Lentil as anything
After another day at the Fitzroy pool, my new friend Kieran, a fellow swimmer, took me to the Abbotsford Convent, on the Yarra river, just a bit west of the centre of Melbourne. During the 19th and part of the 20th century, it was one of the largest convents in Victoria. Today, it is a […] Read More
ShanDong MaMa
Meet ShanDong MaMa. We were looking for a place with dumplings. A friend of Rajiv, Michael, recommended the MaMa, and reserved a table for us there though another friend. So we took a taxi and got off in the CBD, the central business district, as Aussies call their downtowns. We were looking for it in a […] Read More
La Jardin
A friend told me about La Jardin. I had passed it already once, looked into the courtyard, found it curious but hadn’t bothered to look closer. Epic Fail! I have to be more curious. La Jardin is a vagabond restaurant. It started in London as a private project called The Pale Blue Door, and has […] Read More
Humita
Finally I got to try the Chilean specialty called Humita. I had eaten empanadas in Argentina filled with something called Humita, but this was different. Humita is a Native American dish from pre‑Hispanic times, and a traditional food in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. It consists of masa harina and corn, slowly steamed or […] Read More
A stroll through Barrio Yungay
I took a Metro ride into the Yungay barrio on Saturday. A new friend, Alvaro, wanted to show me this area and then take me to the Museum of Human rights, that memorizes the military coup and the following nearly two decades of dictatorship. Yungay is a beautiful area. I would not have had it […] Read More
Santiago by night
These are the first pictures of Santiago, from my window and the roof top. I’m in Providencia, on one of the main axes of the city, with a little river and Parque Balmaceda running along it nearby. I wandered around a bit last night, it looks, nice, calm and safe. My building is a 26-floor high […] Read More
Last day in BsAs
So, it’s the last day in Buenos Aires and I have a whole schedule to meet people and say good-bye (for now). I lost a couple of days due to my cold, but I’m already packed, and I’m glad I get to see almost everyone one more time. I had dinner with Matías on Monday […] Read More
Hoy me quiero
I might be a vagabond, but I like stability in my vagabond-ery. When I find a place I like, I keep coming back. That’s why I’ve been twice at this little gem of a restaurant, just down the next street: Hoy te quiero has breakfast, lots of sweet stuff, and also serves a changing menu […] Read More
Arriving in Montevideo
The trip crossing the Rio de la Plata was fast. That ‘Francisco’ speed boat (with the Pope hanging in the main hall…) just took over two hours to cross the nearly 200 km to Montevideo. Impressive. Miraculous even. We had to wear these ridiculous things over our shoes. The boat is new, the carpet thick, […] Read More
Soy vegetariano
When I last visited Argentina in 2011, I remember the food options for vegetarians being a bit on the slim side… obvious, for a country that prides itself with prime meat! In all respects… 😉 Sure, the huge Italian immigration in the past has made Italian food readily available, pizza and pasta galore, so I […] Read More