After pleasure comes work (BsAs-2)

After enjoying the first two days, the three-day Spanish language course started on Wednesday. The school was arranged by the hostel and was only 4 subway stations away (including a short walk).

On site, I joined an existing group with two other people. This is because many people take multi-week courses, and these groups form the basis for short-term students.

In my course, I met, for example:

Paul, 74 years old, Austrian, former doctor

Eugene, 50 years old, American, auditor

Lisa, 18 years old, German (lived in Germany for 12 years, then moved to Croatia and now lives in Abu Dhabi)

It's really interesting to see the different people learning Spanish in Buenos Aires for various reasons 😳.

The classes took place from 9 am to 4 pm, so there wasn't much time to explore new places afterwards. I went back to Puerto Madero for the three evenings and also visited the Obelisk and the Colon Theater. On Friday night, I met a group of Brazilians and an American. I'm still not sure if the American was the "real" actor Shia LeBeouf ?!? 😅

For Saturday morning, I booked a free guided tour of La Boca (a neighborhood) through the language school. However, I should have known when it started... so I was an hour late to the starting point and had to change my itinerary.

First, I went to the nature reserve near the port. The paths there lead through more or less dense vegetation and are mostly used by cyclists and runners. It's nice to breathe fresh air for a change. My only suggestion for improvement would be to have maps of the reserve with information about the current location, so that clueless tourists can find their way out 😅.

Then I went to La Boca - without a guide and without a start time that I could miss... The neighborhood has the reputation of being the slum of Buenos Aires, and I can confirm that impression. Few clean streets, few European cars, few beautiful/antique buildings or well-groomed residents. As a naive German with €100 Adidas shoes and an iPhone in my pocket, I felt quite out of place and decided to move on after seeing the Boca Juniors stadium from the outside, heading to San Telmo.

The streets there were immediately more touristy and friendlier, even though the two neighborhoods are only a few blocks apart. You can stroll through the familiar narrow streets with cafes, restaurants, and open markets without having to worry about your valuables. The neighborhood has a certain flair, but there are no highlights like a cathedral, etc.

Back at the hostel, I received the sad news that tomorrow's football match between River Plate and Unión de Santa Fe, as well as all other matches in the Argentine championship, have been canceled. I had already booked a ticket for the game, but the players' union is on strike in all competitions due to outstanding salary payments. The clubs, like the entire society, are struggling with the extremely high inflation (around 35%).

I'll come up with something for Sunday and the next two days in BsAs.

Regards,

Kai