When I Grow Up, I Want To Be An Astronaut

We´ve been in Buenos Aires for just a bit over a week and every day I´m reminded, this is a big big city. And not just the same city repeated over a large area, but every time we get out at a subte stop, it´s a different place entirely. Here´re a couple of other things that we´ve noticed about the BsAs:

• There´s dog poo everywhere. Nobody picks up after the pooches.
• Some mornings, there´s a strong soot/pollution smell.
• This town wears it´s Italian roots proudly. The spanish sounds Italian, pasta shops abound, and pizza´s pretty darn popular.
• Wednesday is lab-coat day for school-bound children. Thursday may be sports day, but not sure on that one yet.
• You put your trash bags out on the street every night.
• Plastic and glass bottles are valuable. People pick through your trash for empties and glass bottles cost extra when buying beer.
• Gelato places are everywhere, they´re open late and they deliver.
• After 9-ish, if you want to buy something, you´ll do it through a metal gate.
• Advertising is inventively located. Above street signs, back of metro cards, back of spanish language institute flier.
• The Subte has cool tile murals.
• There are big, funky, old Keys. The kind Mary Poppins would use, if she used keys.
• Pago Facil is a really popular place to be.
• Women WORK it here. Kiima wants new clothes.
• There are no limes.
• There is no cilantro.
• Apartments have bidets.
• The subte during rush hour is the most crowded mass transit I´ve been on. Like a Megadeth concert.
• Walking down the street you will get knocked over. Its not that they don´t see you, you´re just not there. This is different than the "You´re not there" feeling in Asia which is more like "I actually do not see that you are in my way."
• People are colder than in Peru and Chile.
• Speaking spanish here is a club. And you´re not invited. Really.
• Porteños love crackers (check the pics).
• This is a walking city and there´s life on the street. I am digging it! We may have to come back for more.