Welcome to South America

Twenty six hours of travelling later....partially my own fault for booking a lengthy change window at Heathrow to ensure I made the connection, but also a sixteen hours plus flight to Rio from LHR. Many of the passengers left here, those of us travelling on to BA stayed on board for two hours whilst the plane was cleaned, fuelled, restocked and changed crew.


At BA I was met by the local guide and safely delivered to my hotel for a night before an internal flight tomorrow. The rest of the main group will arrive here on Friday as I get back from my detour. So an afternoon and evening to myself to explore the city.
It's a little bit Spanish, a little bit Italian, a little bit French, a little bit Eastern European and a little bit I can't place at all. Avenue 9th July (named after the country's date of independence) is the widest avenue in the world: sixteen lanes of traffic, including dedicated bus lanes along the centre and wide treelined walkways between. Actually the city is full of trees, green canopies on both wide boulevards and narrow alleys. There are midrise victoriana gothic mansion blocks, nestling under towering glass offices, multicoloured unfinished shanty towns, next to middle class apartment blocks. A glossy mall of designer brands and muralled ceilings over an indoor fountain, opposite run down arcades of discounted clothing, electrical stores and pet food retailers, next to coffee shops to make an Italian weep with envy. Quiet green parks where two soldiers in ceremonial uniform stand guard at the monument to the fallen of the war for the Malvinas and South Atlantic.

I expected a small delicate cake; instead I received a four inch square tower of sponge, cream, chocolate, caramel and the ubiquitous dulce de leche. Dangerously delicious.






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