It was never planned to spend my birthday in business meetings in Argentina. But when opportunity calls......birthdays take a back seat to what one has to do to keep on learning until the next one.
Starting out with the meeting in the early morning in Buenos Aires and ending in El Calefate in Argentine Patagonia a day later....it was also one of the longest days in my life. Business first... meeting suppliers from all over Argentina. Then a wonderful luncheon at 1pm where the entire group of more than 100 toasted me with a glass of Malbec and sang the happy birthday song in Spanish, English and French.
A friend from Costa Rica even presented me with a red rose and a wonderful birthday cake with one large candle (loved the fact that it was only one). Then back to the lovely Buenos Aires Park Tower Sheraton, my host hotel, where my BA ground operator and friends from this beautiful South American city joined me for drinks and more "Happy Birthdays". Flowers as gifts must be a big thing here because I received so many, there was no way I could take them all to El Calefate the next morning.
At 7PM we were off again to meet the group to attend the fabulous Tango Rojo...a very sexy cabaret tango show that is performed nightly in Phillipe Stark's super eclectic hotel, the Faena y Universo. The Faena y Universo is one of the highlights of any trip to Buenos Aires. The bar, called "the Library" is one of the greatest bars in the city and the champagne flows freely every night along with great appetizers prepared by the award winning chef of the hotel. This also happens to be one of my favorite places for dinner in Buenos Aires. Faena y Universo is located in the new hip Puerto Madero area of the city and where apartment condo's prices begin in the millions.
After drinks and toasts for my birthday in the Library...it was off to Rojo Tango (the hotels showroom) for dinner before the show begins. Dinner usually begins around 10PM and comes complete with more Argentine blends and of course wonderful grilled meats. The show starts at 11PM and this modern interpretation of the Tango is always highlighted with the sexy two person tango where both dancers undress each other and tango horizontally wrapped in thin guaze-like scarves. Then spotlights off! Just one more wow factor of this very special hotel.
Surprise, surprise.....after the show.....another birthday cake and a champagne toast by the entire audience! And I thought Tango was the hit of the night. Will this Birthday ever end?
Back to the Park Tower at 1AM with an hour to repack my suitcase...then off to the airport for the 5AM flight to one of the southernmost points on the planet. By now it isn't my birthday but we keep on celebrating. What better way to stay awake than with more laughs and toasts to me and to our next destination ..Patagonia! I can't wait till we get there!
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