mother nature, give us a break por favor

Twice in one week Buenos Aires was underwater due to torrential downpour. The first night, Monday the 15th, my friends and I were unfortunate enough to be out to dinner during the storm and had to walk home in the flood, which included wading through the streets of Palermo in water up to our thighs, barefoot, garbage floating by, power outages, a rope to help cross Santa Fe Av., ruined shoes, and firemen holding my hand. A 30 minute walk took 1.5 hours. Thank goodness the restaurant had given us that free champagne to go ;)

Last night a storm hit again, but luckily we were all at home this time. Santa Fe & Humboldt, a couple blocks from me, got hit bad enough to have a boat helping people through the flood. Other residents were literally swimming home, and stores and homes were flooded with water pouring in from the street. Two people unfortunately died during the storm after being electrocuted in the subway.

Although Monday night we all made it home safe and it turned into a fun and ridiculous experience that we'll never forget, getting caught in that once is enough... and having the city flooded twice in one week is more than enough... it will probably be awhile before the residents of BA will be able to make it through a storm without fearing another flood.

All pictures from Buenos Aires Herald.

salida del sol, puesta del sol

The sunrise and sunset are two things I believe a lot of people take for granted. They both happen everyday, are always beautiful (minus a rainy day), and take little time to watch, yet they come and go without people even realizing it. For most, the transition from light to dark (and vice versa) is just that. Light to dark, with no pink/orange/red/purple sky in between. I have to admit, I have often taken these two things for granted, but for some reason, being here makes me appreciate them more.


For a lot of people in BA, it's quite easy to catch the sunrise. No, not because they're waking up early to study or work out, but because they're still up from the night before. With a nightlife that gets started around 3AM, the odds of catching the sun waking up are high. I've certainly seen the sunrise this way once or twice ;)

Unfortunately, during sunset, most people are at work. But if you can make it to your balcony, or a place that isn't blocked by tall buildings, it's a sight to see. One friend here used to have "sunset parties" - mate, friends, and an awesome view of the sunset. There's nothing better than sitting on your balcony in warm weather, drinking a coffee/cerveza/mate, chatting with friends or listening to music, and catching the sun paint the sky as it goes down for the night.

With spring finally upon us, I hope to catch as many sunsets as I can. And by chance I'll probably catch a few more sunrises...

salta road trip

Last week, at the last minute, I was fortunate enough to join my friends on trip to Salta, in northern Argentina. I knew little about the area besides everyone telling me it was "¡muy linda!" which it turns out, is true. Although my friends had done more research, they too didn't really know what to expect, so we were in for an adventure.

We started out on the luxurious 20 hour overnight bus ride which included a full reclining seat with a pillow and blanket, dinner, breakfast, both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, 3 movies, and a stewardess. Unlike any bus ride I've ever experienced! We arrived in Salta, the capital of the Salta region, refreshed and ready to sightsee. After checking into our hostel, we explored the small city, including the stunning San Francisco Church, the Salta Tram, and the beautiful main plaza with orange trees.

The next day we rented a car and set off to explore the rest of the region for week, staying in a different little town each night. Mainly following suggestions from guide books and tourist offices, we had no idea what to really expect.

We drove on climbing narrow, rocky, twisty roads through mountains with no barriers separating us from the cliffs below, saw breathtaking scenery, stepped out of the car into complete silence and miles of mountains, stood in a natural amphitheater, hiked La Garganta del Diablo (the devil's throat), and tasted the natural salt of the salt flats...

We stayed in small dusty, outdated towns where we were the only tourists, bought (not so) fresh produce from local grocers and cooked dinners in our homestays, ate lots of empanadas, shopped artisenaries, toured vineyards, met locals, and experienced local holiday festivals, and of course, took a lot of pictures...





Overall, an amazing experience. Read about the trip in more detail here.

el rosedal

Right in the middle of Parque Tres de Febrero is the stunning Rose Garden. Stroll through the paths to discover over 1,000 different types of roses and even more rose bushes, learn about the garden's history, and view the busts of famous poets in the Garden of Poets. Then take a break on one of the many benches, or spread a blanket for a picnic on the green grass and watch the paddleboats go by.

On one side of the garden you can enter right off the Tres de Febrero 1-mile paved running path, which surrounds the Rose Garden. On the other side of the lake you can enter by walking over the Puente Blanco, white bridge. Either way, you'll find yourself in one of the most beautiful parts of the city.

Roses always remind me of two very important people in my life, so besides
El Rosedal being so lovely, this reason also draws me to the garden.

parque tres de febrero

Nestled into Palermo is a little piece of heaven.
Parque Tres de Febrero is a sprawling piece of land covering 62 acres, made up of several smaller parks and bodies of water. From the green grass to the different types of trees to the lakes, it's easy to lose yourself while exploring the beautiful nature the park has to offer.

On any given day, especially the weekend, you'll find people of all ages biking, running, skateboarding, rollerblading, walking, paddleboating, or picnicking. The one mile paved track around the breathtaking Rosedal (Rose Garden) is perfect for most of these activities.

A great opportunity to get some fresh air, escape
the city life, and take some photos, I'm lucky Parque Tres de Febrero is just a few blocks from my apartment.







Parque Tres de Febrero is located between Avenidas Libertador, Sarmiento, Figueroa Alcorta and Infanta Isabel.

fall. in may.

adjusting to the opposite seasons, but still enjoying fall