One of the things I've been loving most about Buenos Aires is the abundance of people that don't mind just stopping and talking. I'm catching onto the accent - in fact, I think it's relinda), but it's sometimes hard navigating through all the different ages/tempos/slurs/temperments that are out there. But it's interesting; I never thought I'd get to the point in learning spanish that I was better at speaking than listening. It's a problem I feel I have sometimes even in my own native language but never would've expected it in spanish. Because conversations usually don't function only one-way, I've made it a goal to see a movie in spanish every week and in the process, hope to explore all the cines and museums the city has.
This week is our winter break, so we'll finally have a chance to get out of recoleta a bit and explore. yesterday we managed to successfully take the colectivo, the bus system here in buenos aires! i had managed to somehow avoid using it for the first two weeks i've been here, knowing that sooner or later I'd have to deal with the monster that is the guia-t. here is how the guia-t works and how you (are supposed to be able to) find your bus:
1. find your location on the map and locate it's designated grid # (C4, D5 pg 16 for ex)
2. find where you want to be .....ok
3. look at what routes pass your current location and your destination .....easy enough
4. look at the actual route posted in the back of the book. ok. here it gets tricky. it doesn't give you an exact route really, but more like the direction in which the bus is heading...and what streets it might pass on its way. you just kind of have to know.
also, one thing the guia-t leaves out is where the bus stops are. oh- but it does tell you what the bus looks like! in case you might see it passing you on the street because you didn't realize you had to flag it down.
yesterday we got on just to ride three blocks to the cementary. hahaha. by the time we finished paying, it was time to get off. but we did it! luckily, a really nice old man at this amazing used book store (see photo below!) told me what bus to get on. maybe that will be my game plan anytime i need to go somewhere!
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| used book store owned by the sweetest (and clearly, most helpful) old couple . booked my copy of an old version of don quixote! |
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| they even have one of those ladders that glide along a track line! so great. i've always wanted one of those. |
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| the obselisk, monument on the world's widest avenue, 9 de Julio. |
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| buildings on 9 de Julio, i swear they are bigger than they look in the photo |
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| one of my expectations was fully realized in buenos aires - that alfajores are ever-present in society |
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| bar toys at Lima Mia |
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| i need to go back to lima mia |
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| salad pizza at what we coloquially call "la casa de feliz" aka THE HAPPINESS HOUSE. my killer vegetarian/whole foods inspired meals have been routinely coming out to about $4 american dollars. #wut |
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| picnicing in the plaza with sarah before class |
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| buildings. this one is a church on my way from school |
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| argentine buildings, iconic style |
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| transito |
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| miniture alfajor! second cutest thing i've seen. nearly a dime at the local corner store |
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| to our friend juan martin "whoa what is this building!?" "well, this building. ah, this building has a story. but i don't know what it is." |
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| being sophisticated, drinking wine and reading books at a book-cafe of course. |
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| Inside teatro el globo |
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| the building i pass on the way to school every morning. in the nighttime, it is the local gothic hot(topic)spot for teens. |
