Semana Santa

In Latin American countries, the traditional spring break is a bit different. It coincides with Easter and is called Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Since Easter was a bit late this year, so was our week of vacation. We were definitely ready for a break from school, and a relaxing vacation is just what we needed.

A plus of all of Latin America having the same week off is that we were able to spend the week with friends, Alex and Caitlin, who are currently living in Ecuador. Mendoza, Argentina had popped up a few times in conversation, so that's where we decided to go.

Since A & C hadn't been to Buenos Aires yet, we decided to meet up there first. They got there a few days before Jesse and I did, so they went around and did a lot of the things we had done last year. Look under the tag Buenos Aires to read our posts from last year.

We hung out for a few days, did some shopping and had some great Porteno food. Buenos Aires is just an amazing city to be in, and its fun to just walk around and look at the different architecture that each neighborhood brings. It reminds me of New York City in that way- each neighborhood has its own distinct feel and character. This time we stayed in the Recoleta neighborhood in an old apartment building, and spent a whole day in the Palermo Soho neighborhood, which we didn't get to see last time.

I realized as I am writing this post that Jesse didn't take any pictures of our time in BA except for the soccer game that he went to. So I have no pictures to share. :(

Buenos Aires- Recoleta

I realized this afternoon that I hadn't posted on our visit to the Recoleta neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The most famous part of the Recoleta neighborhood is the Recoleta cemetary. This cemetary was amazing, with astonishing architecture for the family crypts. This is where Eva Peron rests with her family, which added to my desire to visit it.

A startlingly beautiful statue.
An example of the architecture. The cemetary was set up with alleys to guide you around.

Eva Peron's gravesite.

Recoleta also has, what is commonly called, a Hippie Market. Here, hippie portenos sell their artistic wares. Jesse and I bought a painting, some earrings (for me), a ring (for him), and some picture frames. We also stumbled upon a live music show going on, so we just sat and listened for awhile.
What may have been Jesse's favorite part of the neighborhood was where we ate lunch. Around the hippie market there are all these outdoor cafes and restaurants. Well, we found a microbrewery among those outdoor patios. We bought a sampler and enjoyed the variety of beers.

Buenos Aires- Day 1

This past weekend, we had our a six day weekend and tickets to the "New York of South America"- Buenos Aires or BA for short. This has been our first break from school, and we took advantage. We flew out of Asuncion on Thursday. Arriving in BA, we knew we were in a whole different world than Asuncion. We caught a ride into the city. One of the first things I noticed while driving through is how European the city looks and feels. I could very easily have been in Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, or London with the architecture and the feel of the city. Asuncion is a very laid-back quaint city. BA is a city of constant movement and activities.

After we arrived at our hostel (if you remember from the last post, it was Jesse and 5 ladies- lucky him) we went up to the roof. Our hostel had a roof-top terrace with a beautiful view of the city. The bar was also up there so we had a beer to cheer our first South American vacation.

Then we went off exploring. Our hostel was right downtown, so it was very easy for us to walk to some very cool places. First, we went to the Plaza del Congreso, which is where the Congress meets.

Next, we walked down the other way from our hostel and went to see Casa Rosada. This is where Eva Peron (Evita) did her big speech to the masses. The traffic was crazy around this area, but we needed the picture.

BA is known for its shopping, and since Asuncion is not, and we were five women and Jesse, shopping is what we did. Since it was kind of late, we mainly just walked down Calle Florida to see what is available. Calle Florida is pedestrian only street goes on and on forever. It has stores and shops of all kinds, and has access to two or three malls. It was incredibly crowded, and with the street vendors in the middle of the street, it was difficult to get by sometimes.
We ended our first day in BA with dinner at a Thai restaurant and drinks at an Irish pub. I love Thai food, and thankfully, so do all of our companions. Here is a picture of my neighbor Chaya and I.
Jesse found an interesting beer (note to Simpsons fans) to try at the Irish pub while we planned the rest of our BA activities.

A Well Deserved Vacation

Starting after school today, spring break has started. We are free of students and responsibilities until next Wednesday at 7:30am. Jesse and I, with four other female teachers, are traveling to Buenas Aires, Argentina for the weekend. We are super excited for the break from work and for the chance to experience a new place. We'll do some new posts when we get back on Tuesday.