Back in Buenos Aires

Left behind one urban setting for another, although honestly, the difference between Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires continues to be vast.  B.A. is still a European cousin in the spectrum of most Latin American mega-cities, that share a disdain for any sort of planning.  It continues to be outwardly staid and conventional compared to S.P.  While both have issues with sprawl, poverty, and visual urban blight, B.A. is gentler and greener, although portenos (sorry, cannot find the tilde insert for the n…) are edgier and generally more aggressive than laid-back, friendly Brazilians.  A generality, but it holds true an awful lot of the time.
Our rented apartment in Recoleta(although not the ritziest area of this upscale neighborhood) turns out to be even better situated than we imagined.  We have the top floor overlooking a sea of buildings of varying heights, from our large balcony.  It’s small, but has everything we need, and for a big city it is quiet.  Down the block from a grocery store along with endless cafes, small fruit and vegetable shops, ubiquitous quioscos(kiosks) that cater to the netherworlds of sweet teeth in the neighborhood, as well as the obligatory neighborhood parilla (steak house normally with a built-in brick barbeque pit).  We're ready to explore and revisit some of our favorite places.

Three views from our rooftop balcony