A Day In The Life

Buenos Aires is like a box of cracker jacks because there is always a surprise inside!

For example, in the last month, I was told by two separate male waiters, in two separate locations, to pull my pants up because my underwear was distracting them at work. Last week, I discovered a park that meows when you pass it because people leave abandoned cats there. This week I witnessed a little 4 year old girl, by herself, passing out little books to people on the Subte (subway) for money.


Today I discovered that it is never a good plan to rely solely on your Subte card. Here the Subte card is just for the Subte. For the bus (collective) you have to have change. They are attempting to start a system where you can put money on a card but it isn’t at all perfected.

Today the Subte service was ‘interrumpido’ or interrupted. I sat and watched for a moment to see what the people did. For the most part, the people sat and watched also (photo above). I found the whole situation extremely interesting. I didn't attempt to know why they stopped service. But as I watched most people didn’t seem to attempt to know either or care for that matter. A friend of mine mentioned once that they stopped occasionally to strike.

I sure am glad that I am a former girl-scout because I had ignored my instinct to rely on the Subte and packed some change for the bus, just in case!

And to be better prepared I know to always have good walking shoes on. I suppose the buses could stop running too.