|
Joel Chusid's Insider Tips for Buenos AiresBy Joel Chusid
But then the peso fell dramatically, the situation reversed, and cheap prices (for foreigners) were the rule, despite the astronomical number of pesos equaled a dollar. I went in 1981 and it was 8,000, and a year later, 80,000. That year, 1982, was when the tragic Malvinas (a.k.a. Falklands) War broke out. I found myself in the middle of the Plaza de Mayo among thousands of Argentines as Alexander Haig arrived in his helicopter to try and convince the reckless General Galtieri to settle the long simmering conflict with the British peacefully. He didn’t listen, and things got bad. It is no surprise that Argentines don’t like being reminded of this period.
But they are a passionate and resilient people, always ready to express an opinion on anything, whether politics, movies, football, or the roller coaster of an economy. They live for today, getting very little sleep, trying to catch up on weekends. It is very normal to obtain mental health care in Buenos Aires, which reportedly boasts the highest number of psychiatrists per capita of any city, and has a neighborhood, Villa Freud, where many practice. I respect what the Argentines have been through, and it’s something that’s hard for Americans to appreciate unless they’ve spent a lot of time there. Despite the tumultuous economic and political backdrop, I have never lost my love for Buenos Aires, and about 4 years ago, bought a small pied-a-terre in the pleasant neighborhood of Palermo. The following tips are some of what I’ve learned in the past few years, and I’m happy to share them with people who, I hope, either have, or will develop the appreciation I have for this wonderful city! I’ve provided links to separate articles on eating and shopping, two of Buenos Aires’ most popular pastimes.
La Recoleta is an upscale and “old money” area and is great for walking. Don’t miss the famous cemetery of the same name, which is a city in itself. Eva Peron and other famous Argentines are buried here. You won’t have any problem finding Eva’s tomb; just follow the crowds. Barrio Norte is the equivalent of Manhattan’s Upper East Side or Toronto’s Yorkville. Microcenter is the downtown area, but kind of quiet on weekends. San Martin is sort of the Wall Street of Buenos Aires, with banks and casas de cambio lining it, and the Bank of Boston on a prominent corner; it’s the country’s oldest bank. The famous Casa Rosada is on the Plaza de Mayo, in the downtown area. Most people don’t realize that you can take a short, but free tour of part of the Casa Rosada (Argentina’s equivalent of the White House), although an appointment is required, and this can be done at the downstairs entrance on the morning or day before you want to visit. The Plaza is famous for frequent demonstrations, and Evita’s balcony overlooks it. On the Plaza is the Cabildo, a historic old building, but it’s closed these days. However, the beautiful, yet modern style, cathedral, a block away, can be visited. La Boca is the colorful Italian immigrant area with its famous street of painted buildings, Caminito, but I recommend you only go there on tours, not alone. San Telmo is one of the older parts of town, known as the home of the tango. It has a great antiques market on Sundays centered at Plaza Dorrego that is a must for any visitor. Once is the former old Jewish neighborhood, although it’s now populated mainly by Asians, and is full of retail establishments, much like Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Palermo and Belgrano are upper middle class residential areas, with lots of trees and parks, museums, the zoo, Japanese and botanical gardens, with plenty of tree-lined streets to walk, eat and shop. Palermo has several sections, which include Palermo Viejo, which includes Palermo Soho (“south of Honduras Street), Las Cañitas (near the polo grounds), and Palermo Hollywood (where movies and TV commercials are filmed) is a gentrified area with many trendy local designer stores for clothing and home goods, with a Sunday crafts market at Plaza Serrano. There are also plenty of good restaurants, especially interesting ethnic ones like Polish and Armenian. Puerto Madero is an area at the edge of downtown, transformed from derelict warehouses a few years ago to a fantastic restaurant complex a mile long. Look for the dramatic new Women’s Bridge, linking the area to Puerto Madero West. Representative of the new Buenos Aires, it has upscale high-rises, restaurants, cafes, boutiques and hotels like the Hilton, with its big atrium, used for filming the famous Argentine movie, Nueve Reinas; the ultra-trendy and former grain warehouse Faena+Universe Hotel, designed by Philipe Starck; and Sofitel’s Hotel Madero. This is still an area in development, and while it’s very modern, it doesn’t quite feel like Buenos Aires and is somewhat sterile, but it’s changing little by little as more people move in and an arts district is being developed. Recently an activist opened a soup kitchen in Puerto Madero, which has angered local residents. The city is great for walking, with