Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is one of the most diverse cities I’ve ever been to.  Every time you turn a corner there is a different type of community.  It ranges from some of the most upscale, gorgeous mansions that I’ve ever seen to a slum city, complete with babies sitting in windows and splashing naked in a tiny inflatable pool in the middle of the sidewalk.  It reminds me of a mix of Philly, New York, and Washington D.C.  It reminds me of Philly because it is the place where the declaration was created and there are tons of monuments representing that fact.  Also, the older parts of Buenos Aires have cobblestone streets and tiny cafes that remind me of some parts of Philly.  The streets lined with luxurious shops remind me of New York, especially the gigantic intersection that kind of resembles Times Square.  However, it is also like D.C. because it is the capital of Argentina and includes all the Embassies and other types of government housing.

However, there are other aspects of the city that are not comparable to cities in America.  For example, there are stray dogs and cats everywhere, and even the domestic dogs are rarely on leashes and seem to use the bathroom where ever and when ever they please, which can make walking a tricky task.  There are also beautiful parks and exotic trees, including palm trees, everywhere.  It makes the city seem more classic and natural.

The men here are much more aggressive than American men. They don't have spacial boundaries, or any problem keeping EXTREMELY uncomfortable eye contact for excessive amounts of time.  They WILL whistle at you from across the street for the entire time it takes you to walk a block, and they WILL stop their moped in the middle of the street/traffic just to say "Buenos Dias Senorita!" 
Last but not least, there is nothing even close to La Boca in the states.  It is a beautiful place dripping with culture and art.  There are tango dancers and musicians and artists lining the street and the colors are so vivid and bright, it is breath taking and unlike any town I have ever imagined.  What is so interesting about La Boca is that it originated because of all the poor immigrants that came to Argentina.  They would enter the port that was shaped like a mouth (hence, LA Boca) and move into these tiny one room homes with a gigantic patio in between all of the rooms.  These patios were shared by many families, from a variety of countries.   This is where the tango originated.  Argentina is the true melting pot, everyone's customs and traditions were blended together to form a truly unique Argentinean way.  

Interestingly enough, the tango was originally a dance between two men.  It was less seductive then and involved more kicks.  It was thought of as a manly competition, almost like a sport.  Once women were added to the dance it became much more sensual.  Here are some pictures I took while in La Boca.  I also took a video which I will add once I figure out how to upload it onto my computer :)