3 Weeks in South America
I just spent three incredible weeks in South America. Two weeks in Rio and one in Buenos Aires. I'm writing about it so I can reminisce on it.
This was a last-minute trip I booked two weeks prior to leaving. I didn't want to spend all winter in NY and I am starting a new job soon so it was perfect timing.
My friend Josh lives in Rio and I have been wanting to visit him so that's why I chose there. And then I figured while I'm down there I might as well see Buenos Aires.
Rio was amazing. It's an interesting place because it's a combination of city, jungle, and beach. I haven't been to anywhere like it. Josh lives on Copacabana so it was cool to stay on one of the most famous beaches in the world.
I was there for New Years and his friend threw a party on his rooftop and we all watched the fireworks together. Rio is one of the best places in the world to celebrate New Years.
The rest of the trip we spent exploring the nightlife and restaurants. One day we went to the beach with Josh's girlfriend and her friends. After lounging in the sun we walked around a cove to this little restaurant serving empanadas. We drank beers and ate empanadas while we watched the sunset. I was with new people, eating good food, speaking a different language, and learning a new culture. I was happy.
One of the days I went to see Christ the Redeemer. It was cool! Incredible views. It's the third wonder of the world that I've seen.
We ended the trip with me taking Josh out to dinner at Sult, an incredible restaurant with probably the best lasagna I've ever had.
Then I was off to Buenos Aires! I was excited to be solo in BA. I've learned that solo travel can be so much fun because it forces you to meet other people. And because you can do whatever you want whenever you want. This was the first time I had solo traveled since my big Europe backpacking trip.
The second night in Buenos Aires I went to this asado Airbnb experience I was recommended by Josh. It was incredible. An asado is a traditional Argentinian barbeque. Typically Argentinians will gather with friends and family on Sundays to do them. These two local guys have been hosting this experience for travelers on Airbnb and they're crushing it.
I met several other travelers and this funny Greek family. The meat was delicious and the wine was flowing. It's always fun to break bread with new people. After the asado, I went out with a few of the people I met there.
I spent the rest of the time exploring the city, hanging out with my new friends, and going out at night. Your typical activities for a solo traveler. On Sunday I went to the San Telmo market and ate a delicious chori pan after I walked through their famous street fair. Afterward, I walked over to La Boca neighborhood where I got a tour of La Bombonera. It's one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world. It's renowned for its insane atmosphere. I was so bummed I was there during the offseason :(
What's unique about the stadium is how vertical it is. Every seat feels like it's right on top of the pitch. They don't make stadiums like this in the US. I imagine it's due to safety concerns but I'm convinced if a team did build a stadium like this it would be a destination for many sports fans like it is in Argentina.
Later that night I met up with one of the guys who runs the asado experience I went to. He invited me to join his pick-up soccer game. I was so excited to play soccer with some Argentinians. It was a blast. We played for an hour and a half and it might have been my favorite part of the trip. They were all so friendly and I felt like I was having a truly great travel experience. The kind that you only get every so often.
Oh and here is a photo of the steak I had at Don Julio. It's the #1 ranked steakhouse in the world and the #10 ranked restaurant in the world. I had heard all about it before arriving in Buenos Aires and most people said it was overrated but I enjoyed it. The steak was the size of my head and it was perfectly cooked.
By the end of this trip, I was tired of steak. I had beef almost every night for three weeks. I should probably check on my cholesterol numbers.