Buenos Aires From La Feria De San Telmo To El Candombe

On our second day in Buenos Aires, we spent much of the day at the extraordinary Feria de San Telmo, a huge outdoor fair where artisans sell everything under the sun from antiques to paintings to Tango lessons.  It was a huge amount of fun that we capped off with a late lunch at a Basque restaurant and an evening stroll filled with dancing and music. 

The fair starts around 10 am and stretches for miles.  Here are a few pictures.

We then went to Sagardi for lunch.  I have a love for Basque food that I developed after a speech in Idaho when I found a great Basque restaurant and spent hours drinking and talking to the owner and his family.  The food at Sagardi was spectacular and ranks as the best of the meals thus far in Buenos Aires.  The sausage was amazing.  It is a tad pricey but worth it. It is surprising to see the many “Kentucky Pizza” joints.  Kentucky is known for many wonderful things but not pizza.

 

We then walked around the area and ended up at a local bar called the Hipopótamo or Hippopotamus. There was a great singer (common to Argentina) and a few locals.  I tried Patagonia beer (the Bavarian) and loved it.  We then walked back in the dark and encountered various groups of candombe (can-DOM-bay), groups pounding rhythmically on three sized drums – the piano, repique and chico as people lead and follow dancing down the street. It was absolutely wonderful and hypnotic.  By far the favorite thing I have encountered in Buenos Aires.  The music on the barely light streets seemed to pull people into the street, including us.  Argentinians live life with a gusto and it is hard not to get caught up in the celebrations.  Here are a couple short videos.