My friend May and I keep wondering, “how can SO many cafes and food places exist within one city?” Literally every block and street is lined with limitless, trendy-looking bars, cafes, bistros, restaurants….unlike the States, nobody goes to these alone. My cousin was able to explain that rather than entertain in their homes, many BA-ers go TO these places to meet up with friends and family. So that explains SOME of it…

Life here so far has been characterized by long walks and bus rides throughout this hot, sprawling, bustling metropolis. Wrestling for change for the bus (80 centavos) and always trying to make sure you HAVE change because many stores simply cannot “break” any bill larger than 20 pesos (approx. 7 USD).

Today we went to La Boca and hung out with my cousin’s artist friend Guillermo…then meandereed the hot colorful streets and took the bus to antique-filled San Telmo.

Mercifully ate less food than yesterday, when we ate and ate and ate (the gorging was topped off with a decadent strawberr & chocolate with dulce con leche ice cream sundae at aptly-named Munchi’s in Recoleta’s Design Center). I am flat-out beat!