Sat 1504 In street. Got up lateish and only left flat maybe ten or twenty mins ago to go buy Fernet to take home. (Guys at lang exch confirmed incidentally the "t" is not silent.)
Shop - green (supermarkets here don't seem to show their full name, they just all seem to say "express" ) "express" supermarket had scoped out as cheapest refused to let me pay for it by card (tho they take cards), only cash. Rude woman at till said she'd told me this three times. She hadn't, because we had not been talking - it's not like there was some babble at me I hadn't understood.
Anyway, went to the orange "express" where staff seem helpful. They only have 75cl bottles (I want a litre which is duty free allowance) but will let me pay by card. So said I might go back.
Shop next door - which looked more small businessy - also had 1 lt bottles but again said "vino" sales had to be in cash, even if I bought some food too. WTactualF?
Can't buy at airport as I have non-direct flight and any liquids I buy airside would have to go in hand luggage and would be confiscated at security before my Zurich-London flight. Because terrorism.
Spotted cheap and cheerful 100g for ARS22 restaurant but some weird guy came out as was peering in window and asked if I was in queue. (Because only about 90% of tables were empty...) I left and wrote the above and came back but he's still sitting on the wall outside, so I'm not eating there as he could start hassling me somehow.
1614 OK, back at flat for a bit. On semi-whim was going to eat at small restaurant but I asked and chap said they couldn't take cards today so I had to leave. Yes this is letting cash v cash control my actions but not significantly. Went to ZT Restaurant more or less opposite flat, had half intended to try that at some point too. Again paid by weight. I went 1725ish and was big queue outside for the half price takeaway only offer starting offer (I checked w guy at front of queue to make sure didn't start a riot by pushing in; and just *maybe* this is what the I-thought-him-weird guy at other by weight restaurant was referring to re queue if they have similar offer he was waiting for), I managed to get my food before that horde came in. Not quite the buffet experience I had hoped for; I thought I might be allowed multiple visits with a weighing every time and pay at the end but instead I got a smallish flimsy plastic box and filled that up rather awkwardly then got a drink and paid before eating. Still, my debit card did work. Chips were a bit cold (unlike a buffet I couldn't take a few, try them then go back for more if good) but OK, had two substantialish pieces of chicken which were pretty decent if not piping hot and a bit of veg rice to fill up box. Not super cheap at 214.80 plus 45 for a coke zero (tho 45 for the coke was a good price for a restaurant), didn't tip given self-service nature. Bit awkward eating all this out of the smallish plastic container but was OK. Overall not bad and was a fairly substantial meal.
1810 Hung around flat perhaps too long and just popped out a couple of times, back now. Getting a tiny bit edgy I'd struggle to top up Sube card at a Subte stn on Sunday, so noticing kiosk on corner which had sign outside went in and put 50 (cash; didn't ask about card) on which should give me considerable safety margin. Also went into another couple of smallish kiosks (shops, not stands on street - but they call them kioskos here so using kiosk in English) - first had 1 lt bottles but no cards, second had 1 lt bottles (of Fernet Branca, as elsewhere, which seems the "premium" brand and no point economising here) at only 300 (usually 335 or even 355 elsewhere) and took debit cards, but only Visa. :-( And my Staring is Mastercard. Even popped home to check Monzo card and that"s Mastercard too. Have Visa *credit* cards but he said debit only.
Wandered out again and found an independent-ish supermarket which had litre for 335 and would let me pay by card. I *think* woman at till said debit only but not sure; I didn't care as had Starling debit card ready. During checkout she then told me it was a credit card - I know full well it isn't, but (saying "no me importa" which I can never remember if is rude or not but hope I softened it up enough if it was) I said I didn't mind if it worked but my bank said it was a debit card. Anyway, the transaction went through anyway (half wonder if I could have lied and told the shop which had it for 300 my Visa ccard was debit but prob not have worked and if it had might fuck them over on fees and felt a bit off) and I've now got my duty free. It's annoying to have paid 35 more than I needed, if I had more cash to hand would have happily paid 300 cash (on "large" cash wd the fee is about 5% so a 10% saving wrell worth it), but I don't and I think without seriously crippling myself for remaining time here I can get by without needing to wd more cash so mentally offset that extra 35 against the 200-250ish I would (will) get charged if I have to wd cash.
Definitely feeling a bit edgy re impending departure and especially the fucking online checkin tomorrow morning but it will probably be OK and the realistic worst case is I get a shitty middle seat between two fat bastards and I'm uncomfortable for 12h or so. This sucks but it is not unbearably awful, though I may be inclined to panic a bit all the same.
Starling popup showing purchase when got back to flat confirms amount was 335 and that this is £6.06, which feels pretty good for a litre of "quality" spirits. I quite like these Starling popups though esp when I don't have mobile data out and about their appearance (possibly en masse) on regaining net access if mildly disturbing. It also doesn't help that when you go to cash machine, try to wd and cancel because you don't like the fee (and IIRC sometimes because you put too big an amount in and the cash machine initiated the txn with my bank before cancelling it itself) you get two msgs (wd and cancel) popping up but the notifications get truncated and it can look a bit like the cancels are not cancels but extra wds. Not a huge problem but just waffling.
I will wrap the bottle up in all my clothes when I pack and just have to hope it makes it home intact.
1826 Poking on web to check bus 8 info, it looks like max fare is under 30 and (more importantly) there is a semi-fast service from Congreso (the stop near me) at x05 and x35, first x=7. This is from a web page which has a semi-official Twitter feed embedded in it with some photos of the info so bit dubious but probably be OK.
