Spent 3 weeks at my friend Alyssa's place in Buenos Aires. Alyssa is originally from the US, and I met her while I was working at a hostel in Spain (a year ago). I also met a Finnish girl there, named Sanni (the three of us worked at the hostel together). Sanni and I agreed to go to Argentina and visit Alyssa at the same time. Sanni arrived two weeks before me, spent a week in Buenos Aires, and then went to spend a week in Uruguay. I did not plan to spend 3 weeks in Buenos Aires, but because I didn't have a plan for where I wanted to go next, that's what I ended up doing.
Day 1: Arrived in Buenos Aires in the evening after a 13 hour flight from Barcelona. Alyssa met me at the airport, and we went to her apartment and hung out there for the rest of the evening.
Day 2: Hung out in/near Alyssa's apartment all day.
Day 3: Went to a park with Alyssa to relax and drink mate (a very popular tea-like drink in Argentina). Went to a shopping centre afterwards, and then back to the apartment.
Day 4: Went clothes shopping and finally found a nice dress (I needed clothes suitable for the warm weather). Went back to the apartment and hung out with Alyssa and her boyfriend afterwards. After they had left (Alyssa went to work), Sanni arrived back in Buenos Aires (from Uruguay), so I spent the evening hanging out in the apartment with her.
Day 5: Hung out in/near the apartment all day with Sanni.
Day 6: Hung out in the apartment with Sanni and Alyssa all day. We went out in the evening, to the Recoleta cultural centre, and witnessed a protest (against the Venezuelan government) on the way. While Alyssa sat down to do some work, Sanni and I wandered around inside and outside the cultural centre. Afterwards, we bought some wine and snacks, and went back to the apartment. Hung out in Alyssa's room until 3 am, then went out, found a night club, did some dancing, and got back home again around 8 am.
Day 7: Hung out in the apartment all day. Went out with Sanni and Alyssa in the evening, to go to a vintage clothes event in San Telmo. Had a look but didn't buy anything, and wandered around San Telmo afterwards. Went back to the apartment after that.
Day 8: Had lunch in a Peruvian restaurant with Sanni and Alyssa, and wandered around with Sanni afterwards (Alyssa went to work). Went back to the apartment and watched Sanni pack after that. Said goodbye to Sanni as she left for the airport, to fly back to Germany (where she lives right now).
Day 9: Hung out in/near the apartment all day.
Day 10: Went to Plaza de Mayo (by myself) and hung out in the park there for a while. Afterwards, I walked to Costanera Sur nature reserve, by the river. Walked (approximately 6 km) through the reserve, which was nice. Went back to the apartment after that.
Day 11: Went to Plaza Italia (by myself) and hung out there for a little while, before walking to the nearby botanical garden. After walking around there for a little while, I went to the Eco Park (formerly zoo) and watched some free-range animals (ducks, maras, and a few other creatures). Went back to the botanical garden when the Eco Park closed, and then back to the apartment.
Day 12: Hung out in the apartment most of the day, and went out in the afternoon with Alyssa to go to a café. Hung out there for a few hours, while Alyssa did some work on her laptop, and I tried to make a plan for where to go next (using my own laptop). Went back to the apartment after that, and I ended up buying a plane ticket to Bariloche (another place in Argentina).
Day 13: Went with Alyssa to her boyfriend's apartment and hung out there for a few hours. Went back to Alyssa's apartment afterwards, drank some wine and intended to go out, but ended up just going to bed.
Day 14: Went with Alyssa to La Boca, a colourful (and quite touristic) neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. Hung out there for a while, and then went back to the apartment.
Day 15: Went to a café with Alyssa to do some work on our laptops. I made a plan for what I was going to do after arriving in Bariloche (the plan was to go from there to Chile, something I ultimately decided not to do). Went back to the apartment afterwards.
Day 16: Went to Plaza Italia, and walked from there to Bosques De Palermo, a nice park with a lake and a rose garden. Spent some time there, then walked through some nearby smaller parks, and then went back to the apartment.
Day 17: Went out to buy some equipment for my upcoming trip to Bariloche. Went to many shops, but didn't find most of the things I was looking for. Went back to the apartment after that.
Day 18: Did some shopping, and hung out in the apartment most of the day.
Day 19: Went out and found the things I didn't find earlier (among them, a pair of nice sandals), and went out with Alyssa in the afternoon to have lunch at a vegan restaurant. It was the International Women's Day, so Alyssa and I went to Plaza del Congreso to watch the crowd after finishing our lunch. We ended up following the crowd for a while (the streets were packed full of people). Went to pick up Alyssa's boyfriend's tent after that (so I could borrow it), and then went back to the apartment. I had to get up quite early the next day, to catch the flight to Bariloche.