Stop reading this post and go buy a ticket to Buenos Aires. Right now. This city is absolutely incredible and has everything you could ask for: history, art, culture, nightlife, scenery, tango, parks, dirt-cheap street food, and more reggaeton than you will ever want to listen to again.
The first thing that struck me about BA is that there is art literally everywhere. We expected it in La Boca, a region of the city known for its brightly colored streets filled with murals and sculptures:
but we didn't expect to find a series of murals under a freeway overpass in an old industrial section of town:
Something something smoking kills
Art doesn't just exist on the streets, however. BA houses several world class museums ranging from postmodern interactive art in the Kirchner Cultural Centre:
My personal favorite. This scene was accompanied by ritual chanting and doorways that looked like exits but actually just opened up into hallways that led you right back into the exhibition. Very creepy indeed.
to more traditional Latin American pieces at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the MALBA:
Argentina has quite a rich history, filled with political turmoil and strife of the working class. I saw this reflected heavily in their art in scenes that depict common folk wanting to be free of the influence of wealthy, land-owning elites and politicians obsessed with quieting opposing voices. While I was in Buenos Aires I witnessed massive parades celebrating Día de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia, a holiday that commemorates the victims of state terrorism that occurred under the military junta from 1976 to 1983. This parade stretched from morning until after nightfall and was filled with Argentines proudly voicing their opinions, opinions that would have been silenced just 40 years ago.
One of my largest goals for this trip is to run more. I've never been a good or even decent runner, it's just never felt natural to me. I've talked about this subject with my brother, Peter, who is by all accounts a phenomenal runner, and his take on the sport really stuck with me. He sees it as an opportunity to really connect with his body, to test how this repetitive motion can be mastered and improved upon little by little, exploring weaknesses and using strengths to compensate for them. The way he describes it feels like a science, a study of kinetic connection. It is this view that has really helped me break through some of the barriers I have placed in front of my running game. By focusing on how my body is feeling rather than fruitlessly trying to block out the pain that running brings I have actually begun to enjoy the process.
Another major thing that has helped me appreciate running is the fact that it is probably the best way to explore a city. Especially in the early morning, when the city is just starting to wake up and you get to see its freshest side:
The one thing that held me back from running more was the absurd schedule that Buenos Aires keeps. It is pretty standard to get dinner at 10, have drinks at 12, head to a club at 2, and stumble back into your bed at 7. Maybe not the healthiest of lifestyles but when in Rome...
It might be time to venture into Patagonia for a break from all this city living.
- Joseph