The country of Cambodia itself is ancient. However, as a travel destination it is quite new.

After years of isolation, Cambodia opened to tourists in the mid-1990s. Tourism in this exotic and colorful country has thrived ever since and increases each year. In 2008 nearly 2 million tourists visited Cambodia.

A horrible precedent was set by Pol Pot, the leader of the Cambodian Communist movement, and the Khmer Rouge Regime of the 1970s as they committed some of the most awful and violent atrocities of the 20th century.

Now, these horrors have lifted, and the era of violence is present only in memorials and museums. In fact, tourists find that Cambodia is a very peaceful place. The Khmer people, who make up more than 95% of modern Cambodia’s population, impress visitors as some of the friendliest and most gentle people ever met.

The warming Khmer smile is legendary, as is tradition of hospitality and openness, which in the Khmer language is called “sabai.” Thearavada Buddhism is the official religion in Cambodia and is practiced by 95% of the population.

The capital city of Phnom Penh is filled with cultural and historical sites that reflect the country’s interesting history. Phnom Penh has been the capital of Cambodia only since 1866. The city was under French control from 1863-1953, independent in the 1960s, besieged and then evacuated under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, repopulated in the 1980s, then revived and modernized in the 1990’s.

That’s a lot to happen in a short period of time!

When visiting Phnom Penh you’ll still see old French colonial buildings that stand out in yellow against the Southeast Asian shop houses along with classic Khmer pagodas. The country’s constantly evolving history is certainly displayed in its varied and diverse architectural landscape.

A favorite tourist spot within the capital is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace was built over 100 years ago to serve as a home to the King of Cambodia, his family, and his foreign dignitaries.

Today, it is home to King Norodom Sihamoni and former King Norodom Sihanouk. The Royal Palace is a favorite spot for visitors because of its ornately detailed architecture. Each building, of which there are several, is a work of art in itself.

The majority of the buildings are representative of traditional Khmer architecture with rooftops glimmering in gold and peaked structures that reach towards the heavens.

The one building that is not built in the Southeastern Asian style is the Napoleon III Pavilion. Its white façade and domed roof makes it stand out like a dollhouse among the towering Khmer structures around it.

The entire palace sits within high walls, which help to silence the sounds of the city around you, and has finely manicured lawns and gardens. While some of the buildings are not open to the public, others may be visited to view snapshots of Cambodia’s interesting history. For example, the Hor Samrith Phimean, also know as the Bronze Palace, currently houses a display of royal regalia and costumes on the ground floor.

The Royal Palace is a perfect snapshot of Cambodia’s diverse and exotic history.

There is definitely a reason that Central Park is one of my most favorite places in all of the United States. It is an oasis and reprieve from busy city life, entertainment center, and relaxing respite all in one. If you, like me, are a Central Park lover, then you will adore Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, Brazil.

This is São Paulo’s version of Central Park, and it was inaugurated on August 21, 1954, to celebrate the city’s 400th birthday. You will find a great number of things to do and explore here.

Ibirapuera Park, known locally as Parque do Ibirapuera, sits on over 2 million square meters (or 390 acres) of beautiful green space. If you prefer to participate in relaxing activities, you can wander through the park’s many paths, alongside lakes and lagoons. Or, for the cost of just $3 (U.S.) per hour, you can rent a bicycle and enjoy smoothly gliding along.

The park’s many permanent attractions include the Planetarium, the Japanese Pavilion, the Biennial Pavilion, the Sports Coliseum, Cribs Museum, Modern Art Museum, Aeronautics and Folklore Museums, the Obelisco (the Obelisk of São Paulo), the Flags Monument, and Cooper hints.

One of the park’s most popular indoor attractions, the Modern Art Museum, houses a collection of nearly 3,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures. It also contains an excellent library. The museum, commonly known as MAM, first opened in 1948, and is now known as one of the most important museums of modern art in Brazil. Among its most popular collections are those of Anita Malfatti, Aldo Bonadei, Alfredo Volpi, Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, José António da Silva, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Mario Zanini, and Pablo Picasso.

The Contemporary Art Museum (MAC), the Aeronautic Museum, Planetario (Planetarium), and the Folklore Museum are all located nearby within the park as well, so you really have an ample number of museums from which to choose.

