Went for a walk around the neighborhood yesterday afternoon. B.A. is fabulous. The variety of buildings is a constant source of fascination. Old, new, trashified, sparkly neat and clean, It's just like any big city in the USA except everything is slightly different. And in Spanish. I would post some photos, but that would have required taking some, and if I started that I would still be out there. So much cool stuff, so much going on.
Daring daughter kept reminding me to keep my voice down so as not to attract undue attention. Whether this is from a genuine fear of thieves or her more personal fear of being embarrassed by her father is up for debate.
I didn't notice anything frightening. The vibe was calm, people just going about their lives. Old people, young people, mothers with children, couples with babies. I did see policemen standing on street corners on the busier streets, and this is a semi-upscale neighborhood, so I guess that's about right.
We did come across one group of a dozen or so young men standing by their motorcycles on the sidewalk, but they appeared to be just getting together on a Friday evening to talk. My impression was probably colored by the fact that they all appeared to be clean-cut young men. Nothing scary about their appearance.
On our way into town from the airport ($50 US, plus tip) I did see one burned out car sitting on the street. It appeared to have been there for a while, all traces of the fire had vanished to be replaced by rust. Rumor has it that the mayor is trying to improve trash collection. That would be a good thing, as long as they don't go overboard, which is one of the things I don't like about the fascist neighborhood where I live in the states. Nobody is even allowed to think about making a mess there.
Compared to sterile U.S. suburbia, B.A. feels alive.
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