December 2023 - Buenos Aires, Antarctica, Melbourne and Rye
Buenos Aires (pronounced Irez; not Aries) was amazing – crazy weather whilst we were there. We both also suffered from jet lag for a few days so our sightseeing was sometimes a bit foggy but we enjoyed Buenos Aires for the cosmopolitan city that it is. BA is a contrast of neighbourhoods, architecture, colour and weather! In a few days, we had both searing sun and drenching rain. We saw suburbs of grey and suburbs of vibrant colour, Parisian-style chateaux and brightly-painted timber buildings, grand buildings and boulevards and narrow, cobblestone alleys. We lucked in with Jacaranda in full blossom so there was a beautiful sprinkling of purple everywhere. We learnt that Argentina had been a very rich country but is now in real danger of “going broke.” Inflation is crippling and the new President has some big challenges to face. We stayed in a wonderful hotel which opened in 1922 – the Alvear Palace. The central lobby was inspired by the great Ocean Liners...