One of the park’s most popular attractions is the Obelisk. This is often pictured in images of São Paulo because it is the tallest monument in the city, standing at 72 meters (236 feet) high. This monument is a memorial for all the people who died in the Revolution of Constitution in 1932. In order to remember and pay tribute to all the brave soldiers, the monument is inscribed with passages from the Bible and stained glass scenes with pictures of the history of the city.

Another lovely attraction that you’ll find on the west side of Ibirapuera Park is the Japanese Pavilion. As the name implies, the buildings of the pavilion were constructed using Japanese-style architecture. The pavilion has several rooms, each displaying Japanese art expositions, samurai clothes, vases, and statues from several dynasties of Japan. The upper levels of the pavilion have an amazing view of the gardens within the park.

For something special, you can check out some of the park’s entertainment events, too. Every Sunday morning you can catch a free outdoor music concert in the park’s Praça da Paz. On Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm you can also take advantage of the Bosque de Leitura, a sort of outdoor library that will lend you books or magazines (many in English) to read outside at the park for the day.

Whether you choose to visit the park’s varied museums or just take a leisurely stroll, there is something for you to enjoy at São Paulo’s treasured Parque do Ibirapuera.

Rosh Hashana, since it has been celebrated since biblical times, is one of the oldest holidays that is still observed today. While Jewish communities around the world are united by the mutual celebration of many customs, each country has also incorporated its own unique traditions.

One of the ways this is most vividly reflected is through the menu for Rosh Hashana. This year try some of these excellent Rosh Hashana recipes from around the world as part of your family’s celebration.

Tunisia

Pkaila is a traditional Rosh Hashana dish that comes from the country of Tunisia and is customarily served with bread or couscous. When preparing it, make sure to start one day in advance so that you have time to soak your beans. Also allow a good four hours of cooking time – the dish is time consuming but worth it! This recipe comes from Mona Lumbroso, who is originally from Tunis and now lives in France.

Ingredients:

2 and ½ pounds of fresh spinach leaves
2 cups of canola, olive, or vegetable oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small bunch of coriander, chopped
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
½ pound of white beans
1 and 1/3 pounds of beef (such as beef cheeks or boneless beef shank) cut into 5 pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional — harissa, a Tunisian hot sauce made of chilies, garlic, coriander, and caraway

Directions:

A day before you begin cooking soak the beans overnight in water. The day of cooking begin by thoroughly washing, de-stemming, and chopping the spinach leaves.

Place the spinach in a large frying pan with one chopped onion. Cook this over high heat until all of the water is absorbed. Lower the heat and add in the oil, stirring gently and consistently to ensure that the spinach does not burn. Cook until the spinach becomes black and crunchy, adding more oil if needed to keep it from sticking. Cooking should last 2 hours.

Next place the spinach in a cooker or stewpot without adding any more oil. Cover the spinach with water. Add in the beans, 1 more chopped onion, garlic, mint, coriander, pepper, and optional harissa. Bring all of the ingredients to a boil, then add in the pieces of meat. Cook covered over low heat for 2 hours. Add salt to taste once cooking is finished.

India

These delicious little delicacies, Cornflour-Coconut Halava, are a specialty of the Bene Israel Community of India. This recipe comes from Rosy Solomon Moses of Mumbai, India.

Ingredients:

2 and ¼ cups of cornstarch (in India it’s called cornflour)
1 drop of pink, orange, or red food coloring
2 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons of chopped almonds and pistachios
1 medium-sized coconut, or 1 can of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of margarine or butter
½ teaspoon of cardamom
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 pinch salt

Directions:

Extract the coconut milk from the coconut (or used canned) and mix this with warm water to equal a total of 2 quarts of liquid. Sieve the cornflour and add this to the coconut milk.

Add in the sugar, food coloring, and a pinch of salt. Mix this together well and pour it into a stove-top pan.

Cook this over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking. Stir and cook for 30 minutes. Pour a little bit into a glass bowl. If it does not stick to the bowl, it is finished cooking.

Add in half the nuts, the cardamom, and the nutmeg. Mix this well, then pour the mixture into two ungreased 8” by 10” baking pans.

Tilt each pan to distribute the mixture evenly. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.

Allow to cool, then cut into diamonds or squares. Store in the refrigerator if not consumed the same day.

Siberia

This recipe for Baked Apples with Cedar Nuts in Honey uses two of Rosh Hashana’s most popular sweet treats: apples and honey. The recipe comes from Inna Vanetik, who is a volunteer for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s Krasnoyarsk Hesed, or community center.

