Buenos Aires is a Beauty!!!

This city doesn’t look or feel like South America……..maybe Paris or Prague with tree lined streets and fine avenues. The only thing that brings me back to where I am is that “things” are a little off. The buildings are in some disrepair—need cleaned, the sidewalks are speckled with broken stones and holes and there are a “zillion” buses. Not many motorcycles, pedestrians walking dogs or folks out for a stroll at night.

Even with cars being taxed at between 50 to 90 percent the traffic is bad because where there in not an avenue there are only narrow streets. I guess parking challenges are universal.

I got to spend four days in Buenos Aires. This is the capital of Argentina and by far the most sophisticated city in the country. The President works (he doesn’t live there) in the “Pink House”.

Argentina has been a democracy since the mid 1980’s after they suffered through the “Dirty War”. Before the multiple forces/individuals were tried and convicted in 1985 there was horrific indiscriminate torture and deadly punishment occurring. There is a good rendition on Prime Video (Argentina 1985} of the trial that put a stop to the trauma.

Argentina had a different type of trauma—economic pain and suffering in 2001. The peso was devalued and a run on banks occurred. The government announced a freeze on all deposited money. To this day those monies have not been made available to the depositors. During this two week period of financial crisis, the country had 5 different Presidents elected by the congress in a two week period (one lasted 45 minutes).

Today the citizens of Argentina DO NOT trust banks and have “billions” of pesos under their beds (or in safe deposit boxes).

Just a few more financial facts. Argentina saw 50% inflation last year and 7% last month. The dollar is very strong and takes a good bite out of the price of food, goods, and services.

Now that I’m finished with your history, politics and econ lessons l could tell you about the fun and pleasures of this really pretty city. This is spring time and the weather was lovely. It gets extremely hot during their summer and the don’t have a “rainy” season.

There are lots of visual treats throughout the city and many parks and green spaces—especially in the northwestern parts/sections.

We had a lovely visit to the La Boca area. This a colorful conclave for artists that has restaurants and food vendors to suit anyone’s appetite. The residences look “ransacked” but the tenants are just fine with their eclectic architecture. Years past this neighborhood was a melting pot of thousands of immigrants who worked in the nearby port. It seems they used left over paint from the barges on their homes.

We got invited to a Asado at a local’s house. He took us for a tour of Buenos Aires in the morning and then we went to his home that evening for the Argentina Bar B Q. He has the grill and dining area set up on his roof top so we partied and ate under the stars and the moon.

This last picture is our host making chimichurri. I’ll make some for all of you when we have our own next cookout. We consumed more food than I want to remember. After a cheese, olive, salami, bread and guacamole spread we had a course of grilled chorizo and blood sausage (this was sweet and spicy but not hot). Next came the grilled ribs and roasted whole squash. The main course was grilled steak with roasted vegetables: carrots, potatoes, fennel and onions.

Our new friend also gave us a lesson on Yerba Mate and how the South Americans in this part drink it—all the time.The mate is a caffeine/iron/vitamin rich dried and ground herb. It is mixed with hot water in a dried gourd. A metal straw with a filter is used to drink the brewed liquid.

The drinking follows rituals and is a social event. The gourd is passed around and all the drinkers use the same straw—Covid put a real damper on this practice but didn’t stop it. Millions of people drink this vitamin and iron packed liquid. It is not unusual to see pedestrians walking about with a thermos under their arm so they could make mate any where-any time. We got to take a sip and there is no way I could develop a liking for mate. It was bitter and hard to swallow.

During the days I would explore the city. There is a lovely cathedral that looks like a government building from the front but doesn’t disappoint on the inside.

This is the church where Pope Frances was Archbishop until 1913.

This cathedral is also home to Jose de San Martin’s tomb. He wasn’t Catholic so he is off to the side in his own room that is not considered part of the church.

On my last day I decided that I would wait in the 45 minute line to enter Cafe Tortoni for lunch.

This cafe was opened in 1858 by a French immigrant who named it after one in Paris where the elite gathered and ate in the 19th century. The interior didn’t disappoint and I enjoyed every minute. I started with an Aperol Spritz.

I can’t say that the hamburger was the best I’ve ever had but it was in the best place I’ve ever had one! I will say the lemon pie and cappuccino were very very good.

I ended up “fooling around” with some permanent patrons.

We take a ferry tomorrow on the River Plate to Uruguay. Stay tuned for more South American adventures.