Away with the fairies in Crazy Buenos Aires - Part One!

So it finally happened and there´s no bloody hiding it, I hit the big 30 and am now officially an old bugger! Mind you I don´t care cos at least 90 per cent of the people i´ve met in the last 9 months have thought I was about 25 so I´m happy to convince myself that they weren´t just being polite.

The day itself was spent in Santiago and Em had managed to persuade the hostel to throw a BBQ, had put banners and balloons all over the place and got plentiful stocks of vino and cerveza involved. In true spirit we polished off bucketloads and partied long and hard into the early hours. I also smoked my last ever twenty cigarettes and as of now 11 days later am still holding firm and the voice is even starting to come back. I am eating like a Sumo wrestler though and need to get my rotund ass into gear quick sharp.

The main event of the week was the arrival of Caz, Joker and Smithers who were flying into Buenos Aires on 2nd June for a recipe of madness mixed with carnage and a sprinkling of culture for good measure. I was so excited I peed myself twice and when they eventually rolled into town at midnight the session was on, although it appeared that Smithers and Joker had started 12 hours earlier and night one ended early doors when Smithers inadvertently dropped his red wine on Caz´s new cream jacket at the bar of the whorehouse. Oh well time for them to sleep off the jetlag before getting stuck in the next day!

Big Si and Emily were also present for the weeks festivities and the Sunday night saw the official belated Bday celebration for moi. We chose the classy Kilkenny bar for our shenanigans and armed with a pack of cards and some newly learned drinking games proceeded to speed drink our way into absolute oblivion within about 3 hours. When Smithers turned up with a bottle of tequila (never one for half measures!) Joker could hold no more and disappeared to the porcelain pot for the next hour. Big Si was next to go after going toe to toe with Smithers in the Tequila ring and me and Caz and Smithers were soon to be seen swinging each other around an imaginary dance floor, their rendition of the tango not your textbook South American routine! Everyone dispersed their own seperate ways and I managed to do a Freel and find another bar, lose my jacket, break my camera and kneecap and refind my hotel at 7am - a successful night all round.

This pretty much ruled out the next day although we did manage to book a bevy of activities for the week ahead including trips to Uruguay, an Argentinian ranch, a Tango Night, plentiful fine restaurants and the highlight of the week, the 2nd leg of the semi final of the South American version of the Champions League with Boca taking on some Colombian druglords who had managed to bag the first leg 3-1. It was a tough ask but La Bocas crowd is renowned for being one of the most vociferous the world has seen and this promised to be a night where football history could be witnessed, if only Caz and Emily could get their minds around the offside rule.

La Boca is one of the dodgiest areas in BA. We went there the day before the game as it is also a bit of an off the beaten track tourist spot filled with bright, colourful houses, shops and market stalls, maradona impersonators and pickpockets, all in the shadow of the concrete ampitheatre where such great footballing gladiators have plied their trade. The atmosphere on the night of the match was undescribable. The thick fog pouring in from the coast only added to the tension and expectation of the tie and everybody was nervously excited as they slowly filled the stands. With kick off delayed an hour by the fog we had the chance to take in the landscape that we had become part of and became entranced by the melodies continuously spilling from the Argentinian choir of fans.

When the game did eventually get underway the singing just got louder and was a constant thorn in the oppositions side throughout the 90 minutes, only pausing at half time to allow the cheerleaders their moment of glory. The football itself was sharp, concise and the touch of the players exquisite. From the outset Boca took the game to the Colombians although both sides hit the bar in the first 5 minutes. Just before half time the deadlock was broken when Riquelme curled an unbelievable free kick inside the far post. Boca still needed one more goal to go through though and the game was perfectly poised at the interval.

We were all completely hooked. The crowd were bonkers and this had made Cazza slightly delirious. Both myself and her had purchased scarves and become Bocas brand new super fans and were even pretending to know the songs at this point. The stadium was bouncing and there was no doubt in any minds that Boca were going to win. Out they came for part deux and immediately hit the post again. They then missed an open goal that my nana could´ve slotted and the crowd collectively held its head in its hands. The fog streamed in and the referee consulted his linesmen. I mean we could only see a sixth of the pitch from where we were at this point but somehow Riquelme convinced them that it was all fine and play continued. One minute later Boca got a corner and as the ball appeared through the mist it connected with Palermos head and put Boca 2 nil up. Madness ensued and one of the Boca stands decided to set the stadium on fire. Flares lit the crisp evening sky and our stand felt as though it was nearing collapse under the weight of the bouncing Boca-ites!

Boca added a third before the end and ran out worthy winners. A brilliant night enjoyed by all and the songs of the fans rang on in the ears for days to come. We had witnessed a sensational sporting event and I have been fortunate to witness a fair few on my travels but this was by far and away numero uno. The Lions in New Zealand, England winning the Ashes, Spurs at the Millenium Stadium, Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, but not one of these could compare to this and all 6 of us knew that we had been part of something very special. To share it with friends as well just made the whole thing even more spectacular. Vamos La Boca!