Ingredients:

5-6 apples, washed and cored
2 cups of cedar nuts (or pine nuts)
4 teaspoons of sugar
5 teaspoons of sweet liqueur
2 cups of butter
1 and ¼ cup of honey
½ cup of red wine
Ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the cored apples on a well-greased cookie sheet. Mix together the cedar nuts, pine nuts, and liqueur, and place a spoonful of this inside the core cavity in the center of each apple.

Sprinkle on cinnamon and place a piece of butter on top of each apple. Mix the honey with the wine and pour this over the top of the apples.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, and allow to cool slightly before serving with vanilla ice cream.

Rosh Hashana, like many cherished holidays, is one that is observed with a wide array of delicious foods. At the Rosh Hashana table you will experience a wonderful variety of colors, tastes, and fragrances, while each dish bears its own symbolic significance.

The complexity of this ancient holiday is certainly reflected in its many traditional foods that are eaten in observance throughout the world.

One of the most well-known and loved Rosh Hashana dishes is challah. Challah is a sweet braided bread. What makes challah different on Rosh Hashana from every Shabbat is that the holiday bread is traditionally formed into a circle, symbolizing the circle of life and the continuity of the Jewish New Year.

On Rosh Hashana it is customary to eat sweet foods in order to welcome in the sweetness of the coming year. Two of the most common foods on the holiday menu are therefore apples and honey.

This tradition began with late medieval Askenazi Jews and is now observed the world over. At the beginning of a customary Rosh Hashana meal, a plate of apple slices and honey is passed around.

Each person at the table takes an apple slice and a little bit of honey to dip it into. Before eating the apple with honey, a special prayer is said in order to ask for the blessing of sweetness in the new year.

Both apples and honey are also frequently incorporated in other ways into the Rosh Hashana menu.

One very popular favorite is a traditional dessert, an apple and honey cake. This particular recipe comes from a member of the Orthodox community in France.

Apples and Honey Cake

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 cup honey
½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 and ¾ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup cold tea (green tea or black tea)
¼ cup orange juice
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and grated
1 medium carrot, grated

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup fluted tube or bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade process the eggs, oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla extract for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. (Or, if you do not have a food processor, an electric mixer will work, too.)

Add both types of flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to the processor bowl. Then add the tea and orange juice and process with several on/off pulses just until the ingredients are moist and combined.

Add the grated apples and carrot and process with several quick on/off pulses until combined. (Again, alternately you can do this with a mixer. Just make sure not to over mix the ingredients. They only need to be blended together.)

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly throughout the pan using a rubber spatula.

Bake the cake for 65 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let it cool for 15 minutes on a cooling rack before inverting the pan and unmolding the cake onto a serving plate.

Enjoy this delicious and traditional Rosh Hashana dessert!

And while you dine, don’t forget that, when eating your dinner for Rosh Hashana, it’s not just what you eat but how you eat it that is significant.

Here is an article that explains the symbolic meaning of several of the foods traditionally eaten as part of the meal on Rosh Hashana:
http://www.jewishmag.com/83mag/simmonim/simmonim.htm

The biblical holiday of Rosh Hashana, or the Feast of Trumpets, is the time of year when Jews everywhere around the world put aside the stress of the daily grind to spend time with family and celebrate. Jewish families put work and school on the back burner in order to observe Rosh Hashana, eat and pray together, and reflect on their deeds of the past year while looking towards the new year to come.

Here is how this important holiday is recognized around the world:

Israel:

Rosh Hashana is a public holiday in Israel, and it is the only holiday that is observed for two days, as it is considered too important for only one day of observance. It is marked by prayers at the local synagogue, and many also gather to pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Prayers are often accompanied by the sounds of the shofar — a traditional ram’s horn trumpet that dates back to biblical times. Because of the trumpet’s significance as the world’s oldest wind instrument, the holiday is also sometimes known as the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar.

You can visit this website to see and hear different types of shofars and learn the significance of each type of sound they make: http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/shofar-videos.htm

Australia:

Rosh Hashana is not a federal holiday in Australia. However, many Jewish organizations close or have restricted hours during the holiday. Jewish Australians will gather with their families on the opening night to dine on a traditional meal of challah bread, pomegranates, apples dipped in honey, and carrot stew.

Within Australia, Jews account for less than 1% of the population. However, the Jewish community is careful to observe all of the traditions and customs of Rosh Hashana, including the blowing of the shofar and performing dashiki, the casting ritual.

