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"...Wary of the tourist itinerary, I resolved to walk the city aimlessly in order to be swept up by the beauty, majesty, grit, glitz, and bustle of Buenos Aires. I walked from Las Cañitas through the many beautiful parks and tree lined boulevards of the breezy Palermo district and past the street-side cafes of Recoleta to the frenetic Avenida de Julio (the widest road in the world - it took me almost five minutes to cross) and the dense downtown area where men clad in business suits and women dressed to impress swarmed like termites. Argentines, a fiercely proud and showy people, are not greatly exaggerating when they declare themselves to be the most beautiful people on the planet. The downtown area and nearby pedestrian-only Avenida Florida seem to showcase an endless stream of supermodel-esque women strutting to and from their favorite stores. Walking down the choked avenue with my favorite folk group providing the sound scape in my iPod was almost like slowing time with the turn of a dial. Dashing out of the way to the San Telmo district, a distinctly more bohemian vibe seemed to emanate from every cozy art studio and eccentric cafe. An afternoon spent reflecting and meditating in the sanctuary of Buenos Aires' Japanese Gardens provided relief from the chaos of the city and the nagging thoughts that had been rattling in my skull. The high walls of the gardens blocked the traffic noise beyond, creating a soothing, serene environment in which silently and attentively study the many shadows and forms made by the plentiful trees and statues. In the light of the low sun, the reeds and long grasses glowed with brilliant oranges, yellows, and browns. A feast for the eye and the mind...."