A much overdue update from Buenos Aires. The jewel in the crown of Argentina, and considered by many as the best and brightest city on the South American continent. Buenos Aires translates as "Fair Winds" or "Good Air" which is ironic as good quality air is probably about the only thing you could fault Buenos Aires for. Em and I have been renting an old french styled apartment in Recoleta, the rich and leafy suburb near the city of Buenos Aires. It has been a great base for us to get to know the city, rather than staying in a hostel and seeing through the eyes of travellers we are amongst "porteños" (local name for Buenos Aires residents). There are a few photos of the apartment in the photos section, its simple but has been a total luxury compared to hostels.

The days start slowly in Buenos Aires, when Em and I wake to get ready for español escuela (spanish school) in the morning there is only a faint pink light from the sun that permeates through the leafy conifers and past the many four-storey apartment buildings. The mornings are time for coats and scarves, as with the faint light comes a chill that is sharper than the morning chill on Melbourne autumn mornings.Em and I have been walking and catching the subway to class. Its a nice way to start the day, as we see the many Argentines hurry around us on their way to work etc. Em is doing really well in picking up the español, I´m not doing so well, but sticking at it. I´ve learnt to say "Yo hablo poco español" (translates as I only speak a little spanish).

Few little things I love about Buenos Aires:

• Em calling me Alejandro
• The half glasses of mineral water (agua con gas) they give you with any breakfast order
• Old style lifts, with sliding doors
• Buenos Aires Herald, the city´s english paper. It isn´t the New York Times but its nice to keep up to speed on Argentine news.

San Telmo deserves its own paragraph. San Telmo is a poorer suburb to the south of downtown, in the evening it isn´t recommended as a place to wander around, but we have some friends who are in a hostel there and they testify that they haven´t had any safety concerns. Em suggested that we see the Sunday street market in San Telmo, and it turned out to be the best thing we have done since April 19th. The market is more of a bohemian festival than a market with crazy 10 piece bands of violins, accordians, pianos playing in the street, plus puppetiers and other various buskers working their magic on the cobblestone walkways to get a few pesos from passers-by. It was an afternoon of sensory overload. The smells, tastes, sights and sounds painted a smile from cheek to cheek on both our faces. On top of this the market stalls, selling antiques, clothes and other gizmos was a whole days entertainment. Words and frozen film don´t do it justice.

Tomorrow (Friday the 8th May) it is time for Em and I to push onwards, we are heading to Bariloche, which is a northern city in Patagonia. A stop at Bariloche will take about a week to take in the Andes and the wildlife, before we return to Buenos Aires for a weekend. Then maybe onto Uruguay before we return to Argentina to see Iguazu falls.

Til then.

Alex and Em