Brazil:

The Jews of the Amazon area in northern Brazil have many practices that are unique to them due to their heritage. The Jews of the Amazon immigrated in the early 1800s from Morocco, where the economy could no longer support them and where Arab hostility was growing.

Only in 2008 did the Sephardic Jews of this region celebrate the publication of their first Rosh Hashana machzor, or New Year prayer book. The machzor, called “Ner Rosh Hashana,” was prepared and edited by Rabbi Moyses Elmescany and Cantor David Salgado.

It includes the traditional Hebrew text of the Jewish New Year prayer services, together with both a transliteration and translation into Portuguese. The machzor allows the Jewish community to celebrate Rosh Hashana using the same rites and customs that were observed by their ancestors from Morocco in the early 19th century.

China:

Today Jewish life flourishes on mainland China. As a whole, China currently experiences the fastest rate of economic growth in the world, and the Jewish community has been a part of this since Deng Xiaoping’s “Open Door Policy” went into effect in 1979.

Kehillat Beijing was the first Chinese Jewish community to be established at this time. Now Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai all have significant Jewish communities and Chabad-Lubavitch centers in each city. Here Rosh Hashana is observed with the traditional meals, services, and customs.

Chabad in Beijing holds a beautiful dashiki each year, when men, women and children symbolically cast their sins into a peaceful Chinese lake filled with colorful goldfish and surrounded by willow trees.

The year 2016 may, at this point, seem like the far distant future. But for the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2016 is a year that it already has firmly within its foresight. This is the year that Rio de Janeiro will host the Olympic Games, making it the first time South America has ever hosted the Olympics.

When it was announced in October of 2009 that Rio would host the Olympic games, beating out the other finalists of Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo, it was a tremendous cause for celebration. Following the announcement, nearly 50,000 people erupted in celebration, jumping and cheering in a carnival-like party on Copacabana Beach. Throughout the night, the party grew to a celebration of more than 100,000 people.

With the World Cup taking place in Brazil in 2014, then the Olympics in 2016, it seems that Brazil has solidified its spot as a world-class sports site. The people of Brazil are excited that all eyes will turn to their lovely country, and that the games will take place against the backdrop of stunning landmarks such as Sugar Loaf mountain, the Christ Redeemer statue, and the city’s many gorgeous beaches.

Of course with this wild celebrating there was also the acknowledgment that the city of Rio de Janeiro would immediately need to begin planning and embarking on a series of preparations to take place over the next six years.

One of the greatest concerns of Brazil’s government is how it will obtain enough power resources to fuel the 2016 Olympics while still maintaining a stable electric supply to the city of Rio de Janeiro and its surrounding areas. The summer games in Rio de Janeiro will be the first ever to attempt to leave a zero-carbon footprint, and planners are seeking to create a system that is as green as possible.

One of the plans that has generated quite an Internet buzz lately is Swiss architects RAFAA Architecture and Design’s plan to build an energy-generating waterfall. You can read more about this cool “urban waterfall” here at the RAFAA website:
http://www.rafaa.ch/rafaa/rio_de_janeiro.html

According to a July article in the Ottawa Citizen, Brazil will also have a fully operating high-speed train between its two largest cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, in time for the 2016 games. It is estimated that the project will cost $19.4 million. You can read more about it here: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/High+speed+Brazil+train+could+ready+Olympics/3275794/story.html?cid=megadrop_story

Brazil is definitely known for its epic celebrations, such as its world-famous carnival, and the Olympics will surely be no exception in regards to celebrations and parties.

(1) As early as the 1500s, fully functioning Jewish communities had been established in Brazil. Jews first fled to Brazil when the Inquisition in Portugal began in 1497. Few of today’s Jewish population has descended from Portuguese Jews. Rather, most of them arrived in the 20th century from Syria and Eastern Europe.

(2) Four monthly Jewish magazines are published in Brazil: O Hebreu, Shalom, A Hebraica, and Chabad News. You can also see a local television program called Mosaico, which is devoted to Judaism, Israel, and Jewish community issues and has aired for over 20 years.

(3) UNIBES (Uniao Israelita Brasileira de Bem Estar Social) is an outstanding Jewish welfare organization in Sao Paulo. The organization works mainly in four sectors: family services (food and clothing distribution, occupational therapy); basic medical and dental care; elderly and senior (three recreational and cultural groups); and children (day care and audiological diagnosis and treatment).

