Buenos Aires is a reader's paradise. I have never seen so many bookstores in one place in my life! To the point where it's hard to understand how the population can support such a density of book outlets. I know that historically public education has been very good here and the literacy rate has been ~99% - but that doesn't necessarily translate into so many people reading for pleasure. Anyway, it's a mystery and a beautiful one. The first pictures you'll see are a wonderful bookstore that's located in a former theater. I stopped for a coffee in the cafe at the back of the store, and that's where some of the pictures were taken.
The last picture is quite different. Buenos Aires has a world-famous "Feria del Libro" (Festival of the Book) every year. For 2+ weeks, there are readings, lectures and panel discussions for about 10 hours a day about books. The session I attended was called "Buenos Aires, the imaginary city" or something like that. Some of the most famous actors in Argentine films read passages from fiction and non-fiction novels (if you've seen "The Secret in their Eyes," you've seen a couple of them). It pushed the limits of my Spanish, but was fascinating. They also sell books at the fair, though that description does not begin to do it justice. In fact, there are multiple pavillions that were absolutely jammed with people buying books - even waiting in line to get into specific bookseller's stalls. Though the prices appeared to be pretty much what you'd pay in any store in town, people were buying so much that they frequently hauled away their loot in roller bags. That was the situation with this gentleman, so I had to take his picture.
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