi to the Plaza Dorrego which every Sunday from 10:00am on has the largest outdoor market that we have ever seen. 

We were there just after most of the vendors had set up and it still was not crowded so we walked around the Plaza seeing the vendors and started to walk up the main street of the market.  I think that it was probably 30 – 40 blocks long and we only could walk until Noon as we had to get a cab to take us to our 12:30pm food tour.

The food tour started on the same corner as the Boca Juniors major soccer teams stadium which was also the same corner that we ate lunch at a local bar yesterday.

Our guide, George had asked if one other couple could join us and we had said yes so we met everyone right on time and walked about two blocks to the first restaurant, which was an Italian restaurant.  There is a huge Italian population in Buenos Aires.  We had a nice starter meal of some fancy Italian dishes with names I could not possibly remember!

Then we went walking through the La Boca district which is very neat and very touristy.  Everything is painted Blue and Yellow in honor of the soccer club!  We finally stopped are another restaurant that was grilling outside their food.  This was a steak restaurant as it is the primary meat that is eaten in Argentine. 

We had a huge amount of food consisting of sausage, tenderloin, sirloin and port.  Each portion was probably 6oz, so we ate a lot of meat and it was very good.

Then we walked to the main tourist part of the area and sat at an outdoor café and have drinks and sweets – just want we needed, but it was fun.

For this tour, the food and locations were good but the tour guide was terrible as he never talked about each restaurant nor anything about the food we were eating and how it was prepared – but it was still good.

We then took a cab back to the Plaza Dorrego as we had been told that a section of the Plaza would be set up for outdoor Tango, led by a group of Tango dancers.  The oldest gentleman was 84 years old and was he ever smooth on the dance floor.  We sat for about an hour watching the Tango dancers.

Then it was time to get a taxi and go back to the hotel for a short nap.

After our nap, we walked down Florida Street, which is the huge pedestrian street and bought some things before heading backing to the hotel to leave them and get a cab to our final stop of the evening, our dinner in a chef’s home.

The tour was at 9:00pm at a chef’s home in a very nice neighborhood.  We took a cab to the building and buzzed and were let in by his companion and them we met Chef Dan at the front door to his home.  It was a beautiful place on the ground floor of a large building with a very large outdoor enclosed patio that we could see from the living room.  Soon we were joined by the other 8 guests and sat down to a very lovely dinner at Casa SaltShaker, one of the first closed door restaurants in Buenos Aires.  In this restaurant, we did not even know the address until the reservation had been paid for and confirmed and then the Chef sent us the direction to his home.  We also did not know the menu for this 5 course meal until each course arrived at our table.  We also had wine paired with each course as well as a welcoming drink before dinner!

The main course was tenderloin of beef that had been cooked in a very unusual way and also had peas and popcorn potatoes as sides.  The popcorn potatoes were actually popcorn and potatoes blended together with butter and they were very good.

With each course, the Chef brought out the plates with his partner and explained what we were eating.  It was a great experience that lasted 3 hours and we had a table of people who had all traveled extensively, so that was enjoyable also.

So this day was eating, walking and eating again and doing it all over again.  Hopefully the walking offset some of the food we ate, but so much for a diet – we had a great time.

 After dinner, Chef Dan called us a cab and we went back to the hotel and crashed for the night. 

 Barb was pretty sore but fell right asleep and today we walked 2,514 steps and that will probably be the most that we will walk for the rest of the cruise, until we stay in Santiago starting on January 17.

A great stay in Buenos Aires and we saw everything and more that was on our planned list except a tour of the Opera House which we are going to have Monday morning, pack and get on the ship.

That’s it for day 4!

 

An Italian Lunch

Meats cooking for our lunch tour

All of the cuts of meat for beef, pork and goat for bar-b-que

 

Having a snack at the end of the food tour

Tango dancers in the Plazza

Arriving for dinner

Chef Dan

Tomatoes, zucchini, cheeses and an herb bottom crust and three different sauces

Watermelon soup with onions and bell peppers.  A sorbet of avocado



Spicy chicken wrapped in a light dough with a berry sauce

Tenderloin with peas and popcorn potatoes and sauces

 

 

A deep rich chocolate brownie with cherries and mixed berries

Tango in the Plaza - later in the evening anyone cold join in.

Chef Dan explain the main course

New Years - 2016 - Day 3

After a full night’s sleep, we awoke to beautiful weather for our first full day in Buenos Aires.  The temp hit 90 degrees in the late afternoon.

