Buenos Aires, Monday

1714 At Casa Mono in Tigre, getting 3 medialunas and coffee with milk for ARS75.

Just been on one hour boat tour (ARS200), which was quite enjoyable in a meditative kind of way. There was a pre-recorded commentary in English and Spanish but I could scarcely here it over the engine so almost completely ignored it.

Some picturesque old boats left to rust by the side of the river at some points. Lots of flashy-ish looking private homes with their own docks, also some run down looking ones. Quite a lot seemingly for sale. Not strictly my bag but mildly fantasy material to buy something like one of these places. But as with musings over buying property in BA yesterday, except even more so in this case, why the hell buy something like that when I could probably comfortably afford to rent by the week or month.

Got train over here, think left Retiro about 1338 but not at all sure - I just happened to get a train immediately before it left. I got some cold water and some apples and bananas in a couple of shops when I got in and ate them before slightly impulsively deciding I would do the tour, there were loads of booths offering it but just went with the one some Argentinians seemed to be using without shopping round. Very touristy but as I say it was quite a nice little circuit really. Will head back to BA after this coffee/snack, decided to come here since figured might as well have a coffee here as when I'm back in BA. Vague plan is to camp out in my room tonight and catch up on some vaguely "admin" stuff (arguing with Edelweiss, maybe a Spanish lesson, try to book some shit re Brazil, etc) and not go out and not have any beers.

Train was maybe half full when we got into Tigre. Seems a nice enough little place. Interesting to see the suburbanish places on the train ride out. Train was airconditioned which was v nice; it was v warm in BA and is pretty warm here too. Could imagine coming back here another time, perhaps even staying a few nights. Not necessarily at end of this trip - weather may be a bit cool by then. Also this is clearly the sort of place where a longer stay or even a half day trip is much better if you can swim, and I haven't learned yet.

Woke up 1030ish on an alarm, wasn't sure if would come over here or not but given I got my combat trousers with zip pockets back (so less worries about pickpockets) I did, tho didn't leave flat til about 1300. Got Subte from Independencia to Retiro, no problems, can't remember for sure if have ever used Subte before or not. Very noisy on platform for some reason even with no trains going in or out of station.

1742 Pretty good food/coffee. Quite a few wasps here, though mostly round the litter bins. Asked host last night about using washing machine, she actually put my stuff in that night, hence my wondering if I'd have my combat trousers to wear this morning, though she had put it on a quick wash after we discussed it and said the machine was also a dryer - she has even paired up the socks and folded them this morning, which was nice of her.

Bit reluctant to leave - perhaps in part because I don't want to do some of the mildly unpleasant admin tonight - but it's OK. It's an hour back to BA and I think there's a train every 15 mins so don't want to loiter forever. Got confirmation before I left flat this morning from the airbnb in Mendoza; wish I'd noted the price before so I could be sure it hasn't changed but it is approximately OK so not too worried.

May eat meal on way back to flat - I plan to walk from Retiro instead of taking Subte, for exercise - especially if I see something cheap and moderately healthy. Will probably try that cheap and decent grill place tomorrow. Am hoping host will let me leave bag at flat during tomorrow but we'll see; if not there is a left luggage office at Retiro bus terminal, tho no idea how much it costs. Was hoping to confirm I am staying there tonight and this leaving bag thing with host before left this morning but she was in shower as I left and given I felt it was a bit late to come to Tigre didn't want to hang around.

I guess it is "school/univ summer holiday" time here, and it's far from dead. Did see a small funfair from the boat which appeared to be shut, though - maybe cos it's Monday or maybe it's shut shut.

Got Subte to Retiro this morning partly to save time and partly to practice for making the journey tomorrow evening with bag if can leave it at flat during day - it's not too far to walk in a casual, sauntering kind of way, but it's a fair old hike and I wouldn't fancy doing it with my bag both from theft (unlikely but possible) and sweat/exertion POV.

