A new definition of civilized

We found out a remarkable thing last week: in Buenos Aires, you can get pretty much anything delivered. In fact, there are even people here who will do your errands. Left your book at your friend's house? No problem. Pay a moto guy a dollar or two to go pick it up for you.

But to us, the most marvelous discovery of all was this: You can get ice cream delivered to your house. All the heladerias do it. Just call one up. It's even free.



Of course we had to try this, so a couple of nights ago I grabbed a magnet off the fridge of our apartment and called.

"Can you deliver?" "Claro!"

Heladeros of Buenos Aires, I love you.

I ordered a kilo of dulce de leche and a kilo of chocolate amargo. (The ice cream here is heavy and dense, so a kilo isn't as much as you might think.) I was very pleased at having successfully concluded a transaction in Spanish over the phone; my Spanish comprehension seems to drop dramatically when I can't see people talking.

The delivery guy was even able to make change for a 100-peso note, which here is a minor miracle. Change is jealously guarded. Smaller bills are, oddly, more valuable, and coins are the most valuable of all.

I carried the ice cream up our imposing marble staircase and scooped some out for myself, Marty, and a couple of our housemates, then sat and ate it grinning like an idiot.

What a great city.