Last night we ate in a lovely Argentinian restaurant Don Julio on Guatemala street, which is only 3 blocks away from our hotel. It came highly recommended by Peter Cunningham from the Irish Times and it was not disappointing. It is a lovely airy restaurant with high ceilings and an internal balcony. The steaks are cooked on a Parillas (a grill over coals). Javier one of the waiters has great english and was very friendly and showed and explained the different cuts of beef to us. We got there about 9pm and got a good table but by 10pm the place was buzzing with locals coming to eat. It was great to see some families there with young children and even the odd baby or two. It must save them a fortune on baby sitters! At home it's nearly illegal to take kids with you to a restaurant or bar late at night. Any way we had a lovely meal and drink in a great atmosphere. At the end we were asked to write some comments and sign our bottle of wine which was hung up on the walls around the restaurant with hundreds of other bottles. I expect we will be back before we leave!
Today the congress starts so in the morning we registered and then 4 of us, G, K Sharon and myself head off for some sight seeing. We decide to head for Roceleta a very plush and historical neighbourhood where the famous cemetery is based. It contains very ostentatious mausoleums made from marble and materials imported from Europe. It is divided into streets with trees and mausoleums which when entered contains the family coffins. These tombs can also go deep down underground for one or two floors. Eva Peron and Admiral William Brown the Irish man who established the Argentinian navy are buried here. It was a very interesting visit and after a somewhat dodgy mixed grill lunch we head back to our hotel to catch the end of the Germany and Uruguay third place match in the world cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY-MbB0VpZw
Above the Argentinian flag flying outside the congress centre and Sharon saying hello.
We then head off to the opening ceremony of the congress for 6pm. The star of the ceremony is Maximiliano Guerra one of the best ballet dancers in the world who was born in Buenos Aires in 1967. His show consists of ballet (but not quite as we know it) and Tango. Not my cup of tea although the Tango was the better part. None the less I think I would have preferred to see Maradonna dance around the side of the pitch at the World Cup! The rest of the evening is spent meeting old friends from Haemophilia groups and centres around the world, with wine and finger food. But the jet lag appears to be hitting in and we decide to head home for a drink at the hotel and early bed.