A List

Here are some things that I love about Buenos Aires. Here are some things that amuse me.

You can drink the water.

To order a cold draft beer, say “Chopp.”

Adults of all stripes greet each other with a very soft kiss, cheek to cheek. This is especially amusing when you see a cop in uniform smile and get a kiss from another fully grown, fully dressed adult male.

It is perfectly acceptable to loiter in a warm, comfortable, well lit café for an hour or more after you’ve finished your beverage.

Public school children wear a white lab coat to school. This is worn over their clothes so that their own stuff stays cleaner.

At night it feels safe to walk around and/or take public transportation.

In any sort of café, a simple bottle of water is served from a tray.

In the big, fancy mall, there seem to be more men’s clothing stores than women’s.

Everybody speaks Spanish with an accent that we Californians are not accustomed to. The language sounds like a mix of Italian and French. It is very sexy.

Everything in the stores is on sale! What I mean, of course, is that you get THREE Argentinean pesos for one dollar. There are bargains galore!

Any idiot can find their way around. Even me. Every street corner has a nice, big, easy-to-read sign that includes the name of the street, the direction the cars drive, and the addresses on that block. I kid you not!

There is only one Starbucks in all of Argentina. There is always a line out the door.

You can order a beautifully made espresso coffee at McDonalds. It is served in a stylish ceramic cup, on a saucer, with a real spoon.