Bueno Aires｜The other side of the world
- Gaia Wong
- Jan 4
- 4 min read
In February 2025, I decided to quit my job in Canada and head to Bueno Aires.
When I think of Argentina, the first thing that comes to mind is a film called ''Happy Together'' by Wong Kar Wai Director, starring Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung. This movie is one of my favorites films of Wong Kar Wai. If you haven't seem this film yet, I highly recommend giving it a try.
Every time I watch it, it tugs at my heart a little.
Before I arrived, I imagined Buenos Aires as a city full of artistic atmosphere, overflowing with European style architecture and of course, the passionate rhythm of their tango.
And yeah, there was just as I had imagined.
On this trip, I brought my Contax T3 and quietly captured everything I saw through the lens.
I remember in this photo, I saw the sunlight reflecting off the buildings, turning them a warm golden hue that felt almost impossibly radiant.
I wonder if the people who pass by this street everyday ever pause for a moment, just to take in a scene like this, the way that I did?
The day I walked across Puente de la Mujer
( Women's Bridge ) and saw a couple dancing tango. I was completely captivated by them. There were passersby only paused for a few seconds before moving on but I stopped and watched them dance, not wanting to disturb them so I captured the moment from a certain distance and left 5 dollar USD to witness such beautiful and professional movement. They actually made my day.
I guess the meaning of travel is really about slowing down the world around me. Shooting on film gives me that same feeling. It slows everything down, letting me enjoy each moment.
I truly fell in love with Latin culture. Perhaps because it's so different from Asian culture, which made it all the more captivating for me.
I found myself thinking that if I were to retire someday and move here, it wouldn't be a bad idea at all.
Here, I felt what slow living really means, something very different from Canada or Hong Kong. There is more sunlight, more warmth. All I need is just a coffee and a book and that feels more than enough.
Not knowing any Spanish, I felt quite challenges during this trip, especially when going to restaurants, where most places didn't have English menus and the staff couldn't communicate in English. Fortunately, with the help of my local friend, Daniel. I was able to get through those days. Love you man! <3
Fun story between me and Daniel :
I met Daniel a long time ago. We first got to know each other on a language learning app. He was studying Mandarin, while I was learning English. When we discovered that we both love photography, we quickly become really close friends. He was my first Latin friend.
What made it even more special was that we both share the same birthday, January 26! He is my soulmate fr.
This trip was also the first time we finally met in person :)
This was the place where Ho Po Wing worked - Bar Sur in Happy Together. I finally made it here. For some reason, it felt like I had come to confront the loneliness within myself. Does that sound strange?
Ho Po wing once said that Hong Kong and Argentina are on opposite sides of the world. In other words, a person like me from Hong Kong would never normally travel this far. Yet here I was, standing in this country.
So why did I choose to come here? Maybe I was simply trying to escape my worries. Or maybe I just wanted to finally meet someone who I had never met before, a friend who despite the distance but deeply important in my life.
Liliana Crocitiai de Szaszak 1970
I visited Recoleta Cemetery, a place felt more like a silent city than a cemetery. It was powerful and unforgettable experience.
One of the most unforgettable tombs it there was that of Liliana Crocitati de Szaszak, a young woman who tragically died on her honeymoon in an avalanche. Her mother commissioned a striking sculpture of Liliana in her wedding dress, also accompanied by her beloved Dog, Sabu. The bronze statue seemed to embody loyalty and love that transcends even death. As I looked at her statue, I couldn't help to think that she must have been a lovely girl.
If everyone could be remember in this way, perhaps death would't feel so lonely.
Do you think so?
Would Buenos Aires remember me?
That morning, I went up to the rooftop alone, smoking my cigarettes and looking down at the street below, watching people come and go. I thought to myself, I was just one of the passersby and I just happened to be here too. Would Buenos Aires remember me?
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