Buenos Aires Steals Hearts . . . and Citizens

Two friends of mine visited Argentina, then returned to LA and immediately sold all their belongings, quit their high-paying corporate jobs and moved to Buenos Aires. And. after spending just two days here, I can’t say as I blame them.

Upon arrival, I walked over from my quaint hotel in San Telmo to spend an hour at the market, but ended up spending some hours wandering. There’s just so much to see — from interesting crafts and wares from local artisans to delicious fruits and vegetables from local farmers — you can easily spend an entire day shopping and haggling. (I am Filipino, so I am good at this.)

Crossing the diques (docks) to Buenos Aires’s elite district of Puerto Madero, you’ll undoubtedly spot one of
Buenos Aires’ most iconic structures: El Puente de La Mujer, or Woman’s Bridge. A beacon to all pedestrians, this elegant and sophisticated homage to women is one of the city’s most contemporary structures, curving gracefully over the waters of the Rio de la Plata.

One of the top attractions here in Buenos Aires is its cuisine, and I have eaten my weight in steak
in the past three days. The food was so good, I eased up on my diet. Puerto Madero used to be a bustling port in the late 19th century, then it became the undesirable bad part of town. In the 1990s, the government partnered with private investors and made this area the center of urbanization in Argentina. Now it is where the “new rich” lives.

What do Buenos Aires and Washington D.C. have in common? Well, the city plans are nearly identical … and they’re
both patterned after Paris. Their Presidential Office (their version of the White House) overlooks the Office of Congress. And both cities dport big, almost identical, obelisks.

Other than Eva Peron, the other most famous export of Argentinia is Pope Francis, who often said mass here at the Argentina Cathedral. He was born in Buenos Aires and worked briefly as a chemical technician and nightclub bouncer before beginning seminary studies. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969 and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina’s Provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was made cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He, along with Pope John II and Pope Paul, is one of the more popular pontiffs of recent times.

Enjoy new highlights of travel photographer Edwin Santiago’s journeys each week.