Buenos Aires: Episode 1

Buenos Aires, a true international city. Our first day in Argentina`s capital began with a trip to Plaza de Mayo, home to several important government buildings including Casa Rosada, the (bright pink) home of the President. Taking in the camera-happy tourists and countless security guards, we felt as if we had stepped into an October morning in Washington, DC.

After taking far too many pictures of Evita`s famous balcony, we headed towards Puerto Madero, the upscale nearby harbor. Surrounded by chic shops and classy restaurants, this area definitely caters to the city`s elite (and, of course, tourists eager to spend.) Ravenous after our morning of exploring, we decided to forego McDonalds (though they featured mozzarella sticks!) and sample the area`s best Italian at one of the dockside restaurants. The menu, which was mostly in French, featured several items we did not recognize. One of my friends, hoping to be pleasantly surprised, ordered an item at random and ended up with pumpkin ravioli. Clad in jeans and sweaters, (in sharp contrast with our fellow diners, most of whom were wearing ties) we received personal attention from the restaurant manager and dessert on the house.

Since it was growing dark, we decided to stick around the harbor and admire the yachts. Enchanted with the lights glittering off the water, the harbor bridge (a sort of graceful white fin, think Sydney Opera House), and the fabulous customer service, we voted Puerto Madero our favorite barrio thus far. Though we had slept little in the past 36+ hours, we felt it was time to sample the local nightlife. Guided by friends studying in Buenos Aires, we headed to a local "Irish Bar," appropriately titled "Shamrock" but lacking any other connection to the Emerald Isle. Filled with outgoing Argentinian 20-somethings, Shamrock provided a good opportunity to gain perspective on the city, jot down the names of a few more "off the beaten path" places to see, and (even!) discuss the economic situation of Argentina vs. Chile. Not the typcial bar experience, to say the least.

After discovering we were unable to tour Casa Rosada without reservations on our second morning, we attempted a tour of the city`s underground tunnels, apparently used by the military and government at various times throughout the city`s history for transportation and protection. Unfortunately, though our tour guide`s oral presentation was interesting, the tunnels were blocked off and inaccesible to tourists. They looked mysterious and inviting (think Indiana Jones) and we made valiant attempts to photograph them through the gate. Disappointed by the guided tour scene, we consoled ourselves with a few hours of shopping on the 5th Avenue of Buenos Aires. Though the more upscale stores did not feature Argentina`s characteristic low prices, we were able to observe the most fashionable locals. Dripping wet from the sudden rain and wearing complimentary jewelry we were given when we bought film at the Kodak store we raised a few eyebrows.

My favorite part of the shopping experience occurred when we stopped at a corner cafè to dry off. As the others ordered medialunas (croissants) and coffee, I decided to try a "submarino," Argentina`s tasty version of hot chocolate, consisting of hot milk and a chocolate bar (served separately so you can melt the chocolate as desired.) The waitress surprised us by bringing churros (strips of fried dough) instead of medialunas, explaining that "we`d like them better." Although this customer service technique was strange, (and probably would be frowned upon at the restaurant where I work in the States) we agreed that the churros were good.

After a trip on Buenos Aires`historic metro, featuring old-time-train wood benches and retro signs, we strolled once more past Plaza de Mayo, which was now blocked off by even more security. We were unable to decipher the words of the various police officers who tried to explain the situation to us, and ended up deciding that the barricades were either due to a protest or a collapsed building. Altogether, however, we felt that Argentinian Spanish was slightly easier to understand than Chilean Spanish, with less slang and pronunciation more similiar to what we had studied in past classes.