Buenos Aires, Me Encanta

I have been in Buenos Aires for 5 days now, and I am slowly but surely falling in love with the city as so many have before me.
In front of the Obelisk in the City Centre

There are many reasons I could give: the scruffy but charming buildings, the weight of past and present upon the city, the village-like barrios of the inner city, or the fact that fresh orange juice is available everywhere for a couple of dollars. I love all of these things, but most of all I love the people. Porteños, as they call themselves, have so much passion and dignity, but at the same time most of them are so willing to lend a hand to a gringo who needs directions. They always have time to chat, and as a result my Spanish is rapidly losing its rust. I am rapidly adopting the local slang, the vos and the elaborate way of speaking. Contrary to popular opinion they are not constantly dancing the Tango, but it is not hard to find somewhere to watch the more experienced strut their stuff.

Things that Porteños like:
  • Futbol
The Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors

So much revolves around the beautiful game here. The great teams and their fierce rivalries are legend, particularly the Boca Juniors who Maradona played for, and River Plate. Just today I was in La Boca, a famous, working-class and artisan area of the city, and got my arse handed to me in a game of street football by an 8 year-old with a Boca Juniors tattoo on his leg - and I am not entirely sure it was a temporary tat
  •  Maté
Pronounced mah-TAY, this is a tea that is served in specific cups with a specific straw, with the leaves sitting on top. People here drink it constantly, at home, in shops and in the streets. It's very strong, very bitter and very heavy on the caffeine. Oddly, this can be mixed with football...
Boca Juniors and River Plate maté

  • Sugar
I mentioned before how the hostel has a sickly sweet breakfast spread - turns out that's just how they do in BA. Dulce de Leche, pastries, cakes, added sugar in everything (even fruit juice!) and the local delicacy, medialunes, which are a kind of small, sweet croissant. I changed hostels a few days ago and thankfully this one provides eggs for breakfast. Even for someone with a sweet tooth, I was feeling ill after a few days of non-stop sugar rush.

  • Politics
Congreso, the seat of power in Argentina. The huge doors at the front only open for the President.

People here have so much fire in their bellies for their politics. On the 24th, I ended up in the middle of a massive series of lefty demonstrations commemorating the fall of the last military dictatorship. I was able to get close enough to take pictures in morning, but by the afternoon it felt more dangerous with deafening music, chanting and drumming in the main square in front of the breathtakingly grand parliament building. I was there hoping to join a free tour of the city centre, but the guide cancelled the tour as she was afraid that we would be harassed if we spoke English. Argentinians still hold the Malvinas/Falklands cause close to heart, and English speakers are not welcome during times of political disputes.


Protesters on the main avenue in BsAs
On the same theme, many of them also have a lot of love for Eva Perón, who has gone from 1950s labour hero to a near mythic ideal for many Argentinians. In the Recoleta Cemetery, the resting of place of Argentina's rich and powerful, the grave of her family is constantly decorated with flowers. Her face is found everywhere, from pictures in shops and houses to feminist graffiti on the buildings near the Congreso.

Evita gazing down on the main avenue.
  • Partying
Nightlife here never ends. A venue that closes before 6am is regarded as dull. On Saturday night I went to a fantastic venue called Rey Castro (King Castro), a great club in San Telmo. I called it quits around 3am, a long-ish night by Aussie standards, and found a longer line outside than when I went in at 1am.
Hasta la fiesta siempre!
  • Dogs
Dogs!
So. Many. Cute. Dogs. Everywhere you look, there are dogs. No strays that I have seen. No cats either. Just endless, adorable doggos.
Tonight I am going out to experience some more Tango on the city streets. Early next week I will be leaving the city and heading South to Puerto Madryn to see what Patagonia has to offer. Chau!


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