not so buenos aires

We just arrived in Buenos Aires last night and while I should first be writing about the last six weeks of adventures in Brazil (so much happened I don't know where to start), I will first say that I've never had a later dinner (in Brazil or otherwise) than the one that was graciously cooked for us last night at three in the morning after our flight arrived two hours delayed. Deliciously grilled meat with thinly sliced onions served as the morning song birds began to sing will remain my lasting first impression of B.A. I will also remember the pool of sweat I woke up in this morning as the sun struck the side of our cement building and cooked us like our beefy dinner. Like most apartments here, ours doesn't have air-conditioning, and it's HOT. Muggy, stuffy, stinky, stupid hot. Brazil was a breeze in comparison. It's not by accident that the Portenos (folks from Buenos Aires) who are able to leave the city during the summer and head for neighboring beaches do. Between the sweltering heat and the pollution, this time of year this city has anything but "Buenos Aires" (good air). We'll survive, though. Most likely by turning into vampires and sleeping all day and continuing to eat our dinners in the wee hours of the morning. For ten days I'm saying goodbye to the daytimes and the small towns and fabulous beaches to check out this bustling city. Couldn't be all bad.