(4) The Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital is one of the leading hospitals in all of South America.

(5) Brazil’s first Jewish governor, Jaime Lerner, was elected in 1994.

(6) Jewish families own Brazil’s two largest publishing and jewelry companies.

(7) In August 2004 the mayor of Sao Paulo declared the city a sister city with Tel Aviv. Mayor Marta Suplicy said the new status would strengthen the bonds between Brazilians and Israelis. Suplicy also added that the new status would be a kickoff for urban, cultural, scientific, tourist and economic programs.

(8) You can find more than 20 kosher restaurants and food marts in the city of Sao Paulo alone. Approximately 80,000 Jews live within Sao Paulo. Prominent Jewish communities also exist in Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba and Recife.

(9) You can get a unique taste of Jewish Brazilian music by checking out Brazil Tropicasher: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/paulinhor Yes, Brazilian Jews definitely know how to do the samba!

(10) There is a saying in Brazil that, if a town doesn’t have a Jewish and a Lebanese merchant, it doesn’t deserve to be called a town.

The city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is an active metropolis as well as a industrial, commercial, and financial powerhouse. It is also one of the largest cities in the world with a population right around 17 million people.

This massive population is made up of a wonderfully diverse group of people which includes immigrants from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Korea. Additionally, there exists one of the largest Japanese communities in the world outside of Japan.

Sao Paulo is home to about 76,000 Jews, meaning that the majority of Brazil’s 150,000 Jews live within the city. This makes Sao Paulo a very significant cultural center for Jewish life within Brazil.

Additionally, the Jewish population of the city has an extremely well-established system of organizations and services due to the Sao Paulo Jewish Federation. This federation is affiliated with over 65 different businesses in the areas of religion, education, welfare, culture, politics, fundraising, youth, media, sports, medical services, senior care, and funeral/cemetery services.

The Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Sao Paulo is an important hub for learning within Latin America, and offers academic courses, conferences, and lectures of Jewish interest.

On the Rua Antonio Carlos, a busy street filled with restaurants, apartments, and plenty of traffic, you will also find the Congragacio Israelita Paulista. This Ashkenazi synagogue is the largest on the continent. It has a whopping 2,000 members, and an average Friday night service will see 600-700 people. You can learn more about the synagogue by visiting the website at http://www.cip.org.br/index.jsp. (Although unfortunately it is not available in English. Just Portuguese, which is the main language spoken within Brazil.)

The primary Sephardic synagogues are Ohel Yaakov and Beit Yaakov. And in an old Jewish neighborhood called Bom Retiro, meaning Good Retreat, you can still find a tiny functioning Hasidic synagogue. (Most of the Jewish inhabitants have, however, moved to other cities.)

At the center of Jewish social life within Sao Paulo is A Habracia, an awesome 28,000 member club. The building itself resembles a self-contained city, complete with swimming pools, movie theaters, a ballroom, a synagogue, a bank, several restaurants, art galleries, a library and more. It is really quite an amazing facility.

In addition, A Habracia has a social and cultural department that aims to feature artists, authors, lecturers and musicians from the community. They serve as an important connection between Israel and Brazil.

The club even has a special department for children, known as “Happy Age,” which offers an array of artistic activities, such as gymnastics to playful games such as bingo, all with the intent of transmitting important stories, traditions, and customs to the younger generation.

The Jewish community in Buenos Aires is the largest within Argentina, and in fact one of the largest beyond as well, as Argentina’s Jewish population ranks the 7th largest in the world. There are more than 250,000 Jews living in Argentina, 200,000 of whom live in Buenos Aires.

Much of Buenos Aires’ Jewish life centers around Once (which is pronounced on-say and is Spanish for eleven). This is a district of the city that has been compared to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and is where Jewish immigrants came from Russia, Morocco, and Syria to settle. Their common ground was that they all came to Argentina to find lives free from persecution, poverty, and tyranny.

Today Once is considered to be both a historic Jewish neighborhood and the center of the modern-day Jewish community. Here you will find the AMIA (Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina) and most of your options for kosher dining within the city.

In Once you will also find several of the many operational synagogues that are located within Buenos Aires. While Once is rather gray and gritty, and therefore not a particularly pretty area, it is one that is brimming with Jewish culture and historical relevance.

One of the most significant synagogues within Once is the Yesod Hadat, which was founded by Jews from Syria in 1932. While it no longer operates as a synagogue, it serves as a location for concerts, lectures, and other Jewish cultural events.

