South America- Chile, Brazil, Iguazu Falls, Argentina
Part 4: Argentina

We departed from the wilds of Iguazu Falls and landed in a bustling, Spanish speaking, Parisian city.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived in Argentina, but I knew I didn't expect what I got. The architecture was beautiful and varied from street to street, the roads were wide and clean–I felt like I landed in a Spanish Time Square.

Buenos Aires was different from the other South American cities we visited. I realized at that moment it was great to have the opportunity to see so many different aspects to South America.

That evening, we walked around our hotel and landed at one of the many Italian restaurants nearby, Ill Gatto for dinner.

Cute table settings made me smile after a long day of hiking, flying, traveling, medication and still partial hearing in one ear. I also worked the menu and received a delicious, hearty, savory Mushroom Pasta dish.

Our first day in Argentina was packed. We started with a tour of the city including La Boca, Plaza de Mayo (where Evita stood and made her speech), Teatro Colon and Puerto Madero.

We learned the Teatro Colon, opened in 1908, was the biggest opera house till the completion of the Sydney Opera House in 1973.

In front of The Pink House the girls couldn't contain themselves and a possible chorus or two was belted out from "EVITA" confirming to everyone around us that yes, we were tourists.

From there we made our way to La Recoleta Cemetery; a cemetery where chills run down your spine while you walk the mini streets lined with marble mausoleums.

This cemetery is impressive, creepy and beautiful. The countless stories, family conflicts, love affairs, political positions that encircle this space makes ones creative mind work overtime.

We made our way to Evita's controversial mausoleum. If you'd like to learn more, a well-written description of events and circumstances can be found here.

After a full day, I had to take the evening off to rest while everyone else enjoyed dinner.

The following day I pulled from my vegan restaurant recommendations and headed to Vita to grab a hearty, fulfilling meal. A fairly short walk later and I landed around lunch time...just like everyone else. It was pretty packed, but we were able to secure a small table.

I chose the tarta de calabaza (a quiche) with a side salad, a fresh orange carrot juice and a delicious chocolate muffin to go.

I wish I had a picture of the tarte, but by the time it got to me I devoured it. They forgot my order, then gave me the wrong order and then tried to reheat it in the microwave with the side salad {insert shaking my head}.

When the final attempt was given, it was really good. No wilted salad and a hot tarte (even though I know they heated it in the microwave) arrived.

When it came to the juice, have you ever had the feeling after drinking fresh orange juice that the vitamin C is literally replenishing you? It feels invigorating and one that happens to me fairly often.

From there we roamed to streets and made it back to the hotel. That night we experienced dinner theater with a full-length tango show. It was beautiful and a lovely experience, but as the trip was coming to an end and we were all on our last legs, you could tell we were all zoning in and out. Needless to say, by the end of the show, you could look around the table and witness most of falling in and out of sleep. I was still quite impressed, we were pulling from our reserves and finishing the trip strong.

The following day I tried to go back to Vita, but it was closed. My mother and I walked around the area and found Confiteria London City. At first, their menu did not seem very hackable, but after speaking with a manager he showed me hackable areas I had overlooked (my brain was in sick mode). I hacked the menu and ordered a fresh squeezed orange juice, a customized salad and fries.

For the customized salad, they had a list of ingredients for me to choose from. I went with lettuce, beets, sprouts, chives, radishes, cucumbers and of course avocado.

The meal, the company, the dining experience all prepared me for my flight back to the states and back to my bed to heal.

IN THE END

Our trips are always special. The times I get to spend with my family and my oldest friends are irreplaceable memories and experiences. It's not easy to find the time or the finances for all of us to always do so. Life gets in the way–career women over here. All of us can't always go on every trip and we have to give and take the adventures, but in the end, we don't go too long–whether it be afar or in the states.

Travel has been a part of my life since I was an infant and these ladies have been a part of my life in the same manner. Over time, we have lost a few members and have gained others. It's not easy when life chooses to veer off course, but as I've learned from my experiences it's the getting back up that saves us. Building beautiful memories like these saves me, especially since our lives begin to fill up even further. We are all growing up, all of our lives are changing and keeping some form of familiarity, laughter and togetherness will forever keep us grounded. I love traveling with them, with my newer circle of friends, my boyfriend and others. So many adventures and experiences are still waiting to be taken and I won't let them down!

Until our next adventure.