Hasta leugo, Buenos Aires!

I finally found my BA people. They were in the neighborhood I considered staying in (San Telmo) and while I'm still glad I stayed central instead, I am so glad the Lonely Planet fail that led me in search of vegetarian fare down here led me to Feria de San Telmo. The best comparison would be Portland's Saturday market, only bigger and better quality.

it went on for blocks and blocks... and blocks

how I knew I'd found my people

Even the veggie burrito I bought from a street vendor (with much trepidation) had no ill effects on my stomach, unlike everything else I've consumed here.

I am on a mission to not purchase anything until I have offloaded all my polar gear but I made an exception for a small photo that will grace my next kitchen:

kitsch for my next kitchen

Really great stuff. Also today: Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays and Jardin Japones. The former featured lots of mosquitos and non-feral cats (they feed and care for them) along with cool plant life including a sole US tree species from Ca/Or.

and I shall name him One-Eyed Willy

Celocedrus decurrens ("Libocedro") - Estados Unidos, California y Oregon

Saturnalia - Ernest Biondi

a closer look

The latter was much lighter on the mossies and heavy on very hungry koi. I have never seen koi beg before. The Japanese garden is between two major byways and right under the air traffic, so not so zen. But still very pretty, and not at all crowded for a Sunday - thank you, "partly cloudy with a chance of showers."

pretty gardens with planes flying overhead

feed me!!

I walked there (maybe 2 miles of pleasant neighborhoods) but I had gotten tired of getting caught in afternoon downpours so I opted for the Subte (subway) on the way back. I forget how nice subway consistency is. No matter where you go (DC, SF, PDX, Paris, London, BA) the process is the same - you buy a ticket, you go through a turnstile, the routes are color coded, the train has the final destination and the elderly get priority seating. Sometimes you buy the ticket from a machine, sometimes a person. Sometimes a nice lady tells you the doors are closing or to mind the gap, sometimes (like today) there is a loud honk before the doors slam shut. But it's pretty much the same. Is there a universal subway standard I don't know about?

Might seem silly to notice such things, but after four days of feeling somewhat like a fish out of water as I get my travel legs on (?) little things like that make my day sometimes.