I woke up about 10:30... thankfully one of the guys in the dorm made a little too much noise. I realize that I desperately need a towel. And a pair of flip-flops for the shower, as by the time I got my sorry ass out of bed, everyone had showered. Ick. I used my shirt from two days ago to dry myself off. Double ick. I missed breakfast, which was fine, because my stomach was still yelling at me for having eaten meat and fried food for both meals.
Last night, about 9:00 (approaching the Argentine timing), I went to the very highly recommended (by Marcelo) Palacio de las Papas Fritas. It's a very simple place (Marcelo calls it 'Old School'), well known for the 'papas souffles,' disk-cut potatos fried in oil so hot, they puff up. I had the Bife de Chorizo (a huge hank of rump steak), accompanied by the famous papas. There was also a small 'salad,' but the Argentinian salad is nothing to speak of. The meat was good enough, tasty, but the cut didn't do much for me, the fries were great.
But the dessert. Oof. Called Budím, it was a very thick bread pudding, with flan flavoring, topped with a thick layer of dulce de leche. Holy shit. All that, a cup of coffee, a bottle of mineral water, was $27 pesos (about $9.)
So I go to Palermo. I shopped all day. It takes all day, as Palermo is HUGE. Walking around for SIX HOURS, I barely passed the same store twice. It's full of small cute boutiques that make you ring a bell to enter, but aren't full of snobby salespeople.
I didn't buy anything. The clothes are pretty much price-wise, on par with the US, but THE ENTIRE CITY IS STUCK IN THE 80s. ARGH. I guess things are similar in NYC, but I haven't been shopping in a while. You know, I suffered the 80s thing once, and that was PLENTY. Skinny flats meant to be worn with leggings, and there are plenty of those. Bat-wing tops made from brightly-hued jersey knit, adorned with gold. Jeans aplenty, but from the 700 pairs I've tried on, they either make my thighs look and feel like sausages (slim fit), or they're perfect in the thighs and calves and are big in the waist.
I got hungry about 2 in the afternoon (and desperately needed coffee) and meandered with that slight wobble I get when I've gone too long without eating. I happened upon a cafe that had tables outside and in the sun (only a stupid american would want that... but it was clear, about 75-80 degrees, beautiful, and I'm pasty white) and when I looked at the name, I realized that it was a place called Janio, recommended to me by Kephram and Ellie. Three course lunch for 16 pesos (divide by 3, people. About $6.) First course. a couple of sweet cheese kreplach sauteed in butter. Then a fried merluza (more fried, but at least it was fish) with mashed potatoes. I went easy on them both, but then they bring me a coconut cream torte, with some kind of graham cracker crust, creme anglaise on the side. Fuck. That, a double coffee, and a bottle of water... total 27 pesos.
I took the subway again to the big Abastos Mall. I can see why malls are so popular here. The city is so spread out, the traffic is pretty intense, the subway really doesn't go where you need it to go. I was done shopping by this time, really, but I wanted some ice cream that BA is evidently famous for. I knew there would be some, along with a bathroom and a place to rest my tired feet.
There were two across from one another... Freddo (long line) and Munchi's (no line). I know that no line is often a bad sign, but I wasn't thrilled with the flavor selection at Freddos. I had a double... 'coconut with dulce de leche' and 'flan with dulce de leche.' In case you were wondering, yes, that's dulce overkill. I was shaking fron the sugar high. Although, I decided, if I should die, I'd like to be embalmed with the stuff. If at all possible.
I have yet to book any tango time, as Marcelo's suggestion has not contacted me. Perhaps if I can stop eating and shopping for a minute, I'll get a chance to do it.
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