Day Five -- Lunch with an Argentine Family

Saturday was our last full day in Buenos Aires. Our day started with an arrachera (barbecue) at Francisco’s house, where we were joined by his daughter, Andrea, and a family friend from Italy, Alessandra. They cooked us a fantastic meal of grilled meats (mostly beef and pork ribs), two kinds of salad, bread, and lots of yummy deserts. We ate and talked for almost 3 hours, going through two bottles of Argentine red wine (Malbec, the type of wine that Argentina is most known for). Among other things, we learned that Andrea is a cardiologist; Alessandra visits Argentina each summer so she can better learn the tango; and Francisco and his wife, Juli, have been married for 52 years. It was great to be in their home and get to know some Argentines in a non-touristy setting.

We spent the afternoon relaxing and then headed to a tango show at a historic restaurant called Café Tortoni. The show was designed to cater to tourists and we really enjoyed it. There was signing, drum playing, and of course tango dancing. After the show we grabbed some dinner and then visited a milonga (tango dance hall) that Alessandra recommended. It was very different from what we expected. Most of the dancers were older than us (many in their 50s and 60s), and the men were generally older than the women. Many of the dancers were very good. It was interesting to see men in their 50s and 60s dance so intimately with women who were in their 20s.

I was again amazed at how vibrant the city is so early in the morning. We left the dance club at 1:30 a.m., and it was crowded with people still arriving. The streets and cafes were bustling. Almost all of our dinners began around 11 p.m., and the restaurants were always full at that time. Indeed, most restaurants do not even open until 8 p.m. The city definitely has a lot of energy to be able to sustain such an active nightlife.

--Thomas