This is a great city for fashion!
Argentinean designers are trendy and creative.
Kosiuko, Caro Cuore, Ayres, Como quieres que te quiera, 47th Street; are some examples of the new young fashion. You´ll find these at all shopping malls, such as: Galerias Pacifico (downtown), Unicenter (in Martinez, a northern suburb), Alto Palermo (in Palermo aerea).
In Recoleta you´ll also find the more "serious" international fashion and accessories such as Hermes, Escada, Chanel, etc.
Some must-buys:
-Leather goods: the best is the lamb leather, it´s soft as silk. Be it jackets, shoes, coats: get them all! And prices are unbeatable.
- Fun fashion (embroidered jeans, fun T-shirts): Kosiuko, 47th street
- More elegant fashion: Ayres, Awada
-Jewelry: At Libertad street (downtown), real diamonds for the best price you´ll get.
domingo, 27 de abril de 2008
Religion
Official religion in Argentina is Roman Catholic. However, many other religions coexist, and you´ll find Sinagogues and Mosques in Buenos Aires. There is reliogious freedom.
Safety
Some common-sense advise:
- Don´t wear flashy or expensive looking jewelry
- Be attentive to your surroundings, there are pickpockets
- Try to wear your purse in a way that snatching is difficult- Don´t show a bundle of money in the open
- Have small change on hand for small purchases
- Be attentive especially when tango dancers are performing on the street. People (tourists) gather around and it´s easy for pickpockets
As or safety, I´m sorry to tell you this is not one of the safest cities in the world. Criminality has risen a lot.
Some more advice: avoid alcoholic intoxication when you go out at night, and try to take only cabs that you call on the phone. When you come home at night, look very well around you when approaching your building. Always try to let someone know where you are going and approximately when you´ll be back. And don´t ever go with unknown people to a vulnerable place (like their house or appartment): to do so, you have to know at least one person from the group.
- Don´t wear flashy or expensive looking jewelry
- Be attentive to your surroundings, there are pickpockets
- Try to wear your purse in a way that snatching is difficult- Don´t show a bundle of money in the open
- Have small change on hand for small purchases
- Be attentive especially when tango dancers are performing on the street. People (tourists) gather around and it´s easy for pickpockets
As or safety, I´m sorry to tell you this is not one of the safest cities in the world. Criminality has risen a lot.
Some more advice: avoid alcoholic intoxication when you go out at night, and try to take only cabs that you call on the phone. When you come home at night, look very well around you when approaching your building. Always try to let someone know where you are going and approximately when you´ll be back. And don´t ever go with unknown people to a vulnerable place (like their house or appartment): to do so, you have to know at least one person from the group.
Machistic people in BA?
People in Buenos Aires are not as machistic as anywhere else in South America, however, they are more machistic than in the USA or Europe in general. There are still clubs for men only, and men tend to see women as weaker and less capable.
Most women here work outside home, then come back and tend to their homes. On the other side, domestic help once or twice a week is not uncommon, as it´s relatively cheap (about 2 US dollars an hour).
Most women here work outside home, then come back and tend to their homes. On the other side, domestic help once or twice a week is not uncommon, as it´s relatively cheap (about 2 US dollars an hour).
What to see & do in Buenos Aires
Now to the touristy part of your stay:you need to get to know a little of Buenos Aires! Here are some highlights:
1) the Obelisk: symbol of Buenos Aires, located on 9 de Julio Ave. It´s worth a look and a picture, but you cant climb it
2) Florida and Lavalle street: these are pedestrian streets. Lavalle was traditionally the cinema street, now many of these old cinemas were taken over by (cheaper) clothing and electronics stores. Florida street is beautiful to walk and will lead you on the north side to Plaza San Martin, a big park where the monumet for the Malvinas fallen soldiers is. This area is very pretty, some great souvenir shops and leather stores.
Before reaching the Plaza San Martin you´ll pass by a great mall, Galerias Pacifico, on Florida and Cordoba. Totally worth going in, if only for the artwork that is painted on the ceiling of this 19th century railroad building. In the basement there´s a decent food court.
