October 24th
Another rainy day, it’s been pretty dreary lately. We headed out, opting for an Uber (which are usually pretty cheap here) since we didn’t want to bus it in the rain. After running an errand for Nai, we made a last-minute decision to check out the famous El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore— the largest in South America and one of the most beautiful in the world! From our first errand we ended up taking the bus after all, and got soaked dashing across Avenida 9 de Julio, laughing and squealing as we dodged puddles and zooming buses.
At El Ateneo, we wandered around admiring the gorgeous ceilings and intricate lighting. I picked up a small Spanish book, Final del Juego by Julio Cortázar, excited to bring it along on my upcoming trip. Afterward, we ducked into a quiet coffee shop nearby for a snack, enjoying some frothy coffee and watching the rain outside. A few errands later, we were walking through more of the on-and-off rain—opening and closing our umbrella nonstop—and finally caught a bus back home, feeling damp and tired. When we got there, we were met with no Wi-Fi, which had been spotty all day thanks to the rain. Nai said this happens often enough, even though the storm here hasn’t seemed to be as intense as some at home. Later, we bused over to Dino’s place before heading to see Venom: The Last Dance. We got a big tub of popcorn—half salty, half sweet. I’ve always thought it was interesting how Argentinian theaters do sweet, kettle corn-like popcorn. I wasn’t a fan at first, but I have to admit, the half-and-half combo is pretty nice… though no free refills here:(((
