I slept about 5 hours on the flight, awaking just before breakfast.  After landing, we experienced the most efficient flow through Ezeiza I’ve ever had.  All of the luggage came off quickly; customs didn’t even blink at us; the Manuel Tienda León bus company was ready and waiting for us.  We were all loaded up in no time.  I wondered where Angel was but figured he had decided to meet us at the hotel.  As we pulled out of the airport, we received a frantic radio message that Angel was looking for us at the desk.  We returned to the terminal to find Angel and son, Raúl, running to the bus.  After a light-hearted give and take, we headed into the city.

There were few signs of last week’s riots.  The city was hot and humid.  We checked into the Bristol Hotel and then walked across 9 de Julio for lunch at La Estancia on Lavalle.  The Ericas were missing so we sent Raúl back to get them.  They had both fallen asleep.

We had an excellent lunch.  The city was so calm, I decided to treat it as normal and told people how and where to shop.  I went to a kiosque and ordered 35 Patagonia maps for 5:00.  I then showed the Websters a shopping gallery.  Peter Kresan and I walked down Florida to get some geologic maps at SEGEMAR but I tried to take a shortcut and got lost, just like I always do when I try to take a shortcut to the place.  We ended up at the Plaza del Mayo so we went into the national cathedral and I showed Peter San Martin’s tomb.

We then found SEGEMAR on Julio A. Roca.  Maps are no longer for sale in the library so we went down to the museum where they are now sold.  The Santa Cruz map is out of print and Tierra del Fuego still isn’t published so that was a bust.  I bought a geological map of the whole country for $40.  Naturally, the guy had to go up to the library to get it for us.  After looking in vain for a map tube, Peter and I split up.  He took the map to the hotel and I went to an Internet café to let Edna know that we had all arrived.  At 5:00 I picked up the Patagonia maps, getting 35 for $150.  It was starting to sprinkle so I returned to the hotel where I took a second shower and then lay down and fell asleep. 

I was awakened at 7:00 by an explosion and honking horns.  The din continued to grow so I got up and looked out the window.  There were a couple of hundred people down at the obelisque.  Blue and white flags were everywhere; taxis and others were honking.  The crowd continued to grow.  I had visions of another riot.

I went down to the lobby where Pepe Selles Martinez, an old friend, greeted me and told me that the demonstration was actually a celebration because the racing futbol team had just won the National Championship for the first time in 35 years.  Relieved at that news, we all trundled onto the two minibuses and went to the Esquina Carlos Gardel Tango show for dinner.  It was quite a place.  Angel introduced me to the owner and took me upstairs.

Dinner was excellent.  The show was superb but I actually preferred the show we saw at la Ventana on the last GSA trip.  It was more than strictly tango.

The show ended at midnight and we took our buses back to the hotel.  The celebration at the Obelisque was still going strong.  Drunks were everywhere.  I took one last shower and then went to bed, falling asleep instantly.

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