Buenos Aires would have not been half as fun if we had not met these guys. Its not so much about where you are in the world, but about making connections with real people.
GETTIN' BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
Buenos Aires would have not been half as fun if we had not met these guys. Its not so much about where you are in the world, but about making connections with real people.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT BUENOS AIRES #7
El Flor.CANOE'IN' UP A STORM
Due to stormy, below-freezing weather, only the toughest exchange students made it on the tigre-canoe expedition.
Antici-pation.
Worth it.
THE PHANTOM OF SAN ISIDRO
The most territorial dog ever.
At the Tren de la Costa station in San Isidro, there lives this dog. Perro vs. Tren battles took place every 15 minutes when a train passed by. This dog loathed the Tren de la Costa and tried to bark it away every time it entered the station. You would think he would just learn to get along with it, but not this dog. He obviously has territory issues.
CORPORATE AMERICAN EXPORT CULTURE
And this was all in one strip of 'new-developments,' a part of town called Puerto Madero.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT BUENOS AIRES #5
Los cajeros automaticos.
Or, ATM machine in a glass box that requires a debit card swipe in order to enter. Super secure.
ARCHITECTURE IN BA
Urban livin'.
Living in the province, or the suburbs of Buenos Aires, was not for me. I felt bored and stifled by the consumer culture and strict code of conduct enforced by its inhabitants. For example, in Olivos, the part of the province I was living, you would get weird looks for saying 'mexicana' phrases or ordering tea during lunch time. Once, when I ordered tea with my lunch on a very rainy and cold day, the waitress came back three times to ensure that I knew what I was ordering and that I really wanted that during lunchtime and not something 'normal' like a gaseosa. Deviating from the norm in the suburbs was pretty 'frowned' upon, but I found the city to be more accepting of difference. Most of my free time was spent exploring El Centro, and the architecture was incredible.
THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO EVA PERON
But, by the end of la Caminata de Eva Peron, we were all enthusiastic followers.
Shrine to Eva. Kinda creepy.
The government building where she gave that famous last speech.
ARTE DEL AGUA
Students of San Andrés were asked to make art using the concept of water as a starting point. This one was my favorite.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT BUENOS AIRES #4
Elevated soap balls.
This is a women's restroom in Universidad de San Andrés. That is the sink with a oval-shaped bar of soap looming over it for all to use as their primary form of hand cleanser. Kinda daunting, but also amazing.
HORSES, CON'T
Vintage Argentine shoe ad.
Trottin' on the ranch.So, speaking of horses, Julie and I had a joint-birthday fest where we were the same age for one night, but had two full days of celebration. One of those days was Día de Independencia, and the other was our group trip to La Estancia. Independence Day turned out to be a bust, no one celebrates it, its kinda like Memorial Day here in the US where everyone is glad to have a day off work, but no one really understands/cares about the significance of the holiday. We drowned our disappointment in Italian food and wine. Next day, we went to approx. 1000 cowboy museums and then ate, danced, and rode horses on the ranch. Not available, pictures from later that night, when the entire group went out in Palermo to celebrate my 21st.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT BUENOS AIRES #3
Caballo-Art.
Horses are amazing. I get it. But from horse art to mate drinking to leather everything, Argentina loves its gaucho history.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT BUENOS AIRES #2
Corporately-sponsored streets.
Large companies, such as widely-used cell phone service provider Claro, pay to advertise on street signs. Public signage? No such thing.
THIS DUDE KNOWS HIS SHIT
Alejandro, nuestra guía.
He yearns for the art of Xul Solar. He hungrily consumes the stories of Jorge Luis Borges. He lurks about the grave of Eva Peron in the Ricoletta Cemetery. And he lives to tell us about it.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT BUENOS AIRES #1
Election graffiti-propaganda.
We arrived in Buenos Aires during the cynical political buzz of election season. Signs such as this one combine street art with political advertising, an unavoidable message that gives voice to the grassroots. A genius marketing model.
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