Trip Report 4- Palermo

Sat. April 9

Walked over to the Museo LatinAmericano de BA (MALBA) which, unsurprisingly, has Latin American art (from the early to mid-20th century). The museum is in the Palermo neighborhood, which is known for its wide boulevards and numerous parks. It is, indeed, a very pleasant area in which to walk around. The museum itself is laid out quite well, and the interior reminded me of the newer east building of the National Art Gallery in Washington, D.C. ------------------------------------------ Although I had tentatively planned to visit several museums, for today one was enough. Plus, as the walk over prob. took a good 45 minutes from my hotel I was a little tired and sat outside the museum for a few minutes. The weather is extremely conducive to walking outside, so after consulting a map for general reference (and eating one of the powerbars I had brought w/me from the States), I headed south through Palermo and Recoleta with the ultimate late afternoon destination of my hotel.

--------------------------------------------------- On the way back I ran into one of the several shopping malls in town (Alto Palermo) & decided to check it out. Plus I really needed something approaching a regular meal. Immediately upon entering there was a French-themed spot, at which I got a baguette sandwich (chicken), soda and a large chocolate tartaleta pastry for about US$3.50. The exchange rate will likely continue to amaze me the entire trip.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sidenote: if you are thinking of visiting it is highly recommended to brush up on or learn a little Spanish. A penchant for languages coupled with a basic twice-a-week-at-lunch class when I first moved to Miami allows me to speak it at a fairly basic (but I would like to think efficient) level (mastering verb tenses is another issue though). In particular, knowing Spanish for food, numbers, directions, days of the week and how to ask basic questions will go a long way to communicating effectively and thereby will make your experience much more enjoyable. Most people I encountered were very accommodating and seemingly appreciative of my attempts to communicate in Spanish. Without going into the details, also be aware that in Argentine Spanish some words, phrases and cadences sound a little different from the Spanish spoken elsewhere (owing in part to the Italian influence in the country).

----------------------------------------------- As it turned out I had the opportunity to dine at the most-discussed best-known restaurant in town, Cabana Las Lilas. Fueling its fable, there is an estancia that is the exclusive supplier of beef to this place. Somewhat akin to Joe's Stone Crabs in Miami Beach, for all the hoopla and hype this place receives the food is outstanding (both in selection and quality). There is a huge wine list as well, and it's incredibly pleasant if you can get a table outside with a view of the canals (Puerto Madero is a port area in the midst of a revitalization, meaning in this case a few new hotels and a growing selection of restaurants/bars). For BA it is one of the more expensive places (meaning US$50-60 per person for everything), but if you can swing it then definitely check it out.