Don't Cry for me Buenos Aires

The logistics todays would have caused a nightmare for the guest administration team.  How many flights would have had to have been rescheduled for those getting off today, let alone the terminal full of people wanting to get on. You just knew there were going to be even more issues when we saw that because of the tide baggage was off loaded by conveyer belt and not as swiftly with the usual forklifts and cages.  But I am ahead of myself.

The one benefit of the a later sail in is that the sun is higher and the skies are bluer.  Making our way into the labyrinth that was the port area you could see where accidents happen. Narrow are the channels that large ships like ours have to manoeuvre to moor at their berths. The damaged MSC ship was still in port and visible was the nasty gash left by it's sister ship.

A ticketed system was once again used to get everyone off the ship and onto the shuttles that transported us to the terminal.  As we walked through the terminal you could hear the hundreds of people impatiently waiting to embark today.

The Damaged MSC Ship

Later we heard that the delay in baggage cause a big issue as disembarking guests waited ages for their luggage to turn up.

Due to our late arrival we had decided that we had no option but the cancel the city tour we had arranged for the day.  We had an evening dinner and tango show booked and we were being picked up at 6pm.

So instead we opted to catch a taxi and head out to La Boca.

La Boca, what can I say, this is the most bohemian and artsy part of town. Becoming more and more popular with tourists thanks to it's El Caminito, meaning "Little Walkway".
 A thriving street with artists selling their art, buskers playing music and lots of market stalls selling wares of every variety. Colourful houses line the street, and kerbside cafes invite you to sit, have a drink and some offering performances carried out by talented tango dancers hoping to be discovered.  Argentina meets little Italy seems to be the flavour of this district.
Street art at every turn, with most buildings adorned with funky statues depicting Argentina's most famous, and then there is the amazing relief sculptures that decorate many of the walls, each telling a story from the districts past.

 

So now time is moving fast, so we set out to find a taxi to get us back to the terminal in time to shower, change and head out to our dinner.   Who ever thought 90 mins was not enough to cover a 20 min trip.  Traffic in BA is atrocious ....  walking seems faster as you sit in traffic that is at a standstill.

Shower and change! .... you jest, we were lucky to make it back in time to meet our transfer! As others came off the ship neatly dressed and smelling like roses, we in our sweaty shorts, t-shirts and joggers hoped that there was no dress code and hoped that the venue would be dimly lit!