Buenos Aires: A Hot Mess of Empanadas and Tangos

buenos aires has been... a lot. i'm sitting here, sweating through my shirt (it's 26.87°C but feels like 27.72°C, i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing), trying to process everything that's happened since i got here. this city doesn't mess around.

so, i landed here and everyone kept calling it the "paris of the pampas" which made me think i was getting some romantic european experience. nope. it's more like a chaotic european city that decided to set up shop next to a giant river. the architecture is beautiful, sure, but then you turn a corner and there's a tiny street vendor selling empanadas that will change your life. and then you turn another corner and nearly get run over by a bus. it's a lot.

the food here is... unreal. i've been living on asado, empanadas, and milanesa. someone told me that the best choripán is in this random neighborhood called la boca, but honestly, i've found amazing ones all over. and don't get me started on dulce de leche - i think i've gained about 10 pounds just from medialunas (those croissant things) alone. the café culture is real though; everyone seems to be sitting at tiny tables, drinking mate, and debating... something. politics? football? the meaning of life? who knows.

the history is fascinating. founded in 1536, abandoned, then reestablished in 1580. that's like, twice the drama of most cities. and it shows in the architecture - you've got these old colonial buildings next to super modern skyscrapers in puerto madero. someone told me that the recoleta cemetery is worth visiting, but honestly, it's a bit creepy for my taste. though i did spend way too much time trying to find evita perón's grave.

the tango shows... look, they're impressive. but honestly, after seeing about five of them, they all start to blend together. though i did get dragged to one in san telmo and it was actually pretty cool. the dancers looked like they were about to kill each other but also deeply in love. very confusing but mesmerizing.

if you get bored, la plata, avellaneda, quilmes, and morón are just a short drive away. though i haven't actually driven here - the traffic is no joke. someone told me that the subte (metro) is your best bet, and they weren't wrong. still, i've probably walked about 20 miles a day just trying to avoid it.

oh, and the crime thing. it's real. i've had my pocket picked twice now. i'm getting better at being suspicious of everyone, which is not really how i like to travel. but hey, you gotta adapt. someone told me that montevideo across the river is safer, but that's like saying my headache is better than a migraine. it's still bad.

anyway, that's enough rambling for now. i'm going to go find another empanada and maybe cry about the heat a little more. buenos aires is... a lot. but in a good way? mostly.

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