We went down to the restaurant and had breakfast.  It is a good thing that we are receiving the breakfast for free as the bill was $68 US for two!!  A pretty expensive buffet considering how inexpensive food has been here.

Then we met our guide Richard from Buenos Aires Tours in the lobby at 9:00am for our all day private tour.

Richard was wonderful.  He was originally from Queens, New York City had been married to a Spanish lady and was now married to an Argentina and had a family with two daughters.  He took us on a 9 hour walking tour of the city and it was a great tour.  We saw the old city, the new city and everything in between including the most amazing cemetery we have ever visited where many famous and powerful people are buried including Eva Peron.  We took advantage of the fact that it was only us on the tour and so we could stop whenever we wanted to.  So we took a break in the morning at a neat café, then had lunch at a very tiny bar close to where Richard once lived and then a break towards the end for snacks again.

Barb’s back and Ed’s knees held up and by 6:00pm we were back in the room for  1/2 nap and then it was time to go to the Tango show and dinner we had booked.  The show was called “We Are Tango” and it was a really, really fun time. 

Arriving at the location, we rang the doorbell and someone opened it up and we went up one flight of stairs to the show.  The owners of the show are two men in their late 30’s probably and they only take 10 couples a night for the show.  The show traces the history of Tango and the different versions of it as it went from generation to generation.  The dance floor was 10’ x 12’ and the 10 couple were arrange around the floor in a “U” shape so everyone had a front seat.  They also had 3 piece live bands who were very good and the singer was great.

We first met a couple from Bolivia at the beginning on our left and then a couple from Washington DC on our right.  We spent a lot of time talking to the young couple from Washington and talking about traveling – they were fun.  They were travelling around the lower part of South America on their own.

After the show ended, the dancers gave us a Tango lesson – we think we got it but I don’t suppose we will have many places to practice it.

We took a taxi back to the hotel and at midnight got into the room.

All told, we walked 18,266 steps today – and that’s a lot of steps, but a fun day.

Night from Buenos Aires.

 

Richard from Buenos Aires Tours

This was a private home - now the Vatican's embassy

The Cemetary

Tango dancers in front of a cafe

Tango dancers in a park

 

Having a break

The Tango Show

Taking lessons

 

 

 

New Years - 2016 - Days 1 & 2

This was one of the few trips that we didn’t leave at 6am but left at 11am from the Bloomington airport and flew to Atlanta.  We had a 9 hour wait and we didn’t like any of the restaurants on the International Terminal so we went by the tram to another concourse and had lunch.

After lunch, Ed went to Brookstones to buy a universal power adapter and when we went back to the International Terminal he realized that he did not have his billfold.  There was a Brookstones right across from where we were leaving from and they called to the other store and as luck would have it, it wasn’t there.  So, we lost $100 and three credit card- so we spent the next hour or so calling the credit card companies and cancelling credit cards.

 We boarded the plane to Buenos Aires almost right on time and after they fed us dinner we attempted to get some sleep.  We had great seats; however, sleep is never easy on a plane trip like that.

 We landed in Buenos Aires a little early and were through customs with our bags in about ½ hour – that’s fast.

 We had already arranged for a car to take us to the hotel so we found the driver and went to the car.  We arrived in a huge rain storm and luckily the driver had backed the car under a canopy and so he could load all of the luggage without it all getting wet.  The ride took about ½ hours and we were at our hotel – the Plaza Buenos Aires a lot earlier than we had expected.  We had written to the Front Desk Manager asking for an early check-in and they had one for us so we were in our room very early. 

The Plaza Hotel was built in 1909 and it is amazing.  Up until just a short time ago, it was a Marriott property but is now owned and managed privately; except for Marriott Platinum members who still get a free breakfast and have an executive lounge.  We are one of the last to receive these privileges as for new guests arriving after tomorrow, the privilege stops with the new ownership.  The hotel is beautiful and a very elegant European style where the rooms are not large but good rooms.

 We decided that because we had such little sleep to take a 2 hour nap and when we work up at 1pm, we went out walking down the main shopping street which is a pedestrian mall.  99% of the shops were closed but we had fun going into the ones that were open.  It is about 20 blocks long so it will be fun one night when we go out.

 Half way down the street we stopped for lunch at ate outside.  Then we continued to walk to the end and took a cab back to the hotel.

 We changed clothes and took a cab out to the start of the Dakar Race, which is an international race going thru multiple countries that Jeff had told us about.  There are hundreds of motorcycles and cars all set for the start tomorrow.

