First Stop, Buenos Aires

 My room in my hosts apartment in Buenos Aires! Air Canada took me most of the way here from Toronto, and the difference was made up by a taxi driver who didn´t even have enough English to tell me his name! Of course, I didn´t know enough Spanish to tell him my name, but it didn´t matter because he had a card with my name on it a la airport arrival taxi drivers. We enjoyed a nearly silent ride to the Belgrano Barrio of Bs. As., including my first experience with local music (I think the singer´s name was Linda, but that could also mean ``pretty´´ in Spanish :/) and some daring no-hands driving by my driver as he counted pesos for the tolls and moved them between various crevices of the dashboard.

 A close up on my guardian gato above my bed. Fat & Orange, like my cat at home (unlike the cats in the streets here).

 The first several days in the city were marked by thunderstorms and overcast skys. I didn´t mind because I knew the sunny days were ahead, and the vista from my room is impressive to me in all weather! The hectic skyline of Buenos Aires stretches to all horizons, and it is understandable in a city of 12 million.

 Coffee; It´s What´s For Breakfast. So much for not becoming caffeine dependent: My hostess Señora Cristina brews up a cereal mug of it every morning just for me, and the norm at Spanish School is to drink tea or coffee. On top of that, when I return to my apartment in the evenings, my hostess and I share Mate, the local caffeinated beverage you drink with a straw, with many customs and idiosyncrasies from place to place. I´m told the taste grows on you, but I´m not so sure yet. More to follow on this interesting drink!

 Went to a Mexican place for lunch my second day and had this meal including salsa, salad, a full basket of the best nachos I ever had (Including in Mexico!) along with three generous Mole-sauce tacos. People were giving me weird looks for putting the salad in the tacos. The mexican waiter confirmed that, yes, that is how they do in Mexico. The weird looks stopped for a bit then, but resumed when I confused the words for onion and horse.

The first sunset of my time here, same vista as before. It´s better in the morning, but until I feel like beating the sun to rise I won´t have a picture of it.