After three nights in beautiful Santiago, it was time to depart the Renaissance Hotel and make our way back to the Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. We were booked on an early afternoon KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight to Buenos Aires that would later continue onto Amsterdam. Once we were checked in at the Business Class ticket counter, we proceeded through Passport Control and security, and then headed for the VIP Pacific Club Lounge located next to Gate 20A. This was a pretty basic contract lounge for the airline that was also accessible to Priority Pass members. It wasn’t too busy during the late morning hours when we visited so we were able to take advantage of the ample seating on offer. This lounge gave visitors free Wi-fi, and also featured shower facilities with which to freshen up either before or after a flight. Customers also had a selection of snacks from which to choose as well as a variety of wines, beers, and spirits and, of course, soft drinks and coffee. With only one “window wall” overlooking the terminal escalators, no-one would go to the Pacific Club for the view but it did give us an opportunity to stay connected in a small but fairly pleasant locale while we waited for our flight.
KLM was flying a B777-300 ER on the route that day and we were warmly greeted by the purser as we boarded. Our seats were booked in Row 3, with the boys having seats A and B on the port side of the aircraft while I took up residence in Seat 3D in the middle section. I was fortunate to have that row to myself for the entire flight as no-one ever came by to sit next to me in Seat 3G. There were thirty-four World Business Class seats in a 2x2 configuration across six rows, the last of which was separated from the first five by the galley and a restroom. I thought this was a very unusual layout and, while the separated sixth row might feel private, I believe the noise from the galley and the restroom traffic would prove to be bothersome. Our seats were very comfortable and reclined into a fully-flat bed position. They were equipped with in-seat power and privacy screens as well as 17” monitors for the in-flight entertainment system. We were treated to some fantastic views as we crossed the Andes Mountains and I have to applaud the KLM cabin crew. They managed to conduct a great service without making us feel rushed on this relatively short, one hour and thirty-five minute flight. Drinks were served shortly after takeoff, followed by lunch. We also each received one of the famous KLM Delft Blue miniature houses filled with BOLS Genever. Each one depicts a real Dutch building. These unique gifts have been around since the 1950s and are a true collector’s item! You only receive one when traveling in KLM’s Business Class on an intercontinental route. They were a great little souvenir from our flight.
We had reservations at the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, which dates back to 1932 and was inspired by Le Chateau des Marais in France. Privately owned by a family until 2002, it was sold to a developer, which, in partnership with Hyatt, sought to retain all the building’s glory while also creating a contemporary space worthy of the Park Hyatt brand. They succeeded and the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires is one of my favorite hotels in the world. It opened as a hotel in 2006 with a “contemporary” building — the Posadas Tower — and the restored palace which are connected by an underground art gallery, the Paseo de las Artes Duhau featuring collections from both local and international artists. The hotel is nestled in the Recoleta “barrio” of the Argentine capital, which is considered the city’s most upscale neighborhood. Specifically, it occupies a prime spot on Avenida Alvear, which is synonymous with luxury as numerous high-end fashion houses have locations on the street. The area has a very European feel with beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture and numerous nearby boutiques and cafés. The 165 rooms and suites are among the best accommodations in the city. Our rooms were in the modern Posadas Building. The boys had a 452 square foot, twin bedded deluxe room featuring a writing desk, walk-in closet, separate tub and shower, a flat-screen TV, in-room Wi-fi and a safe large enough to store laptops. My adjoining king-bedded Park Deluxe Suite measured 860 square feet in size. It had all the aforementioned amenities as well as a king bedroom and a spacious living area and powder room. I made the booking through the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program which entitled us to a full breakfast each morning in the lovely outdoor gardens that separate the two main buildings.
Our first “excursion” was to the nearby Recoleta Cemetery, one of the “must see” attractions in Buenos Aires, where over ninety of the tombs are listed as national historical monuments. The cemetery was once the orchard of the adjoining Basílica Nuestra Señora del Pilar - the glistening white church that overlooks the square outside. The land, which belonged to the Recollect Monks from which the neighborhood took its name, became the city’s first public cemetery in 1822. Its layout was designed by French engineer Próspero Catelin, who also designed the city’s Metropolitan Cathedral in the Plaza de Mayo. It is an eerily beautiful place, with shadowed walkways and towering marble mausoleums rich in Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Baroque, and Neo-Gothic architectural styles as well as Masonic symbols and powerful religious iconography. Over 6,400 statues, sarcophagi, coffins and crypts commemorating some of Argentina’s most celebrated sons and daughters are here in this city of the dead. The most famous is the tomb of the much-loved actress Eva "Evita" Perón. She served as the First Lady of Argentina from from June 1946 until her death in July 1952, as the wife of Argentine President, Juan Domingo Perón. Eva became a powerful, though unofficial, political leader and was revered by the lower socio-economic classes for whom she championed and helped enact a number of reforms and policies. She also helped bring about the passage of Argentina's women's suffrage law.
