Puerto Madero

Built on abandoned land 20 years ago, Puerto Madero is now the most exlcusive and expensive barrio in Buenos Aires. With the skycrapers and chic stores/restaurants (there's even a TGIF and Hooter's for those craving good old fashioned snacks), visitors here feel like they could be in New York City or Los Angeles. The barrio, since it borders the river, is protected by the Federal Navy, instead of the police, so it is much more safe than other barrios.

Today I went biking through the barrio. The focus in Puerto Madero is on women and, in fact, all of the streets and the architecturally stunning bridge (Puente de la Mujer) are named after famous women. As you can see in the first photo, the bridge is supposed to symbolize a man and woman dancing tango. They also took the existing dilapidated old warehouses along the port and turned them into office space, restaurants, and shops, making for a nice stroll along the river in nice weather. Many of the public areas in BA have already been getting ready for Christmas, putting out the trees and decorations a few weeks in advance.