The Padres: Day 4, San Telmo, Casa Rosada, Cafe Tortoni, Congreso

Day four was a busy one. My mom wanted to see some tango, so I took her to la Boca. This is the neighborhood where a lot of italians mass immigrated to Buenos Aires around the turn of the century. They built tenements and painted them with the brightly colored paint left over from the boats they came on. Now, it's basically a tourist trap. But I knew my parents would love it, so... here we are.





So, my mom started off shopping a little; seeing the sights. Basically behaving herself.


Then I took them to a restaurant where you can watch really good live tango dancers.




Then it got out of hand. There are no words.



Here are some pictures my dad took of the buildings etc. in la Boca.





After going to la Boca, my parents were still ready to keep going so I decided we should go to the Casa Rosada - the presidential house, or the Pink House.

The famous balcony where Eva Peron supposedly gave her speech relinquishing her bid for the presidency.

Mom and Dad aww.

Me looking annoyed.

Me looking excited.

La Casa Rosada.


And then there was this. My mother loves to torture me.


Then we walked down Avenida de Mayo toward the Congreso. Of course, my mom found shopping along the way. I had the lovely task of translating.

Buildings along Avenida de Mayo.

We stopped in for a drink at Cafe Tortoni, the oldest cafe in Argentina.

This is her "you're never getting out of shopping with me" face.
Mom and I in front of the Congreso.

Mom and Dad at the Congreso.


The Congreso.

Oh, and here's the kicker. Mom, doing what she does best. Emailing everyone at work. (I'm lookin' at you, Lawnwood.)

The Padres: Day 3, Parrilla

On Monday I had class so my parents just hung out all day. At night, we went to a parrilla (argentine steak house) in Las Cañitas called Las Cholas. Here are some pictures from our dinner.

The Padres Day 2: San Telmo

The second day my parents were here was a Sunday, so I took them to San Telmo market. It's basically an open air market in the historic antiques/tango neighborhood in Buenos Aires.


The girls aww.


Allison Norris: translator to the stars.


We got lunch at a nice cafe outside.



Then my mom went wheelin and dealin at the jewelry stands... and every other stand.


My dad loved the architecture in San Telmo.



We saw all the tango bands in the street.


Oh, also my parents are obsessed with the dog walkers in my neighborhood so they made me put this on here.

The Padres Take on Buenos Aires

My parents arrived in Buenos Aires early Saturday morning. They were exhausted from their 9 hour red eye and came home and took a nap. They told me that they didn't want to do anything on Saturday, but, f course they did. (by they, I mean my mom, who i forgot only has one speed, and that speed is "Director"). So we took an impromptu trip to downtown Buenos Aires.

First we went to a cafe down the street called Nucha, which they loved. We had Empanadas, bruchetta, steak sandwiches and, of course, WINE.


Then we walked through my neighborhood to their first subway adventure. I feel like this picture perfectly sums up the our relative touristing habits. My mom, enthusiastic, me, faking entusiasm, my dad, constantly taking pictures.


Of course, my dad is taking pictures of me. I'm trying to tell him and we're going to get robbed if we keep looking like tourists.


I decided to give my parents the real Buenos Aires experience by taking them on the subte.


We went to the Obelisco, where my dad was the eternal tourist.




Thanks, Dad.


Mom, getting her shop on. Of course, I was her official translator. More than once I had to let her know, nicely, that I was, in fact, NOT her employee. :)




If you didn't notice, I was ready to kill everyone. Yay!

More coming tonight. Oh, yesterday was a doozy.