After a good night’s rest and an excellent breakfast, we set out on Monday morning to visit the Casa Rosada (Pink Palace), one of the most recognizable buildings in the capital city. Known for its unique pink color, this palace has been at the focal point of much of Argentina's history. Officially, Dominating the Plaza de Mayo, the palace is the seat of the Argentine national government and also houses the Office of the President. It was constructed on the site of a fort established by the Spanish in 1580 and used by the Spanish colonial viceroys. After independence, the fort was redeveloped into a customs house by British architect Edward Taylor and later, in 1862, the building was chosen by President Bartolomé Mitre to be the seat of his government. His successor expanded the building and is believed to have ordered it to be painted pink in an attempt to diffuse political tensions by mixing the colors of the opposing political parties. Free guided tours are offered in both in English and Spanish, but you need to make a reservation through the website: http://visitas.casarosada.gob.ar/ and be sure to bring your passport along. The Casa Rosada Museum, behind the palace itself, stands on the spot occupied by the original colonial fort of Buenos Aires. It was well worth a visit as it explores the history of Argentina, from colonial times to the present, and houses the remains of the original walls of the former customs house, as well as an acclaimed mural created by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siquieros. Entrance to the museum is free It’s open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays, and on public holidays, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. As we were exiting the museum, we caught a glimpse of the presidential helicopter traversing the sky above the Plaza de Mayo, coming in for a landing at the Pink Palace.
During the afternoon, we toured San Telmo, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods with cobbled streets and charming boutiques. Named after the Patron Saint of seafarers, San Pedro González Telmo, this area has a long history as Buenos Aires’ most culturally-diverse neighborhood. In the Seventeenth Century, it was home to laborers arriving from Spain and Italy and later thousands of Irish, Russians, Poles, Germans and former enslaved Africans. The Nineteenth-Century architecture throughout the neighborhood reveals the brief period when this was one of Buenos Aires’ wealthier districts. Improved infrastructure including sewer lines and gas lights installed in 1852 attracted the well-to-do who built the mansions that can still be seen today. When a yellow fever epidemic that claimed the lives of thousands broke out here in 1871, wealthy residents moved north to lower-risk areas such as Recoleta. Left empty, San Telmo’s mansions were divided up and rented to new immigrants who arrived during intense periods of immigration that lasted until after World War II. Today, the neighborhood is still home to struggling immigrants in low-rent tenements, and even a few remaining squatters, but many of the newcomers are European and American travelers as well as students and artisans from all over South America. There’s a real Bohemian vibe to this neighborhood and we appreciated the essence of its unique character while watching the expert tango dancers who perform on many street corners to the appreciation and gratitude of the many tourists.
On the following day, we made our way to the Campo Argentina de Polo, the world’s only polo stadium located within a capital city. Known as La Catedral (the cathedral), the stadium sees its turf action heat up starting in late October, when the hotly contested Abierto Argentino Open kicks into play. This is the most important international polo event in the world and, since we were visiting in November, we were able to enjoy some of the great polo action. La Dolfina won that’s day’s match and, in fact, they’ve gone on to win thirteen of the last seventeen tournaments!
We capped off our final evening in town with a dinner at the well known El Mirasol de la Recova, one of the city’s most reputable steakhouses. It’s a beautiful setting and one of the few places in Buenos Aires where a gentleman might feel out of place without a jacket. While the decor might be somewhat dated, the menu offers outstanding cuts of beef, chicken and lamb grilled over open flames. They offer the highest quality of Argentine beef, including Wagyu so it was not surprising that our steaks were cooked to perfection and of the highest quality. The waitstaff, clad in red vests, provided efficient and somewhat formal service and the extensive wine list included some delicious Argentine Malbecs and several varieties of Bordeaux from France. It was a lovely evening during which we even met up with the KLM cabin crew who worked our flight from Santiago several days earlier. They were headed home to Amsterdam the next day.
Sadly, it was time for us to go home as well. Our return United flight back to the US departed Buenos Aires at 10:00 PM and arrived in Houston at 5:45 the next morning after a ten hour and fifteen minute journey. We followed the same route home traveling from there to Chicago and onto Raleigh, returning home from our South American adventure with wonderful memories from three world-class cities.
Until next time…safe travels.
A well described ending to an epic Latin trip - and your little Dutch house mementoes will be a permanent reminder!