Then it was back to the hotel to rest a little and then we took a cab to a steak restaurant that our last casino manager had recommended.

 Dinner was wonderful and we ordered and ate way too much.  We had lots of rolls, salmon tar-tar, sliced mushrooms, veal cappacio (sp) and a huge t-bone steak.  Three appetizers and an entrée all served at the same time so we could split them – way too much food.

 After dinner we walked on the waterfront for a little bit and then took a cab back to the hotel.  Cabs are really cheap.  The ride probably took 10 – 15 minutes and it cost 50 pesos which is $3.85 and that includes the tip!! 

You also have to watch out and get into the right taxi as we were told a lot of them are controlled by the Argentina Mafia.  Even though this hotel is one of the biggest in the city, you have to have the desk call a taxi for you to make sure you don’t get ripped off!!

Money is really strange when you pay $1375 for dinner and it is only $100 in US dollars.  They also use the dollar sign so it makes it doubly confusing.  We saw a sign for a McDonalds Big Mac and it was $33, which is $2.55 US!

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day as we have an all day city tour with a guide who will meet us in the lobby of the hotel at 9am. 

Night from Argentina.

Going out for the first day

Stairway from the lobby

The Plaza Hotel

Lunch

A typical building

Part of the Dakar Race cars

Dinner

 

 

 

A Voyage To The End Of The World!!

New Years - 2016

Europe - 2015 Day 16

The day everyone hates came today – the end of the cruise.  We had a car take us to the hotel at 9:00am so we were up at 7:00am to meet Jeff and Vera at 8:00am and get through customs. 

We were actually a little early for the car; however, we had a great porter who found the van and loaded everything into it.

It was a short cab ride to our hotel, the AC Marriott Istanbul.  The AC is a chain of European, very modern hotels that Marriott bought a few years ago.  We were upgraded to a beautiful suite – too bad we have to leave tomorrow.

After checking in, we met Jeff and Vera who wanted to take us to a famous Synagogue and we took a cab to it; however, it was closed.  So, Jeff found another that was close and we walked to it.  The problem was we got lost trying to find it so it was a long, long walk with a couple of steep hills and when we got there, it also was closed.

We got a cab to take us to our next destination, lunch and found a delightful restaurant on a street we had been on a couple of weeks ago.  We had a great lunch.

Then it was time for the highlight of Turkey for us – a Turkish Bath called a “Haman”.  We went to an original Haman that was built in 1557 and is still used and while it has been remodeled, it was still an amazing place and experience. It was all marble and wood and it was like being treated as royalty.

Jeff and Ed went into one part of the Haman and Barb and Vera went into the other part as the men and women had separate facilities.  We each had a 90 minute package which included a very hot room to start the sweat going.  Then we were given a body scrub, followed by a moisturizing body clay mask.  Then they washed us off with an amazing bubble wash ritual.  Then they gave us a rub down, followed by a 30 minute total Aromatherapy massage, including using oils.  It was an amazing experience and one we all would do again.

When we finished it was raining and it took over an hour to get a cab so we went back to the hotel to rest for a couple of hours before going out for dinner.

Dinner was different in that we had lamb and pork instead of fish at a local place that was close as it was really raining hard.

After dinner we came back to the hotel and said good night and see you next trip to Jeff and Vera who are great friends and great to travel with.  Two totally different couples from totally different backgrounds and parts of the country but we travel well together. 

Night from Istanbul and we will be home tomorrow  landing in Chicago at 6:30pm and we miss everyone.

Love from Gram and Ed - Night - Night

 

 

Ready to go home

Lunch

Sea Bass

Cooking area outside



 Ayasofya Hurem Sultan Barh - 1557

The men's entry room

Europe – 2015 – Day 15

Our last day of the cruise and since we had gone to bed early, just after midnight, we woke up early and it was raining!!  So much for sitting in the sun for most of the last day as we had wanted to do.

Ed was up early and Barb go some much needed rest, then we packed and we finally left the cabin together at about 11:00am. 

We went to the photo area and picked up pictures from embarkation and the two formal nights.  Then we walked around until we ran into Jeff and Vera.  We all decided to go eat lunch in the main dining room, something Barb and I have never done before.

Lunch was just fine and then we all went to the casino and played a session.  Barb lost just a little and Ed had the biggest win of the trip.

Then we went to the café and got some snacks and went back to the room to eat them before our nap.

 

 

Leaving for the day

Snacks delivered at 4:00pm

More snacks at 4:00pm

 





Going out for our final evening