Day 8: El Ateneo

Uh, Oh! Forgot about this. Let me finish the Argentina trip with this entry. 

So on the last day, I still have time to spend at BA since my flight will be at night but need to check out room at 12 noon- managed to nego defer to about 1 o'clock. Jadi nak buat apa? 

Though my reading I happened to know there is unique bookstore in BA; previously it was an old theatre. The interior still remain very much as theatre setup. Question is, where and how to get to the place? Google for everything nowadays kan. So it helps.. Few subway stations away from my place and a bit of walking, taraaa!

Shared block with other stores, pay attention to the entrance. Or just watch where fellow tourist heading to, this is kinda must visit place for bookworms. 

Main stage. Now become a cafe or place to chill while reading like a boss. So quiete tak dengar bunyi cawan bergesel pun #Manner

The view. Had to put your face here la else kena accuse "setakat gambar internet tak payah nak poyo". Staff sini pun friendly or to put it in other words- they don't mind tengok tourist datang ambil gambar instead of buying the books #TouristSpot

Look at the top. Bukan ex gereja ye. Memang nice setup Kedai ni. Bawah sekali section for music lagu-lagu, ground main area (cafe), second and third floor for books with various sections (sama cam kino, MPH, boarders).

VIP/ bangsawan seating jadi browsing area. The book is something something about cholesterol. In Spanish! How do I know kan, yang penting posing

From other angle. Through my googling to find how to get here, this bookstore is actually ranked no.2 in the world tau in terms of coolness, content, interior yada yada.. No.1 if not mistaken dekat Lisbon. I am not worried much, bookstore kita lagi hipster. Books are sealed, nak baca, kena beli. That's the price for knowledge.

After checked out, I just round round nearby area try to spend the remaining pesos. Before 5 the driver datang pick up  then straight to the airport. I was forced to listen to his selection of music the entire trip. Nice guy though.

Ok folks, that's all for Argentina. Bye bye 

Day 7 & 8: Superclásico

As promised, I am gonna write about Superclásico (exxciteddddd!) which is the local derby match between River Plate and Boca Juniors! To make it easy to understand, imagine Manchester United v Manchester City with a greater intensity. Plus, ticket to this match is near to impossible to get especially if the match play at la Bombonera/ and mahal. 

Argentina is a football nation. Like really really really one! And this match is super massive, the whole city stop breathing at  this moment. Either you are schoolboy, janitor, professional, bartender or nobody, you need to have local football team to support. A must. Most of the time Argentines inherited it from their family but you need to be bold to suddenly change your color. Macam-macam story aku dapat; gaduh dengan atuk dia sebab tukar support Boca Juniors dari San Lorenzo (team Pope Francis!), main teka dari list sokaba sebab abang dia insist kena ada team nak support etc. Interesting. 

Back to Superclásico, if you are tourist and your football knowledge is so-so by default team kau dekat BA ialah Boca Juniors, CABJ (wrote about this team banyak on my FB/ gonna skip). Supporter diorang assume 80% of BA population support team ni, diorang reside kat la Boca- fans lain tak suka diorang sebab:

1) Kecoh, suka buat bising. Angkuh dan liar la tu 

2) Arrogant, adat lah bila banyak menang championships 

I just like la Boca sebab dapat tukar peso at the best rate, 1 USD=11.5 ARS whereby biasanya dalam 8.5-9 normal rate. Mana nak dapat weh! Read on blue dollar market. Nak beli souvenir pun kat sini la senang dan boleh bargain #TravelTips

River Plate, CARP pun formed in la Boca (thus the rivalry)- named after rio de plata or sungai plata in English- until they were moved to Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti or simply known as El Monumental. Team besar, pride pun besar so tak boleh nak share venue. Boca Juniors ni kerek sikit, dulu diorang ejek River gallinas- ayam. After transformation nickname diorang lebih hip- Los Millonarios, the millionaires sebab one time diorang beli players broke transfer record at that time. Macam Real Madrid biasa buat. Sekarang, JDT tiru.

Famous players used to play for Boca Juniors-of course-Maradona, Veron, Riquelme, Tevez, Cambiasso. While for River, Ortega, Pablo Aimar (tak ingat/ malas Google). No Messi. He's from Rosario, moved to Barcelona sebelum akil baliqh and graduated from La Masia. 

Enough of introduction. So.. During my trip these two teams scheduled to meet thrice within 12 days. 1 league game (at Bombonera) and 2 for Copa Libertadores  (home/ away). Luckily I managed to get a ticket for the match at El Monumental on 7th May (baru touchdown dari Calafate terus rush). Oh by the way, stadium ni adalah venue di mana Argentina lifted the World Cup for the first time in 1978, next 8 years its Maradona turns.

Arrangement untuk tengok game ni very the last minute; confirmed just 2 days before the match! Thanks to the Internet and effective communication by agent (before they get my money!) Walking to the stadium with the fans sambil sorak and nyanyi pun dah excited. Security screening even before you get into the stadium, few layers- still flare terlepas gak-sebab ni semua (balloons, colored papers etc) arranged by football mafia kat sana, lupa dah apa diorang panggil.

Before the match, the whole stadium exploded in excitement. By the way, only home fans are allowed to go to the stadium in Argentina. They sing, chant, insult Boca players semua lah. Aku yang tak paham sangat pun boleh follow. 

Vamos vamos River Plate!

During the match: to be honest I just wanted to see goals-tak kisah la from which side pun- ended up the match finished with 1-0 to River with one of their player red carded. Penalty kick. Record the moment tapi tak boleh upload sini. Sobs. Game memang intense. Hard tackle at every opportunities. Lain dari EPL. Very skillful. 

After the match: balik hotel dah midnight tapi sempat makan meggi kari letup dengan telur. Nyums

Ok la that's it. Nak tengok Guardians of the Galaxy. Eh. Thanks for reading! 

The Not so Secret Life of Nor Fairolzukry

I have to admit this is one of most the drastic decision in my life. Takde la random decision sangat, been thinking about it almost like 8 months camtu. Circumstances changed. And we have to adapt.

Ok to cut the chase, I am going to explore Argentina. Alone. KUL-DXB-EZE. Total travelling time could be closed to 30 hours. Alone. There is concern, of course. Before I answer why Argentina it is fair to justify first, why I am going alone. My other half- wait for it- is pregnant (Alhamdulillah). This is such a HUGE news to us, to the family. Beyond the decision to go to Argentina. Initially mestilah dah plan pergi berdua and I am not that evil (London hari tu was exceptional la kan). Part of me berat la nak go just like that but after series of discussion I believe this is the right decision. I am definitely going to share the experience and probably come again for the adventure. InsyaAllah. 

So.. Why Argentina? Jawapan senang, tak pernah pergi. Sebelum ni was fortunate to experience Europe, United States, Australia, bit of Middle East etc ok lah I am partially guilty tak banyak pergi ASEAN countries. Bila orang cerita Ho Chin Minh, Bali, Bangkok, Cambodia noob gila. Hopefully that can wait. Another thing, ter inspire tengok movie Walter Mitty; sangat adventurous dan penuh dengan element self-enrichment.

And also "Beautiful things don't seek attention".

Alright times up. Need to prepare and board to the plane. Kinda feel macam wakil tunggal negara nak main sport or something. Doakan my trip dipermudahkan, Selamat pergi and pulang. Miss my little family already. Bismillah.