buenos tardes!

I have returned from my afternoon in the city, and despite being torrentially down-poured on, it was very nice to walk around.  I purchased some wonderful gifts, and had a good lunch at this all natural, vegetarian restaurant.  Gotta get ready for bikini season which begins in t-24 hours. But really, based on my bread baby, I'll be waddling around in a wet suit all summer so if anyone has an extra one, beep me on my pager.  Enough about my astonishingly good looks, and now onto this awesome city that I have been living in for the past 5 days....

On Sunday, we arrived in Buenos Aires around 11 after an hour long plane ride.  We hopped into another Mystery Machine, which I will refer to as the Magic School Bus, because Ms. Frizzle met us at the airport since she lives in Buenos Aires all summer.  Our bus driver has the raspiest voice I have ever heard in my life, and for me that's saying a lot.  I am convinced he eats cigarettes.  We then went to this HUGE artisan market that is held every Sunday called Feria de Anteguidades, which consists of blocks and blocks of stands and thousands of people.  This might have been one of my favorite parts of being in Buenos Aires, and for the first time in a 5 weeks, I didn't feel like the only outsider in the city, because there were tons of tourists.  After we ate, I walked back through alone to go buy my friend ANDREW TURNER STEPHAN a present, and suddenly everyone started clapping.  I looked around and everyone had moved to the sidewalks, and there was a little boy of maybe 3 years old sitting on a mans shoulder crying.  I had absolutely no idea what was going on, until I heard someone say that the little boy lost his parents, so everyone joined together to clap so the parents would know that their child was safe and looking for them.  It was pretty amazing--hundreds and hundreds of people all joining together to try to help this little boy.  It lasted about 5 minutes, and he amazingly found his family.  To me, this simple act demonstrated the togetherness and kindess of Argentinian culture that I have seen countless times.  

After walking around the fair for a while, I felt a sudden warm, tingly sensation arise in my heart.  My spider senses ignited, and after having a That's So Raven vision, I turned my head and saw it.  Starbucks.  My insides lit up, and I felt like I was home.  I didn't actually buy anything, because I had just bought a fresh squeezed OJ from a stand, but I used the bathroom and let me tell you it was great.  My only criticism of this country is their lack of hygiene when it comes to bathrooms.  I've encountered some rather nasty situations, and have many times sat on the toilet, only to have the seat fall out from under me.  It's a shitty scenario.  Pun very much intended.  That evening, the nine of us ate dinner next door at a restaurant named Henri, and shared wine and good times.  The next day we went to a really beautiful Opera House, and toured through that for over an hour. We wandered through the city the rest of the day, and took advantage of the beautiful 70 degree weather.  I bought a cookie. I ate the cookie. I took a nap.  That night, 4 of us were in charge of finding a dinner place, and found this wonderful little restaurant called Meridiano58.  I had the best pumpkin and mozzarella ravioli I've ever put in my belly.  I had a nice glass of Torrontes vino, and will stop now because I'm even boring myself.  

HATE to end in the middle of such an enthralling post,  but I have a very important date with a bakery down the street.  I'd hate to stand my favorite cookie up, so I must leave...I will resume blogging once I'm back to my homeland and wrap up my wonderful trip to Argentina.  

GOD BLESS AMERICA i will see you very soon.