1844 Just done web search on offchance could see what's on at La Paz Arriba tonight and it seems to be some tarot-reading and the like thing from midnight to 4am. So I'll be going elsewhere I think. OK, their Facebook page says it starts at 9pm but otherwise the same thing. Not a big deal, and at least I found out before I went.
2149 Came out about 2110. Just come into Pool bar at Sarmiento 1548. Having litre of Quilmes Cristal (no card pmt tonight tho wasn't banking on this anyway), 180 and will make it 200 with tip. Then home, I have a 500ml can in fridge. Feeling quite on edge re online checkin; this kicked in as was walking down Corrientes through heaving crowd maybe 20 mins ago, no idea if connected with crowd or not. Edelweiss have been so massively unhelpful and contradictory with everything so far I can so easily see the online checkin tomorrow just flatly denying my booking exists (even before we worry about seat selection) and perhaps not allowing me to check in for Zurich-London leg. It could well be fine, this is pretty fundamental shit when you're operating an airline, but I'm getting really anxious. Also not looking forward to having to get to airport Mon morning and I half wish I was just home already.
Not v busy in here but a few ppl. Tis OK, am not looking for chat.
Plan was just to head along Corrientes and see if anything turned up. As it happens there was some kind of pseudo street party and the street was blocked to traffic with an arch and banners saying "Vivamos la nueva Calle Corrientes" and images were being projected on obelisk and there was a band+singer at one end etc. It was prob really rammed on pavement because of this attraction. I am not really sure what is new about it. It was sort of cool to see this by sheer chance but there wasn't to me anything tremendously exciting to see and I don't like those real dense bovine crowds where it's painfully slow to get along (four or five blocks seemed to take 20-30 mins but maybe imagined it).
OK, that's the writeup done, let's have some beer and read or muse. Sitting inside here FWIW.
2254 Nearly finished this litre. Notwithstanding the half litre can at home and wondering when I'll drink it, I am tempted to get another here. I had budgeted for a bigger spend than 400 on beer tonight from my remaining cash and while I may have a couple out tomorrow night (and more likely tomorrow early evening) I really do have an early start Mon whereas tomorrow while I damn well don't want to be I don't need to be up and doing til 11 at the earliest. It's not super nice here but there's a bit of life and it's a bit more "BA" than squatting in my flat with a can and YT.
Don't know if it's beer or sitting down and having a read of book on phone or what but while still perhaps a tiny bit tense re tomorrow and online checkin, feeling better than I did when the anxiety was borderline disturbing.
2303 Practically finished. Prob will have another litre then home. Am thinking going for a couple at Yrigoyen tomorrow evening is not super smart given 7am-ish start Mon; I will prob have a few at LDC (after checking can pay by card) tomorrow later afternoon and then spend the evening in, with that single can. May feel differently tomorrow night but given the 7am start it makes a lot of sense not to be out in the evening. I can buy another beer (on ccard) from supermarket to have at home if I want too. It's not like BY is a guaranteed feel-good place, had mixed results, I can OD on musing and reflection tomorrow afternoon at Lezama Park if I'm not chasing round like a blue-arsed fly trying to sort out online checkin all day.
Going for slash then prob get another.
Place is quite deep with lot of pool tables at back bogs right at far end, two idiots having chat in the bogs but fuck 'em. Place might be called Bs. As. City, though that seems such a generic name maybe it's a chain (but called what? Pool bar???) and that is just name of this branch. Not that it matters but this is why put address earlier to remove ambiguity.
I will have another litre, then home.
Quick poke at menu to reassure myself re price, bottled beer isn't too bad at I say 180 for litre Quilmes Cristal, but a *335ml* draught Quilmes (not something fancy like Unicorn Tears IPA) is 100!
2323 On a whim checked wifi networks and is one calls BS AS CITY so prob is name of bar. Not really desperate for net access so won't ask for pwd.
2335 Oh, completely irrelevant but while at Restaurant ZT I heard (on the radio, I think) Juanes' "Camisa Negra" , which was oddly cheering.
Feeling a bit more cheerful/comfortable even if also a bit Billy No Mates. But as already waffled, tonight was not the night for trying to get out and socialise. The trip as a whole obviously hasn't lived up to the travel socialisation of everyone else I ever speak to or read about on bed, but it hasn't been so bad.
0005 Not too far off finishing this litre, which has slipped down surprisingly quickly. I don't think a third is on cards tho, both from cash preservation and checkin tomorrow (today now) perspectives.
It would clearly have been better to be flying home mid-week, both from a "can go out Fri/Sat without fear" POV and from a "trying to check in online and failing but it's Sunday and can't get hold of anyone" POV, but I remember booking these flights and I was constrained by a) precise dates which were cheap for flights b) wanting to be home (in Skegness) for Easter given it was "easily" possible - had Easter come 2/3 of way through any plausible 90 day trip I'd prob have accepted being away (Easter is not Christmas!), but since it was so late it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up c) perhaps not wanting to leave UK "too early" due to nerves d) need/imagined need to spend time in Lon flat between returning to UK and going up to Skegness for insurance purposes.
No, even if it turned out they did take cards (I will ask jic, though expect to be told no), a third litre is not savvy given checkin at 11/12. I just might have that can when I get home, but far from sure. Don't get me wrong, I am still sitting here BNM and it's just a bar, but the sense of life and a bit of borderline cheesy music is quite fun, esp when I'm facing the minor shit of returning home (checkin, getting to airport, flights, security screenings, etc) and thus have a mild case of "carpe diem" syndrome.
Sun 2356 Just to finish this off briefly, I went home - you know I'm sure I've already written this somewhere but maybe it got lost - and had that can in fridge (which I didn't exactly want) while watching some YT and then went to bed fairly late. I asked and they wouldn't take cards tonight, but fair enough they had waned on the sign on the door.
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