2002 At Parilla Polo, the cheapish place at east end of Carlos Calvo. The chicken wok place seemed to be shut so come here. It's pretty busy tonight. Feel really sweaty, bit concerned gonna feel terrible tomorrow with no shower due to being on bus but not end of world plus suspect being on airconditioned bus will help a lot. Cat here wandering round, it just let me stroke it - it was sleeping under my table when I disturbed it by moving chair.

2101 Back at flat, host fine with me leaving bag here, I don't have to be up at any specific time or anything. Food at PP was 225 (bill given verbally), I paid 300 and bloke called me back but I told him rest was tip, pretty sure that's OK, if I had accidentally misunderstood and underpaid am sure he wouldn't have let me leave. This was bit of an overtip perhaps but also didn't like to get change in order to make it 275, perhaps should have done, meh, I perhaps under-tipped last time so it all evens out. Had a drink (Pepsi no sugar) this time, also got given second round of bread as had eaten first before food and a different cut of beef but very good, and the cat was very nice. A few other people said "buen provecho" to me as they passed (I think they were saying it to me), though I usually had my mouth full so couldn't say "gracias" .

2301 So about last night. Got back after my three pints and host spoke to me about the eclipse, we went out to 9 de Julio to look at it (she had some binoculars) and then came back and watched a bit live on TodoNoticias, she put my clothes in the washer, then we went back out at 2am ish to see the total phase. She offered the binoculars to a few passers by on 9 de Julio, and we also ended up with a small group of people just outside flat block looking at it. We had a bit of a chat during all this time, she is a teacher of maths and astronomy at 5 different public schools (some in evening for adults AIUI, others during day for teenage-ish students), her daughter is 17, her mother lives in Mar del Plata and I think her father is dead. Apparently 9 de Julio is the widest avenue in the world; easy to believe. Quite a cool night overall and a good memory I think.

Back is itching quite badly, wonder if it's sweat or the heat or maybe mosquito bites - host said tonight when I said I'd been to Tigre there were lots of mosquitoes there, didn't notice any but I often don't, and just maybe have had some bites through T-shirt on back. But it could just be heat or sweat related. Not a huge deal I guess.

2332 Bed. FWIW just used normal train from Retiro to Tigre, not the tren de la costa - that might be cool but did want to try the ordinary train today and can do tdlc another time. Oh, saw a big horse racing track (Palermo) with a few horses presumably exercising or practising on way back in to Retiro.

A bit before this there were two guys busking on train - one with guitar, another with cello. They did an OK cover of Wonderwall then some other slightly more melancholy song I didn't know, it was quite cinematic listening to that while staring out of window at construction work next to track sliding past. Put 10 in their hat. Didn't give money to any of the (admittedly non-threatening) London-style beggars, or the vendors of scissors, metal tape measures or chocolates saw at various points on journeys out and back.

Not really packed, but since I am under no time pressure to check out tomorrow will pack then after shower etc. Not done much admin, but have drafted complaint to Edelweiss and will send it tomorrow morning. Asked re Spanish lesson but teacher didn't get back to me. Not really done any of the other minor admin eg re Brazil trip but tis OK. Oh, have remembered to get offline map of Mendoza and put airbnb place on there.

Plan for tomorrow is to get up 10am-ish, shower, pack, etc, then have leisurely-ish day wandering round, perhaps revisit Lezama park if feeling brave :-), have some coffee to pass the time some places, but ideally no booze.

Prob other stuff wanted to mention but this will do. Actually bed... (Not exactly tired, but won't hurt to read in bed, plus since I will be sleeping on bus tomorrow night want to try to get a decent night's sleep tonight, and also ideally don't want to be up too late tomorrow.)

Oh, it's a smidge warm in flat but only a smidge and have resisted temptation to turn on the air conditioning unit in my room. Fairly sure I'm allowed to but I did decline its use first night and I'd rather avoid the electricity use. Also to some extent better to suffer some temporary discomfort re temperature so I'll feel more comfortable in the long run. I don't know if it might be more comfortable in Mendoza anyway, not checked. Naively maybe cooler due to it perhaps being a bit higher up (*if* it is) but then again it's not on coast so may tend to be warmer, but so many variables (eg nearness of Andes) no way to sensibly guess I think.