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If any random person suddenly found themselves in Buenos Aires without having any idea where they were it would take just a matter of seconds to discover the fact that they are in the tango dancing, wine drinking and beef eating capital of South America. Buenos Aires, with its European style and unique culture fits the description perfectly, aptly earning its title as the Paris of South America.
Being the hub of my travels in Argentina I ended up spending a good deal of time in the bustling capital. Distinctly different than most other cities in South America, Buenos Aires has a certain charm and style that almost anyone can enjoy. To be honest I found the city a bit overwhelming at first, but over time it tends to grow on you.
More European than anything, the city is an oasis in terms of restaurants and bars. The steak or course is the main attraction, but the city host a variety of flavors from all over the world. Though often pricey, you rarely regret the experience of eating at some of the fancier restaurants. The beef, unlike that of Brazil, is only lightly salted as most want to experience
the distinct flavor of the meat. As for myself, I did not come close to the average of over 70lbs (35kg) per year like most Argentineans though I did step up my red meat intake quite a bit. The majority of the time I opted for the inexpensive choripan, a sliced sausage on fresh bread laced with several condiments.
Then of course there is the wine. Plentiful, cheap and just …well just damn good, the wine is one the things I will miss the most about Argentina. Costing over a third less than wine in the States, it is often cheaper to drink wine than water. I can’t remember the exact statistic, but Argentineans drink a lot of wine. Whether for lunch or dinner wine is always on the table.
Being in Buenos Aires I felt obliged to take a Tango class. Though I have taken a few classes in the states I found myself tripping over my feet for the first 30 minutes of the lesson. Tango shows in the city are almost hard to avoid and range from street performers to elaborate shows costing hundreds of dollars.
To say the least the fashion in Buenos
Aires is a few decades behind. They bring back not only the music, but also the attire of the 80's. Though unfashionable now in most of the world, hot pink and flourescents are all the rage. And it is not just the colors, but leg warmers and mulets as well. Though I cannot not say for sure that mulets were ever fashionable, in any case they try and pull them in Buenos Aires. From the teenagers decked out for the 80's to the older men with suits and fedora hats, they are a people conscious of their look.
One event that was not so typical was the Olympic torch on the streets of Buenos Aires. Because it was the torch's only stop in South America as well as all the protest prior to its arrival, the torch was well guarded. Despite the fact that I was in a viewing area with mainly Chinese supporters the police took no chances. In a haze of madness a lane for the torch was opened in the sea of people by police motorcycles playing chicken with the spectators. One slammed on his breaks just in time to avoid smashing into my legs. In
the end no one tried to steal the torch, but the way the crowd was controlled I felt I was watching jail brawl rather than an Olympic event.
All in all Buenos Aires, though busy, crowded and full of foreigners, was a good experience and worthy of any itinerary in South America.
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