From the Inside, Out.

There is always a major to-do list when you travel. Some people want to pack every bit of culture into 5 days and some people want to make sure they leave enough time to spare to either relax, or spend the evenings soaking up the bar or club scene. However, when you are actually “living” in a city, its very easy to get swept up into life and forget to take part in all the cultural, touristy things you would never have missed if you were only in town for a week. I found this to be the case in London and in Leeds, and now its the exact same in Buenos Aires. And now that we are down to the tail end of our trip, we have a to-do list the size of Texas and no possible chance we would ever be able to complete it.

The good news (for us) is that we have done so many things that have already made the trip amazing and culturally fulfilling, and have spent plenty of time exploring the city from the inside out --- as opposed to the outside in, as a tourist. But which is better? Of course they both have value. I was recently emailing with a friend of mine, about how easy it is to miss the things that really matter by over-jamming your schedule to see as much as possible in the time you have. What usually happens is that you come out in the end with hundreds of pictures that look almost the same, that could all pass for another city you have already been to one time or another. Essentially, you skim over the surface without actually absorbing any of the nuances, or characteristics that make the city unique, and therefore, it doesn't take root in your memory (and ultimately the character never finds its way into the photos taken, either).

I am not sure how well it has come through, but I have been trying to capture more than Buenos Aires: The City, in my photos --- I have tried to detail out a little more of the experience this city has to offer. It almost seems like a waste to me to neglect the culture or the details, like a missed opportunity to learn something. How can you truly experience a city without taking the time to observe the people who call it home? You have to try the food, walk the walk, talk the talk. So even though our to-do list will probably only decrease 1/3 by the time we kiss this part of our journey goodbye, we have truly invested in our lives here. And although we would love more time to settle in, study and give back, we feel good, because we have lived.