San Telmo

　　    I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been obsessively thinking about San Telmo (San Telmo). It’s an ancient neighborhood nestled in the heart of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. If you’ve seen the movie “Happy Together,” the bar where Tony Leung worked is there. No, that’s not entirely accurate — it’s actually the place where he and Leslie Cheung first met, and also where they went into self-imposed exile.

　　    San Telmo captivates me deeply with its faded grandeur, decadent charm, unrestrained musings, and the senses of exile.

　　    The architecture from the Mediterranean colonial era of the 19th century once exuded an overconfident extravagance. South America was, back then, a distant dream for Europeans. But the golden wave has long receded, and so has the gold rush dream. Nowadays, on those languid Spanish-style terraces, tango is reborn — passionately tangling under moonlight, all dolled up, gazing at each other as if love is worth dying for.

　　 Buenos Aires, Argentina