Argentina reminded me that we fall in love with places the way we fall in love with people

"Cities, like dreams, are made of desires and fears, even if the thread of their discourse is secret, their rules are absurd, their perspectives deceitful, and everything conceals something else. You take delight not in a city's seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours."

~ Italo Calvino

I remember Buenos Aires as one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. As soon as I landed, in the Uber, my friend who picked me up explained the European influences in the architecture. But I know many Argentines reject that comparison, preferring Buenos Aires to be recognized on its own terms. Sure, there are Spanish, Italian, and French influences in the buildings and the food, but the city has long since shaped those elements into something distinct, something undeniably its own.

Out of the Latin American countries I’ve been to so far—Mexico, Brazil, Colombia—Argentina wins in terms of architecture and city structure. There’s so much more to explore, and I wish I had time to see more. Next time, Córdoba, Mendoza, and Mar del Plata are on the list.

But even in Buenos Aires, there were things I missed. You’d be surprised to hear that I didn’t get to see tango, though I did come across some mesmerizing street dancing. I also never made it to the highly recommended Trade Sky Bar, but I found my way to some great spots in Belgrano, connecting with people who had either grown up in Buenos Aires or moved there chasing something—an education, a career, a dream.

Beyond the conversations and late-night drinks, I remember cafes and empanadas, and I recall the shopping, which was much more expensive than I expected. Having lived in Hong Kong, where shopping is fairly varied, accessible and affordable, Buenos Aires felt like quite the contrast—especially when it came to clothing. It was moments like these that I was reminded of the high inflation rates and high cost of production along with the high import taxes that we don’t think about but that influences things we use on the daily.

People gather late into the night, talking, laughing, drinking, feasting, not too worried about the next morning. Time seems almost eternal in Buenos Aires. Even on a Wednesday, the city moves at its own pace—dinners stretch on, bars stay full, and no one seems in a hurry to call it a night. Time seems to have its own rhythm and flow, and it’s liberating to see people experience time differently.

That same contrast plays out across the city itself. Once is dense, messy, bustling; Puerto Madero is open, orderly, pristine. They feel like different worlds, but both are undeniably distinct.

Recoleta, Belgrano, and Palermo are where the more affluent Porteños live, but they’re also magnets for North American digital nomads and tourists, and unfortunately, a lot of the tourists are notoriously prissy and obnoxious. I, for one, try to avoid North Americans anywhere I go. Still, each neighborhood has its own feel. Modern art at MALBA, the striking Floralis Genérica sculpture, the grandeur of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes—I spent my days weaving through all of it. The shopping malls, the countless bars and cafes were just as much a part of the experience.

The city’s sunset is stunning at golden hour, especially from a high-rise, when the light stretches long over the city.

The Obelisco—I know it’s so cliché, but I loved seeing it every time I was in the downtown areas. It’s such an iconic symbol and I couldn’t stop talking pictures while I was in the area.

I was also struck by the Catedral’s architectural grandeur. It was some of the most splendid architecture I had ever seen—impressive, awe-inspiring, but beautiful in a way that made me slow my pace each time I passed by.

Buenos Aires is a city you fall in love with the way you’d fall in love with someone—you only see its beauty at first, and even when you start to notice its flaws, you don’t mind. The memory of that first impression lingers long after you’ve left, and you know, without a doubt, that you’ll return again and again.