Argentina and Uruguay

Nov 24-Dec 11, 2024
AC90 YYZ-(GRU)-EZE, AC91 EZE-(GRU)-YYZ

To start our journey to Antarctica, we first needed to first get to Buenos Aires. With the timing of our cruise departure and Air Canada’s flight schedule, to have a comfortable window, we needed to arrive a few days early and ended up with two full days to explore. For our journey there, Air Canada flew an overnight direct flight from Toronto, but it made a 1.5 hour stop in Sao Paolo that required deplaning and passing through security again. We were a little bit delayed in our departure in Toronto, but made up the time in the air and had time to shower before continuing our flight.

Nov 25

We landed at the international airport, collected our bags, and were in the car on the way to the city just before 5:00pm. Although we weren’t up for too much, after checking in and grabbing a snack in the lounge, we headed out for an evening stroll in the city centre.

Starting our stroll towards the port

Upscale shops on the pedestrian Florida Street

From the Marriott Club, we have an excellent view of the Buenos Aires Obelisk Buenos Aires Obelisk, erected in 1936 to commemorate 400 years from the city’s foundation in 1536

Enjoying the warm weather from the club patio

Nov 26

For our second day in the area, we decided to do a day trip to Uruguay. Colonia del Sacramento is a sleepy UNESCO heritage city, and is about an hour ferry ride from the port in BA. Our ferry departed at 8:15am, but to clear immigration and customs formalities at the terminal, we had to be there pretty early. Before we departed, we did one final check of the weather and decided at the last minute to bring rain jackets due to the risk of storms. The ferries that cross the 50km span of the Río de la Plata between BA and Colonia do a huge volume, but it was a very efficient operation. On arrival in Uruguay, our 106th country, we made our way to the tour desk for the walking tour that came with our round trip ticket.

Uruguay is much smaller than neighbouring Argentina, and is often used as a more peaceful refuge from the hustle and bustle of BA. Historically the Spanish (of Argentina) and the Portuguese (of Brazil) have fought over the land between the two countries. This has created a town with a mixture of historical influence from both cultures. Although Spain ultimately won and there is little modern Portuguese influence, the old structures still remain in Colonia.

Former train station

Official UNESCO plaque

Beautiful flowers in front of historical Portuguese colonial architecture that is now part of a museum

Getting just a little wet as our tour continues through the old town

Mixture of Spanish and Portuguese architecture off the main town square

Coincidently our tour ended just as the skies opened up outside the church. We, and a local stray dog, rode out the worst of the rain inside the church, and said goodbye to our guide, free to roam around on our own.

Restaurant built under the tower near the waterfront

Walking along the pier with the town in the background, as the grey skies are starting to make way for some sun

Local fishing boat

One of the many cobblestone streets that dominate the heritage site

Sculpture outside of cultural centre under blue skies with the rain fully passed

Mural mixed in with some local graffiti

There was an eclectic mix of street art including fish in old cars as well as a car planter

Beautifully renovated building and gardens

Sycamore-tree-lined main commercial thoroughfare

With outer layer of bark off, you can see the colours of sycamore trees

After lunch, we head back to the Colonia del Sacramento Basilica to capture some sunny photos.

The front of the Catholic Basilica first constructed in 1810, replacing a 1680 mud range where the parish began

More of the mix of colourful Portuguese and more muted Spanish architecture

Colonia Lighthouse, built in the 1850s into the ruins of the historic Convent of San Francisco Xavier, providing a scenic location for the working lighthouse, but also making it impossible to restore the original convent

Remains of original city walls

Park just outside the wall

Perspective on the massive 2500-person ferries that shuttle between the neighbouring countries, with many passengers connecting to a two-hour bus ride to Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, further up the river

Although the rail line is gone, they kept the roundtables used for repositioning trains

Having seen all that we’d planned to see, we were ready for the 5:00pm ferry back to BA, and after a walk through the historic centre, we were back in time for dinner at the hotel and an early end to the night.

Nov 27

Before the end of the day, we needed to check in to the hotel that was part of our cruise, to stage for the next day transfer to the airport and start our journey to Antarctica. Although our mind was certainly on that, we had the whole free to relax and explore BA. Unfortunately, our unsettled weather continued, and what started as grey skies turned into another lengthy round of torrential rain. We were fortunate to be in our hotel during the storm and emerged to clearer skies later in the afternoon.

View of BA center from the hotel rooftop pool

Buenos Aires Obelisk in Plaza de la República, in the centre of the very wide Avenue 9 de Julio stretching into the distance

The Cabildo, built in 1610 as a government building, is now a museum and continues to be a prominent building at Plaza del Mayo

Pirámide de Mayo is central to Place de Mayo, and was ordered in 1811 to commemorate the first anniversary of the May revolution which started Argentina’s war of independence

Casa Rosada, at the eastern end of Plaza de Mayo, was first constructed in 1594 and underwent numerous renovations and expansions. Today it is the working offices of the president as well as a museum.

