What's new Buenos Aires?

This city is AMAZING!! We immediately felt at home here as soon as we left the airport. The history, food, architecture, and people combine to make a place that is both comfortable and full of energy. Our visit coincides with the lead up to Argentina's bicentennial which will occur on May 25th. This is a very exciting time to be here. The celebratory mood can be felt everywhere. Many buildings and streets are decorated with the white and blue of the Argentine flag and there are numerous concerts and parades commemorating the May Revolution in 1810 that led to Argentina's independence from Spain.

On our first day here, we took a great private tour around the city with a local guide. We got a taste for the various neighborhoods and were able to visit the cities major attractions including the Casa Rosada, La Recoleta Cemetery, and the numerous parks and churches scattered around town. Buenos Aires is sometimes referred to as the Paris of South America due to its elegant buildings and world-renowned cultural institutions.

On our last night, we attended a dinner and tango show at Piazzolla Tango because you can't leave without catching a performance of the dance that originated here on the docks of the old port. Before the show, a couple of dancers made the rounds in the audience and took photos with the guests. Below is our slightly embarrassing pic. While we did quit our day jobs, it certainly wasn't to become tango dancers!

P.S. - Due to the favorable exchange rate, everything here seems like an incredible bargain. There is so much we have wanted to buy. Luckily for our budgets, the space limitation in our backpacks has kept our spending at bay (for the most part).