Its a Small world after all: Some Nostalgia

Looking over my last year of blogs I've realized I had never got around to posting one about the city I've called home for a year come December. It's buzzing streets, obsessive meat and mate consumption, sing-songy Italian-esk Spanish, and nights that welcome the sunrise has become the comforting familiar to me. Many a things, customs, people, and experiences have left their mark on me...a life style and people I will very much so miss/gain nostalgia for in my return to the states.

Here is my list of nostalgia:

#1 Seasons: I will miss the mark of time that is provided by needing to leave the country to get my visa renewed every 3 months, but more so the mark of time in the leaves. The city changes from green cavernous tree tunnels of streets, to naked limbs revealing the towers reaching to the sky, and flowers that rain pollen giving everyone allergies for the first time in their lives.

#2 Park Life: As soon as the sun shines it's head the parks get transformed into the cities play ground. They are littered with hippie jugglers and drum circles, old leathered men getting their hot pant bronze on, kids racing on rented motorized big wheels, dogs in sweaters, 15 peso pizza with feina and liters of sugary carbonation, and of course mate passed in circles with friends. These moments of "nature" was my life saver for living in a city with no mountain or beach escape less than a several hour bus or boat ride away.

#3 A Car-less Life: It has been a whole year since the majority of my life was spent cooped in a car and I can not say I miss it one bit! And to be honest the idea of returning back to that life style daunts me. I walk 30 mins to work each day and when I want to go further there are a myriad of busses and subways to get me where I need. If I forget an item on my grocery list...it's no hassle...just walk out my front door and weather I turn right or left my local meat and veggie tiendas greet me with a warm smile and hot peppers in hand (as I think our house hold is the only reason they keep them in stock) or inviting me to their street side asados (BBQs) on sunny saturdays. In Buenos Aires you are a part of the barrio (neighborhood), bombarded by the elements, alive and a immersed in the surrounding world.

#4 Amazing ability to stand in and respect the order of a line

#5 Architectural mosaics of French and Spanish with Latin colors and giant wooden doors

#6 And of course the BsAs tourist givens....Tango and Futbol

#7 City-scape Vistas

#8 Everything from classy opera goers to shoe making hippies

#9 The jasmine: When the flower street stalls start stocking these the aroma of the city goes from freshly stepped in dog dodo and bus fumes to the pungently sweet smell of freshly picked jasmine...the mark that summer is on its way

#10 Chauvinism: The constant whistles, cat calls, and horns making a woman feel like a nice cut of steak ready for the parrilla is not something I'll miss but the phallic monuments do add a nice dramatic statement to the city

#11 The old People: They are everywhere!!! It might take them an hour to hobble around the block but they go for it! They are in the parks sitting with friends, playing firey matches of chess, taking a coffee and some sun. If/when I am old I aim to be like them; out with friends, enjoying the day, and wearing timeless Sunday best coats and hats on a Monday.

#12 Great Meat With Great Friends: it is rare to find a weekend that doesn't induce the meat sweats after a dinner of morsilla, steaks, empanadas, wine and fernet starting at 10pm and ending rarely earlier than 3am.