Bye Bye Buenos Aires.....

John got the news on Wednesday that we will be moving to Cordoba much earlier than we expected - this weekend.  So I've been quickly packing and sorting, while he works with Daniela to get the arrangements all sorted out.  It was such short notice that we couldn't get any flights, they advised us that driving would not be safe, so we are taking the bus.  Apparently in Argentina buses are far more luxurious, better run and better organized than trains. 

Tomorrow at 8:30 the driver will come to take us to the bus station, help us to load our bags on the bus, and stay with us til we board the bus.  The bus station is about three blocks from our flat, so it should be a short drive!

Then in Cordoba, another driver will meet us at the platform, help us to get our bags, and drive us to the hotel that will be our home for the next week until we can find an apartment.  We have strict instructions not to leave the platform if the driver is late, but to wait there until he arrives.  It is the beginning of the winter holidays in Argentina, which is why we couldn't get last minute plane tickets, and we have been warned that the bus station will be very busy.  We have also been told that very few people in Cordoba speak English, so the pressure is on to learn Spanish pronto!

Daniela is arranging for me to go and view a few apartments in Cordoba next week.  It will be like our very own episode of House Hunters International.  The apartment in Cordoba will be home for John until next March, so we have to choose carefully.  Although if we don't like it, we can always move again.  I"m just hoping for a home run on the first try.

Being in Buenos Aires has been fun, but I'm looking forward to a smaller city - Cordoba has a population of about one million as opposed to BA's population of eleven million.  We'll be closer to the mountains and hope to go on some weekend jaunts to explore the sights. 

Some closing thoughts on Buenos Aires:

DOGS

It seems that everyone in BA has a dog.  We see people out walking dogs all the time, plus there are a fair number of stray dogs just roaming the street.  One usually follows me every time I walk home from the grocery store.  What you don't see is people doing the 'poop and scoop' thing.  No one is carrying a plastic bag, and the parks are full of poop.  I mean FULL!  You have to really watch your step on the sidewalk, and I wouldn't dream of walking in the grass.  The dogs seem very well cared for, with cute little winter outfits, and a big dog park not far from our flat.



ARCHITECTURE

Buildings in BA are a really interesting mix. There are a lot of buildings that look like they are from Paris:

While the building next door looks like it is from Barcelona:

And some buildings are ultramodern:

This is the Kavanaugh Building, a few blocks from our place.  Some people like it, others consider it an eyesore.

GUY ON A HORSE

It seems that in every square, in every park, and around every corner, there is a statue of a guy on a horse.  They are so common that John and his co-workers have begun using them as a non-standard unit of measure.  For example, " I went for a walk yesterday." 

"Really?  How far did you walk?"

"Oh, it was about a four 'guy on a horse' walk."

Guy on a horse at Plaza San Martin, just around the corner from our place

Guy on a horse at Recoleta

Like all big cities, BA has its charms and its foibles.  Lots of friendly helpful people, great restaurants, and beautiful parks.  It's been great getting to explore such an ancient yet cosmopolitan city for the past ten days. 

Cordoba - here we come!!!