Though I’m miles away from home, I thought that I’d surely spend more than a few minutes blogging while in Buenos Aires. Instead, I’ve used much of my downtime to see the city, snapping a bunch of photos that likely won’t see the light of Flickr for months.

I’m surprised at how much Spanish I remember, since I haven’t practiced the language for 15 years or so. While many words and phrases come to mind more quickly the longer I’ve been here, the whole experience becomes a bit like Lost in Translation when venturing out on my own. A simple question leads to a lengthy response I can’t quickly process, making it awkward for all parties.

So stumbling upon familiar items of American pop culture provides some comfort for this native son (and has me reaching for my camera). Yes, it’s 2008, not 1958, so the pervasive permeation of such things should no longer be surprising when traveling abroad. Turning on the TV in my hotel room, I can’t help but gravitate toward The Simpsons en español (Treehouse of Horror XVIII), even regrettably pausing to take in a few minutes of Lipstick Jungle. While Homer is especially hilarious in Spanish, the laughably bad Brooke Shields-starrer is simply subtitled. (Wall-to-wall soccer coverage serves as news here, which I wouldn’t be able to follow in any language.)

American pop music has served as the soundtrack nearly everywhere I’ve been—shops, restaurants, cabs. It’s all pretty random, too. Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder dueting on “Ebony And Ivory,” anyone? How about the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves theme “All For One” from Lite-FM heroes Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting?

Macy Gray made two unexpected appearances (early and mid-period career) within dos horas of my arrival, while the hotel where I’m staying has an ongoing Roxette obsession. (For the record, I find no fault with either.) Now whenever I hear anyone wonder whatever happened to this or that artist, I’m gonna respond, “They’re big in Buenos Aires.”

Speaking of obsessions, there’s one very cool thing I’ve discovered while being here, but it’ll have to wait for another post. Though it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, it’s been gone at least a solid decade. Sometimes a visit to somewhere far away is just what it takes to rediscover something thought long ago lost.

How’s that for a mystery? Clues abound, so stay tuned…