Beyond the Compass Part IV

Buenos Aires — Food, History, and Unexpected Connections

Friday morning arrived with high expectations—and Buenos Aires delivered once again.

After another outstanding breakfast at the Loi Hotel Suites, we made our way to a Taste of Argentina cooking school. There, we learned how to properly fold empanadas (mine didn’t quite get there) and how to cook beef the Argentine way. The experience ended with a traditional flan centered around dulce de leche, the rich caramel milk spread that seems woven into the country’s culinary identity. We left full, happy, and deeply appreciative of Argentina’s food culture.

From there, we returned to Recoleta on foot, stopping first at one of the most famous bookstores in the world—often considered the most beautiful in South America. Housed in a former theater, it was a place where literature, architecture, and history blended seamlessly.

Just a short walk away stood another iconic site: Recoleta Cemetery.

With more than 200,000 people buried in a surprisingly compact space, the cemetery feels like a city within a city. Ornate mausoleums line narrow paths, each one telling a story. Among them lies Eva Perón—Evita—whose legacy continues to resonate far beyond Argentina. Standing there, surrounded by history and artistry, the scale of it all was humbling.

A few hours later, it was time to eat again—this time at a small, intimate rooftop asado. We gathered in a living room for drinks before climbing four flights of stairs to a beautiful rooftop that looked like a restaurant but was actually the homeowners’ private deck.

For the next three hours, twelve of us shared food, wine, and conversation. The husband cooked the meats on the grill while his wife told stories about Argentina and Buenos Aires. Around the table were fellow travelers: a couple from Virginia, one from the Netherlands, two from Canada sailing on a Viking cruise, and a younger couple taking six months off work to hike from Buenos Aires all the way to Machu Picchu.

Several of us were boarding the same ship the next morning—and the friendships formed that evening would last the entire cruise and beyond.

Dinner stretched late into the night, finally ending only when the full moon—huge and luminous in the sky—reminded us we had a ship to catch. With hugs, laughter, and promises to reconnect onboard, we said goodnight.

Buenos Aires had given us far more than incredible food and historic sights. It gave us connection.

Next blog: The Start of the Expedition — Boarding the Ship and Heading South.