buenos aires

so when it comes to culture, as it often can, buenos aires omega-pwns santiago de chile. it may not be cleaner, the people may not be as approachable and warm, the subway may be less efficient (though 1/3rd the price), their president may even be finagling their economy into the ground, but at the end of day BsAs is still the paris of the west, the new york of the south, the pearl of the empire, the atlantic's empanada. when you're not choking on exhaust, you're basking in the narrow, seemingly interminable, tree-lined streets. when you're not enjoying the best fried empanada you've ever had, you're probably trying to decipher the impermeable code that is the italian-cum-spanish being spewed out by the spirited argentines.

did i mention this beast is big? supposedly, avenida 9 de julio is the world's widest street. we hackeysacked up on it.

some time ago, buenos aires birthed the tango and they haven't forgotten, but the city's also home to what must be the best arts and crafts market in south america (feria san telmo), stunning sculptures that litter the multitude of plazas within the city, the obviously alluring barrio la boca, some world class street entertainment (more than juggling), and some of the best cow you'll ever chew on in your life. while we're on food, i would be remiss not to mention that the streets of colonia de sacramento in uruguay are home to the best sandwiches on the 3rd planet and the barbeque of uruguay's capital, montevideo, is something to write home about - especially when you sprain your jaw chewing on cow guts, intestinal lining, and blood sausage. ¡salud! (top two=buenos aires, bottom two=uruguay).

as with any travel, except perhaps polar and intergalactic, the selling point eventually becomes the people. good and bad experiences are to be expected and as always, there were schmucks aplenty who weren't exactly fond of travelers/people who lacked absurd inflection/humanity, but the ones you remember and treasure are those who were genuine, sweet, and gosh darn beautiful. fortunately, this trip wasn't lacking in the latter category. from the incredible youngins we met playing soccer in colonia to the various irish who pretty much convinced me i should spend weeks/months/years on the emerald isle to the incredible staff and patrons of the millhouse hostel in the center of buenos aires (the. greatest. hostel. on. earth.), we experienced plenty of buena onda (good vibes) on our trip. perhaps what's most important is the aforementioned we. for all those planning on traveling with james "klopperfield" klopp and andy "sandy/sandals/randy/randall" liefer in the near-distant future, let it be stated for the record that they are in fact great company. en serio.