After two years of intermittent lockdowns, I was finally able to visit Esquina, my hometown. Nestled in Corrientes province in the northwest, Esquina has historical gaucho and Guarani roots.
I had arrived way before time at the Buenos Aires bus terminal in the Retiro district, with one of the city’s wealthiest areas to one side of it and a well-known squatter settlement on the other. During the high season for tourism, the terminal is usually in complete chaos, with traffic snarled for blocks around it, so I had set off super early. But, I found the place pretty deserted. There was nothing for it but to sit and wait. Eventually I guessed correctly that my bus was ready to board – no thanks to the PA system’s famously garbled announcements.
