I arrived on Tuesday to a half-empty city, or at least that’s what everyone keeps telling me. The masses have gone on vacation, usually to Mar del Plata, a nearby beach town, or Uruguay, an hour across the river. 

It is hot, absolutely don’t-wear-pants hot, and definitely sweat-dripping-everywhere-embarrassingly hot. But the streets are filled with people and cars - drivers are crazier here than even in DF! Cars get inches away from colectivos (buses) and EVERYONE steps on the gas before the light turns green. Lanes are just suggestions, it seems, because there is constant weaving in and out and between. Surprisingly though, nobody seems to be too angry about it. Everyone’s sort of in a rush, but to my New Jersey driver’s intuition, this is more than feeling stressed and hurried - it’s about a passion for speed. It’s impressive to maneuver around all the other city traffic and get through the yellow light at the last second. And it’s fun! I actually got a real live adrenaline rush from driving through the city last night. The buildings are beautiful, everything is alive, and I’m happy. It’s pretty obvious why Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America. 

And screw New York, Buenos Aires has already proved itself the true city that never sleeps. I haven’t gone to bed earlier than 5am yet (but I’ve only been here 2 nights, so maybe that isn’t so crazy). 

What have I done so far? 
Day 1:

- Walked around Puerto Madero, a new-ish neighborhood where rich people stash their boats in locked harbors, and sipped maté in front of the Casa Rosada, the Argentine president’s house. 

-Went to an asado at a hostel where my couchsurfing host, Tofi, works. This is what Argentina is famous for, and it was damn good. Ate BLOOD SAUSAGE!!! Yikes. I just didn’t think about what I was putting in my mouth and then it was not so bad. Food was served after midnight, didn’t get back to the apartment till 5.  

Day 2: 

-Unable to figure out public transport, took a ride on a colectivo and didn’t pay for it (oooops), then didn’t know where it was taking me so I got off and had to grab a taxi! lalalala I know things?! COMPLETE FAILURE.

-Went to Museo Malba, a small modern art museum. It was decent, but the artist they were featuring was not that interesting. 

-Dined at Las Violetas, a fancy BA tea and cakes kinda restaurant. Munched on little cheese n ham sandwiches, stared at old ladies! 

-BA has a ‘festival’ for people who stay in the city over the summer, so they offer ‘fun’ events and I went to one with some couchsurfers. It turned out to be a very weird, very boring musical about the creation of the Argentine flag. Over the top patriotic. 

-Went to a couchsurfing gathering at a bar in Palermo (cool area). Talked to cool people. Found out where I want to go hiking in El Bolsón. It was surprisingly great! Why do I doubt couchsurfing?

en cuanto a mi español: No estoy avergonzada :) he hablado con un montón de personas y de temas complicados. hay problemas pero estoy alegre con mi progreso. y el acento argentino no es tan difícil entender!! sorry for the Spanish y’all, i’m feeling pretty decent about it of late. 

CIAO!! 

1. rockcollections posted this