Get ready to belt out the soundtrack of ‘Evita’ as the inaugural Contiki South America trip descends on Buenos Aires.
Sometimes, all your travel plans won’t go exactly as planned. Flights may be canceled, delayed, or you’ll realize that even with the most detailed planning in your logistics, things can fall through and it is out of your control. I didn’t get the chance to visit Iguassu Falls in Brazil as originally planned, but I did get to spend another wonderful afternoon in Cusco, and an evening in Lima instead Brazil. Then, bright and early the following morning, our group took a 4-hour flight from Lima to Buenos Aires, and you immediately knew that the scenery was going to be different.
Instead of restored Inca temples, I felt like I was in New York City – bustling streets, high rise buildings, and.. {drum roll please} – some really awesome pizza. Dare I say it? Oh yes I do – traditional Argentinian pizza actually surprised me. After a long flight, the group was starving so we got into our coach and headed to Pizzeria Guerrin, one of the oldest and historic traditional pizzerias in Buenos Aires. Usually, patrons grab a slice and stand among their fellow locals and enjoy a slice before heading out. Our local guide got us the upstairs dining area to fit 22 of us and we feasted like kings. We were specifically told to get the ‘faina’, or garbanzo bean flatbread that is meant to be placed on top of our pizza slices for added flavor. Hungry yet? This post is going to be about a LOT of food.
Two slices of pizza afterwards (one topped with faina!), I was considerably full but not entirely stuffed. We had been given forewarning that we were visiting an asado (traditional Argentinian BBQ buffet), so we had to save our appetites.. and boy was I looking forward to the buffet! We were given a few hours to settle into our hotel and wander about the city before dinner.
Then off we went to Siga La Vaca, one of the most popular “asado” restaurants in the city of Buenos Aires. It’s an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of different cuts of meat, whether you prefer beef, chicken, or pork. There are long buffet tables of other goodies, such as deviled eggs, salads, crostini, and slices of cheese. The regional red wine, Malbec, is readily available along with sparkling or still water, and the desserts are decadent. As a self-proclaimed foodie, my eyes were certainly bigger than my stomach, but I enjoyed every single bite!
As you can imagine, I suffered from a major food coma after this meal, so I hit the sack and geared up for my final day in Buenos Aires.