Produce

I love these produce stands which are all over the city. It's great to see these bursts of color amid all of the gray of the buildings, and the smoke and fumes.

Theater Museum

This is the theater museum inside the Teatro Cervantes. After being chased away by the security guard at the synagogue, I wasn't sure if I was allowed to take photos here, but I snuck a few anyway. Here are a bunch of photos of famous actors, I guess.

Synagogue

Here is a synagogue near Avenida de Mayo. I snapped this picture and one more before a guard came out and told me I wasn't allowed to take photos. What the hell. Well, it looks like it's kind of old, but the guard wasn't very friendly, so I didn't ask anything about it.

Inside GIC building

The program I came with - GIC - was a total ripoff. I paid twice what it would have cost to study Spanish if I had simply registered with CUI (Center Universaterio de Idiomas) on my own. I don't know what I paid for. Well, I won't get into that here. But when I went to return my cell phone and get my deposit, I found that GIC is located right across from Punta Cuore in a beautiful building. This is a picture of the stairway and part of the elevator. I guess my fees help pay the rent in this fancy old building.

TV Cronica

This is channel 3 or 4 on my TV - TV Cronica - el canal de las noticias (TV Cronica, the news channel). It is very funny to watch. The have these news segments which are pretty lengthy compared to most news stations, but it's always some disaster (to borrow a phrase from Hernan) - a fire, a shooting, etc. They have this dramatic music (duh duh DUH duh....) and every now and then they will break into this very dramatic rendition of the Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa while they put a headline on the screen in bold red letters such as FIRE KILLS THREE IN VILLA CRESPO.

Sometimes they have this channel on in confiterias and cafes with no sound and it is very odd to watch these dramatic scenes with these bold headlines. It's pure entertainment and not news at all.

Graffiti

The graffiti here is often more than some idiot writing his name, or gangs tagging their territory, it seems to have a message and there seems to be an artist/intellectual streak to it. Even though it creates ugly buildings all the same, I find it interesting and I've been collecting photos of it. Here's one I really like. I like the combination of shadow and light, color and black and white and the different textures. I think there is a face of Bush in there and some anti-Bush slogan, which I'm all for even though I'm not sure what it says - probably something like "get rid of Bush".

National LIbrary

I'd seen photos of this but stumbled across it when I was walking to the museum. This library is built on the site where Peron used to live. Borges was the director of the library and when Peron came back into power, Borges made the library director responsible for livestock control (or something like that). This is not just a place to borrow books from, it is a symbol of an ongoing political battle between the Peronistas and the anti-Peronistas.

Soap on a stick

For those who missed the contest, which Sonja won, here is the soap on a stick which is in most bathrooms and doesn't really seem very sanitary to me. I wonder if this has anything to do with why everyone seems to have the same cough/flu/cold/bronchitis.

Cristina

This is Cristina Kirchner, wife of current president. She is a senator and is now running for president. She is very popular and unless something unusual happens, she is predicted to win.

Penepole Cruz

This is not really that interesting, why did I take this picture? Worse yet, why am I posting it?

MLK selling mattresses

This is not a very clear photo but it was taken in a hurry through a shop window. This is a mattress store and there is a photo of Martin Luther King behind the mattress. I am not sure what the connection is.

AMIA

This is where the Israeli Association used to be before it was bombed 13 years ago. 85 people were killed. Yesterday was the anniversary and I just happened to stumble across this street which was closed, and being the curious cat I was, I wondered by to see what was happening. I don't know what is here now, but the building was covered by this facade which is a photograph of the old building that used to be there. It was a pretty incredible sight. People are still demanding justice, but I'm not sure why. I guess they can just get in line with everyone else that is asking for the perpetrators of violent state-sponsored acts be brought to justice.

New Buenos Aires

Quite a contrast from the old, heavy stone buildings I'm used to seeing. This is in Palermo walking up Salguero. The sun had set but the sky was still light and these buildings were very shiny.

