Steak Dinners and San Telmo

My long weekend got off to a great start with a visit to San Telmo to explore the antique and arts fair that takes over Plaza Dorrego every Sunday in this artsy part of town. I braved the heat and humidity to venture out into a borough of the city that is quite far from Palermo, where I live.

As soon as I stepped off the colectivo (bus), I was struck immediately by the fantastic graffiti street art that is everywhere in this part of the city. I'm not sure if graffiti is illegal or not in Buenos Aires, but it is certainly much more common here than in New York. The graffiti here is not used by gangs to symbolize anything as often as it is meant simply as artistic expression.

I walked around San Telmo for a bit, taking pictures of the streets and graffiti. This section of the city is much older than Palermo, with its shiny new apartment buildings and modern restaurants and cafés. San Telmo is quaint and unique, with cobblestone streets, old cars puttering around, and a mix of tourists and locals wandering the area in search of deals at the market.

The market was absolutely overwhelming, so I just focused on stalls that sold things I would be able to take home with me in my luggage, like jewelry or clothing. The market was filled with tourists speaking English, which was somewhat of a relief after hearing only Spanish for days on end.

I have been finding that unless I know what language to listen for, I am completely shocked when someone speaks to me in English on the street. One tourist saw that I was holding a map, trying to figure out where the nearest bus stop was. She asked me for directions, and I looked at her completely blankly until I realized that she was speaking to me in English.

There were some pretty great things for sale at the market, including this collection of old apothecary bottles, and a record store that put Bleeker St. Records to shame with the variety of its collection - everything from tango and Argentine hits to classic rock and reggae. Eventually, I settled on a vintage silver ring with a piece of rhodochrosite --- Argentina's national stone -- embedded in the top, for 80 pesos, or $16 USD.

Of course, a successful day in Buenos Aires would not be successful without some sort of delicious meal to end it. When a group of people in my program suggested going out for steak, I was obviously on board. We went to a place only a 10 minute walk from my homestay called Don Julios.

Carne con papas fritas y ensalada.

The best part about this steak dinner was that it cost only about $20 USD per person, including wine for the table and tip. Please tell me where I can get a deal like that in New York.

I spent today (Monday) just lying in the park near where I live and reading, with an extended stop at a café for té con leche y 3 medialunas (tea with milk and three croissants - don't worry they were small). The perfect way to end my "winter" break before classes start on Wednesday.