It’s 7am on a Saturday morning in Buenos Aires. The streets are dead other than a dog-walker and an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand across the cobblestone street. The sun lifts and a cool breeze from the Rio de la Plata penetrates the urban grid. Produce stand clerks place fruit and vegetables on makeshift stands on the sidewalk. Cafes and restaurants set up chairs outside. As the morning evolves, the city comes alive with traffic, music, energy, and life.
Buenos Aires is like no place on earth. It’s where Parisian architecture meets South American style and soul. It’s where each street corner is teeming with history and culture and where some of the most influential music and dance styles were born. Below are the things that I value the most, living in Buenos Aires.
Rock Nacional, Tango, and Smokey Milongas
Nothing summarizes the soul of Buenos Aires more than music. Tango, Rock Nacional, Milonga, and underground electronica; anthems of protest, resilience, love, and suffering embody the city’s sonic legacy. Shows last until the early morning. Crowds eager to lose themselves for a night line up for hours on the busy streets. A chance to see their favorite artists outweighs the discomfort. This dedication has made Buenos Aires’ music fans and the concerts and festivals they attend legendary.
Away from the dank electronic and rock clubs are the milongas and tango bars. Their sultry and soulful servings of performers, clientele, and style bring people of all generations onto the floor and into each other’s arms. Hips draped in satin. Cigarette stained cotton shirts. Soft lighting and musicians pouring sweat with each beat and melody. This is the audio heartbeat of the city and there’s no denying it.
Taxis
In the Argentine comedy, Porno y Helado, it’s revealed that the taxi drivers have been in control of Argentina’s political destiny for decades. This goofy plot is far from reality, or is it?
Every day, thousands of taxis run people to and from destinations around the city. Fairs are set upon boarding and conversation is expected unless your driver has had a hard day. Your driver will weave in and out of traffic and put your life in danger, all while talking about their family and sharing their views on politics, football, bars, and that one cousin they have in the US or Europe. The taxi ride has become something I look forward to. It’s a glimpse into the millions of lives that live in the city and a way to hear their stories. Plus, you get the latest info from the streets.
The Long Aimless Urban Walks
Pick a destination and go there. Aside from the neighborhoods south of the 25 de Mayo Highway, train stations, Retiro at dark, and the Villas, the city is safe as long as you keep your guard up. You can walk for miles. I love breaking up my trek by sitting at cafes to people watch or pop into bookstores and museums to get lost in the city’s culture.
Parrillas
Parrilas can mean grills or steakhouses, depending on the context. In the city, a parrilla generally means a steakhouse. In these timeless places, you’ll eat a ton of meat and maybe a few vegetables if you choose. Combined with a bottle of malbec in the summer or wine and tonic water chilled with ice in the summer, the meat-heavy portions will keep you stuck to your table for hours. And as is customary, you’re expected to take as long as you want to enjoy your meal. Maybe it’s that sense of getting lost in time, enjoying the moment and your company, that makes the parrilla just one of the many joys of living in Buenos Aires.
Che Vuois
Over 50% of Porteños are Italian or have some Italian descent. It makes sense that the sometimes angry, sometimes perplexed Italian finger purse is so common. Argument with your spouse? Che Vuei. Goalie missed a goal? Che Vuei! Can’t pay your rent? Che vuei followed by two hands pressed together in a gesture of mercy.
The Literature
Jorge Luis Borges, Silvana Ocampo, Ernesto Sabato, Julio Cortázar. So many prominent writers have come out of Argentina, many of them hailing from its capital. Literature is life in this city. To truly blend in, become absorbed in your book on the subway, in a park, or anywhere in a public place where people can look at your book title and either approve or judge you severely.
The Book Stores
Lisbon, Paris, Tokyo, and Buenos Aires. I’m not sure which city has the most library acreage or bookstores per capita, but Buenos Aires is a bibliophile capital. From dusty rooms with barely an aperture to grand converted opera houses filled with thousands of books, you’ll find something depending on your mood.
The Cafes
Political dynasties, rock bands, and treasures in literature were made or at least conceived in one of the city’s cafes. The classic ones, the Bares Notables, are preserved with city funding and offer clientele a chance to travel back in time. On the other extreme are the modern cafes dedicated to making the perfect coffees and pastries. Whatever you’re looking for, slipping into one of these establishments is one of the most Porteño things you can do.
There’s a Store for Everything
On every block, in the middle-and upper class sections of the city, there is a vegetable stand, meat market, health food store, or shop catering to whatever need you have, no matter how obscure. Often family run, these shops are dependable purveyors for the community. Familiar faces and first-name relationships keep loyal customers who would rather keep their money in their block, shopping local. This is a far cry from the ultra-packaged super markets of my country and I love it.
The Parks
Buenos Aires does park-life better than anywhere else in the world. Experiences like pedaling through the rose garden on paddle boats, sneaking a Fernet and Coke, and avoiding angry geese. Or, sitting down under a towering Canary Island palm to watch squawking monk parakeets burrowing in their nests. You can even rollerblade for miles if that’s your thing. With so much green space, it’s easy to break away from the urban chaos and just steal away into nature.
The People
As big cities go, Buenos Aires is friendly and welcoming. Sure, there are problems. But for most people moving to the city, you’ll quickly find a community that cares about you. If you’re in trouble, lost, confused, lonely, or scared, you’ll likely find someone who will gladly take the time out of their day to spend it with you. Most likely they’ll take you to their favorite cafe or bookstore. It’s a Porteño thing.