glorious architecture and lots of little surprises awaiting you at every turn. The people are lively and friendly, and, for the most part, very courteous to tourists. Be careful crossing streets (watch the locals), although jaywalking is more the rule than the exception, made easier by many one way streets. When walking around, watch for broken sidewalks and the occasional dog waste. “Pooper scoopers” are not common here yet, although porters clean the sidewalks every morning, except on Sundays. Don’t wander around with your head in a street map, especially downtown; look at it discreetly in a doorway or someplace. Otherwise, you may as well walk around with a shirt that is emblazoned “TOURIST.” Before you go, invest in a good guidebook (Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide, Fodor’s, Moon, etc.) and do some advance reading…you’ll appreciate that later. Buenos Aires boasts the widest avenue in the world (9 de Julio), the longest street (Rivadavia), the widest river (River Plate), and so on. Argentines love to talk about their superlatives! Buenos Aires has plenty of museums, and the guidebook you bring will have specifics on locations, hours, and collections. (If you don’t bring one, you can often find free maps and mini neighborhood guidebooks in some shops and restaurants.) The privately-owned MALBA, near my apartment, is worth a visit if you are into modern Latin American art. It’s next door to the Renault “car museum” which is actually a popular restaurant. There is a new Evita museum, although a rather one-sided perspective of the controversial Eva Peron, also nearby on Lafinur, which is in one of the houses the Argentine first lady expropriated from a well to do family. There are also museums in Recoleta, including the Decorative Arts Museum, the Palais de Glace, and many more. And of course, downtown, the famous Teatro Colon Opera House, which can be visited on tours daily. In the better areas, you may notice professional dog walkers, usually with 10 or even 20 dogs in tow, although supposedly there’s a legal limit of 8 or something like that. Some are not even on leashes! The dogs are incredibly well behaved, since if they step out of line, they are punished by not being taken out the next day. This is something very peculiar to Buenos Aires. A brief and inexpensive three hour bus tour (in English, $10) is good for orientation and will take you to places difficult to get to on your own. You can use Buenos Aires Tour, Cities Service, or Travel Line, but the tour needs to be booked by a hotel, where you’ll be picked up and dropped off. The Alvear Palace Hotel is the best place, if you’re not staying at a hotel. The Alvear is the grande dame of the luxury hotels here, and it’s worth a look at anyway. The basic city tours usually leave around 9am, and 230pm, but others are also available. In addition to the ubiquitous “Evita Tour” there’s a new one of “Jewish Buenos Aires” which I intend to try one day. There are also inexpensively priced bicycle and walking tours of the city (www.buenosaires.com.ar and www.urbex.com.ar), some of which are even free.
For longer journeys, such as to Ezeiza Airport or the suburbs, I suggest you use a “remise” which are very dependable and charge fixed rates. Try Translada (4311-5111), Washington (4962-3361) or Le Coq (4963-8532). I have a very dependable driver, Mario Ireneo, who is very dependable, but he does not speak English (15-5623-6527). Language – Argentines speak a dialect of Spanish sprinkled with Italian words and slang (lunfardo). English is spoken in tourist type places, in hotels, most large restaurants (which will offer English menus, but often with bad or inaccurate translations), and larger stores that cater to tourists, although you may be surprised. Regretfully, I have found that English is rarely spoken by taxi drivers, in small shops, the supermarket, cafes, the post office or internet cafes, smaller restaurants or on public transportation. However, usually someone will be nearby who can help out gringos in need. If you know even some Spanish, try it out. Nightlife – Although, yes, they are touristy, try to see one tango show, and there are plenty in San Telmo. Señor Tango and Las Ventanas are two of the most popular ones. The Carlos Gardel show near El Abasto is supposed to be terrific, as is Querandi (Peru, near downtown) and a new one on Florida. Most discos don’t open before 2:00 am, but I admit I have not been to any in BA in years. There are tango lessons regularly at La Viruta at the Armenian Cultural Center at Armenia 1366 in Palermo Viejo (4774-6357), but rarely tourists. Tango dancing takes place Wednesday-Sunday. It’s highly recommended. Due to the late dinner hour, theatre performances start late, maybe 9 or even 10pm. On my first trip to Buenos Aires, I was taken to a popular live music performance that began at 1:45am. Nearby Side Trips – Try and get to a gaucho asado, an outdoor barbecue, gaucho style, quite different from the U.S. version. Tour companies offer excursions. You also can take a day trip to Montevideo or Colonia, Uruguay on the huge 