MALBA

This is inside the MALBA - Museo de Arte Latino de Buenos Aires - before I was told I couldn't take photos. It was a beautiful building, but an even more beautiful day, so I didn't stay long.

Cemetary Cats

There are hundreds of cats that live in Recoleta Cemetary. Here you can see a few of them.

Recoleta

The light on this block was incredible because of the time of day and these many trees which were filtering it so that it was greenish as it shone on the buildings. It's hard to really see it in this photo, but it was magical.

Once

This is one of the many shops in Once selling lots of glittery stuff.

For Yaari

I took this photo for my friend Yaari because I know she likes Osho. This is across from the Korean restaurant and I took it while I was waiting for everyone to show up.

Lavalle Street

Lavalle and Florida are two pedestrian streets. Lavalle can be really crowded during the week, well, actually both of them can. This is a little cafe I found on Lavalle that was closed because it's Saturday. There are so many little restaurants like this in Buenos Aires. I just love this style of place.

Florida Street

Florida street, and other areas where large crowds of people gather, also has these human statues. They stand completely still until you put money in their jar and then they come to life. They are pretty amazing. This scene was very funny because there was this whole family lined up go get a picture taken with this angel. I wonder if they thought he was a real angel. Here, it was grandma's turn.

Florida Street

Florida Street is always fun, day or night. Here are the tango dancers that hang out in front of Gallerias Pacifico. One of them, from the Ukraine, was on Latin American Idol, but she was a terrible singer and didn't make it past the first audition. Anyway, they were taking a break and the guys were practicing some moves. I think they look so cute in their little gangster outfits.

The Chino

This is my local chino or Chinese-run supermarket. There is usually a Chinese guy outside smoking and there happens to be one in this photo. It's funny that they always look like they are half closed. Chinos are supposed to be cheaper than regular supermarkets, and maybe compared to the Disco, which is the most expensive, they are cheaper, but I haven't noticed much difference in wine prices here and at my mini-supermarket next to my apartment. In fact the wine is cheaper at the mini-supermarket. Still the Chino is a great cross-cultural experience.

Fruit Vendor

It was a very cold day in Buenos Aires, but the sky was blue and the sun was shining. Unfortunately, where I was walking was in the shade because of the buildings and time of day. I came across this fruit vender which was the only place on the street that was getting any sun. Fruit vendors appear throughout the city and it's great to see their displays of fruit and vegetables spilling out of their tiny shops onto the streets.

Snow

On July 9, Argentine Independence Day, it snowed for the first time in 89 years. It was quite a sight. Everyone was out taking pictures, the news reports called it "Historic". It was very cold and the snow was too wet to stick, but it was fun to go out for a little bit and grab a hot chocolate.

I tried taking pictures but should have used a flash. The shutter speed was too slow and the snowflakes came out like lines when you can see them at all. Here is a picture of Palacio San Martin.

Faded Glory

This is an old apartment building across the street from Marcelo's apartment. I can see this building from his studio while we are dancing. It just adds to the whole nostalgic feeling of dancing tango. The building has seen better days - the architect's name is engraved outside, which means it was not just any building built by anyone, but it could use a good cleaning, and new shutters. The shoes and clothes hanging out the windows add a nice touch!

Avenida de Mayo

Here is the Avenida de May looking from the Plaza del Congresso, where it begins (or ends). You can see the wonderful towers on many of the buildings. Unfortunately, the whole place, including the plaza, is in need of a good cleaning.

El Congresso

Here is the dome of the congresso reflected in the windows of a modern building across the street.

Confiterias on every corner

These Confiterias, which are kind of like cafes and kind of like diners, are everywhere. They all have big windows, so you can sit inside and watch people walking by, and the food is good and cheap. Coffee is not that good here, but I don't mind it, since I'm not really a coffee drinker. I have cafe con leche and it's fine, but other people have been complaining. When it's cold, it's good to know there is always a confiteria nearby.

