Hints Archives ⋆ The Passenger

October 16, 2026October 18, 2026

Time flies

Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, London

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground is one of London’s most memorable places for families, tucked into the north-west corner of Kensington Gardens. It opened in 2000 as a tribute to Princess Diana, who lived at nearby Kensington Palace, and was built on the site of an earlier Peter Pan playground associated with J. M. Barrie. Its purpose is simple but fitting: a free, imaginative space where children can play, explore and enjoy the gardens that were so closely linked with the princess.

October 14, 2026

Gatwick

London Gatwick Airport is one of the capital’s two major international gateways, sitting roughly 30 miles south of central London. It handles a mix of short-haul European flights and a growing number of long-haul services, and for many travellers it feels less chaotic than Heathrow while still offering a solid range of shops, cafés and lounges. The airport operates from two terminals, North and South, linked by a frequent, free shuttle that makes switching between them straightforward.

October 11, 2026

Aeropuerto de Ezeiza

Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Buenos Aires

Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini, usually called Ezeiza Airport or simply EZE, is Buenos Aires’ principal international gateway. It lies near the town of Ezeiza, roughly 22 kilometres south-west of the city centre, and handles most of Argentina’s long-haul flights. Travellers should distinguish it from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, which is much closer to central Buenos Aires and serves many domestic and regional routes.

October 11, 2026October 13, 2026

Movistar Arena

The Movistar Arena is a modern indoor multi-purpose venue in Buenos Aires, located in Villa Crespo near Palermo. With room for roughly 15,000 spectators, it hosts major concerts, sporting events and large-scale productions, combining the atmosphere of an arena with the comfort and technical standards of a contemporary event hall.

October 10, 2026October 13, 2026

Jardín japonés

Tucked into the green expanse of Parque Tres de Febrero in Palermo, the Jardín japonés is one of Buenos Aires’ most unexpectedly serene places. It was created in 1967 by the Japanese community in Argentina to mark the visit of Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko, and was later donated to the city as a gesture of gratitude for Argentina’s welcome to Japanese immigrants. A major redesign in the late 1970s, led by landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata, gave the garden much of its present Zen-inspired character.

October 10, 2026October 13, 2026

Palermo

One of the largest and most varied quarters of Buenos Aires, a place where the city’s elegant nineteenth-century past and its contemporary creative energy meet almost on every corner. The name Palermo is generally linked to the Franciscan abbey of Saint Benedict of Palermo, while the area itself developed from land once associated with Juan Manuel de Rosas, whose former estate became the basis for the green spaces that still define much of the district. During the late nineteenth century, Palermo grew rapidly, gaining parks, tree-lined avenues and institutions such as the racecourse, and it gradually became one of Buenos Aires’ most desirable residential areas.

October 10, 2026October 10, 2026

Teatro Vorterix

The Vorterix is a well-known live-music venue in the Colegiales district of Buenos Aires, at Avenida Federico Lacroze 3455. It has room for roughly 1,500 people and forms part of the wider Vorterix project, which combines a concert hall with a radio station, digital platform and recording facilities. The venue is particularly associated with rock and alternative music, hosting both Argentine and international artists.

October 9, 2026October 13, 2026

Gaucho for a day

The gaucho is one of Argentina’s most enduring cultural figures: a horseman of the vast Pampas whose skills, independence and close relationship with the land shaped rural life. I spent a day at Estancia El Ombú de Areco, near San Antonio de Areco, and rode a horse there for the very first time in my life – a memorable way to experience a living connection to that tradition.

October 8, 2026October 13, 2026

L’Hôtel

L’Hôtel Palermo, now presented as BENS L’Hôtel Palermo, is a small boutique hotel in Buenos Aires. It occupies a traditional mansion and combines individually designed rooms with modern comforts, personalised service and a relaxed atmosphere. Its address is Thames 1562, on the corner of Honduras, in the Palermo district.

October 8, 2026October 13, 2026

La Boca

One of Buenos Aires’ most distinctive neighbourhoods, situated beside the Riachuelo in the city’s historic port area. La Boca developed during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as Genoese and other European immigrants arrived to work in the docks, shipyards and warehouses. Their modest conventillos, often built from corrugated metal and timber, gave the district its characteristic working-class atmosphere and colourful appearance.