So Buenos Aires... where on earth do you start? There are already like a million blogs, articles, travel pieces etc on the internet about BA. Some rave about how it’s a party city that never sleeps where you don’t think about stumbling out of your 24/7 party hostel and going to a bar until about 11pm and then God forbid that you should get to a boliche (club) before 3am! That would mean shaking your hips to all that Reggaeton for a fair few hours (you’re unlikely to get home before 6 or 7am).
Some focus on the rich abundance of art, culture, theatre, dance and music - whether it’s an account of the numerous museums, art exhibitions and libraries or a critique of a show at one of the multitude of theatres that line Avenida Corrientes. Perhaps they mention La Bomba del Tiempo, a drum show that takes place every Monday night without fail in Abasto with a different guest each week. (I have to say it is pretty cool!) Or perhaps the Feria de Libros, the biggest book fair in the Spanish speaking world held in BA every year (BA was appointed World Book Capital 2011 by UNESCO doncha know) or El Ateneo – a majestic bookshop in an old theatre!
This brings us on to what Carlos Gardel would turn in his grave if we forgot to mention… Tango! Whether that be a slightly staged, touristy version you’ve glimpsed in Caminito in La Boca, an expensive show with dinner or some of the real, passionate, gritty stuff you stumbled upon at an authentic milonga.
Some accounts of the city may be the produce of someone who’s spent their time volunteering here or who shunned the glitz of the inner city and spent time in the appalling poverty of the Villas (some say well on their way to becoming as notorious as the favelas of Rio – not a good thing) that surround the outskirts of the city. These authors who are certainly not the owners of a pair of rose tinted spectacles might also mention the high crime levels and violence of the city and its provinces. They won’t just tell you about the impressively skillful pick pockets or guys who will gladly “look after” your car wherever you decide to park it for a small fee (you better pay them if you don’t want to come back and find it mysteriously vandalized. They’ll also fill you in on the darker side of the city: mafia gangs, women being set on fire (surprisingly standard domestic violence), kidnappings, as well as all the standard drugs, muggings, attacks, you get the idea.
Some wax lyrical about the aesthetics of the city.
Beautiful parks, lakes, the brand new glamour of Puerto Madero the harbour area, the boho boutique-café-or-bar-on-every-corner area that is Palermo, the hustle and bustle and shiny high rise buildings of the Microcentro, the almost Parisian feel of Recoleta, chilled out leafy Belgrano, multicoloured La Boca, artesan and old fashioned San Telmo, landmarks such as the Obelsik on the 10 lane death trap that is Avenida 9 de Julio, Recoleta Cemetry, the Flor de Metal, the list goes on and on.
Those who appreciate the pleasures of the city with their taste buds rather than their eyes focus on the gastronomic offerings of the city. Asados, parrillas, (bbqs Argie style where there is simply SO MUCH MEAT), milanesas (a cut of meat or sometimes compacted veg covered in breadcrumbs and fried) , empanadas (bit like small Cornish pasties), picadas and fiambres (salami, chorizo, hams, cheeses, olives, pickles, crackers and bread all laid out on a board), locro (a hearty stew), alfajores (two pieces of biscuit with dulce de leche in the middle covered in chocolate), dulce de leche, medialunas (moon shaped croissants) and other pastries, cakes and delicacies, wine, fernet -THE argentine alcoholic drink-(have it with LOTS of coke if you don’t want a face that looks like you just had to eat nailvarnish remover mixed with fermented vinegar) and of course mate!
Or finally they might fill you in on the daily life of a Porteño. Battles with the rush hour traffic to get to work (it may be cheap but with there being some form of strike or demonstration blocking a road almost every other day your chances of said mode of transport actually getting you to your destination on time may well be slim). Café-ing it up and with your café con leche and medialunas at Merienda time (4/5pm tea). If you’re a student, going to uni for your 3-4 hours of classes, typically between 7 and 11pm and yes, that is quite likely to be after you’ve already been at work since 9am. Dinner, consisting of lots of meat and not so many vegetables (a generalisation but often the case) either at home or out with friends at 11 ish perhaps. Then, depending on the day of the week, perhaps a bit of studying, tv, family time, out to a bar with friends or even a brief siesta before heading to a boliche around 2 or 3am. Yeah that's right, you live here for a while and you learn to function on a lot less sleep.
So there’s not a lot left for me to tell you about really is there... You could just go read one of those.
No comments:
Post a Comment