La Casa Rosada

Ordinarily, I will go 24,901 miles out of my way to avoid going downtown. It's a pretty soulless place, beset by crowds and choked with exhaust fumes.

But the other day I found myself in the Plaza de Mayo, smack in the middle of it all.

On one end of the plaza is the Casa Rosada, the rough Argentine equivalent of the White House* and, yes, the site of the iconic Evita balcony scene.

It's getting a fresh coat of pink paint, which explains the scaffolding.

It was about 4pm on a bright autumn day when I snapped the photo. The shadows were long. The sun was already thinking about setting.

* The difference is that the Argentine president does not live above the store, like his U.S. counterpart. There's a presidential residence in the suburbs.