Argentina's national drink, mate (mah-tay) tea comes from an evergreen tree and tastes like a mouthful of fire and bitter licorice. The special vessel you drink it from is also called a mate and consists of a hollowed out gourd. Basically, you add hot water to the dried leaves, let it stew and then pass it around the room. Everyone shares in the tea, taking a sip through the special metal straw. The stimulant is something akin to caffeine, although, if you ask Jenn, it has way more kick than a big cup of coffee!
Our Spanish teacher, Profesora Macerena, introduces us to mate in class and we have a chance to share one. It's no cream Earl Grey, but not too bad.
Submarino Races
Cafe Tortoni, on Ave, 5 de Mayo, is one of the oldest cafes in Buenos Aires and definitely worth a stop.
You don't go there for the pie or the coffee, although we did have the renowned submarino which consists of hot milk and a chocolate bar. Swirl the bar of chocolate in the milk until it melts and it makes a very fine hot chocolate.
You do go to Cafe Tortoni for the decor. It's another great example of old world design and architecture with high ceilings, stained glass sky lights, wood paneling, paintings on the walls and surly well-dressed waiters (maybe even the original waiters?) in their tuxedos.
Open/Closed Museo
The Museo Etnografico Juan Bautista Ambrosetti sports a fine collection of jewelry, pots and tools from pre-Columbian South America. The problem is getting to see it. The first time we go to the museum it is inexplicably closed, although the hours listed in the guide book indicate it should be open. The next time we go, it is Monday and every museum in the city, we learn, is closed on Monday. Our third try finds the museum open and we are able to take in the exhibit — well, almost all of it.
A school group is occupying a section of the museum and we wait until they have left before returning, only to be told the section is now closed.
"When will it be open?" (All this in a mix of broken Spanish and English)
"Perhaps tomorrow."
"So if we come back tomorrow, we can see it?"
"It should be open."
"But it was just open!"
"Sunday, it is always open."
"But we won't be here on Sunday."
"Some days we open it, some days we don't."
As best as we can figure out, after much hand waving and confusion, is that they open the upstairs of the museum (the most interesting section) whenever they feel like it — and on Sundays. Hopefully, when one chooses to visit, it will be open?
We explain we are Canadian and only in BA for a few more days. They take pity on us and our poor Spanish and open up the section just for us.
We're still not really sure when it's open...
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