So after an arduous morning of doing laundry, reading Bruce Chatwin, and writing in a cafe whilst eating dulce de leche churros dipped in hot chocolate, I needed a break.
(Seriously - I forgot to get money out for my churros, and I wound up having to go to THREE banks to get out the 20 pesos I needed to pay. Buenos Aires ATM machines were FUCKED UP today. It was brutal.)
So I decided.... to go to the track!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNEDp6BbjqQ9INJoDPH1nuVLQDPA3Zxhx8l44Y5kuitWyxm4zX1X8paXWRWMx_315sQJtqf4DDCTA7VXbBNb27pLy2tFWH_LI3zVUzmSTkFYTV7C7aso2pIc4UWrz9FE7WzuFSQ/s320/IMG_0457.JPG)
Hipodromo Palermo is a beautiful, and enormous, track. At least as big as Belmont, if not bigger. And their picnic tables totally have ours beat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynQpu_LQdsQt1BDYdZFxIlXnyVC8-M9F37eKzSxn-AreE-WtpjSAY4NbDqhVMITO4OgLLomE6x6zQWq4JWSSHbDRA8bxgDmMsJb_JyMSA2ENaKgYYKoA5qVcexj3lspBbqmMT9Q/s320/IMG_0459.JPG)
If only because they are populated by charming portenos.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMBcY5QNaJSb4XWCJE_0qK5vjbOTx94I1V8O0t7igWERNicCjKiksR4El9Wu4Mm2OmuBnf5lwnIIUL-poHgL8eLYW23yQ9gkHoSdj4zcQTBqOz4yH11hC_KLZAVVc2rD-Tj3Leg/s320/IMG_0465.JPG)
The races started at 3, and go until TEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. These guys are serious.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBx2t0SfHRZIh96xAXrJnVjN-ibdIz63Sqv5-1o2fFq8nfKYt4rEXkybQQl8lS-tbe1zDmncWJooGsfN_lRNQOlST05bfPNrtQvsH6bvc057kyLVgrfRepSL_erH_0m_cx7ILhaw/s320/IMG_0466.JPG)
As the sun sets, everything looks more beautiful - the horses, the jockeys in their silks, the churned-up track.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04OPBylq1iv5Meoxx7g39pJrOnhM06DTANwsZt-eFqBh31AZBWXws0GhM4-JYitTMPpZPJUuDyiogyuJhKl2GAkATazoZex9GNSlwiGR7mrw8bCQA_-mWMncSXsS4BtdLKmjNOg/s320/IMG_0468.JPG)
But I wimped out. The wind kind of went out of my sails when I bet the trifecta (2 whole pesos!) on 8 1 6, and it came in 1 8 6. The kind of close that just makes you sad.
But I promise, I will be back. And I invite you all to come with me. And women get in free! Buenos Aires is my kind of town.