Tourism in list form

I realize I haven't blogged much about touristy stuff in Buenos Aires, so I thought I'd take a break from the meat talk and list my top ten favorite things about the city, because it's an amazing place, and it's so much more than chorizo. Which is high praise from me.

1) Food and wine. Come on, you knew that was coming.

2) The trees. This is sort of a weird thing to love about a city, but Buenos Aires has the most enormous, amazing trees all over the city. I've been to many cities, and never seen anything like them. They are huge, ancient-looking things that look like them belong at the heart of a mysterious forest out of some Arthurian legend. Some have these enormous, gnarled grey roots that rear out of the ground like ghosts, while others have thick, curvy branches that skim the ground and are absolutely perfect for climbing. At one point we were discussing how strange it was to come from a place like Peru, where very old remnants of ancient times are tucked away in corners, to a place like Buenos Aires, where things seem much younger. But of all the old, venerable things to have kept around your city, I think these trees are some of the best.

3) La Casa Rosada. This is the president's house in the middle of the Plaza de Mayo. It is big, beautiful and it's a lovely, dusky pink. When I lived in DC, my friend Pitt and I used to evaluate houses based on how compelling a speech made from their balcony would be, and I have to tell you that this one takes the cake so far. No wonder Evita was able to craft such a compelling and controversial persona--I'm estimating that her charisma was at least 24% balcony.

4) Big Silver Flower. Near the art museum (and just south of some of my favorite trees) there is this enormous silver sculpture of a flower that opens and closes with the sun, and is therefore beyond awesome. Seriously, science+sculpture+ public art? I ran around it every day because it made me so happy.

5) Shopping. When you eat a lot of meat, I guess you get good at doing lovely things with the remaining cow, because the leather goods in Buenos Aires are amazing. In fact, all the shopping is spectacular. Cheap, stylish, and tucked away in lovely neighborhoods like Palermo or Recoleta that are a pleasure just to walk around in.

6) Teatro Colon. This is kind of an honorable mention because I only got to see a tiny bit of it, but Buenos Aires has a spectacular theater. I think I love it more than the Met Opera house. It's currently being renovated, but I will return for an opera there. (interestingly, they also have a club that is modeled after the Sydney Opera House, but I think that setting is probably a little less inspiring when filled with grinding twenty-somethings. just a little, though).

7) San Telmo Street Fair. Buenos Aires has really good street fairs, but my favorite was the San Telmo. It is, depending on your point of view, either the coolest place to get anything you might possibly want, or the biggest warehouse of weird crap ever. I counted four booths devoted exclusively to colorful, old seltzer bottles. There are also random tango shows hiding around corners which are fun to watch.

8) Old Lady Just off the San Telmo Street Fair. I know, weirdest entry yet, but this old woman was sitting on a stool just off the main square in San Telmo with a big poster of Louis Armstrong taped in back of her, drumming crazily, singing and scatting really, really well. She had this huge grin on her face the whole time like this was the best thing in the world that anyone could ever be doing, and I saw her actually turn down money. She is absolutely on my short list of people i want to be when I am old. I just need to learn to scat, sing, and drum, and get 3000% more awesome.

9) 9 de Julio Ave. There is a 20 lane highway in the middle of Buenos Aires. It seems like a poor urban planning decision, but it's so strange that it just sort of turns the corner around unwise and heads straight back to awesome.

10) The details. Random squares of delicately painted tile, brightly colored houses in La Boca, intricately worked wrought iron balconies, beautifully kept parks, smiling restaurant owners, and friendly taxi drivers. It's the small, almost secret-feeling details that make a good city a great city, and Buenos Aires has them in spades. It is all the best parts of Paris and Barcelona, except a third of the cost. I will definitely be back.