Take a Walk

I made it to Buenos Aires!

That`s the good news. The bad news is that it is cold and rainy today,
which reduces my urge to walk around and explore. I`ve sucked it up a
little bit and covered about four miles between my neighborhod and the
city center on foot, so I figured I could share some notes while I dry
off.

My apartment is in barrio Villa Crespo, which is a bit more than three
miles west of the center. It consists of mostly tall 1960s and 70s era
apartment towers, though from my 7th floor bedroom window I can still
see the roofs of many smaller shops and flats around me. The barrio is
mostly housing, with a few shops and bars mixed in - it is also on the
Corrients subte line, which can put me in the city center in about 15
minutes.

Walking northwest for about 10 minutes from my apartment tower, you
cross in to Palermo Viejo, which my guidebook billed as ``the hippest
barrio in BA.`` I don`t yet know if this is true, but it is at least a
believable claim. The buildings step down from 8-plus stories to one
or two levels, and the architecture is a mix of brick, modern class,
and old colonial. Mostly subdued colors and materials, though every
now and then a bright yellow, orange, or pink building pops up and
brightens up the street. Even on a rainy Sunday afternoon, the
neighborhood is a lively mix of cafes, bars and boutiques - I had a
tasty sandwhich and a lousy cup of coffee in a cafe facing a plaza
where I could watch passersby window shop and walk their dogs
(speaking of, there is crap EVERYWHERE - definitely watch your step
while walking around).

After lunch, I headed out in the rain and walked in to the city center
- here, everything is closed so I`ll hold off on pictures or
impressions until I am here at a more happening hour.