Several years ago, I tangoed the whole night through at a club in Buenos Aires. Trust me, I am not a professional dancer, but the tango has to be the most sensual and difficult dance I’ve ever attempted, and I was smitten.
Fast forward to this past January. Going back to Argentina, I had the chance not to recreate my steps but to watch professional tango dancers in the Buenos Aires barrio, or neighborhood, of La Boca, where the tango had its roots near the end of the 19th century.
The afternoon performance, in Caminito, was staged in a vibrantly colorful house where early immigrants had lived. With the multiple languages spoken at the time, dance was the unspoken language that bonded them together. The two couples danced as if in their own world to the sultry sounds composed by legendary singers like Carlos Gardel. The heart-felt and emotive performance brought many in the audience to tears.
Kudos to the award winning luxury tour company Abercrombie & Kent for offering this experience. It was one of several activities that A&K’s guests could choose from before embarking on a 17-day cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica.
Before I escort you on another of these pre-cruise excursions, let’s check into the Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires. Included in the price of the voyage, A&K seamlessly ferried us from the international airport to the Hyatt on Avenida Alvear in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood, where our tour group spent two nights. The complex offers two hotels: the curbside modern high-rise with its minimalist and warmly welcoming decor, and the Palacio, built in the 1930s and a masterpiece of French neoclassical design. It was transitioned from a private mansion into a five-star hotel fusing old world timeless elegance with modern amenities. A luscious garden of old-growth trees, flowers, velvety green lawns, and areas for lounging and dining separates the two hotels. Taking a short stroll along the passageway that connects them, I passed by an installation celebrating Argentinian artists. I also found myself enchanted by Duhau Patisserie, a fanciful pink boutique showcasing the hotel’s pastry chef’s macaroons, cakes, and handcrafted chocolates. Then I came upon a place where florists wrapped and potted fresh flowers for both private hotel rooms and public areas. At the very end of the corridor was the indoor pool and spa area, both of which I happily indulged in.
Dining was no less indulgent, with several restaurants to consider. Gioia Cocina Botanica serves plant-based vegan and vegetarian cuisine under umbrellas in the garden. For the more carnivorous, there’s Duhau and Vinoteca, with its signature Argentinian menu. In the mood for a traditional 5 o’clock tea in the lavish Piano Mobile with its terrace overlooking the garden? I was, and so too enjoyed a lavish buffet breakfast—this proved to be a particular treat as I am an incurable Dulce de Leche devotee. Spread that sweet, creamy caramel on a warm croissant, or any edible, and you are good to go.
Off we went to the outdoor craft market in a park near the Hyatt. There were so many canvas-covered kiosks that I could have taken a full day to to visit them all. Mounds of leather goods, pottery, jewelry, paintings, and clothes were all hand made and enticing, but I ended up buying just two leather bags for my pals who were cat-sitting for me back home.
A short walk from the market is the famous Recoleta Cemetery, considered among the most important in the world. It covers 14 acres and contains a staggering 4,800 vaults and mausoleums. Perhaps the most visited of these is the resting place of Eva Peron, a former first lady of Argentina and the subject of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Evita.”
Surprisingly, her tomb is rather modest, on a small lane in the cemetery’s labyrinthine maze. But the crowd of people taking photographs and laying flowers attests to the continuing adoration by her fans.
If Eva’s tomb leaves you yearning for more, then the Museo Evita in the neighborhood of Palermo might be your next stop. A friend and I went to visit but, alas, too late. It was closed. But its charming outdoor restaurant was open. We dined on traditional Argentinian food—empanadas (savory pastries with meat, cheese, or veggies) potatoes (another mainstay of the cuisine) and perfectly grilled fish.
For its political significance, the Plaza de Mayo is the heart of Buenos Aires, its oldest public square. It commemorates the 1810 May Revolution that led to Argentina’s independence from Spain in 1816.
Since 1977, every Thursday at 3:30 pm, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo march around it. Our guide explained this solemn protest continues as the mothers of missing children still demand information as to their fate during Argentina’s last military dictatorship. Visitors are invited to join this peaceful protest, if they wish.
I spent an extra two days in Buenos Aires after my Abercrombie & Kent cruise. The highlight: Teatro Colon. It is one of the world’s foremost opera houses, where symphonies and ballet also are performed. The building is revered for its gorgeous architecture and perfect acoustics. It was built over over 20 years and debuted in 1908. The greatest performers in the world have graced its stage. Because I arrived in Argentina’s summertime, there were no performances. However, to make up for this disappointment, the charismatic tour guide delivered juicy information seasoned by a ripe sense of humor. Case in point: She told us that one of its several architects was murdered by his wife’s lover. His successor also died, in his 40s, but without a adulterous end. Since single women were not encouraged to attend concerts there, way back in the turn of the century, even widows had to be cordoned off, sequestered behind a black screen by the orchestra pit. Mercifully, times have changed.
The guide led us to the velvet seats of the boxes perched high above the orchestra level. (The house seats 2,700 people with standing room for 300 more.) The sheer lushness of the interior is a sight to behold. One room is a dead ringer for Versailles. Seeing the central chandelier is worth the price of admission itself: 850 lights and a weight between 1.5 to 2 tons (the exact weight is a bit elusive). The entire effect is one of elegance and majesty.
One secret I am forbidden to tell. It has something to do with this chandelier, but the guide entreated us not to reveal it, so I am bound by honor to respect this delicious bit of theatrical Deus ex machina. Visit and discover for yourselves.
Just a closing tip: If you wish to have a tour in English, check beforehand as many are in Spanish.
