Buenos Aires - the third largest city in Latin America after Brazil's two - is not a place for grand sights or world famous buildings, it's more about the little urban experiences such as stumbling across a passionate tango display in the street [watched with as much appreciation, if not more, by locals as tourists], catching the purple jacaranda blooms in November, enjoying the occasional graphics and murals, trying not to notice tongue-entwined lovers on a bench while strolling a landscaped park, shopping for high quality local goods at very low prices, eating out at one of BA's sophisticated restaurants for the price you would pay for breakfast in Paris - it's best to avoid the older Argentinian eateries that are not so good - and starting to party at 3 a.m.
BA’s city-centre buildings are a mish-mash of elegant French and Spanish colonial interspersed with hideous concrete extrusions and nuevo dull glass towers, all sadly decaying as bankrupt government and businesses still struggle with the economic devastation caused by the peso crash of the early 90's, and traveller's walking the streets would be well advised to keep their eyes on the pavement [sidewalk] rather than taking pictures to avoid ankle-snapping holes that will be filled mañana, when Argentina's boat finally comes home - steered by an efficient and incorruptible captain who is not yet born.
BA's citizens, with a national unemployment rate of 17%, poor social services and 40% living below the poverty line in 2005 are, by-and-large, sadly disheveled and despondent after their fall from grace - the glory years of wealth, status and style when their economy almost equalled the USA's - but they manage to enjoy art galleries, theatre, music, regular sporting events, a lively night life and still give odd pesos to street entertainers like the tango twosome above.
An aerial shot of Buenos Aires, 2005.
Argentina's population in 2005 was 39 million, with about a third of those living in greater Buenos Aires and 3 million in the centre, the capital district.
The people are 85% from European stock which makes it easy for Anglo-Saxon travellers to slip into the background in order to reduce the chance of being targeted by thieves. Just keep the valuables out of sight and Argentinians will be asking you for directions in no time.
With a literacy rate of 95% and a keen interest in the world as well as local current events, local people are knowledgeable and keen talkers once you get past the stony city face, with soccer, rugby or politics as a natural starting point for a lengthy conversation, but remember that a pleasant greetings is a vital start.
Drinks in Café Tortoni, Microcentro, Buenos Aires.
Café Tortoni has been in business since 1858 and is Argentina's oldest traditional café. Still popular with just about everybody from tourists to bohemians, it's a must-try for a drink at least, or, even better chocolate con churros for breakfast, but the dinner and tango show event in the back room is good value too and in an appropriate atmosphere.
Tancat, Catalan tapas barstrong
One of the better subte [metro] trains, Buenos Aires.
While the capital's tube trains don't run everywhere, the lines that are available are efficient, regular, easy to use, cheap and safe, though they close down from 11pm to 6am.
They can be also quite entertaining...
Extraordinary tiling and superb flamenco music at Callao subte station, B line, Buenos Aires.
While the capital's tube trains don't run everywhere, the lines that are available are efficient, regular, easy to use, cheap and safe, though they close down from 11pm to 6am.
They can be also quite entertaining...
More formal but equally bizarre mythological tiling at Bulnes subte station, D line, Buenos Aires.
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