Good Airs in Buenos Aires

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FUNNY THINGS ABOUT BUENOS AIRES
*The many mortorcycles weave their way to the front of the line at stoplights so, when the light turns green, you get a little motorcross race, very funny to watch
*People are incredibly friendly: old ladies never stand on buses and people have even offered to help me with my bags when I am trudging along with my backpack
*It is hard to find a young person who does not speak at least a bit of English and almost all are eager to speak it, mostly, I think, to make sure I understand that they can
*Eighties music is EVERYWHERE, for better or for worse. Hell, for worse.
*They looooove cats here. I have now gone to two parks and one cemetery that are just plain packed with cats. And I mean packed: I think today I saw somewhere around fifty in only 20 minutes of walking around the botanical garden!
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Hola,
Today I am very tired after an all night bar hopping last night and a 9:30 am wake up this morning, an hour and a half after hitting the sack. Buenos Aires is the most nocturnal place I have ever been, it is unbelievable. Restaurants don't start filling up until 10 or 11 at night and people often keep eating until as late as 2 or 3 am, before heading to a bar until six or so. And I haven't even been here on a weekend.

Today Argentina lost the game with Germany in an elimination round and the mood is somber. I watched the game with a French guy (who I call either "Chirac" or "paté de froigrois") who was cheering for Germany and, after the game was over, was literally threatened with his life. People were yelling "Puto!" (roughly "bitch" in English) and were throwing things at him until he left, at which point several hefty guys followed him outside and yelled threats at him as we walked away. I read on a blog that "football is like religion with more corner kicks". I sure believe it now! Tonight probably won't be a rowdy Friday night, but full of drinking nontheless I am sure.

Last night I went to a symphony at the beautiful Theatre Colon on the main street of BA (the 14 lane wide boulevard, the widest in the world, quite the sight!). The rest of my time has been spent wandering the many Paris-like streets, many of which are cobblestone, stopping now and then for a coffee and a steak. This city is really cultural and surprisingly modern, and the people here are likewise. Everywhere I go people strike up conversations with me and when they find out I speak Spanish (yes, I now say "si" instead of "un poco" now) they often invite me for drinks or for an asado (an Argentine tradition, roughly a BBQ but much later at night).

I am enjoying getting to know the city, there is lots to do. I went to a cemetery which was more like a collection of mini monuments from around the world (one guy was buried in a Pyramid, another in a roman style tomb complete with pillars which made it look more like a museum). I also got a chance to see Evita's grave, although the sight of Japanese tourists taking turns posing in front of it smiling was a bit of turnoff.

I have no solid plans right now except to wander some more and to catch up on sleeping. I wish I had more than a couple weeks here, but I do know that I will come back. Adam, my brother, is travelling around Europe right now and, although enjoying it I am sure, he is not liking the prices of things. Wait until I tell him that you can get a 20 oz porterhouse, on par with the best you can get in Toronto, for six bucks. He might make a detour...

Ciao for now

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Photos

Parks around Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has beutiful parks crammed into every knoock and cranny of the city

Parks around Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has beutiful parks crammed into every knoock and cranny of the city

Parks around Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has beutiful parks crammed into every knoock and cranny of the city

Parks around Buenos Aires
Japanese gardens, very cool!

Parks around Buenos Aires
Japanese gardens, very cool!

Parks around Buenos Aires
Japanese gardens, very cool!

Comments

[Jena]

actually...
"puto" is a lot more like "fag" so be careful with that one. how've you been? estoy todavia de luto por el partido de aquel viernes. --jena