747-like “Buquebus” which is an enormous hydrofoil that leaves from Puerto Madero. Tel 4316-6500. It can hold up to 900 passengers, is very comfortable, and leaves you in downtown Montevideo. Other interesting side trips are to suburban Tigre and San Isidro, up the river, easily reached on the Tren de La Costa, a tourist train that leaves from Olivos station, and allows you to get on and off at any stop in the upmarket northern suburbs. More Distant Places – Domestic airfares had been inexpensive, but foreigners pay much higher rates which are hard to avoid. Even if you manage to get a travel agent to sell you a ticket restricted to residents, the airline can ask for an ID at the gate and deny you boarding if they feel like it. It’s not worth the hassle. Advance purchase fares are rare. Still, a roundtrip flight to Mendoza is around $200. It’s better not to book these from the US and shop around once you arrive. “Bundled air and hotel packages” can often save you money. You can get to places like Iguazu Falls, Bariloche (wonderful alpine town), Perito Merino (active glacier), Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world), Puerto Madryn (watch the whales), and Mendoza (wineries). All are great places to visit, time permitting. You can also take a spectacular trip across the Andes from Bariloche to Puerto Montt (Chile) in one or two days. Local Airports – There are two serving Buenos Aires; Ministro Pistarini (commonly called Ezeiza) for international flights (35-40 mins from the city), where you will most likely arrive, and Jorge Newberry (commonly called Aeroparque), which is used for domestic flights and Uruguay (it’s only 10 mins from downtown from my apartment). Greetings – It’s worth mentioning how people greet each other in Argentina. Nowhere else in the world have I seen so much kissing and hugging, irrespective of gender. It is quite common for women to kiss each other when they meet and when they depart. In social settings, the same is true with men and women, as long as there is at least some familiarity, i.e. you’ve been introduced by a mutual friend. Business greetings may be less “touchy.” Business or social, men generally hug (the famous “abrazo”) on meeting and departing if they know each other, although this can be replaced by a strong handshake and a tap on the shoulder if the parties are meeting for the first time. While this is not that unusual in other Latin countries, Argentines take it a step further. In families or among close friends, there is sometimes light kissing on the cheek between men. It is also not unusual to enter a store, have a friendly conversation with the storekeeper, and upon leaving, get a hug or a kiss, depending on gender. I am no longer surprised to see people kissing their maids on occasion, and even their banker! Hygiene – The water in Buenos Aires is chlorinated and safe to drink. Don’t think twice about brushing your teeth with it, but for drinking you may prefer bottled water, which is widely available (“sin gas”) and not expensive. Waiters in restaurants will ask you “sin or con gas” (still or soda). Food is safe to eat everywhere, salads and fruits and raw vegetables included, even from street vendors. Public toilets are generally clean, and can be found in cafes, restaurants, larger shops, hotels, and the usual places. Safety/Crime – Street crime is less frequent than in many cities the size of Buenos Aires, however it peaked in recent years and has gotten major media attention with the poor economic situation, locally referred to as “La Crisis.” Of late (2006), people say things have gotten better. A major bank robbery that was something out of “Oceans 11” reportedly netted 5 crooks $70 million, so they are on to bigger things. Pay attention to your valuables while in the street and in restaurants and on public transportation. Never exchange or count money in the street and be aware of your surroundings when using ATM’s. (Try to not use them at night, especially when you’re alone.) Don’t carry large amounts of cash, and you can carry a copy of your passport instead of the original along with a photo ID. When changing money, some places demand the original passport. It’s strongly recommended to telephone for radio taxis, and avoid hailing them in the street. I use Porteňo Taxi (4566-5777) but you can also use other companies at 4633-4000 or 4585-5544. (This can be tricky if you don’t speak Spanish.) U.S. foreign policy is not admired in Argentina, and finding someone with a positive thing to say about President Bush, the war in Iraq, or how the U.S. treats Latin America in general, will be next to impossible. However, it’s understood that governments do not necessarily equate to individuals, and you will not find yourself in an uncomfortable situation unless you create it! If you ever need the police, ask for the Tourist Police. Call toll free 0800-999-5000. The U.S. Embassy is at Colombia 4300, in Palermo, emergency phone 4514-1830, non-emergency 5777-4533. Medical Care/Dentistry/Pharmaceuticals – Medical care in Buenos Aires is generally very good. The private German, Swiss, and