There are no freeways into the center here, so we cruised along wide roads lined with trees, open fields and clusters of Pampas grass until we reached the outskirts where the traffic and building density increased, but the greenery never stopped.
The main thoroughfare is an impressive 12 lanes wide called Avenue 9 de Julio. Its name honors Argentina's Independence Day, July 9, and has dozens of traffic circles sporting statues of important men on horses.
It claims to be the widest in the world, and it felt like it when you tried to cross it - or any other street because the driving culture is one where rules are suggestions and pedestrians do not have the right of way. It felt more dangerous to cross some streets here than it did in Saigon. A typical Buenos Aires Street lined with beautiful trees. The downside is the sidewalks can be treacherous because the tree roots push the paving tiles into uneven and broken patches.
However, if you were to meet your demise on the street, it would be a lovely one. Of course in Argentina, the streets are also used for political demonstrations almost on a daily basis. We learned a great deal about the difficult history here as well as current unrest and frustration. When our Uber driver turned down our own Plane Tree lined street we met a nattily dressed elderly gentleman waiting at the door of our Airbnb.
He greeted us with a kind smile and introduced himself as Alberto and he would be our host. I was smitten with this dapper man immediately. He spoke English slowly and thoughtfully, because as we soon learned, there is no rushing Alford. He was very earnest in his desire for us to feel at home, and as he left, he presented us with tickets to a special Tango performance and a lovely bottle of Argentinian wine.