Opposite Casa Rosada is the Equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano

Also flanking the plaza is the 1944 National Bank of Argentina headquarters

The Central Post Office building, finished in 1928, 29 years after starting, due to long pauses and design changes

A quick view of Puerto Madero where our new hotel is located. We checked in for the cruise, and then made our way back to our hotel.

We completed the check-in move to the hotel by 4:30pm, and then had time for a walk around and for the first time, we visited the edge of the Costanera Ecological Reserve on bank of the Río de la Plata, adjacent to Puerto Madero

Monumental antenna, or Mast of the Italians, donated in 1927 by the Italian community to commemorate the visit of Prince Umberto II of Savoia, heir to the throne, and last king of the Kingdom of Italy

After an early dinner at a nice restaurant in the redeveloped port area, we captured a few more photos.

1890’s ARA Presidente Sarmiento, a museum ship, originally built as a training ship for the Argentine Navy

Floating bar next to our hotel and the modern skyline of new office towers in the background

With a 2:15am wakeup call, we were in bed early and very excited for the adventure ahead.

Dec 9

After our Antarctic adventure, we were back at the hotel by mid afternoon, but planned for a pretty laid-back day. I had made plans to meet up with an old friend who I had worked with in Houston. Ironically, we met her next to our pre-cruise hotel, a 30 minute walk from our new hotel in Puerto Madero.

Colón Theatre, historic opera house built in 1889

Buenos Aires Obelisk with bluer skies than our pre-cruise visit

Monument to General Juan Lavalle in Lavalle Plaza

Main entrance to Colón Theatre

Plaza Estado del Vaticano on the north side of the opera

One of the many sculptures that we see on our tour of the theatre

Stain glass windowed roof lights up the main entrance

The Secret, a 1891 marble sculpture by the artist Gustavo Eberlein, one of the most important sculptures in the Gallery of Busts, sculpted from one solid piece of marble

Bust of Franz Liszt, a Hungarian composer

The main entrance stairway into the theatre

The Golden Hall houses smaller recitals and receptions

Stained glass adorns the opposite end of the Golden Hall

Directional signage in the theatre — don’t stop if you’re headed to the balcony

Our first view inside the theatre from one of the boxes

More perspective on the ceiling and the upper standing room only sections in the upper rows

Workers preparing the massive stage floor for a ballet performance

Last stop in the Bust Gallery before ending the tour

Monument to Manuel Dorrego in Plaza Suipacha

Swarovski Christmas Tree in upscale Galerías Pacífico mall

Monument to the Liberator Don Jose de San Martin in Plaza San Martin

Monument to the Fallen in Malvinas (Falklands War)

Torre Monumental clock tower in Plaza Fuerza Aérea. It was originally named The English Tower and was gifted from British Community; however, it was renamed after the Falklands War with the UK.

Main train station

Ministry of Education building

Republic Plaza decorated for the season

Monument to Don Quixote of La Mancha

The Barolo Palace

Congressional Plaza in front of the Argentine Congress

San Telmo Market

Tango performance in Plaza Dorrego

19th century Basilica Cathedral Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary

Plaza Heroes de Malvinas

Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral interior

After a busy day of walking all around the city, I had a relaxing evening at the hotel. As Tom was anxious to be prepared for work on Thursday, we decided to move his flight a day earlier, so that he could take home our checked bag, pick up the car, and facilitate my arrival early Thursday morning. With the earlier flight, Tom was already on his way to Sao Paolo, and I had one more night in BA.

Dec 11

For my last morning in BA, I decided to finally explore the Palermo neighbourhood. To also get some exercise in before the flight home, I decided to walk the whole way to and from my hotel. It was a beautiful morning and a great walk and I left just after 6:00am.

Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays, through the gate, as I was too early to enter

Palermo’s Monument of the Carta Magna and Four Regions of Argentina

Paseo El Rosedal Garden, another of the many gardens in the area

Exploring more of the beautiful spring flowers in the garden

Large Banyan Tree dominates the park

Rosedal Lake

BA sign in front of the nearby Galileo Planetarium

Evita Museum was the last landmark as I started my walk from Palermo to the Marriott

With nearly 18km under my feet, it was time for breakfast at the hotel, before packing up and heading to the airport. Although it would have been nice to travel with Tom, I had a good flight back through Sao Paolo. I managed to get a full night’s sleep, and it was nice to be able to walk directly from the plane to a warm car and a ride home from Tom. This was a great end to an incredible adventure, and on time to get home and start and finish the work week.