Near the San Martin square you´ll find a few Irish pubs, like Downtown Matias (on San Martin 979), and The Kilkenny (corner of M.T. de Alvear and Reconquista street). It´s specially interesting to go there for the "happy hour": it´s when the young office crowd (about 21 to 30) stops by for a drink and some flirting, between 7 and 9 pm. If you are a woman, be aware though, that many of the men here will be married or with steady girlfriends. Legal drinking age here is 18, but nobody respect this rule and you´ll see younger kids drinking beer openly.
On the south end of Florida you reach Diagonal Norte and Avenida de Mayo. If you go down the latter you reach another must-see: Casa Rosada, the government building, standing at the end of plaza de Mayo (the place where traditionally people politically congregate). On the left there´s also the Cathedral of Buenos Aires, inside is the tomb of general San Martin, the great liberator of South America from Spanish domain.
3) Recoleta neighbourhood and cemetery: this neighbourhood is one of the most traditionals and expensive. It´s very Parisian, and the best shops (vuitton, Hermes and the like) are found here.
It´s interesting to see the cemetery, where many great figures of Argentine history are buried. The most visited tomb is probably Evita peron´s. But you´ll only see a black mausoleum. You can tour the cemetery alone (no admission fee) or, if you are interested in history, it´s best to go with a tour.
On one side of the cemetery, usually there´s an arts and crafts fair (always on weekends, sometimes weekdays too). Nice knick-knacks at prices that won´t break your budget.At night some of the restaurants get transformed to bars and it´s quite nice.
4) It´s always nice to see a Tango Dinner and Show at San Telmo, the oldest neighborhood in Buenos Aires. My personal favorite is held in the restaurant "El Querandí", Peru 302, on the internet: querandi.com.arDinner is at 20:30 and show at 22:15. I´ve taken many friends there. It´s rather expensive though.
Also in San Telmo, at the central square every sunday there´s the Antiques fair which is very interesting, as well as impromptu tango dancers on the street.Caution in San Telmo: dont walk there at night alone. Take a taxi there and when leaving, ask the people at the restaurant to call for a cab for you. The radio-taxis (the one you call) are safer at night than the ones you pcik up at the street.
5) Tigre: for this one, you can go either with a tour group or on your own taking the train Mitre from Retiro Station downtown and ending at the end station, Tigre. Then it´s a little walk to the delta. It´s the delta of the river Tigre, located north of Buenos Aires, about 1 hour from downtown. If you go with a tour, they´ll probably also offer a boat excursion on the Tigre river of about 2 hours plus a visit to puerto de frutos, the port where traditionally fruits and vegetablers (oranges specifically were grown on the islands in the delta) where sold, now there´s more crafts than food but it´s very pretty. But to get to the fruit port without a car is too complicated, so if you´re on your won better wait to have an acquaintance that can take you there.
6) If you have a whole day to venture out on the land, you should take a full day tour to an estancia. I like the estancia "La Cina-Cina", it´s on the web and they offer transportation as well: lacinacina.com.arThey offer an asado, a big argentinean meat BBQ, some traditional dances, and you can watch traditional gaucho horse games.
7) Last, the newly developed Puerto Madero area is well worth a look. The former port of Buenos Aires, it´s particularly good for a stroll but there are only restaurants and the Hilton Hotel, no other kind of shops. Nevertheless it´s great to stroll by the side of the water, watching the boats come and go. There´s also an intersting freestanding pedestrian bridge.
A good restaurant (and not too expensive) is "La Caballeriza". At night, there´s a few nice bars and discos here.
8) Another tip: go have some tea or coffee at the traditional "Richmond", Florida almost Corrientes. It´s over 100 years old and it´s still keeping the same old leather chairs. Also excellent are the cocktails here, my personal favorite: Bariloche, a fruit and cream concoction. Ask also for a "picada" with it, it´s a plate with little nibblings. They also offer lunch in the back. Downstairs is a billiard room, but it was traditionally (and until just a few years ago) reserved for men only.
1) the Obelisk: symbol of Buenos Aires, located on 9 de Julio Ave. It´s worth a look and a picture, but you cant climb it
2) Florida and Lavalle street: these are pedestrian streets. Lavalle was traditionally the cinema street, now many of these old cinemas were taken over by (cheaper) clothing and electronics stores. Florida street is beautiful to walk and will lead you on the north side to Plaza San Martin, a big park where the monumet for the Malvinas fallen soldiers is. This area is very pretty, some great souvenir shops and leather stores.
