BA

2 nights left in BA. 2 more months in South America.

In the Park

Post Bar

This is a random place we stepped into in Palermo, BA with stencils all over the walls. The napolitano pizza was good, though obviously not vegan. I just loved the punky feel of the place.

Post Bar, located at Thames 1885 if you get a chance to stop by.

Boca 2 - Racing 1

We survived our visit to La Bombonera. It was crazy. And amazing. The banners, the singing, the volume, and the passion are all beyond anything you see in America. American college football might come close in terms of fanaticism, but the extent to which these fans go to show their support... there is no comparison in the states. It inspired me for the Rapids season next year. I can't wait to cheer for my team again.

Boca won 2-1. We were lucky to get tickets, even though we unfortunately ended up in the Racing section. This added a whole extra level of anxiety to the experience, but it was all cool in the end. It was worth it sitting there to be able to watch the Boca socios on the other side of the stadium go loco when they scored, and bring out their giant banderas before the game.

Dominica posted a great documentation of our experience, here on our travel blog. It has highlights of the game, and shows some of the Boca fan section, which was comparable to what we experienced on the Racing side.

Boca Juniors vs Racing Club tonight!

La Bombonera. Going here tonight for Boca vs Racing. My first South American futbol experience. Don't worry- I'll be careful. Boca is closing in on the Apertura title, and this is a cross-town rivalry clasico. Nothing like Boca-River, but I expect it to be pretty lively.

BA Restauraunt: California Burrito Co.

I miss my burritos. In Colorado we are spoiled with Qdoba, Chipotle, and Illegal Pete's burrito joints always nearby. Here in Buenos Aires, you are lucky if you can find a tortilla (I still can't find them at the supermercados). Especially for vegans, burrito places are essential for survival.

So we were excited when we found a (vegetarian-friendly) burrito place started by American expats right in downtown Buenos Aires: California Burrito Co, located at Lavalle 441.

It works just like the burrito places back home: you get in line to go to the counter and tell them everything you want on it, pay at the caja, and take it to your table. Unfortunately it is a little tough to get them to put guacamole on, and they don't have a grilled veggie burrito like Qdoba or Illegal Pete's back home. However, they do have black or pinto beans, rice, tasty sauteed onions, and some good salsa options. No bottles of hot sauce available, but they still taste delicious without.

I couldn't tell you if the torillas are vegan, but my experience with places in the US is that they usually are. So, this may be one of the best vegan spots in town if you are looking for something quick, satisfying and reminiscent of US-style fast-casual dining. I loved it.

Some Possible Vegetarian Places in BA?

Just collecting some links and addresses of vegetariano restaurantes in Buenos Aires...

• Bodhi Restaurant Vegetariano - Chile 1763
• Bio Restaurant Organico Vegetariano - Humboldt 2199, Palermo
• Union Vegetarian de Argentina (20+ restaurants listed!): http://www.uva.org.ar/restau.html

If we make it to any of these, I will post reviews.

Gibraltar

We finally found a decent vegan meal in Buenos Aires, and it just happened to be around the corner from our apartment. The San Telmo bar is called Gibraltar. We went there for drinks last night thanks to a recommendation from our Rough Guide, and we decided to check it out for lunch today. It is a British-pub style bar with an English menu, and at least some of the staff speaks English too. They have a couple of vegetarian options, which you have to specify to make sure you don't get pollo. Minnie got the Green Thai Curry, which is served with rice, and I ordered the Red Thai Curry, a noodle dish. The portions were huge, and in my opinion well worth the 20 pesos each. It was refreshing to find a Thai dish. Most of the restaurantes we have encountered seem to have the same dishes, so it was a huge relief to find something different. Both curries came with veggies like peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms. My red curry noodles had peanuts too. I won't say it was the best curry I've ever had, but it was the best meal I've had since getting to BA. Hot, hearty, spicy and delicious. Gibraltar is near the corner of Estados Unidos y Peru in San Telmo, and I recommend checking it out if you are in the neighborhood and want a good vegan meal. Click here for a map to Peru 895 and more info.

Hola!

Ok, so it's already day 2 here in Buenos Aires. It was a super-long trip and jetlag wiped me out for day 1. But I'm coming around, and so far I really like it here.

Before the trip, I had high hopes of staying as vegan as possible. I knew it would be difficult, but I was encouraged by my ability to pull it off in Las Vegas the last few times I visited. If you've ever tried to be vegan in Vegas, you know how hard that is. Also, I picked up two books that I figured would reinforce my cruelty-free resolve: The Ominvore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, and The Whale Warriors by Peter Heller. Unfortunately, I must report that I have made several transgressions in the name of hunger... and it started on the plane. What can you do when the airline's website doesn't let you order a vegetarian meal? To make things worse, I must confess that Minnie and I were so hungry after getting into the apartment that we ate the first thing we could find, which was basically grilled ham and cheese.

I admit these things because I do not want to claim to be vegan if I can't be honest. However, I am committed to veganism, and one of my goals for this trip is to compile some tips for staying vegan while travelling. Hopefully that way others can succeed where I have failed. More on those tips later...

To follow the exploits of Minnie and I in South America for the next 3 months, check out our travel blog at minmark-sa.blogspot.com. We'll be posting all our photos and stories there. Gracias!