...And now to bed...

So, that's that then. I am back from the Gaucho tour... back in my room.. and tomorrow morning I head out to the airport and back to England! What an amazing 30 weeks it has been. I really can't begin to summerise what an experience I have had. There have been endless highs - and honestly - no lows at all. I have enjoyed every second of it, every festival, every city, every country - and have met some of the nicest people in the world. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of it all - Trident, Pretty Green, RPM, PHD, Nicola Varley, Virtual Festivals, festival PRs, bands, artists, friends, family and more. I'll leave you with a daft picture of me today, taken just after an 80-yr old cowboy won me this 'ring' and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Every day's an adventure ;)
Katie x

Bolleadoras

After the Tango, the male dancer stepped forward holding two pieces of rope - each with a heavy weight at the end. These are called bolleadoras, and were originally used as weapons in hunting. The thick leather rope has a stone at the bottom wrapped in more leather. Nowadays, they are mainly used in dancers - where a performer swings the rope around, allowing the stone to hit the floor at timed intervals, almost like tap dancing. It's very loud - and extremely impressive.

Tango dancing

We were then treated to a brilliant Tango dance from two local performers. I took a little video for you to see their sexy moves..

Asado

An asado is a typical Argentinian barbeque feast. Ours took place in this giant hall!



And we ate some of the following:

Horse and cart ride

Just before lunch, myself and a nice French couple i met went for a short horse and cart ride (called a sulky ride).



Someone snapped a photo of us (looks very old fashioned!)

Vegetarians look away now..

Here is a sample of the insane feast that was cooked for nearly 200 people today..

Hooray!

This chap here is in charge of the gaucho ranch - and is himself a gaucho (kinda cowboy). He was very 'huggy' and later on took me for a dance, and a ride on his horse. It's love I tell ya.

Matte

This year is NOT what it looks like, honest.
I spotted this little pot sat next to the drive on our tour - and when I asked about it - found out that it wasn't actually some kind of dodgy drug stash, but 'Matte' - pronounced Matt-tay - a kind of loose leaf tea drunk here in Argentina. You stuff your pot with leaves, poor on boiling water, add sugar and use this clever hollow spoon (which has a strainer at the end) to drink it. It's like a very bitter green tea.

Gaucho ranch tour

Today I spent the whole day heading out - and going on - a Gaucho Ranch Tour in Buenos Aires. I joined a tour group and we drove about an hour out of the city where we then arrived on a Gaucho ranch/farm - where they show/breed/race horses, have a museum and host massive feasts (like a giant Argentinian barbeque). It was an amazing and busy day - and I got to ride a horse, ride in a horse carriage, speak loads of mad languages all messed up together, dance with an old man, eat yummy steak and generally have a good time. Check out the video below:

Graffitimundo Street Art Tour Video

Check out the video of the amazing street art I saw on today's Graffitimundo Tour in Buenos Aires.

Teach yourself Argentinian Spanish

Help me please..

Darn it

This print was for sale - at a really good price - and I REALLY wanted to buy it and frame it for my house back home... but it was too big for my luggage and couldn't be rolled up. Boooo.

Your trash

Your Trash Is My Treasure

Graffitimundo Street Art Tour

This afternoon I went on the amazing Graffitimundo Street Art and Graffiti tour of Buenos Aires. The three hour tour (which costs 90 Pesos) takes you around various different areas of the city, accompanied by an English-speaking guide who tells you the history of all the pieces, details about the artists and the techniques they have used to create the work. It was really brilliant, and I couldn't stop snapping all afternoon. Here is a selection of a few photos I took

(For all the photos from Graffitimundo, CLICK HERE)

La Boca round two!

I so enjoyed the colours of La Boca yesterday that I went back this morning for another look. More pics!

Buenos Aires City Tour video

Check out my little video from yesterday's tour of Buenos Aires..

Hello from La Boca

Cheers to the random Spanish tourists who took this snap of me against the happy colourful walls in La Boca!

La Boca - caminito

La Boca is an area of Buenos Aires that is a real mixture of rundown old houses - and this insane set of streets around Caminito (meaning small walkway I believe) that are really bright and eccentric and happy. The have loads of restaurants on them and shops and tango displays - and are apparently painted in such bright colours as a passed-down tradition from Italian immigrants. As an addict of all things colourful, I was gobsmacked at the streets - and took LOADS of snaps. Check them out:

Jet-lag buster

I have actually gone insane from jet-lag... and figured I had had too many coffees already in one day, so opted instead for a nice tall ice-cream. Good lord, I look mental.

Buenos Aires architecture

Buenos Aires has a huge range of 'class' levels and wealth within its city walls, as well as a whole heap of various invasions, liberations and immigrants arriving over the last few hundred years. The architecture of the town reflects all those diverse influences - from classical French styles to modern Mexican colours and greek creations.

Giant flower

One of our first stops on the tour was this incredible giant metal flower. It is programmed to work with the sun, and opens and closes depending on the natural sunlight (like a real flower!). Thing is, the structure is so large that that closing/opening process takes around 20 minutes. Still, a beautiful piece of creativity and craftsmanship.

First stop.. City Tour!

I arrived in BA this morning - after a 12 hour flight from Sydney - and felt pretty knackered when I landed at 10am. However, determined not to waste the day - I immediately booked myself onto a tour of the city (at a cost of 65 Argentinian Pesos) and took off for about three and a half hours around the town in a mini tour bus, with a guide. However, the guide did only speak Spanish... so I kinda had to roll with it. Luckily, I can understand most Spanish, I just can't say anything back.. so we coped with a few cheery nods every now and then to prove I knew what was going on!

Week 30 has begun!!

The FINAL week of the Trident Perpetual Festival has began... and I am in Buenos Aires, Argentina! Hope of sunshine, steak... and sexy Tango dancing!

Natural pools

I love that Sydney has a load of natural swimming pools filled with sea water... so nice!

EEK! Bluebottles!

Yesterday I went to a beach and went for a nice swim.. only then did I see this sign! EEK! Bluebottles!

The next step of our journey....

Yesterday we left Port Macquarie and headed to Sydney for a few days - before I jet off to Buenos Aires for the FINAL week of this adventure! Here is our mini-plane that took us to Sydney! G'day!

Port Macquarie boat tour - video

Have a wee look at the beautiful views from our Port Macquarie boat tour earlier this arvo.

Goodbye Port Macquarie

We have had a really love time in Port Macquarie. I had never been before, and we have truly enjoyed its sights and sounds, food and drink, views and fun. This was my final peek at the town before I hit the hay. Roll on Sydney!

Aussie Rules

The local government have put up these signs to stop people littering. I love the Aussie sense of humour and honesty.