Before reaching the Plaza San Martin you´ll pass by a great mall, Galerias Pacifico, on Florida and Cordoba. Totally worth going in, if only for the artwork that is painted on the ceiling of this 19th century railroad building. In the basement there´s a decent food court.
Near the San Martin square you´ll find a few Irish pubs, like Downtown Matias (on San Martin 979), and The Kilkenny (corner of M.T. de Alvear and Reconquista street). It´s specially interesting to go there for the "happy hour": it´s when the young office crowd (about 21 to 30) stops by for a drink and some flirting, between 7 and 9 pm. If you are a woman, be aware though, that many of the men here will be married or with steady girlfriends. Legal drinking age here is 18, but nobody respect this rule and you´ll see younger kids drinking beer openly.
On the south end of Florida you reach Diagonal Norte and Avenida de Mayo. If you go down the latter you reach another must-see: Casa Rosada, the government building, standing at the end of plaza de Mayo (the place where traditionally people politically congregate). On the left there´s also the Cathedral of Buenos Aires, inside is the tomb of general San Martin, the great liberator of South America from Spanish domain.
3) Recoleta neighbourhood and cemetery: this neighbourhood is one of the most traditionals and expensive. It´s very Parisian, and the best shops (vuitton, Hermes and the like) are found here.
It´s interesting to see the cemetery, where many great figures of Argentine history are buried. The most visited tomb is probably Evita peron´s. But you´ll only see a black mausoleum. You can tour the cemetery alone (no admission fee) or, if you are interested in history, it´s best to go with a tour.
On one side of the cemetery, usually there´s an arts and crafts fair (always on weekends, sometimes weekdays too). Nice knick-knacks at prices that won´t break your budget.At night some of the restaurants get transformed to bars and it´s quite nice.
4) It´s always nice to see a Tango Dinner and Show at San Telmo, the oldest neighborhood in Buenos Aires. My personal favorite is held in the restaurant "El Querandí", Peru 302, on the internet: querandi.com.arDinner is at 20:30 and show at 22:15. I´ve taken many friends there. It´s rather expensive though.
Also in San Telmo, at the central square every sunday there´s the Antiques fair which is very interesting, as well as impromptu tango dancers on the street.Caution in San Telmo: dont walk there at night alone. Take a taxi there and when leaving, ask the people at the restaurant to call for a cab for you. The radio-taxis (the one you call) are safer at night than the ones you pcik up at the street.
5) Tigre: for this one, you can go either with a tour group or on your own taking the train Mitre from Retiro Station downtown and ending at the end station, Tigre. Then it´s a little walk to the delta. It´s the delta of the river Tigre, located north of Buenos Aires, about 1 hour from downtown. If you go with a tour, they´ll probably also offer a boat excursion on the Tigre river of about 2 hours plus a visit to puerto de frutos, the port where traditionally fruits and vegetablers (oranges specifically were grown on the islands in the delta) where sold, now there´s more crafts than food but it´s very pretty. But to get to the fruit port without a car is too complicated, so if you´re on your won better wait to have an acquaintance that can take you there.
6) If you have a whole day to venture out on the land, you should take a full day tour to an estancia. I like the estancia "La Cina-Cina", it´s on the web and they offer transportation as well: lacinacina.com.arThey offer an asado, a big argentinean meat BBQ, some traditional dances, and you can watch traditional gaucho horse games.
7) Last, the newly developed Puerto Madero area is well worth a look. The former port of Buenos Aires, it´s particularly good for a stroll but there are only restaurants and the Hilton Hotel, no other kind of shops. Nevertheless it´s great to stroll by the side of the water, watching the boats come and go. There´s also an intersting freestanding pedestrian bridge.
A good restaurant (and not too expensive) is "La Caballeriza". At night, there´s a few nice bars and discos here.
8) Another tip: go have some tea or coffee at the traditional "Richmond", Florida almost Corrientes. It´s over 100 years old and it´s still keeping the same old leather chairs. Also excellent are the cocktails here, my personal favorite: Bariloche, a fruit and cream concoction. Ask also for a "picada" with it, it´s a plate with little nibblings. They also offer lunch in the back. Downstairs is a billiard room, but it was traditionally (and until just a few years ago) reserved for men only.
