Well, it wasn't the fourth, it was actually the ninth of July (nueve de julio), which is Argentina's equivalent of the U.S. holiday. Back in California, we celebrate with fireworks and picnics, barbecues, or pool parties. With summer in full swing and the mercury rising, it's a great day to enjoy the great outdoors. Here, it's the dead of winter and it freakin' snowed! Obviously, the Argentine patriots of 1816 were not planning ahead or they would have waited six months so future generations could enjoy summertime activities on Independence Day.
Anyone who knows me also knows that cold weather and I are not bosom buddies. I loathe cold. I'd never been to Buenos Aires in winter but I did my due diligence before deciding to move. I checked dozens of sources and they all said pretty much the same thing: BA has a temperate climate, mild winters, lovely springs and autumns, and hot summers. There was not one single mention of snow. Can somebody tell me if my move came with a money-back guarantee?
I have lots of luck, but it depends on your point of view as to whether it's good or bad. This was the first snowfall in the capital in 89 years and I was here for it. Out and about on the streets, everywhere I looked were parents and children, the tykes bundled up and standing on the sidewalk in front of their apartment buildings so the parents could snap once-in-a-lifetime photos. Trust me, it was the topic of conversation with everyone here for several days.
Anyone who knows me also knows that cold weather and I are not bosom buddies. I loathe cold. I'd never been to Buenos Aires in winter but I did my due diligence before deciding to move. I checked dozens of sources and they all said pretty much the same thing: BA has a temperate climate, mild winters, lovely springs and autumns, and hot summers. There was not one single mention of snow. Can somebody tell me if my move came with a money-back guarantee?
I have lots of luck, but it depends on your point of view as to whether it's good or bad. This was the first snowfall in the capital in 89 years and I was here for it. Out and about on the streets, everywhere I looked were parents and children, the tykes bundled up and standing on the sidewalk in front of their apartment buildings so the parents could snap once-in-a-lifetime photos. Trust me, it was the topic of conversation with everyone here for several days.
It was way cold for several days around the 9th but this is a big city which means there's a lot of urban-industrial heat. So the snow mostly didn't stick around, melting moments after landfall. There was a nice white coating in the parks, on top of parked cars, and various other spots, but even that was gone by the next day. My friend D. took this pic of some rooftops near his home.Javier, whom I last saw in Panama about 3 years ago, was in BA last week during the snowfall and he thought it was great fun. Go figure, a tico (Costa Rican) who loves Siberian temperatures. Maybe it's the novelty of change from the tropical climate he normally enjoys? I considered asking him to smuggle me back to Costa Rica in his baggage but decided it would be wiser just to book a regular trip in the near future. I haven't decided on the exact date yet, but probably in September or October you'll be reading my postings from Costa Rica for a month or more.
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