Las Canitas and Palermo Viejo

Today we explored some more. We wanted to go up to Las Canitas, another candidate area for our next apartment. We also decided to stroll through Palermo Viejo (Soho and Hollywood). It was a great walk. The sun was shining and everything looked lovely and fresh. I'm going to enjoy the summer I think.

I was reminded how much I like Palermo Viejo, it's much quieter and peaceful then the bit of Palermo that we are staying it... very shi-shi and fashionable indeed. Reminds me a lot of Parkhurst in Johannesburg, has that sort of feel.

We’ve seen quite a few dog walkers already. They are a Buenos Aires staple. Mu understanding is that legally they are only allowed to walk 8 dogs at a time but most of the guys we’ve seen have many more. All the dogs seem very well behaved and socialised.

Then we stopped for a spot of lunch - very cheesy pizzas. I'm not kidding, these were loaded with cheese... we had stopped at a very local little establishment. Everyone else was eating chicken and rice...

We then walked up to Las Canitas which was also lovely although quite hard to get to and from I suspect. Not as well connected. Well, that's what we thought until we decided to try and catch a bus. It was really easy. You basically drop coins in this little machine behind the driver and it prints a ticket. AR$1 for the journey, so slightly more expensive than the Subte but only a little. And way better!

We were heading to Once, so the bus hurtled down Avenida Santa Fe (a very large shopping drag) and down Purreydon to Once. Viewing the city from inside a bus is a great experience, loved it. You're getting to enjoy all the amazing sites and the buzz without having to dodge the dog poos and broken pavements.

Once is an area slightly west of the centre. It is suggested by the Time Out guide as the place to go if you're finding the city a little too "European", being more like a "Guatemalan Bus Station", and it was a bit like that. Lots of shops (thousands) selling cheap items, clothes, CDs, electronics everything. Apparently it is the home to the cities Jewish and Korean population, although you wouldn't know it to see it. BA is probably the least culturally diverse place I've ever lived.

Tonight is another night in I think.