Imagine if you could put the architecture of Europe into a blender with a charred steak and a tropical climate. That’s Buenos Aires, Argentina. The city is a breath of fresh air, yet incredibly peaceful, considering it’s three times the size of Manhattan. Huge parks are buzzing with parrots and other birds you may have only seen on the Travel Channel. While there are lots of notable art museums in the city, the best art, as usual is on the street.
The city is huge, being the New York City of the southern hemisphere, a hub of emigration in the late 1800s. Italian flavors are fused into everything, a fact I gleaned while in captivity of a walking tour guide. While the city is famous for parrillada, or mixed grill, I ate pizza. Mancheese just wasn’t calling my name. I actually whipped up a lot of breakfasts in the common kitchen of my hotel, where I had a squabble with a man who was boiling an egg.
So, I’m in the kitchen, watching an unattended egg boiling for about five minutes longer than any egg should be boiled, short of an ostrich egg (which, according to various websites, takes ninety minutes). Since none of the young wander-lusters in the kitchen claimed it, I removed the egg and plopped my egg in the bubbly water. I thought someone got busy scrolling their phone somewhere and forgot about the egg. Bad mistake. The owner of the egg, an older gentleman with red shoe polish hair, returned to the kitchen and was rankled by my actions. Sorry, dude. Don’t leave a burner on and leave the kitchen. Didn’t your mother teach you that?
I continued on my adventures, singing the lyrics to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita in my head, or actually, may out loud.
I found my way to the Recoleta cemetery to see the mausoleum of Evita Peron. As I wandered the maze of tombs (along with a host of disgruntled teens being dragged by their parents), I had to wonder about the butterfly effect: does each life really does impact every other? Whose life have I impacted? Whose life has impacted mine? I thought of a man who left his egg boiling unattended in the common kitchen. Will my Cobb salads taste be tastier because he informed me that eggs need to be boiled for ten minutes, not five? Another reason to eat pizza, but the not squeeze cheese hot dogs, or panchos.
I made it through the city without a SIM card, as Google map will still work if you load your map before you hit the street. You will be reminded by tour guides and concierges not to walk through various districts as safety in Buenos Aires is as fickle as the wind. I saw two arrests on Christmas day and also canceled a trip to Rosario due to the city being overrun with drug cartel violence. That is not something you’ll read about on You’ll read a lot about Boca. The backstory of these vibrant homes is that they were originally painted with leftover boat paint.
Of my days carousing the city, I stayed clear of Tango and headed toward the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve. This park had the vibe of Northern Michigan but was a short walk from the bustling city center. Joggers in spandex and birders with binoculars walked the well marked paths. Along with several unusual birds, I saw a weird scary reptile called a a tegu, that made me stop and enjoy the moment. I am still hoping to get a glimpse of the wild cuckoo bird called a guira. Where to stay? I was in Palmero, the SoHo Barranco-esque area of the city, where you go to be seen as well as to see.
Money? Be careful. You will get robbed if you eat at the wrong place. Boca, a colorful neighborhood, can empty your wallet with their touristy prices. However, if you dine at local diners and splurge for an occasional empanada, you’ll be fine.
English? It’s time to reboot your DuoLingo app.
Friendliness? A local shop keeper gave me a free piece of chocolate. His kind gesture makes me forgive the egg man. Plus there’s lots of dogs.
Other than the disgruntled egg man, my trip to Buenos Aires has been low key. Hopefully, my last day will include one more rooftop sunset, Yes, this is what it’s like to be on the other side of the hill, or over the hill and rolling down like Jack and Jill. You either bird watch, play Wordle and complain about eggs.