Pasta

In San Francisco, I know of two places that sell "homemade" ravioli, and they both get booming business. Here, there are shops everywhere that sell homemade pasta. They are totally unobtrusive, and probably even more common than McDonalds. I like that pasta is such a big thing here, even thought it doesn't even come close to my mom's.Today in the cafeteria they had gnocchi. I don't know why. Last Friday, June 29, was the day that everyone eats gnocchi. The 29th of every month, you are supposed to each gnocchi. It is also a custom to put money under the plates. There are different theories about where this custom comes from, but in general it has to do with gnocchi being cheap, the 29th being a time of the month when there isn't a lot of money around, and the money under the plate, wishing for good luck and prosperity. It's a nice custom, even though I didn't eat gnocchi last Friday.

Punta Cuore

This is one of my more regular places for lunch, Punta Cuore. They have daily specials which are very good and reasonably priced. The waiters are nice and it's a pleasant environment.

I went to the disco and bought groceries...

This is a Disco supermarket on Santa Fe in Barrio Norte. I think it's funny that you can buy groceries at the disco.

Confiteria Ideal

This is on Suipacha in el Centro. It's an old traditional tango dance hall. I haven't been there, but heard it's a good place to go and see the older folks dancing tango. I think it would be fun. The car with the hood open added a nice touch to the photo.

El Congresso

Here is a view of El Congresso from the back. I like the round part of the building, which is not visible from the front. You can see the dome, which is modeled after the dome of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Paella

This was a shop on Santa Fe near Alta Palermo Shopping Center. They had empanadas and other food you can take out. This paella was magnificent. I don't know what it tasted like, but it looked great. I wanted to buy the whole thing.

Avenida de Mayo

Looking up is so much fun because the tops of buildings are often the most interesting parts. When I moved to Philly from Jersey, my friends there teased me because I was always looking up. Well, you can look at the dog shit on the sidewalk (which I watch out for) or you can look up to the sky and see these beautiful buildings.

Avenida de Mayo

Avenida de Mayo is the oldest avenue in Buenos Aires and runs from the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada to the Congresso. It is lined by big old stone buildings, many of them covered in years of soot and in need of a good cleaning and some repair. Still, the avenue has a grandeur about it that I like.

Once

This is Once, the district where I have Spanish classes. I like the combination of this beautiful old building, and the supermercardo which is run by Chinese, called "Diego".

Door

The metal work on doors and windows is really amazing. This is the door to an apartment building on Santa Fe.

Palacio San Martin

I pass Palacio San Martin often, as it's only a block away from where I live. Here it is on Sunday morning being hit by light reflected off of the new glass building across the street.

Jane Fonda

Huge billboard of Jane Fonda at the corner of Santa Fe and 9 de Julio. When I see her, I know I am almost home. She is saying she looks fabulous because of this L'Oreal cream, but she doesn't mention botox, face lifts or photo retouching. I wonder what she looks like, in person, with no makeup. Deceptive advertising at its best.

The Water Building

This is the main water treatment facility built after the yellow fever epidemic. The building is covered by Royal Doulton tiles made in England and shipped to Buenos Aires. They were numbered, and the building was pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. It is definitely one of the grander buildings in Buenos Aires.

Freddo

Here's a Freddo on Santa Fe -the telephone number is on the window - 0810 33 Freddo - this is the number I thought was the number of my Freddo card, and gave to the guy when he asked for my passport number - hilarious! (I guess you had to be there)

My new "look"

Do you think I could get away with this look? Hat, scarf, poncho slung over my shoulder, leather jacket, and of course holding a mate gourd filled with yerba.

Door

I love walking around and seeing all of these beautiful old doors and window grates which were made with such careful craftsmanship.

Israeli Embassy Plaza

This plaza on the corner of Suipacha and Arroyo is where the Israeli Embassy once stood. A car bomb struck on March 17, 1992, killing 29 people and injuring dozens of others. I've walked by here many times, but only today noticed what it was. The shadows of the trees on the wall seemed to me silent reminders of the lives that were lost.