Buenos Aires

I had such a great time in Buenos Aires with my Uncles Mark and Kirk and their friends Tom and Charles. We stayed ten days in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel in el Retiro, the nicest part of town that is home to embassies, high-end fashion boutiques and private art galleries and is most reminiscent of Paris. One thing someone told me that I thought rang somewhat true is that Buenos Aires’ architecture is French, its cuisine Italian, its language Spanish and its politics British. I can't say exactly how accurate this is, but Buenos Aires is definitely the most European city in Latin America that I have been to.

Ten days was probably the longest time I have spent in such a nice hotel. Normally my travels involve multiple destinations (and we did make a day-trip to Uruguay – see entry), but Buenos Aires deserved all the time I could give it. The hotel afforded me the rest and relaxation needed to properly explore the city. The hotel had annexed a stately mansion located behind it and the pool was in the courtyard between the two buildings. I understand that Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and a well-known Argentine director stayed in the mansion’s private suites while we were there, also where Madonna stayed while filming Evita. The service was very good and I got to know the staff well by the end of the ten days. The gym was quite nice and I especially enjoyed the sauna and relaxation room, where I spent a great deal of time sipping lime flavored water and ginger tea and reading the latest Economist.

Typically, our routine involved breakfast, exploration of a new part of the city, late lunch, afternoon nap, workout (for me) then dinner around 10 PM, as is customary in Argentina and much of Latin America.

Buenos Aires is a walking city. Walking around districts like San Telmo, la Recoleta and Palermo and observing their old, distinctive architecture are very pleasant activities. The parks, monuments, cafes and bustling sidewalks make for a lovely experience for the most part. Mark and I had somewhat of an adventure after visiting Plaza de Mayo, the governmental center (the Casa Rosada - the Pink House - in the picture above is the equivalent of the White House in the US), when it started to rain and work had just let out. Kirk, Tom and Charles had their own trouble flagging down the first taxi and Mark and I finally gave up on a second taxi and opted to use the bus system. Making it about ten blocks in an hour in the bumper to bumper traffic with the bus overflowing with passengers, we finally decided to walk the remaining ten blocks by foot. Traffic is a major problem (as in Lima) around the time work lets off between 5 and 7 and walking was definitely the better option.

We managed to fit in a few cultural activities. The Malba art museum contained some great contemporary works by Latin American artists. The Rojo Tango performance at the exquisite Faena Hotel was stunning. The intimate dining room sat about 50. The band played behind our table and the dancers used most of the room as their stage. There were 4 couples who displayed refined skill and a great deal of emotion in their dance performance. There were also two singers that had very nice voices. We also made it to Evita Peron’s gravesite (in one of the pictures above) in the Retiro Cemetary, which struck me as very similar to cemeteries in New Orleans. Unfortunately, the Teatro Colon was under renovation while we were there.

We also did a fair amount of shopping. Buenos Aires is a fairly fashion-forward city and many of the clothes available there are difficult to find in cities other than New York, London, etc. I also love the opportunity to soak up Kirk’s fashion sense. Palermo Soho was probably my favorite place to shop, with its gorgeous tree lined avenues and cobblestone roads. In its center, Plaza Serrano was a gathering point for the bohemian crowd and a great place to have a beer and people-watch. Leather is also a well-known product of Argentina and I was able to find myself some nice leather shoes.

The dinners we shared were almost always fantastic. Being from Kansas City, it is difficult for me to admit that Argentina has the best beef in the world (as it is claimed), but I will say most of the steaks I had were incredibly delicious. The cuts of the meats were sometimes different than what most people from the Midwest might expect. We also dined at several fine Italian restaurants. All our meals were enhanced by flowing stream of Malbec, a very tasty wine from the region of Mendoza.

After dinner, the other guys would usually call it a night and I would take the opportunity to check out Buenos Aires’ vibrant nightlife. My night experiences were interesting, though I did run into the same scene that I encountered in Lima. Generally, people go to bars and discos to meet up with a group of friends or go on dates, not to meet new people. Of course, after explaining that I was visiting and didn’t really know anyone, people were generally more open. However, it did take an extra effort to meet people.

My night experiences ranged from tranquil to insane. Club 69 was a fascinating place with about 30 colorfully costumed actors, some as transvestites, which engaged in various pantomime and slapstick acts on a stage and on a stripper pole platform which could be moved around the dance floor, all while a New York DJ pumped out electronic beats. I discovered a nice cognac drink called an Alexander at Milion, an old mansion with a pleasant courtyard that had been converted into a bar and restaurant. I was convinced by the hostess of Bar 6 to accompany her with her sisters to Pacha to sit at a VIP table while DJ Roger Sanchez pounded out his house music. Unfortunately, the amount of drugs being consumed (nearly everyone in the disco being on something) made me a little uncomfortable and I ended up leaving early. I talked for a while with a group of young professionals at Asia de Cuba and had some brewed beer with a group of American students at the Buller. The mirror disco balls in the picture above are from Museum. I went to a number of other bars and discos and feel confident that Buenos Aires lives up to its reputation as a city that never sleeps.

I am so happy that I decided to visit Buenos Aires with my uncles and their friends Tom and Charles. I gained a lot from our conversations and am very thankful for their generosity during this trip.