Pope parties, steak and a lack of planning

Rock you like an Ecclesiastical hurricane

Argentina is indeed a blessed land, and not because one of their countrymen was just elected pope. Rather, this is a place where dulce de leche is a BREAKFAST spread. Think caramel-flavoured Nutella, or, diabetes with your morning coffee.

Yes, I was the weirdo photographing the Catedral de Buenos Aires floor

Catedral de Buenos Aires

...and the wall, too

Speaking of 'Papa,' I'm just returned from his inauguration party in Plaza de Mayo. Never mind your thoughts on the Catholic establishment, this was a hell (hah) of a good time. Enormous screens have been erected either side of the cathedral and at various other places in the park, set to broadcast the ceremony live from Rome in a few hours. If there is already one thing I'm like to miss about this place, it's the street music. The drummers tonight didn't appear to be part of any official congregation, just locals who are passionate about playing music. The beats were thunderous and prompted the crowd into dancing and flag waving. The scent of charred meat filled the air and smoke rose up across the plaza, from the myriad stalls offering freshly candied almonds, fat chorizo sausages and hunks of pork.

Maté, the South American infused yerba tea associated with socializing, was readily being poured and handed out by locals. The entire affair had the feel of a carnival, assuming your carnivals feature pope badges, pope mugs, pope flags and a mobile missionary station offering insta-baptisms ("Bautsmos aqui!"). At the edge of the plaza, away from the din, stands Casa Rosada, lit up in pink and blue, where Eva Peron rallied the people from the balcony.

The city looks and feels like a grittier version of Paris. Belle Époque and Italianate architecture line the avenues and make for a beautiful skyline, while on the ground, the sidewalks are cracked and buckling. Barrio (neighbourhood) Microcentro is as glossy as any modern CBD, with the financial institutions taking up the best real estate, shining glass buildings and besuited porteños favouring pinstripes and statement high heels.

San Telmo street art

San Telmo

San Telmo

Argentine National Congress

San Telmo

Their bookstores are better than our bookstores

Posh chocolate caliente @ Cafe Tortoni

Cafe Tortoni

Tomorrow I leave Buenos Aires for the border of Argentina and Brazil, to see the Iguazu Falls, twice the size of Niagara. The other component to this adventure will be establishing if I can obtain a Brazilian visa at the border consulate. If I can, I may be off to Rio de Janeiro. If I can't, it'll be back to Buenos Aires for a mix of closed-door dinners (chefs who organize private dinners at their homes instead of at restaurant venues), tango, cooking classes, trekking...

I have no plans. I'm going where my mood takes me.