Some facts about Argentina and Buenos Aires
About Argentina, it´s the least latin country in Latinamerica. Most of the population is of european descent, either spanish or italian, with some germans and english mixed inbetween, and they pride themselves of that heritage, so until you´re not sure about how a person thinks, it´s best to avoid implying that he/she is "latinamerican". Anyway, prepare yourself for a more european than latino experience!
Buenos Aires itself is a big city, just like any other big city you will have to take precautions. About clothing, almost everything goes here, just like the USA. Maybe you want to avoid extremely short skirts that will elicit catcalls, and also avoid wearing expensive jewelry. Other than that, you can wear whatever you like.
Culture here is more touchy-feely than in the USA. For you it might be a bit uncomfortable at the beginning. When you greet another person or are being introduced, it´s common to kiss ONCE on the cheek. You actually touch the cheeks (no air kiss), but you don´t have to kiss, just make the sound. Exception: when it´s something business related they will give you a handshake. Then, when people speak to you, they might touch your arm or hand to give more strenght to their words. This is acceptable if you have been introduced to the person. Also people might gesticulate more while speaking, don´t forget the italian descent! But people are generally warm and open, especially to foreigners, so you´ll find a lot of friends here. Most people in Buenos Aires speak english too, by the way.
As for conversatons with people, they will be curious about you, what you do, and they will probably ask you outright what you think of US government. If you don´t want to give an oppinion, that´s fine, just say you´re not interested in politics.
You will hear argentineans criticizing our government and our country incessantly. However, please refrain from criticizing Argentina yourself. It´s like an unwritten code, sorry, but only argentineans can criticize or make jokes about themselves, the country or the politics. If you do it, they´ll probably don´t say anything, but at the minimum they´ll hold a grudge.
Another topic that´s best to avoid until you know people really well is the Malvinas Islands and anything related to that. Same for the military governments and the "desaparecidos", people abducted by the government that never appeared again. You should know a little bit better a person before touching these subjects, there are still many opinions and open wounds.
If you plan to live here for some time, you might be interested also in temporary rentals. The best and safest areas downtown are: Recoleta, Microcentro and Plaza San Martin. I´d stay away from anything in San Telmo, it´s very touristy and interesting to explore at daytime, but at night it gets unsafe.
For classified ads, go to the website from the Buenos Aires Herald, www.buenosairesherald.com, and look under classifieds, temporary rentals.
Buenos Aires itself is a big city, just like any other big city you will have to take precautions. About clothing, almost everything goes here, just like the USA. Maybe you want to avoid extremely short skirts that will elicit catcalls, and also avoid wearing expensive jewelry. Other than that, you can wear whatever you like.
Culture here is more touchy-feely than in the USA. For you it might be a bit uncomfortable at the beginning. When you greet another person or are being introduced, it´s common to kiss ONCE on the cheek. You actually touch the cheeks (no air kiss), but you don´t have to kiss, just make the sound. Exception: when it´s something business related they will give you a handshake. Then, when people speak to you, they might touch your arm or hand to give more strenght to their words. This is acceptable if you have been introduced to the person. Also people might gesticulate more while speaking, don´t forget the italian descent! But people are generally warm and open, especially to foreigners, so you´ll find a lot of friends here. Most people in Buenos Aires speak english too, by the way.
As for conversatons with people, they will be curious about you, what you do, and they will probably ask you outright what you think of US government. If you don´t want to give an oppinion, that´s fine, just say you´re not interested in politics.
You will hear argentineans criticizing our government and our country incessantly. However, please refrain from criticizing Argentina yourself. It´s like an unwritten code, sorry, but only argentineans can criticize or make jokes about themselves, the country or the politics. If you do it, they´ll probably don´t say anything, but at the minimum they´ll hold a grudge.
Another topic that´s best to avoid until you know people really well is the Malvinas Islands and anything related to that. Same for the military governments and the "desaparecidos", people abducted by the government that never appeared again. You should know a little bit better a person before touching these subjects, there are still many opinions and open wounds.
If you plan to live here for some time, you might be interested also in temporary rentals. The best and safest areas downtown are: Recoleta, Microcentro and Plaza San Martin. I´d stay away from anything in San Telmo, it´s very touristy and interesting to explore at daytime, but at night it gets unsafe.
For classified ads, go to the website from the Buenos Aires Herald, www.buenosairesherald.com, and look under classifieds, temporary rentals.
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