British Hospitals are considered to be the best. If you are in urgent need, call the Embassy for a recommendation. Remember that many prescription-only drugs can be obtained in any pharmacy, without written scrip, but it helps to know the generic name. Some drugs do require local prescriptions. Costs are a fraction of those in the US. The same goes for eyeglasses. Costs are about 50% lower than stateside. Should you need any, Lutz Ferrando (Avenida Callao 1224 and other branches) is excellent. Don’t use the eyeglass chains like Vision Express, which while very cheap, reportedly don’t offer high quality. Medical treatments (plastic surgery, lasek surgery, personal care (haircuts, manicures, facials, waxing), and any kinds of repairs for shoes, leather goods, etc.) are also very inexpensive and of high quality. I have a very good dentist, Dr. Eduardo DiSalvo, who has the Center for Cosmetic and Dental Health, located at Arenales 1630, “2D.” Dental work is of very high quality, and is about 70% less expensive than in the US. Cosmetic treatments that most insurance won’t cover can be done here. Think whitening, teeth replacement, etc. Call the office at 4811-2687. The initial visit is free. He can also handle emergency dental work. His website is www.drdisalvo.com.ar and is in English as well. Above all….I hope you enjoy your visit, and become a fan of BA (“Big Apple” south). Feel free to email me with specific questions: joel@joelchusid.com Please also see: Photos courtesy of Dan Chusid |
|
TM
I first arrived in Buenos Aires in 1980, during the time of
the military dictatorship, and knew my first trip would not be my last.
Inflation was rampant, and due to an overvalued peso, prices were incredibly
high for foreigners. Consider $80 (US dollars, except as noted below) for a taxi
from the airport (today $15) or a pizza for $20! For a brief time, Argentines
were traveling extensively – and spending - since because of the inflation, it
made no sense to put money into a savings account, and with fat pesos, travel
abroad was cheap. This is where the phrase “Que barato, dame dos!” began (“how
cheap, give me two!”), and Argentines were labeled as “dame doses” by Miami
shopkeepers. They returned home with bulging suitcases and at least one or two
TV’s. A joke at that time was “The wealthy Argentines spent their vacation in
Mar del Plata (a domestic resort), the middle class went to Punta del Este (a
trendy resort in Uruguay), and the poor people went to Miami.” While a bit
exaggerated, it was not far from the truth.
Since then, I’ve returned dozens of times, and while many
things have changed, including the transition to a democratic government,
nothing is ever dull in Argentina. There was always something going on, a
demonstration or some other political or economic crisis, good times alternating
with bad, and this culminated in 2001 with a virtual implosion of the economy.
People lost their life savings in the banks, many companies went bankrupt, the
middle class contracted, and unemployment skyrocketed. It was truly a sad and
difficult time, and even Christmas was a sad time, with no one buying gifts in
stores since the future was so uncertain. People put their homes up for sale,
and marches and some violence against banks were a daily occurrence. The
country had half a dozen Presidents over a period of a few months. To this day,
Argentines do not trust banks, and are very vocal about their politicians.
Sights, Neighborhoods, and Tours – Buenos Aires is
full of fascinating neighborhoods and sights, although they’re not as widely
known abroad. Parts of the city resemble Manhattan, some areas Paris, Madrid, or
London. Free maps are available in most hotels and at some tourist sites. For
some reason, most local maps are oriented with north facing toward the right,
not the top of the page.
Getting Around – As I’ve said, Buenos Aires is a
city for walking, but it’s a big place, and you’ll need to use motorized means
sooner or later. The subte (subway) is excellent, but serves limited
areas. A single ticket is 70 or 80 centavos, or you can buy them in cards of 2
or 10, and the lines are easy to navigate. There are lots of buses (collectivos),
but they are a bit more complicated, but once you figure them out, they can be
very efficient in getting around. Drivers also have a habit of letting people on
and off while the bus is still in motion, so take care! Taxis are plentiful and
cheap, but locals advise not to hail them on the street. If you find yourself
with no alternative, by all means take only a “radio taxi.” I usually call in
advance (4566-5777 is one of them). Give your phone number, name, and address
where you want to be picked up. They’ll find you. I have never tried to do this
in English, so I’m not sure what kind of luck you’ll have. Taxi drivers do not
expect tips, but rounding up to the next peso is common. Most taxi drivers are
pleasant, although you may get one who likes to talk a lot. If you can
communicate with them, taxi drivers are the source of a wealth of information
about the city and what’s going on, especially in politics.