Buenos Aires is South America’s coolest city
Impressed by the great nature experiences in Patagonia, our author continues his trip around the world to Buenos Aires. Argentina’s capital is proving to be colourful, diverse and green. If only it weren’t for the many dog legacies!
Buenos Aires’ La Boca district with its colorful houses is beautiful, but also very touristy in parts
Quelle: picture-alliance / Bildagentur-online/Sunny Celeste
NAfter weeks in the nature of Patagonia my endorphins were in balance. One highlight after the other, each hike more beautiful than the previous one: glaciers, mountains, emerald-green lakes, I was inspired by nature experiences – a good preparation for the next stop on my trip around the world: getting a taste of the big city air in Buenos Aires. Translated, the name means “good air”, but that only applies to a limited extent to the million-moloch. “Thick air” would fit better.
The capital of Argentina is often referred to as the Paris of South America. I think the comparison is too flat. It is true that Buenos Aires has strong European traits and is architecturally reminiscent of Paris and Madrid, especially in the Centro and Barrio Norte districts.
But that is just a small excerpt of the variety. “Buenos Aires is also indigenous, Latino, African, Jewish and queer,” Mariana Radisic Koliren, founder of travel agency Lunfarda Travel, tells me. She specializes in niche tours of Buenos Aires to show off the many lesser-known sides of the city.
Colonial-era buildings line the Plaza de Mayo in the center of the capital
Quelle: Getty Images/John W Banagan
But even without a guide, one quickly notices that diversity can be seen and felt on every corner of the city and is what gives Buenos Aires its special charm. Not necessarily in the motley district of La Boca, which is beautiful to look at, but in parts resembles a large souvenir shop. That doesn’t look authentic. Much more exciting are the districts of San Telmo and Palermo. Although both also attract tourists, life here is more real and less staged.
Where Buenos Aires is reminiscent of Berlin
With its rustic charm, San Telmo reminds me of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain in Berlin. The highlight here is definitely the Sunday market. It begins at Plaza de Mayo and continues to Plaza Dorrego and beyond. The range of original things is overwhelming – from straw hats to porcelain cups, there is everything.
The selection at Mercado San Telmo is also fantastic. The market hall is a real temple for foodies, you could spend hours trying street food here, from empanadas and chorizo sandwiches to tortilla española, a kind of omelette made from eggs with potatoes and onions.
The difficult economic situation does not prevent the Porteños from meeting in bars to eat, drink and chat
Quelle: Martin Lewicki
I was even more taken with the two quarters Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood. The area is considered to be particularly safe, here you can move freely on the streets even at night. And at night people are out and about a lot here, because most of the hip bars and clubs in the capital are in Palermo. Even as a Berliner, I’m amazed at how vibrant the nightlife in Buenos Aires is and how crowded it gets everywhere. One must not forget that almost 13 million people live in the greater Buenos Aires area.
Palermo also has a lot to offer during the day. Especially restaurants without end. In addition to countless pizza and burger shops, there are vegan bakeries, vegetarian restaurants, fish and seafood restaurants. And of course traditional asado, i.e. grilled meat. The love of good food quickly reveals the Italian influences in Buenos Aires – the majority of immigrants have Italian roots. And so, as in Italy, almost all the bars are full in the evening and that almost every evening.
Despite inflation, people enjoy life in Argentina
How do the Porteños, as the inhabitants of Buenos Aires are called, do it? After all, in February 2022 alone, inflation in Argentina reached 52 percent! The Argentine peso has been declining for years. If you want to save money, do it in US dollars or euros, there is no other way.
But that’s difficult with the low wages. A well-paid engineer earns the equivalent of around 1200 euros net per month, the average wage is less than half that. Traveling to other countries is unthinkable for most Argentines because the currency is weak and airfares abroad are expensive. So what’s left but to enjoy local life as much as possible?
A dog sitter walks several animals in Belgrano Park
Quelle: picture-alliance/pa/Chad Ehlers
And can enjoy the Porteños. At the weekend, they make themselves comfortable in the city’s many parks. The most beautiful and largest can be found in Palermo, such as the impressive rose garden. Everyone here drinks the national drink on park benches and in the meadows: mate tea. Even in the mountains, I saw Argentinians sipping mate tea straws while hiking. You really take it with you everywhere.
The Porteños have a similarly strong bond to dogs as they do to mate tea. Why it is absolutely necessary to keep a dog in the densely built-up city remains a mystery to me. Especially since the four-legged friends leave land mines everywhere, the stench of which wafts through the streets, especially on hot days, and makes a mockery of the city’s name “Good Air”.
But that’s the only negative thing I could find about Buenos Aires after several weeks. Everything else is pure love. The city is, it seems to me, the coolest in South America.
Read more parts of the world tour series “One Way Ticket” here. The column appears every two weeks.
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Source: WELT / Peter Haentjes