Getting to Buenos Aires from Mexico

The Plan

About six months ago we began thinking about where we would go in January 2013 - we always go somewhere away from San Miguel de Allende in January.  Why?  Because it gets a bit chilly in SMA during January.  We usually go to a beach somewhere.  We've been to Puerto Vallarta, La Manzanilla (several times) and Merida (last two winters).  It turned out that we had enough frequent flier miles to get us to South America.  We thought about Santiago where my father was born, but we've been there twice so another option was Buenos Aires where we have never been.  So that is what we settled on.  I searched the Internet and talked with friends who have been there and came up with a little apartment in the Recoleta neighborhood.  That was pretty much all the planning because we were busy in the late summer and fall doing 3 back-to-back home exchanges in Europe.  (Here's a link to that Blog).

Getting There

Our plane tickets had us leaving Mexico City on January 1 so we decided to get to Mexico City the day before in order to not take a chance in something delaying our travel to the airport - normally a nearly 4 hour trip from San Miguel.  We had no problems at all - a quiet dinner on New Year's Eve in our hotel - the Ramada Aeropuerto - and a bottle of wine - we were sound asleep when the new year rolled in.  If there were fireworks outside - we did not hear them.

A huge breakfast buffet started us off on New Years day and we had a leisurely time getting ourselves next door to the airport.  Everything was on time - we flew to Panama City on COPA and then on to Buenos Aires where we arrived at 6 a,m. their time (3 hrs ahead of San Miguel time).  It was quite easy clearing customs and getting a ticket for a taxi into downtown BA which is about a 35 minute drive.  Our taxi driver appeared to be as old as we are but that didn't slow him down a bit.  It wasn't quite as wild as a taxi in Mexico City but it was not exactly a relaxing drive.  There was a nice young man named Marcelo at the apartment to let us in and give us some orientation including step-by-step demonstration on how NOT to be pick pocketed.  However, he assured us that we are totally safe and especially in the neighborhood where we are staying Recoleta.

The apartment is clean and modern with two levels - open kitchen and living area and powder room on the entrance level; lower level with master bedroom with a very comfortable king-sized bed - small second bedroom plus a little room with a desk.  There are two full bathrooms downstairs which we have turned into His and Hers.  Main level has a small balcony but a not-so-nice view.  However, the apartment is not facing the main street so it is quiet which we appreciate. There are lots of big windows in the apartment so it is nice a light which we really like.  It is a lot less space than we are used to but we will survive very nicely.

Marcelo finally finished his instructions, collected the rent from us and left.  We were exhausted from the trip and little sleep on the plane  so we went to bed and slept until early afternoon.  Awoke feeling much better and now thinking about the fact that we had no groceries.  We found our way to a major supermarket only a few blocks from our apartment.  We stocked up on enough to get us by for a couple of days and that we could carry since we are car-less on this trip.  The walking is going to be good for us - we will be doing a lot of it if we want to see anything. Of course, there are plenty of taxis around as well as a big bus system but we do plan to walk a lot.