Life in Argentina

Right before going to the Tango show, some of us wanted to go to the bank. Went to use an ATM, and my dad had warned me at home how foreign ATMs swallow your card until you finish your transaction. I was totally ready for that, but then it literally ate it. I never got it out, never got my money. I was so scared, but then realized that there are other ways to get money. It was a headache to have to talk to the guards to see what I could do because they really had no way to help. I didn’t even do the talking- Christina did, and I am so thankful she helped me out with it. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel ( we were already a bit late) and we (mainly Christina) asked the front desk if I could use the phone to make an international call for free because of the emergency and they were very helpful and willing to accommodate. The hospitality and friendliness of Argentines is very true. Seeing it in action has made me really appreciate what I read in the Lonely Planet’s Argentina Guide Book, because so far, everything they have written in there has helped me fill in voids that I missed because of the little time I had here, and has also supplemented what I have seen here, and has given me heads up to what to expect ( look at the next post about the buses). ( Go to http://www.lonelyplanet.com/argentina to learn more about Argentina).

Going to La Boca
We then hurried to take a taxi to the tango show in La Boca. We got there a few minutes late, but no worries. The building the show was in was nestled inside the extremely colorful neighborhood ( again, something Lonely Planet mentioned, and really came to life when I saw it with my own eyes) . Christina, Jaya and I shared a taxi ( we were going to try to be local and take a bus there, but after the ATM fiasco, split the taxi and ended up paying about 20 pesos, or $5.50 for a 15minute-ish ride.) We had to walk through many cute little outdoor cafes, and quite a few store owners were trying to convince us to watch their show, despite us saying we were going to another show. The town itself is quite geared towards tourists, but its European colorful vibe is something I am quite thankful I was able to enjoy while in Buenos Aires.

The main intersection in La Boca barrio, the most colorful neighborhood in Buenos Aires

The Tango Show
Inside the building, while waiting for the show, we were served pretty ok empanadas con carne.I got my first Argentine steak while in the country while the dancers danced some sensual and great tango routines. Instead of eating the steak with steak sauce, we had it with a sauce called chimmichurra (or something like that). Icecream afterwards was quite yummy, but not as good as the one I had at El Palacio. The show had many tango numbers and one or two other traditional dance numbers. It was a great way to get a taste of the culture, and has made me really want to take the tango classes that they will offer at the university later on.

Souvenir Shopping and Exploring La Boca
After the show, we went souvenir shopping and explored the many stores and sights in el barrio ( the neighborhood). Words really cannot begin to fully explain the beauty and intrigue of the town, so here are some pictures.

I bought a few magnets and leather goods, and also bought this special drinking gourd called Mate with the herb yerba. I don’t know much of it at all ( the only reason I know about it is because of the guide book and watching one of the world cup teams pass something like it during the world cup), but that was the closest thing to an ethnic vibe I could get infused in a souvenir item.

Hello my blog readers! This post is beyond late, but I am finally in Argentina!!! I had initially written this blog entry and a few of the following entries in Microsoft Word, because Internet sucked. A lot. Internet at the Buenos Aires hotel was spotty, allowing me and many others to only access Gmail, Google, and Youtube. We had to live without Facebook ( sometimes our primary method of communication with our family and friends) for a few days, but it was an awesome experience. Which is so annoying because this is how the group communicates. Makes you think- how did people survive in the 1980s?

Anyways, forgive me if I mix up past tense with present tense- I’m injecting the post I had written on Microsoft Word with memories hehe 🙂 And its going to be long, so I’ll add titles or something so you dont have to schlep through the whole entry:D

Arriving at Buenos Aires and Getting to the Hotel

It feels like a dream, still foggy and unreal, but yes indeedy, I have landed and roamed Buenos Aires.

We arrived on Wednesday to the Ezezia airport , which is sort of on the outskirts of greater Buenos Aires ( sort of like JFK from Manhattan) at around 12ishpm, after departing from JFK nonstop at around 1am. The taxi ride from the airport to the hotel was interesting. Our driver was amicable, didn’t bother us, he knew we were Americans and laughed but didn’t gip us. He whistled as he whisked Christina and I to our hotel. Only about once or twice did I feel like I was about to die ( according to the Lonely Planet’s Guide to Argentina, Buenos Aires drivers are crazy drivers- Jane and Jaya almost died with their crazy taxi driver. You’ll see me refer to and often agree/disagree with the Lonely Planet along the way. It was the guide book I dissected while in New York, to get a better feel for Argentina).Our taxi driver was about to crash into the median twice on the highway, but I heard that this is better than other drivers here , who love to swerve in and out of traffic. And I thought that taxis in New York were crazy…

Our hotel in Buenos Aires was in a prime location, located next to the widest avenue in the world- 9 de Julio. Jane and I are rooming together, and we’re lucky that the A.C works pretty well ( We room together in both Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata). We just cranked it up and left it on ever since we got here, so we have a nice oasis of cool. The shower for the bathroom is extremely small, barely any space to stand. Since the heat is oppressive, almost muggy, the coolness of the hotel room was welcome. But even so was the heat, especially after that horrendous winter blizzard we were unfortunately unable to escape.

Walking Around Buenos Aires ( lunch, dinner, sights)

Around the hotel, there is a McDonalds and Burger King at almost every corner, almost like seeing a Starbucks every where in Manhattan. My first reaction to seeing the Burger King was WOAH thats a nice restaurant. So glitzy, so upscale- every American fast food lover’s dream ( especially my brother’s haha). After unpacking and settling down, we all ( Jane, Jaya, Christina and I, as well as Ankuri and Brian) ended up eating a very late lunch at around 6 pm at El Palacio de la Pizza. I had a mozzarella slice ( ehh) and vanilla icecream (YUM). I heard the empanadas were really good.

Afterwards, we walked around as much as we could around the city. Along the way, we saw a protest ready with lined and armed riot police and crowd control. Also walked through a ton of outdoor malls sort of, but didn’t feel like buying anything ( although I had heard it was better to buy souvenirs in Buenos Aires, rather than Mar del Plata)

All of us walked through 9 de Julio, the widest avenue on Earth. Eh no biggie. Saw an obelisk and a Christmas tree. Thought it was cute. But then later on, while walking to dinner at night time, it was pretty gorgeous. They really know how to light things up around here.

A hard to miss christmas tree at an intersection/ pedestrian plaza in 9 de Julio, the world's widest Avenue. It is quite wide, and difficult to cross.

For dinner, had an overpriced, not delicious dinner at a parilla(steakhouse- I think thats the spelling in Spanish) . Wasn’t able to eat steak because I wasn’t in the mood, so I ended up eating a hungara- a gnocchi with bits of steak in a weird sauce. I ended up shelling out about 70 pesos for it. Our waiter was at first very nice, more than willing to take out a stain in my friend’s pants . But then almost turned viscious when trying to explain how to tip ( which finally taught us how to tip in Argentina, because Christina and I ended up tipping the driver 20 pesos, or about $4.50).

I realized after a while that Buenos Aires is like new york- very crowded and bustling during the day, dies down very little at night. Less people on the streets so its easier to navigate at night. But on the other hand, I was only able to experience the city for 2 days, not even, so my assumption and conclusion of the city most probably is very biased to what I did and the very little slice of Buenos Aires I was able to see.

I feel sad that I haven’t been able to venture and raom the city. I feel like a tourist in Buenos Aires, I haven’t given it enough of my time or enough appreciation. But today, I will finally go to the really colorful La Boca barrio to watch a Tango Show with the rest of the program, and hopefully get some good food, as well as do a little shopping.