Argentina

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Arrived in Buenos Aires May 2. There is an electricity in the air, at least where I am staying, downtown, and I am liking the vibe. Now I need to get used to the nocturnal life here, where you don´t think about going to dinner until after 9pm, and rumor has it that going out at night is something best done after 2am... Reminds me of my semester abroad in Spain.

A week now in B.A. and I have taken a guided city tour, to orient myself with the layout and stop at a few of the better known sites. The city is divided into a number of different areas ranging from busy financial centers to bohemian/gentrified neighborhoods on down to places most agree are best not visited for security reasons.

My gastronomical tour continues, heavily reliant on the renowned and plentiful beef of fine quality. There is great emphasis on public life here, with the attendant filling up of almost all (and there are many) restaurants and cafes, always and at all hours.

I attended a touristy Tango show. It was a combination of song, dance and dinner theater with a live orchestra, housed in an old building that was once the property of MGM studios. Interesting, though I am far from qualified to comment on either the music or the dance in general.

I have been in the same hostel the entire time. One of the more unique and active places I have stayed. Most of the guests make me feel old, though I am finding that serving in the role of elder traveler suits me and gives me satisfaction. I have also met a few young people from the US, giving me back some hope for the nation´s future... It still baffles me at how British, Australian,Irish and even Israeli travelers all outnumber those from the USA. I find that to be an indictment on the spirit of adventure and stretching it, a further indication of the xenophobia and isolationist tendencies that are all too apparent.

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