Thinking about Buenos Aires

By Thurston Hatcher

When I spotted Matt Lauer on "Today" — dropping in on Argentina during his latest where-in-the-world tour — I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic about my week-long Buenos Aires vacation last year.

Buenos Aires isn’t a sightseeing city like, say, Paris or London, with their abundance of famed museums and landmarks. Sure, there are a few must-see spots, like the hauntingly picturesque Recoleta Cemetery, home of Eva Peron‘s final resting place (and dozens — maybe hundreds — of feral cats).

But in Buenos Aires, you really just have to walk, and walk some more. Check out the neighborhoods like technicolor La Boca, historic San Telmo and trendy Palermo, sample the empanadas and impossibly rich dulce de leche, savor the wine and world-renowned beef (if you’re into that kind of thing), and just experience this sprawling city.

Buenos Aires has had its share of economic woes, so while it’s been dubbed the "Paris of South America," it’s a good bit less polished than its European counterpart. But never mind. It’s a vibrant, colorful, relatively safe, remarkably inexpensive place to travel, and I’m eager to head back.

Here are a few of my photos: