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November 25, 2005
Salta & Buenos Aires
Arriving in Argentina from Bolivia was a bit of a shock to our systems. Rather than crossing a border, it felt like a different continent. Statistically, fifty percent of Argentinian adults live in poverty but this is difficult to see because streets are free of garbage, cities are modern, and nights feel safe.
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Cafes of Salta |
Salta, a lively city in the north of Argentina, was the perfect introduction to the country. Tall palm trees surround the main plaza, waving in the wind as people sip their coffees in busy sidewalk cafes. We arrived just in time for the weekend to streets packed full with pedestrians. Argentina has a much safer feel than the rest of South America, and for the first time in three months, we wandered late at night without constantly checking over our shoulders. We used our time in Salta to catch up on things we missed from home: sitting in the plaza with an ice cream, wasting an afternoon in a nice outdoor cafe and going to the cinema. On our last night we treated ourselves to an Argentinian folk show and a fine steak.
For the long bus ride to Buenos Aires, it was time to splurge. Overnight buses have not been kind to me, and I was determined to get a good sleep on at least one. As good as land travel can get, our first class seats reclined 180 degrees, essentially converting the bus seat into a bed. Throughout the trip we were served food and wine, and even given a tall glass of whisky for a night cap. I slept soundly and it was the perfect way to arrive in a city where style is of the upmost importance.
Buenos Aires overwhelmed us. A city of such size presents so many opportunities, but it is difficult to figure out exactly what to do and how to do it. To get our bearings, we wandered the streets surrounding the Plaza de Mayo, finding the pedestrian highway, Avenida Florida, where well dressed cell phone toting people rush past with a definite place to be. It was hard to stop without being bumped around like a pinball.
 La Recoleta Cemetery |
La Recoleta cemetery |
To slow things down, we visited a place where residents have nowhere to be. Containing a labrynth of more than 6,400 tombs towering overhead, La Recoleta cemetery is the final resting place of the country's wealthiest and historically important residents, including the famous Eva Peron. Tombs range from modest black structures to elaborate designs of greek mythology or Egyptian pyramids. Doors are often constructed of glass, giving a clear view of the coffins inside. After discovering some tombs with the doors slightly ajar, we decided it was time to leave this morbid attraction and head to a sunny patio for a cold beer and reaquaint ourselves with the living.
In Argentina, the dining experience begins at nine or ten, and nightclubs are empty until about two. We joined up with an English/Dutch couple, Claire and Jonald, and hit the town. As in any major city, knowing the right people can get you a long way. Sitting on the upstairs patio of our first bar, Carnal, we met some Argentinians who recommended a good club for dancing, and went as far as to write down a name for us to mention at the door to get in. Unfortunately once we got to the club, Jonald´s delivery was less than smooth. It seems that reading the name off the piece of paper did little to convince the doorman that we were people of importance, and a $10 cover charge was issued. Letting our pride get the better of us, we walked away from the club and wandered the streets until some locals sent us in a taxi to their favorite club. The new venue, Mint, was a mix of heavy electronic music and young kids on drugs. Not exactly our scene. We lasted about fifteen minutes before stumbling our way back through empty water bottles and red bull cans to catch a cab back to the hostel just as the sun was coming up. Not quite the legendary nightlife we had heard about, but a good time nonetheless.
Trying to avoid expensive tourist tango shows, we opted for a local Tango hall with live music and pre-show tango lessons. We arrived at the appointed time of 8pm eager to learn some moves, but found out that 8pm marked the end of the lesson. I was ready to head out the door, but with a little sweet talking from Jonald and Claire, the instructor agreed to stick around for an extra hour just for us. For $1.50 we had the tango hall to ourselves and were taught the basic steps. Initially, my tango moves more resembled an awkward walk, but by the end of the hour we were starting to get the hang of it. We asked for more instruction, but we had learned all there was to learn in the first lesson. Not quite enough to impress anyone, but enough to give us a taste of the exotic dance.
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Live Tango performance |
We settled down with some wine as the people trickled in and filled the large hall until the show started. There was no dancing to accompany the music, but the performances were amazing. First up was an expressive grey haired man that seemed to sing as much with his hands as with his powerful voice. He was accompanied by a younger guy whose fingers danced over the guitar strings making incredible tango music. The crowd seemed to be mostly locals who knew the words to all the songs and the applause would start before the song ended. Second on the bill was a singer/pianist combination. The music was great, but the singer had a habit of staring longingly at the pianist throughout the songs, sending us into fits of laughter. Not wanting to draw attention to ourselves, we held back as much as we could. At the end of the show, we were caught by the waitress posing for photos in front of the giant promo poster. She ran into the back and produced a wall sized copy of the poster for each of us. Not wanting to tell her we couldn't possibly fit it in our backpacks, we accepted her generosity, and later that night made a donation to the hostel.
Buenos Aires also brought the event we had been waiting months for - a live football match. Boca Juniors were playing a sold out game against Velez Sarsfield. For seven times the value of the ticket, a local Boca Juniors nut treats groups of tourists to pizza and beer in the neighbourhood of La Boca, before escorting them to the game. Since the game was sold out, our options were limited and we went along with the tour, but I was glad to. La Boca has a rough reputation and the atmosphere in the streets surrounding the game was chaotic. Our general admission tickets in hand, we joined hordes of fanatical Bocas supporters dressed in blue and yellow and piled into the standing room only area, leaving no room to move. The game hadn´t started and the entire section was jumpining up and down, singing the team chants. Not knowing any of the words, we clapped along jumped in unison with the sea of fans and tried our best to fit in. Thankfully we were out of reach from the above section, and avoided the bombardment of spit and coke bottles from the opposing fans. Once the game was underway, it wasn't until halftime that there was a break from the chanting, cheering, and jumping and everyone simultaneously sat down. It was like a game of musical chairs, and by the time I clued in, I was left without a spot to sit, and forced to stand the duration with people sitting on my feet.
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Football craziness |
During the second half things really got going. The first goal for Bocas sent the fans into a frenzy, and the second goal clinched the lead. The opposing goalie was heckled and the target of more than a few stray coke bottles. Showing his frustration, he picked up a bottle and whipped it into his own net, which only set the Boca fans off even more.
The heat was getting to me, and with the game over and a 2-0 victory for Bocas, I was looking forward to getting out of the stadium and quenching my thirst. Unfortunately we had to stand for an additional half hour to wait for the stadium to clear. In order to avoid confrontations, fans in the cheap seats must wait until the opposing fans vacate the stadium before being allowed to leave.
Like in any big city, it took a while for us to get into the right frame of mind to enjoy it. Initially, we were taken back by the immensity of Buenos Aires, but by our last night, we started to realize why many refer to it as the cultural heart of South America.
Posted by brett at November 25, 2005 12:03 PM
Comments
What a wonderful tour guide you would make - is there a book in here somewhere? How lucky you are to be enjoying such a wonderful experience.
Posted by: dympna at November 28, 2005 05:12 AM