Bueno Aires｜The other side of the world
- Gaia Wong
- 1月4日
- 讀畢需時 3 分鐘
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 seen 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 USD dollar 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 :)
Bar Sur
I finally made it here. This was the place where Ho Po Wing worked in Happy Together.
Ho Po Wing once said that Hong Kong and Argentina are on opposite sides of the world. In other words, a person from Hong Kong like me should not normally travel this far. Yet there I was, standing in front of the Bar Sur.
So why did I choose to come here? Maybe I was simply trying to escape my worries, or maybe I just wanted to meet someone who I had never met before, a friend who despite the distance but deeply important to me.
For some reason, it felt like I had come to confront the loneliness within myself?
Does that sound strange to you?
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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