Once is also home to Argentina’s oldest synagogue, Congregacion Israelita de la Republica Argentina, which is known as “Libertad” because it is located at the street address Libertad 733. Today the Libertad houses a small Jewish museum, which includes a good collection of photographs and Jewish ritual objects.

You will also find the IFT Theater, or Idisher Folks Theater, which was founded in 1932 by Jewish immigrants and performed plays only in Yiddish until the 1950s when it also began to present plays in Spanish.

Today in Once most of the shops previously owned by Jewish immigrants are now run by Korean and Catholic Argentines. But you can still hear the echoes of crowds gathering to buy one of several Yiddish newspapers, then gather at coffee shops to exchange heated political debates.

While most of these Yiddish papers are no longer in print, you will still find just one. Buenos Aires still prints one of only four remaining Yiddish newspapers in the entire world, the other three of which are printed in Paris, Tel Aviv, and Birobidjan.

While in Buenos Aires, you will find that many of the popular Jewish sites are under strict security measures. It is common for some, such as the Gran Templo de Paso, a gorgeous temple that was built in 1927, to enforce rules such as no backpacks, purses, or cell phones. These strict rules are sadly the result of a bombing at the AMIA in 1994.

Security guards at Jewish historical sites in Buenos Aires may ask you: “Sos de la colectividad?” meaning “Are you Jewish?” Don’t be startled; it is just a security measure. I would advise calling ahead to many of the historical sites, such as The Gran Templo de Paso. Many of the sites will not permit you entry without an advance appointment.

Buenos Aires is known as “The Pearl” of South America and there’s definitely a reason why. Think about all of the characteristics of a pearl: treasured, rare, beautiful, and radiant. All of these adjectives also encapsulate the city of Buenos Aires.

In the large city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the Republic of Argentina, you’ll find an intensely packed, bustling style, and a clearly defined cultural life. Argentine tango, long coffee klatches, and football (what we would call soccer here in the U.S.) are all essential daily parts of life for the population of the city.

During the 1900s, many European immigrants came to the city of Buenos Aires to begin a new life. As much as 40% of these immigrants spent their first five days in Argentina living at the Immigrants’ Hotel. Today, this interesting historical landmark has been turned into a museum.

It is a great stop to make during your time in Buenos Aires. An old saying states that “Argentineans descend from these ships,” and the Immigrants’ Hotel is a fascinating way to see firsthand how many immigrants came to call Argentina home. The museum has a special significance, because not only does it keep records of the thousands of people who stayed there as they entered the country, but it is also a tribute to each of those people who left their homeland behind to find a new, brighter future.

To continue on your exploration of old, historic Buenos Aires, you simply must visit Café Tortoni. It was founded in 1858, which makes it the oldest coffee shop in Argentina. You’ll find that it is a very far cry from Starbucks!

The interior is filled with gorgeous hanging chandeliers and hard wood. Waiters skitter about dressed in black suits while holding trays of glasses, cups, plates, and cutlery. Coffee shops are a huge part of the culture of Buenos Aires, and you’ll find that Café Tortoni is the quintessential Argentinean coffee shop.

During your visit, you will undoubtedly notice the wonderful energy and movement that flows through the city at all times. This is most prevalent in the historic downtown area, which is known as the microcentro. Here you’ll find several buildings that are a grand example of Buenos Aires’ fine architecture.

You can also marvel at the beautiful obelisks and fountains, or duck inside the May Revolution Museum to learn more about the revolution in Argentina. Make sure to also stroll down La Manzana de las Luces, or The Block of Enlightenment, which is named such because it used to be the home to Argentina’s most prestigious schools and universities.

Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to delight in the arts while you’re in Buenos Aires! The Colón is known as the best place in the entire world to attend an opera, and the building itself just recently celebrated its 102nd birthday. The massive theater is able to seat 3,000 people, while the orchestra pit can fit up to 120 musicians.

You can marvel at an enormous chandelier with 700 lamps, the domed ceiling in the Main Hall which features frescos painted by Raúl Soldi, and marvelous stained glass windows from the famous Gaudin House in Paris.

If you’re a dance lover, you’ll have ample opportunity to catch a tango show, and you can also visit the World Tango Museum. It is conveniently located right above Café Tortoni, so you can’t miss it.

Argentine tango is so sexy and romantic that you just may find yourself feeling inspired to take a class with your spouse when you return home. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)