I just couldn't get over how European Buenos Aires felt. I knew that Argentina had been heavily influenced by immigrants from Europe, but at times I found myself forgetting that I was in South America. There were a large number of people with fair skin and light hair. I felt like I fit in by looks alone, which is something that does not happen in Chile. The architecture of the city was more reminiscent of cities in North America and Europe, with tall buildings creating a canyon-like effect in the streets. A couple of buildings looked like they were straight out of Paris. One of my favorites was the Casa Rosada, which is home to the offices of President Néstor Kirchner. It is an Italianate-style building painted a dusky pink (see picture).
The nightlife in Buenos Aires was much more exciting than in Santiago. No one goes out before midnight, and it isn't a proper night out unless you see the sun rise. We went to a club and danced one night, sat in a chic lounge and drank cocktails that were magically affordable thanks to the weak Argentine peso another night, and, my favorite, on our last night in BA we went to a tango hall and watched couples dancing Argentina's national dance. It wasn't a show, and the place was definitely not for tourists. It was just some neighborhood tango hall where locals could practice their steps. The tango is devastatingly romantic and looks to be an extremely difficult dance to master. The two dancers must move their bodies as one.
BA has a distinct charm to it. It has kind of a grainy grandeur; a facade reminiscent of other places, dates, and people, but at the same time distinct in its own identity. It is Argentine, and I feel like I understand what it means to be Argentine just by visiting the capital city. It really lured me in and I hope to return at least once during the remainder of my stay in South America.
2 comments:
According to our friend who was there last semester, Argentina is like Chile in that its capital city bears little resemblance to the rest of the country. I think something like a third of all Argentines live in BA, but most do not live there... Do not be fooled into thinking you know what it is to be Argentine any more than you would know what it is to be American by visiting DC. (Bardstown, the kind of town most Americans live in and whose way of life is most common, bears little resemblence to DC or life therein.)
Dancing! Drinking cocktails! Is our friend backsliding into the ways of the devil in this foreign country? I might have to bring my Bible and holy water down there and put you back on the true path to salvation!
Post a Comment