A Subway Ride in Buenos Aires

Here, the subway is called the "Subte" and is pretty big, very crowded and fairly cheap to ride.

You have to buy a ticket first, of course. Each ride, or "viaje" (trip) is $2.50 pesos which is 57 cents.

Let's go down to the platform. Somestair cases have these nice tiled walls. But there's a lot of graffiti too.

Oh man! We just missed a train. No importa. I'll have time to look around.

The routes seem to start at the port, which is the right of the map, and fan out as they go inland. There are only two cross-town lines. 



There's a lot of people who beg in the subte. Here, a child is sleeping while his mother (out of sight) asks for money from passersby.



On the trains, people are selling all kinds of things such as books of stickers and even socks! The passengers are very tolerant and a surprising amount actually buy stuff from the vendors. The portenos (people of Buenos Aires) seem to treat poor people with respect.

Here's an action packed photo from this morning's ride. Here is an ample woman and a man sniffing his armpit. At rush hour the trains are really packed.

 It's a relief to be out of the subte and I find myself on the edge of a plaza with stalls of booksellers and these guys playing chess. Their concentration is so great they don't notice me take their picture.

A Living Spanish Lesson



As you know, I've been taking Spanish classes at a school in Buenos Aires. But Monday was a holiday so I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands. I asked Drew to give me Spanish lessons for one hour each day. Of course, I knew that it would be much longer than that because he would give me a "living lesson." We walk around the city together and he points things out and makes comments like, "Here's a useful thing to know in Spanish..." Other times he regales me with observations about how quirky languages can be. In English we say, "I like the plant." But in Spanish it is, "The plant is pleasing to me." Also, quiero is "I want" but "te quiero" is "I love you." He's a wonderful teacher, very patient and determined to help me. Today's class was held on my balcony. And no, that's not wine. It's Coca-Cola.

Moon Over Buenos Aires

Glance at Buenos Aires and it looks similar to New York or Paris or many other cities. But the more you look at it the more you feel it has it's own style. And some of the buildings are old, dark and mysterious. This building is high above the famous Avenida Nueve de Julio. And it has a spire which is common here. It's one of probably one hundred thousand such edifices in this sprawling city.

A Tour of My Life in Buenos Aires

Here are a few photos of my life here in Buenos Aires after three days in the city.

To the right of the white van is the entrance to my apartment building. My studio apartment was arranged by the language school I'm attending.

This is the view from my 8th floor balcony of Avenida Corrientes, one of the main thoroughfares in this vast city.

Two floors above the first balcony is my language school. It's a wonderful building with a cage elevator. I've had two professors so far, German y Victoria. I chatted about futbol with German and books with Victoria. I'm sure I butchered their language but they were muy tranquilo.

I've noticed that many corner buildings here in Buenos Aires are almost Parisian looking. Buildings in the middle of the block have been torn down and replaced with modern concrete monstrocities.

We took a walk in a nature preserve on the edge of the city, on the river banks and found this crazy booth. It looks so South American to me. It's purpose is unknown.

Drew said the Spanish slang for bicycle is "bici" so I call this photo "bici loco" for obvious reasons.

It looks like I've been photoshopped against this background but I was really there. This is the famous Puente de la Mujer or bridge of the woman.

Today, as an exercise, I thought I would explore just one single block, the one across from my building. It was completely packed with stores and bars and restaurants. Just one block! Here is one of many little markets.

Carlos Gardel was an Argentine tango singer from the 30s. This is his street.

Tango Music and Cab Drivers in Buenos Aires

In Buenos Aires, taxis are everywhere. I got the idea for a photo that was nothing but taxis and it only took two tries and a few minutes to accomplish. The picture was taken from my balcony of the street below. The great thing is that cabs are very cheap. So you can flag one down and ride two or three miles and it's only a few bucks. Try doing that in Manhattan. And the drivers here are friendly. Last night my driver was listening to tango music and had a relaxed, philosophical air.

He's In!

Yesterday, Drew took an exam to enter the master's program at the University of Buenos Aires in urban design and they said the results would be posted today, at 6 o'clock outside the department offices. Drew came here at 5:30 looking a little nervous about learning his fate for the next two years. We rode two subways to catch a commuter train to the school. The phrase "commuter train" doesn't adequately cover what we rode on, where the doors didn't close. So, at 60 mph, with the doors open, one false slip and you'd be gone. And when another train went out past in the other direction the shock wave was like a slug in the stomach. We got off and walked through a park at dusk to the university, a concrete monolith Drew called "the death star." We threaded through mobs of students and found the offices but no posted list. Looking discouraged, Drew went inside. I wandered the hallways for a few minutes until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and Drew was shaking my hand -- he got in!

Traveling South to Argentina

I arrived in Buenos Aires today and moved into a studio apartment eight floors above the busy Avenida Corrientes. I have a small balcony which looks down on four lanes of little cars, huge buses and motorbikes shooting between them. Drew came to see me and we had empanadas and cafe con leche at a little cafe with books on the wall. Back at my apartment, I introduced Drew to the door man, Senor Marino, and Drew talked up a storm in Spanish. A slow, pleased smile spread across Sr. Marino's old face as he sensed the enthusiasm Drew had for the language. At sunset I walked to the school where I will take classes manana. I took this picture of the famous Avenida Neuve de Julio (Avenue of the 9th of July). By the way, I'm finding that taxi drivers are perfect for trying out my Spanish -- they're a captive audience and are amused by this Norteamericano.