A guard minds his post at the wall of a memorial in Buenos Aires.

Journal and photos by Justin Mounts

I haven’t been in a car for four days. I mean four whole days. No cars, no traffic, no borders, no maps scattered across my dashboard and lap. My GPS is stored in my backpack, now silent. My radio has been safely packed up and is on the slow boat to China—I mean Australia. I have even slept in the same bed four nights in a row, that is, when I have actually gone to bed. For the next 6 weeks, I have nothing but work and time.

Where do I begin?

Buenos Aires is a city that is filled with incredible beauty, not only its architecture and parks, but also its people. I have had my jaw dropped in many places on this earth, but I would be lying if I didn’t say I've found the winner. The women in Buenos Aires not only turn heads, but they also make you stop in your tracks—literally. When you walk down the street, you have to be careful not to run into men standing still on the sidewalk, dazed by another passerby. Now, the qualifying statemen: Argentines also have the attitude to back up the beauty. You will have better luck at winning the lottery than you will have starting a conversation with one of these goddesses. My advice is to save your breath and keep buying your weekly lottery tickets. While you’re at it, buy one for me, too.

I am very happy to be here, because I always find cities more interesting than beach resorts. And large cities like Buenos Aires are particularly interesting to me, because I get the opportunity to observe and participate in its unique lifecycle. For a brief instance in time, I get to try to find out as much as I can about the qualities that make it tick. Of note here, it has nightclubs that close at 5:00 AM, steaks that will make the most faithful vegetarian crave a little bit of cannibalistic gluttony, and a requisite community of street performers that always seem to find a new angle for extracting a little bit of change from my pocket. For me, part of truly experiencing a city is to not only breathe it in with the suit-and-tie crowd during business hours, but also to feel the city’s pulse after these folks have long retired for the night.

Buenos Aires is also the home of the Tango. Given all of this information, how am I to make the most of my short time here? Well, tonight the team is going out for a celebratory dinner, capping off the last 113 days. Our destination is a place called Senor Tango’s, located in probably the most undesirable neighborhood in Buenos Aires, whose name I don’t even know. The show has hired doormen who keep the crowd that arrives early from leaving the immediate 50-square-foot area in front of the theatre. Literally, the neighborhood is that bad. But Senor Tango’s is rumored to be the birthplace of the Tango, and it has hosted countless people since its opening. After the show, I understood why.

The Tango is an incredibly sad, yet romantic dance. The music evokes incredible passion and emotion from anyone who hears it, and to observe this combination of movement and sound can only be described as a roller coaster ride that combines stiletto heels and heartbreak. In an instant it is sensual and sexy, yet every move is consumed by sorrow and devastation. I also find it educational, and for me, it also evokes a new understanding. It is an understanding of the pride felt by the Argentine people for their history. It is an understanding of the subtle sadness that each of them seems to have and can be observed if you watch them closely.

Earlier in the day, I explored a part of the city that all Argentines eventually visit, and some stay forever. It is the fabled cemetery for anybody who is anybody in Argentina, and it is the burial place of Eva Peron. I couldn’t find her grave, but I didn’t really try that hard. And it doesn’t really matter. The fact that she is buried here had nothing to do with my visit. I find that cemeteries are important to visit regardless of who is buried there, and even the smallest of cemeteries always make for points of reflection along my way. They are always filled with ancient monuments that capture the morbid and dark beauty of a city or culture, and they are filled with a lot of people who probably spent too much time at work, and not enough time enjoying life. It is unimportant to me whether they were rich or poor, or where they are buried, because they’re all doing the same thing now. I guess visiting these landmarks reiterates the shortness and uncertainty of life. And I think everyone needs that reminder from time to time.

Work and time.

These are things we all have, whether we’re in Washington, D.C., Wichita, Kansas or Buenos Aires, Argentina. In my former life, I learned that my office is wherever I happen to be talking on the phone or plugged into my laptop. Some things never change. The only difference now, after three-and-a-half months of a traveling, world education, is that I better understand the importance of making the most of my time first.

Until next time, I wish you all well from the far side of the world.

Logbook for February 21st, Day 113
Start: Buenos Aires, Argentina
: 34*33.000
W: 58*30.000
Finish: Buenos Aires, Argentina
S: 34*33.000
W: 58*30.000
Mileage: N/A
Notes: Today was sort of a recovery day after last night's team party. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four certified pre-owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking here. 100% of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.