Snoozing my alarm for 10 minutes, I finally pried myself out
of bed. Luckily I packed my backpack last night or I would have surly forgot
something; wait, I did…I still forgot my water bottle.
I made it to the Retiro bus station in perfect time because
I had to spend a few minutes trying to find my bus. The Retiro bus station is
huge, and I would say it has over 100 loading spots.
With this being my first charter service in Argentina, I
didn’t know what to expect but I will say I was impressed. The seats reclined
to around 140 degrees and each seat had decent leg rests. My plan was to stay up
and soak in the scenery of rural Argentina but that only lasted the first ½ of the trip because I was so
tired and the bus seats were rather comfortable leading to a little siesta for the last 1/2.
At 9:00 am, I got my first glimpse of San Antonio de Areco and
the Nebraska style of crop land. Walking a few blocks through the town to the city center it
reminded me of a small rural Texas town with Spanish influence; imagine the
Alamo in San Antonio.
The weather was a bit chilly at 9 am and not a lot of
places were open, so I decided to waste some time in a local café. Sipping on some
tea in the warm sunlight coming from the window, I read several chapters of a book
one of my professors wrote about her sailing trip. It didn't take long until I
was down to only my t-shirt because I was practically sweating due to the warm sun
beating down on me through the window, but it was great! I just killed two hours
of 12 hour stay in San Antonio de Areco. LOL!
With the town being sort of a tourist destination, little
shops were everywhere. My first and most enjoyable stop was to H&H Garrett.
Named simply after twin sister crafters, Helen & Heather Garrett, all of
the items in the shop were from locals or people the Garrett sisters knew.
I had a great conversation with Heather Garrett, and she
even shared her mate with me which is a common gesture in Argentina. We talked
about politics and cultural differences for a bit, followed by some stories
about her times in Australia. The charming hats she sells in her shop are handcrafted
by both of sisters, and are influenced by her time in Australia. Observing the hat, you
could just see the amazing craftsmanship throughout the whole product. (Check out her shop's Facebook page by clicking here.)
After visiting a few more shops, I made my way across
Argentina’s first toll bridge crossing the Areco River which was pink in color
and very picturesque. Over the bridge and through Areco, to the gaucho museum I
go; because that’s a must see museum and best of all it was free. 
Being unfamiliar with the siesta hour shops normally take in
the afternoon around 2 or 3 pm, it was a good thing I brought some crackers
along because everyplace was closed. Finding a spot on the bank of the Areco
River, I sat down and read some more of the book I brought along.
I was then greeted by "Mooch," my four legged friend who appeared out of nowhere while I munched on my crackers. One thing I noticed was San Antonio de Areco had its fair share of stray dogs; at least they were friendly.
The rest of my day was spent visiting more shops and
museums, until 7pm came around and I was hungry for supper. Entering this
restaurant along the main square, I found a table and sat down. Looking over
the menu I noticed asado (short ribs) sounded very appealing. When the waitress
arrived to take my order she said the kitchen doesn’t open until 8pm. Making myself
comfortable and connecting to their wifi, I was determined to have those ribs. 
Finishing the last of my succulent ribs it was time
to catch my bus. Immediately sitting in the comfortable bus seat numbered 35, I
was out like a rock only to be awakened by the bus coming to a jerking halt in
Buenos Aires. It was 12:30 am before my head could feel the comfort of my plush
pillow. Home at last.
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