On the 31st of December I left my Buenos Aires Spanish class early in order to catch a bus 5 or so hours from Retiro to Mar del Plata. Mar del Plata is a coastal city in Buenos Aires Province and one of the country’s main beach resorts and fishing ports. My final destination was a hostel in Playa Los Lobos, a coastal village between Mar del Plata and Miramar.

In Playa Los Lobos I met up with Brazilian friend Joana and we headed back to Mar del Plata to see what was happening there this new years eve. Our original plan was a Couchsurfing party but that was cancelled with short notice. Mar del Plata’s streets were quiet, the wind cold and restaurants either closed, full or expensive buffets. We eventually found an okay all-you-can-eat pizza place.

Enjoying all-you-can-eat pizza in Mar del Plata

Following dinner we caught a ride back to Playa Los Lobos and joined others around a fire between the hostel and the coastal cliffs.

On new years day Thao, Sandra, Joana and I caught the bus back to Mar del Plata to explore the port area.

Sea lions enjoying themselves in Mar del Plata port

Sea lions and seagulls in the foreground and ships moored in the background

Fishing boats by the dozen in Mar del Plata

New years day night we enjoyed another night around the fire in Playa Los Lobos

Colourful artwork covering a Playa Los Lobos bus shelter in front of our accommodation building with its orange roof

Our 1 January fire was only metres away from these magnificent cliffs. It wasn’t until the next day that we realised high the cliffs were

The region had received lots of rain previously as evidenced by the water lying in the paddocks on the journey back to Buenos Aires