Back in Buenos Aires

After our long plane ride back to South America, we had an unexpected surprise awaiting us at the Immigration area of Buenos Aires’ International Airport.  Apperently just 10 days before we arrived, Argentina decided to start a reciprocity fee for visitors of the US, Canada, and Australia.  So despite the fact that we have been in and out of Argentina for nearly 2 months, and this was our 4th entry into the country, we had to pay $131 each for the priviledge of visiting again.  This wouldn’t have been so painful to swallow, except of all of the dozens of entry points into Argentina, the EZE international airport is the ONLY place where this reciprocity fee is being collected.  No one who enters by land has to pay.  Ouch.

Well, after the money was out of the way, we caught a cab into the city proper.  A friend of Garret’s has family in Buenos Aires, and offered to let us stay in their apartment in Palermo.  We’re just two blocks from the subway line, and having such a great time exploring the city.  With Buenos Aires having over 12 million residents in the greater metro area, about 1 in 3 Argentines hails from this area.  It would take months to “see” the whole city, but so far we have had the chance to visit some of the more famous neighborhoods of downtown, La Boca, San Telmo, and Palermo.

Our first day of touring we decided to visit La Boca, known as a neighborhood that loves art, fútbol, and tango.  Unfortunately we just missed the end of the fútbol season, so we won’t be able to catch a Boca Junior’s match.  Even though we were there on New Year’s Eve, the streets were still full of artists selling their work, Tango dancers, and restaurants.  Caminito street is officially an open air museum, showcasing the architecture the city is famous for (painted corrugated metal siding), and lots of tango memrobelia.

In the evening, we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant (ironically enough).  Not quite as good as all the delicious meals we had in PV, but really not bad.  The restaurant had a special set menu for New Years, and included nachos, fajitas, lemon-mouse dessert, champagne, and pan dulce.  We arrived just after 9 pm, and had no problem stretching dinner out until midnight, in fact we didn’t get the last course of pan dulce until nearly 1 am.  We learned that New Years is a family affair in Buenos Aires, with most families celebrating with a dinner at midnight.  Then they go out into the streets and rooftops and set off fireworks at midnight that continue until sunrise.  There are no organized street gatherings such as Times Square, rather every street is a place to see fireworks (much to my dismay, I really don’t like unexpected loud noises).

On New Year’s Day, we watched the start of the Dakar Rally Race, which is taking place all over Argentina and Chile for the next two weeks.  The race features motorcycles, four wheelers and trucks.  We watched them get introduced, walked around and checked out some of the rigs.

Saturday, we joined BA Free Tours for a walking tour of the micro-center.  Highlights included the house of Congress, the Pink House, and Cafe Tortoni, which we returned to later for lunch.  The Cafe is the oldest in Argentina (founded 1858) and enjoys an old rich history it has been visited by intellectuals, politicians and artists (Hillary Clinton in 2006).  We also did some fun shopping on Florida Street (a pedestrian only street and market), where we picked up our most unusual souvenir yet- a head scratcher.  Don’t laugh until you’ve tried it, it is seriously amazing massage!

Sunday is a very busy day in the neighborhood of San Telmo.  Every Sunday since 1970 San Telmo has hosted a street fair, which is huge.  Seriously, I think every tourist in BA and half of the locals were there yesterday, selling everything from antiques in the Plaza Dorrego to putting on tango shows, marching in live bands and selling home made empanadas, lemon bars, pan rellano, tea & cafe, and every imaginable Argentine souvenir in the street for seemingly 15 blocks.  It was great fun.  Garret and James also enjoyed what they have been told is the very best Argentine parilla at El Desnivel, where for $30 pesos they ate a very very large plate each of Argentine grass-fed beef.

As some of the sellers close their booths, the locals put on their dance clothes and have an outdoor tango party or milonga in the plaza.  It was very casual, and mostly locals from their twenties to well into their seventies mingled together on the dance floor as the DJ kept the tango tunes coming.  It seemed like a great way to spend a Sunday evening to me, and made me wish I knew a few basic steps to be able to share in the fun.  Here’s a clip Garret took:

We still have much to see in the city, so it’s good we have a few more days here before we move on to Cordoba, Iguazu Falls, and Uruguay.

Tagged as: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Downtown, La Boca, Palermo, San Telmo