Smells/ Olores

Something inherently different about Buenos Aires is the presence of smells everywhere.  Obviously, everywhere has smells, not just Buenos Aires, but it has never been something that’s caught my attention in good ole Columbia, MO.  Maybe it’s just because it’s a big city, but it’s strangely one of the things I’ll remember and possibly miss the most. 

Not all of them of course.  There’s the frequent smell of trash that always seems to be sitting on the curb.  The subways and busses tend to be unpleasant experiences as well.  Cram 60 people onto a bus in 85 degree weather, and it doesn’t matter how much deodorant you put on that morning.  It’s not good.

Then there’s the intolerable stench of urine that surrounds the cemetery.  Maybe it’s the homeless people.  Maybe it’s the hundreds of cats that inhabit it.

Now that I think of it, it’s mainly just our street that smells the worst.  Apart from Vicente Lopez, the air is filled with the intoxicating scent of freshly baked bread or pastries.  As if I wasn’t a carb-o-holic already, the presence of bakeries on every block is a constant temptation urging me to come buy a medialuna (crescent roll). 

As frequent as the smell of yummy bread is the aroma of coffee.  I’m not a huge fan of the coffee here, except for Havanna or Starbucks which are too expensive, but the smell makes me happy nonetheless.  Like bakeries coffee shops are on every block, more like every other building.  Havanna is even more delicious to pass by because they make coffee AND chocolate.  It’s heaven to walk near. 

Another pleasant fragrance is that of flowers.  Parks are very common and are filled with flowers, along with the numerous flower shops that fill the streets.  I like to keep a vase on our kitchen table.

At work and at Plaza Francia, you can catch a whiff of incense.  I have seen hardly any candles, maybe none, but incense is fairly common.  At work, we burn vanilla and sandalwood, two of my all-time favorite smells.  It’s so relaxing.  The girls at work believe in using different smells for different moods or energies.  I guess it’s sort of like home-made aromatherapy.  Mmm. 

Finally, there’s the smell of the PEOPLE.  Sure, there’s a lot of sweaty people on the busses, but most everywhere else, the men always smell good.  Even when you’re just crossing the street you notice it, or sometimes you catch it in the elevator.  I have yet to smell bad cologne here!  It’s really strange when a really creepy man is trying to talk to you, but he just smells so darn good.  As for girls, I can’t say the same.  Despite the perfume ads everywhere, I have yet to smell girls wearing any. 

Maybe this was an odd post, but I’ve always learned that scent is the strongest sense tied to memory, so I think that these will be the smells that I will always remember about Buenos Aires!