The Flood

It was a typical rainstorm in Buenos Aires, very strong and very quick.

We all sat around and watched as the rain poured into the streets. Within a half hour the street outside looked flooded. I began to get nervous because I know the drainage system isn’t that good in Buenos Aires and began to imagine that everyone in the city was experiencing this. People were walking past the restaurant with their shoes in their hands and the garbage had begun floating down the street. The water was rising fast.

All I could think was ‘if it doesn’t stop raining we won’t be able to leave this restaurant.’

All of the sudden, water began to flood the restaurant. Everyone tried to stop it but there was little you could do. The water was going through the doors and even worse was pouring, not kidding, pouring into the basement.

I have lived through a flood before in Chicago. But I have never been in a structure while it was flooding. It was intense. It was strong. There was a current.

It stopped raining.

We all left the restaurant into the forceful water, with debris up past our knees. As we came to a main street, I looked down in either direction and noticed that the rest of the city seemed fine. That was when it dawned on me, that we were in a flood zone.

We were having an intensively different experience then the majority of the city. As we found dry land, I looked up to see crowds of people looking on into the zone that I just came from.
Everyone had their cell phone out taking pictures, many had real cameras.

I am kicking myself right now because since I have been here, I have always carried my camera. Yesterday, I left it at home. Live and learn.The photo above is not mine but it is an actual photo of where I was last night.

More importantly, to all the homes and businesses that have been affected, I hope for a speedy recovery.