When I broadcasted that I was coming to Buenos Aires, everyone I knew who had been told me that it is the most amazing city in the world. I’m pretty sure that as cities go, the porteños (those who call Buenos Aires home and always have) have got something figured out here. While I am realizing one-city life isn’t for me at this point and I have moved out and on past Buenos Aires, there’s definitely something special about this city that I certainly miss.

It takes a while and a wiling stomach to figure out the eating schedule in this South American city, but the truth is there are so many options when it comes to eating. I feel like maybe if I spent less time purveying my options trying to find the restaurant that would perfectly quench my hunger, perhaps I would have arrived at said restaurant at a time that better fit into their schedule. I was turned down at least four times for ordering food that the kitchen was not currently serving. But complaining aside, when I did get to eat, I was usually pleased. Do not be fooled by the Argentine beef-craze, there are a lot of delicious options for those who tend towards vegetables. Pick up the Lonely Planet Buenos Aires book and open up to the ‘Eating’ section and prepare to be amazed. Personally, I was a vegetarian until just a month before I arrived in Argentina's capital. While I didn't stick to a meat-eating-diet long, the ‘lomo’ (steak) really is as good as all the books say. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will be pleased with the food offered in this city.

Besides eating, Buenos Aires is home to a people (those porteños) who radiate a special warmth. Although I do not (fluently) speak Spanish, I usually received only smiles and aid when fumbling through and attempting to get my point across.

Be prepared: there are so many people in BsAs. Maybe it’s no more than other cities, but everyone seems to be out and about all the time so the streets are always bustling. Even if the sidewalk etiquette isn’t the best I’ve seen, it is nice to feel part of the living organism of a city as soon as you get there. It was often the most interesting part of my day, just getting out of the house and walking around and being a part of the movement . Of course, the dogs of Buenos Aires come in all sizes and you won’t walk a block without coming across one pooch or another. Another thing I was fascinated by was the street art and graffiti lining almost every street in town...

The neighborhoods (or ‘barrios’) are distinct and vast in this city. For example, the region known as “Palermo” actually contains at least four neighborhoods within its borders and thus it can be hard to navigate when a neighborhood is that large. I found it interesting to investigate the neighborhoods and compare them to each other. Doing house searching and apartment hunting is a great way to quickly get a feel for each separate ‘barrio.’ The public transportation is widely used and quite reliable. I’ve heard of more robberies on the ‘subte’ (subway) than anywhere else, but the ten or fifteen times I took the trains were fine. As in any big city, people are going to ask you for your money. You can’t escape that in Buenos Aires either. The buses are quite good but be sure to pick up a “GUIA'T” in order to figure which bus takes you where. This interesting little information book is tricky at first but is invaluable once you get the hang of it. Guia –t’s can be picked up at any paper kiosk on the street, they cost about four pesos.

I felt mostly safe in Buenos Aires, but be forewarned there is a network of underclass folk who will take advantage of you if you don’t keep your wits about you. I was pretty lucky minus one theft by the cleaning lady, and there are lots of stories much worse. Be aware of yourself and your belongings and you shouldn’t have any problem; just know that some places, like Retiro and Constitucion, are rougher than others. Do go to the tourist attractions…the Sunday “feria” in San Telmo is fabulous and if your Spanish is bargain-savvy, you’ll be able to find some great steals. The zoo features animals that walk around on the pedestrian paths and you can feed almost all the animals with specific food. Get a good siesta in the afternoon in order to stay out as late as the porteños. Most weekends I didn't get home until about 6 in the morning. You don’t see much daytime on Saturday and Sunday in this town. Eat, dance, and leave the great siteseeing for the weekdays.