At Mar Del Plata

Brenda Doing it Tough On Way To MDP

This One Is For Victor

We made the trip from Buenos Aires yesterday as planned. 

We checked out of the hotel at 10 AM (cost about $80 per day including the Internet) and were able to hail a cab outside of the hotel door within a minute or two.  The cab driver dropped us at the entrance to terminal 5 (cost, only 15 pesos) so that we were in position ourselves for boarding the bus a good 30 minutes ahead of schedule.  

We had seats 1 and 2 on a near empty bus so that we had the front of the bus pretty much to ourselves.  We were able to lay back comfortably and watch the scenery pass by to the front and the sides.  After about 5 ½ hours we were at Mar Del Plata.  The taxi ride to the port took us along the picturesque waterfront drive and through the interior of the city of Mar Del Plata, which is modern and very clean, compared to the scruffy port where Pachuca lay.  The cab driver was very chatty and we had a reasonable conversation on the way to the marina.  When he dropped us off I gave him the 50 pesos for the ride with a 5 peso tip.  The cab driver gave me a kiss on the cheek and to Brenda also a kiss on the cheek accompanied by a shake of the hands.  He wrote gave me his telephone number for when we need a cab again. 

We arrived at the boat with plenty of daylight remaining for settling ourselves in.  Brenda was able to climb on board with little difficulty, though with not (yet) quite the spring of a gazelle.  We had dinner at Club Nautico where I was glad to see Jorge the waiter again.  I introduced him to Brenda and after we had a look at the menu we ordered pollo Maryland each, but soon he returned and suggested that we share one chicken Maryland between us because one each would be too much.  We took his advice and had plenty to eat over two copas de vino tinto.

This morning Brenda and I walked to the market which thankfully was open on Sunday morning, and we purchased fruit, vegetables, bread, ham, cheese, bread, a bottle of wine, and enough chicken for a good pressure cooker meal on Monday night.  On the way we dropped by Club Nautico where I introduced Brenda to Marta and got her OK to have a letter from Australia addressed to Club Nautico (even though I am now at Club Argentino). 

After lunch we walked into town where I pointed out to Brenda my haunts on 12 de Octubre and Edison streets, e.g. the grocery store, laundry, computer shop, electronic repair shop, butcher shop.  Just about everything was closed but I did manage to get to the ATM and draw out some cash.  The ATM story is worth telling.  In Buenos Aires I was not able to draw any cash from the 6 or 7 bank ATM's that I tried.  Every one of those banks was tied Banelco, which does not seem to be  set up to deal with international Visa cards.  It was very fortunate that I had taken plenty of cash with me to BA. 

This had been a brilliant and crisp day.  While walking around we met up with Pato;s wife and when I commented on the beautiful weather she replied that it is very unusual for this time of year.  The weather had been great for Brenda's introduction to MdP but we both understood that sooner or later the wet winter weather would come down on us.  On Tuesday we planned to visit the tourist office to see about a package tour to the fabulous Iguazu waterfall destination to the warmer north on the border with Brazil.