(The most) Buenos (of all) Aires

Tango, Jorge Luis Borges and the tenderest of steaks have claimed it as their home. After only a few days in Buenos Aires, I'm burning to call this city the same.

There is the steaming mate (tea-- but so much more) that is constantly being passed around. The artsy neighborhoods, sources of great local pride. Those grand Colonial-era buildings that infuse the city with charm of another time. The Italian touch, from last names to pizzerias, that remains a testament to their waves of emigration. But also those distinct, more Latin, qualities. Like the lovely twenty minutes you sometimes spend awaiting your waiter, your food and your bill. The frequent and vociferous complaints about politicians (well, perhaps that's universal. But definitely amplified, and more humorous, in the Southern Hemisphere). And, of course, an unparalleled devotion to futbol.

Buenos Aires, as the country in general, is extremely hard to place culturally. Today, I saw Peruvian immigrants playing flute in the street for a few pesos. Walking by were busy workers streaming by with briefcase in hand, possibly heading to one of the many skyscrapers that line the city's horizon. Here are a few snaps of this varied, thrilling place.





From Plaza de Mayo.



People cross a street (newsflash, I know) of the famed Boca neighborhood.



Plaza de Mayo.



A bus in the Boca neighborhood.



The modern district-- Puerto Madero at sunset.

Overheard in Buenos Aires

Waitor in a vegetarian restaurant, trying to justify why he began to eat meat once more: "Being vegetarian in Argentina is a capital sin."

Futbol. What else?

Argentina's past is strongly anchored in fervent Roman Catholicism. But the country's past, present and --undoubtedly-- future thrives on fervent football fanaticism. Granted, soccer fever has infected the entire world at this point. But in Argentina, the contamination knows no bounds. The front page of the main financial newspaper now features Lionel Messi as much as it does bond swaps. During broadcast of other games, say Uruguay-France, there are frequent interruptions as segments of Argentina's best goals are shown, to the detriment of whatever other team is playing (because, truly, who cares?). And, everywhere, blue and white reigns. Flags decorate taxis, employees head to the office proudly displaying their patriotism on their painted cheeks and streets of the capital were swamped on Thursday following the country's win. An editorial in one of the country's leading newspaper, La Nacion, summed it up this way: "Que Dios sigue siendo argentino"-- May God continue being Argentine.




Argentine patriotism for sale at the Plaza de Mayo.



"Your mind will spend all 24 hours in South Africa. We will too."



Even the dogs have been converted.

The writing is on the wall

Scrawls cover walls all over the city, making Buenos Aires one of the best known centers for graffiti. A few from the neighborhood of San Telmo:



"Now is when."



"Art for art" (This one wasn't so hard to translate...)



"Against the coup in Honduras."

Vocabulario

Argentine slang is so absurdly unique, creative and extensive that one should dedicate an entire blog solely to the local jerga. But, so far, a few favourites.

BOLUDO-- You cannot miss this one. It's the prized local insult, which can loosely be translated as 'jerk'. Your tease your best buddy with it, you scream it to football players when they miss a goal, you mutter it as you inhale and exhale, it echoes in your dreams. Que boludo...
BACKAPEAR-- As seen in a computer store. Take a stab at deciphering it? It's roots are definitely not Argentine-- think 'to back up' in English. Nothing like a little Latin flavour to glamorize terse technological jargon.
MOTOCHORRO-- Two sneaky devils on a motorbike who creep up to steal your bag, wallet, cellphone. One hops off the vehicle, grabs whatever he desires, hops back on, and the two speed away.
CHE-- Rendered famous by El Che, the word 'che' is a ubiquitous interjection in Argentine speech. "Che, que tal?" and so forth.

Overheard in Buenos Aires

Cab driver disgruntled with national politics: "This country goes forward on automatic pilot."

I assume this is a particularly vehement insult in taxi-land.

El Ateneo

Do you fancy books? Have a thing for theatre? If so, best swing by El Ateneo, an old, charming theater that has been converted into a sprawling bookstore in the center of the city. You can stroll onto the former stage, now a cafe or peruse the mounds of novels on sale in what were the prized balcony seats. It's so Buenos Aires-- cultural, intellectual and, of course, stylish.

Futbol. What else?

The controversial Diego Maradona is hopping, shouting and dribbling on the sidelines of South African soccer fields at the moment. But El Diego is so worshipped here that it barely seems he is away. Local television appears devoted to his every press conference, his face is drawn onto the walls of his former neighborhood of Boca and one man cultivates his look in exchange for a few coins from tourists (he may be the only one. Though I absolutely mean no disrespect to Diego-- don't want to risk deportation either-- he hasn't exactly been known for his good looks recently).



Boca colours, Boca hero.



Apologies for the poor image-- I didn't want "Maradona" to see me snapping his picture and demand payment.



El diez. Now also Lionel Messi's number.

The writing is on the wall

"Burn all the prisons" (better in Spanish)



"Neither houses without people nor people without houses. No more evictions!