Hola a todos!


My travel unfolded smoothly, and I arrived in Buenos Aires with only a little jet-lag and soreness. Buenos Aires is a very big city, with many of the positives and negatives therein. People rarely look you in the eyes, and certainly not to smile...though I did find that these same people were willing to help you find something or answer a question.


After arriving by bus to the Microcentral (downtown), i checked into the first Hostel i could find. After dumping my stuff, I took a walk around, wide-eyed and eager. I stopped at the first parrilla (steak house) i saw with beef grilling in the window, sat down, and asked the head waiter to recommend my meal.


I had various breads, a mixed salad (quite good), bife de chorizo (sirloin stake) and a very expensive glass of red wine. By the end of the meal, i was feeling quite giddy from a mixture of the travel, beef, and wine. It was all incredibly tasty given the state of travel-deprevation i was in. Feeling that i had now fulfilled my eatery-obligation as a tourist to Buenos Aires, I made my way home and passed out (at about 4 pm).

I woke up around 9 later that night, drank what seemed like a gallon of water, and proceeded to fulfill my other touristic obligation--watch some argentine TV. This proved entertaining for some time, until i again passed out around 11.

The next day, i moved to a cheaper, and hipper, hostel, and met up with my friends Ernesto and Michelle. From this point on, the next few day were a blur of walking tours, taking in good food (especially tartas and empanadas!), good music, tango (of course), parks and plazas, French and Italian architecture, and many of the city's not-so-touristic sights (like the post-economic collapse shanty towns affectionately named 'villa miseria' or village of misery). Beneath are a few pictures of the various sights.



Our first night together, Ernesto and Michelle took me down the 9th of Julio (the equivalent of 5th ave. in Manhattan). This was cool, but somewhat overwhelming.


The next day we went up to the roof of their building, and I took these pictures.


One of the final tourist obligations i fulfilled was visiting a museum. The one i chose was the Museum of religious art just north of the downtown. It was pretty incredible, if not pretty idolitous. So much was framed in gold, silver, precious stones, etc., yet it was also inspiring in a certain sense. These were works of art driven by a strong conviction in something (maybe not god), and they certainly conveyed this.


It is cold in Buenos Aires, near-freezing during the night, and windy during the day. Much of it is loud, garbage-strewn, and smelly. Though it has its beauties, and much culture to impart, I am glad to leave, looking now to the rustic adventure that awaits north of Cordoba. Check back soon for my arrival at Yacu Yura!


Much love to all
-Eka