Welcome to Buenos Aires, Argentina
We flew to Miami on October 16 and had several hours layover in the airport. We realized we forgot to get our US 20 dollar bills changed into fives before we left home and couldn’t get any change from vendors in Miami. Finally, sitting at a bar we conversed with two men and the barman who helped us convert some money. On the flight to Buenos Aires we were seated next to a large young woman with a 14-month old infant. She promised he would not disturb us, and she was right! He was an angel the entire flight. They sat in the window seat and neither got up once during the 9-hour night flight.
We arrived early on the 17th and were met by our “chauffeur” who delivered us to the Ilum Experience Hotel in Palermo around 11:00 am. We couldn’t check in that early but we could use the gym and bathrooms to shower. We contacted Silvana’s connection who did a black market exchange of $200 into ARS (Argentine pesos) which yielded about $288,000. The US and Argentina both use the dollar symbol which was inherited from Spanish colonial currency. It gets confusing when they truncate the amount displayed, so it could be said we received $288 for our US$200. Inflation there has resulted in the addition of lots of zeros!
We ended up getting money from ATMs but our bank (Schwab) reimburses the fees. Otherwise, beware…the fee for getting about US$85 (the max amount you can withdraw outside Buenos Aires per ATM card per day) is about US$15. So when everyone talks about the high cost of money, it’s this fee that is the killer. The black market is popular but we didn’t like the idea of using it.
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BA has a stunning architectural landscape and is often called the “Paris of South America” with its French Beaux Arts influence. Grand boulevards showcase ornate buildings with elaborate facades and wrought iron balconies.
The city is divided into barrios, each with its own character. La Boca is famous for its colorful corrugated metal houses painted in bright primary colors. This where the massive wave of Italian immigrants first settled and why Italian food is so prevalent in the country. La Boca is an open-air museum lined with art galleries, souvenir shops and street performers. It is best to visit during the day for safety and atmosphere. Be aware of your belongings here. Below is a brief video clip of one performer.
La Bombonera stadium is home to Boca Juniors, the men’s pro football team (known as soccer in some parts of the world) and has won 60 pro titles since its beginnings in 1913. When serious rivals play, fans of the opponent are barred from entry due to the potential for fights. The video is typical of pre-game revelry.
Caminito is a colorful alley epitomizing LaBoca. It’s brightly painted corrugated metal houses, street art and tango culture make it a popular spot during daylight hours.
Above, tango dancers on the Women’s Bridge. Below, street scenes in La Boca.
One thought on “Welcome to Buenos Aires, Argentina”
What contrasts, those glaciers are astounding