This is an index of the restaurants I ate at and the places I visited while in Buenos Aires for a two month internship. The links lead to my blog entries that have photographs and detailed descriptions of the location. I hope you can use this as a small travel-guide of sorts if you are planning to visit or live in Buenos Aires.

RESTAURANTES

1810 Cocina Regional Marcelo T. de Alvear 868

Traditional dishes and food to go, including delicious empanadas, stews, and desserts.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/nostalgia/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/sights-and-sounds/

Al Carbón Reconquista 875, Retiro

Upscale restaurant, good beef dishes.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/routine/

Almacén Suipacha 425, Retiro

Traditional restaurant with a variety of great meats and pastas.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

El Marisol Uruguay 328, Retiro

Excellent, but expensive, restaurant with all types and cuts of beef and other meats.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/days-go-by/

Expreso Esmeralda, Retiro

A great assortment of local dishes as well as brunch, Chinese, and Tex-mex.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/el-corazon/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/days-go-by/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

Filo Pizzeria San Martín 975, Retiro

Excellent Italian pizza and dessert.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/sunny-days-and-red-berets/

La Vaca Alicia Moreau de Justo 1714, Puerto Madero

All you can eat beef restaurant with a salad bar and good desserts.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/sights-and-sounds/

Piola Libertad 1078

My personal favorite italian pizzeria.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

Scuzi’s La Esquina de Esmeralda y Cordoba, Retiro

A good variety of local dishes, such as milanesa, and pastas. Great lunch specials.

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/sights-and-sounds/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/el-corazon/

MUSEOS

El Cementerio de la Recoleta

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

El Centro Cultural Borges Retiro

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/nomad/

El Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernández Blanco Retiro

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/nomad/

El Museo de las Bellas Artes Recoleta

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

El Museo de Ciencias Naturales Caballito

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/el-corazon/

El Museo de la Ciudad San Telmo

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/days-go-by/

El Museo de Etnográfico San Telmo

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/days-go-by/

La Fundación PROA La Boca

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

La Palais De Glace Recoleta

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

MALBA Recoleta

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/days-go-by/

LUGARES

La Plaza San Martín / Calle Florida

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/routine/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/nomad/

La Plaza de Mayo

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/sunny-days-and-red-berets/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/nomad/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/sights-and-sounds/

La Plaza del Congreso

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

La Boca

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

El Parque Centenario

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/el-corazon/

Puerto Madero

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

Recoleta

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/las-ultimas-semanas/

San Telmo

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/wanderlust/

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/sights-and-sounds/

San Isidro

http://pocketdiplomat.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/days-go-by/

Pero ese vagar sin rumbo por nuestra mayúscula América me ha cambiado más de lo que creí. Yo ya no soy yo. Por lo menos no soy el mismo yo interior.

-Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Diarios de Motocicleta

I couldn’t tell you where the time went if I wanted to. Two months passed as if nothing and now I am sitting here in a café, in the airport, waiting for my flight to board. I have about 2 more hours until I leave Buenos Aires, even though it seems as if I just arrived yesterday.

As I sit here, eating medialunas and drinking agua mineral con gas, listening to electronic tango on my ipod, I find it difficult to fight back the tears that I knew were coming.

Needless to say, this was a life-changing experience.

I never expected what happened to happen; I never thought I would fall so hard for a country, for a culture, for a people. Already I am thinking of forsaking my promise to see Egypt for another chance to be here. Already I am planning my trip back, telling people that I will see them next year, next July. And who knows, maybe I will. I hope so, at least. Only time will tell… This is not an end as much as it is a beginning.

My stay in Buenos Aires lasted nine weeks. I spoke Spanish on a daily basis and explored a large part of the city and its neighborhoods.
I worked at my internship, through Tulane’s Payson Center, in la Bolsa de Comercio (Stock Exchange) Monday through Friday, 5PM-8PM. Everyday I would walk to la Bolsa de Comercio via la Calle Florida, where I talked, in Spanish, to Ruben, Damien, and others. At la Bolsa de Comercio, I worked with Dr. Bardi and his assistant Marta. In their office, I translated powerpoints for a Disaster Management seminar from Spanish into English, all done on my laptop. In total, I translated 35 powerpoints, each ranging from 10 to 150 slides and covering every aspect of Disaster Management.
Every Tuesday at 9AM, I attended Dr. Bardi’s Geopolitical/Tourism classes at la Universidad de Salvador. The class was interesting and the students very friendly. I enjoyed listening to their class presentations and discussion, which there was a lot of, and then even going out with them to celebrate Ale’s cumpleaños.

I experienced Argentina’s culture in a variety of ways. I drank mate and went to an electronic tango concert with Celes. With Nico or on my own, I visited several of Buenos Aires’ museums. During my first month here, I walked all over the city. I saw Hugo Chavez on his visit, several manifestaciones, as well as incredible architecture, an assortment of fairs and markets, and several Tango dancers and musicians.
My aunt illustrated the political aspect for me – taking me to the local school to vote and then staying up until 2AM to see the results of Argentina’s midterm elections. In the morning, we oftenread La Nacion and at night we watched Cronica and other local news stations, anxious to see the latest havoc caused by la Presidente.
I even experienced a bit of Buenos Aires’ nightlife, which typically lasts well beyond 5am. Whether if it was with David or Dmitri or Francisco, or being at El Alamo with the entire class, it was always a good time and one I hope to have again when I return.

I also learned more about my family, who was very prominent in Argentine politics and society years and years ago. I saw their graves in Recoleta and el Cementerio Jardín and I visited and met several of my late grandfather’s relatives. My aunt told me stories; my grandma showed me old photographs- black and white memories of a time long since passed.

When I left Switzerland, despite my citizenship, I didn’t leave feeling Swiss. When I left London, I didn’t feel any more British. However, upon leaving Argentina, I feel more Argentine than ever. It goes beyond the mate I bought, the clothes I will wear, or even the Argentine accent I picked up in my Spanish. It is deeper than my absolute love of the food and culture. It is more than what can be ascertained by the eye. I feel it in my heart. I am absolutely in love with Argentina and want to be part of its culture, its society, everything.

There are no certainties in life. It seems as if all the certainties I held a year ago, or even those I held that first week in May, have become less certain. From the superficial and fleeting certainties of love and appearance to those more long-term, such as future aspirations, studies, and travel. A year ago, I was certain that I would be in Egypt Spring 2011, maybe even spend a whole academic year there. Now my certainty wavers. I never thought anything would tear me from my dream of seeing the Pyramids and tombs that I have only seen remnants of in museums. I still plan to study the Middle East; the situation in Iran, if anything else, has renewed my interest in the region. However, at the same time, I find South America equally intriguing. While I would love to study both regions, it seems as if, for now, the pull towards South America is stronger than ever.
Nothing is guaranteed – I will spend this next year studying diligently and regardless of what happens, I will be abroad my junior year. Nothing will hold me back- it is only a question of where.

So concludes my two-month stay in Buenos Aires. I wish it had been longer, I wish even more that I can return. I will be spending the next month in New York with my family and then returning to New Orleans August 10. Once there, I plan to see what more work I can do for the Payson Center, locally, and then look into studying abroad in Buenos Aires.
I hope whoever reads this finds it useful, as a resource for the local life and culture of Buenos Aires, for Disaster Management studies, or just to read about my summer. Although I still have a few more updates before fully closing this chapter on Buenos Aires, this is pretty much it, the conclusion, El Fin.