BUENOS AIRES – Argentina

Buenos Aires
This complex, energetic, and seductive port city,is the Federal Capital of Argentina and stretches south-to-north along the Rio de la Plata. The multinational people of Buenos Aires are known as Portenos, and possess an elaborate and rich cultural identity. They value their European heritage highly – Italian and German names outnumber Spanish, and the lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other in South America. One of the world’s finest opera houses, the Teatro Colon, flourishes here on the plains alongside the river.

Tango On The Streets

My one and only stop in Argentina has been to this city , the birth place of the seductive ‘Tango’. Before I travelled further north to the Brazilian border for the Iguasu Falls. If you are in Buenos aires for 3 days, here are a few things you cannot afford to miss:
Recoleta : This typical “French architecture-style” district is known for its squares, parks, cafés, galleries and the La Recoleta Cemetery ‘Cementerio de la Recoleta’, where lies to rest the famous Eva Peron. The Parisienne style bistros serve awesome fare and home brewed local beer by the tap. The portion sizes promote ‘gluttony’ to its full extent and the service is cheerful.

Recoleta

Gran Cafe Tortoni on Avenida de Mayo : Founded in 1858, Café Tortoni is the oldest coffee shop in the whole country. With a very rich history, it is visited at all times by intellectuals, politicians and artists.You should enjoy an evening of Tango with a meal in this awesome structure and soak in every moment on offer.

Puerto Madeira: The regenerated stretch along the Rio de la Plata which has an array of vibrant pubs and restaurants. Honestly, for someone who is quite resistant to the concept of ‘pub crawling’, it was a hard to resist temptation, simply because of the variety on offer. Make this visit after sun down.

Puerto Madeira

San Telmo:This is the oldest barrio (neighborhood) of Buenos Aires, and also a fairly well preserved area of that constantly changing Argentine metropolis and is characterized with a number of colonial buildings. Cafes, tango parlors and antique shops line up the cobblestone (adoquines) streets, which are filled with artists and dancers.

San Telmo

San Telmo’s many attractions include many old churches (e.g. San Pedro Telmo), museums, antique stores and a semi-permanent antique fair (Feria de Antigüedades) in the main public square, Plaza Dorrego. Tango-related activities for both locals and tourists also abound in the area. This is a ‘must do’.

Flea Market - San Telmo

Caminto:Quite possibly the biggest mainstream tourist hotspot in Buenos Aires, the colorful Caminito street in the otherwise run down barrio of La Boca is often looked down upon as commercial, touristy, tacky, tango-ey rubbish by locals and travel guides alike.

However, I really think it is just trendy to say such things, because this small road and the immediate area around it do in fact have both an interesting history and the opportunity for taking some great photos, even though you will probably be surrounded by several American and Japanese tourists also happily snapping away before they quickly hop back onto their tour bus. Then there are the local artistes selling their paintings and works of art.

Caminito

But give Caminito a chance! You might just like it… I loved it. On the way back, drop into the Boca Juniors Stadium (rings a bell ? – Diego Maradona?)

Other things you may want to do:
The Pink Palace (Presidential Palace from where Eva Peron spoke to the nation)
City Tour
A visit to the ranches outside Buenos Aires for a taste of Gaucho (cowboy) life.

Food:The dining options in Buenos Aires are endless. This is a city that takes dining seriously, and meals can easily last a few hours. Like the national norm, nobody here really starts eating until 9pm. Main courses usually consist of an asado, a barbecue of excellent quality beef. Beef is dominant, and it also comes in the forms of bife de chorizo (sirloin steak) or empanadas (meat pies). The local wine is also good, especially the reds. You also might want to try mate, the traditional gaucho drink. The national deserts are dulce de leche, a milk jelly, and alfajores – Argentine sweets made from dulce de leche.The beef is simply the best!

Last Word: Buenos Aires is never more alive than it is at night. It is what you’d expect from a city that invented tango. Avenues come alive with people on their way to restaurants and theaters, especially Puerto Madero or Recoleta. And let me also tell you something very important – fashion plays a ‘BIG’ deal in the lives of the Portenos – its designer all the way!

Did you know? The city of 2 million has more than 20,000 practicing shrinks!!!!!