Tango is, of course, an obsession in Buenos Aires. If you’re living in San Telmo – the heart of tango territory – it’s not uncommon for locals to start a conversation with you by asking “so, are you here to learn tango?” And it’s not just the dance that’s an obsession, but everything that goes with it as well: the clothes; the milongas, and most of all, the music. Given this obsession, it’s not surprising to find elements of tango have mutated in ways that take them beyond their traditional forms. One of these mutations is ‘tango electronica,’ also known ‘electrotango.’
For the hip BA expat, tango electronica represents a more up-to-date form of tango music, and consequently one that might appeal more than the old-timey versions. If you think it sounds interesting, read on for the best ways to listen to the bleeding edge of tango music. (more…)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that some of life’s frustrations can only be properly alleviated by taking up arms and attempting to mow down your friends (ideally in a non-lethal way). And that’s exactly what paintball offers, so the appeal is pretty obvious!
With the above in mind, I recently went with about 10 amiguitos, both Argentinean and expat, to TEGBall Paintball’s field of battle in Palermo, at Avenida Roldan 4440 (near the Planetario). (more…)
Buenos Aires is a popular city for expats for good reason. It has a good climate, it’s cheap for what you get, it’s interesting, and it’s in a time zone only a couple of hours different from the eastern states of the USA. The only problem is that about a billion people realized all of that long before you did, and means the entire city is crawling, crawling, with expats.
That’s not always a bad thing. But sometimes you feel like you want a night out where you don’t spend all night talking to people you could just as easily have met back home. Here then, are five great Bar options for the nights when you’re in the mood to meet and drink with some locals. (more…)
Most people will find that Colonia falls well short of expectations (Read Why You Shouldn’t Go to Colonia). But is it utterly impossible to like? No, not at all. With a suitable readjustment of expectations it’s perfectly possible to pass an enjoyable day trip or overnight stay in this little town on the river AND refresh your tourist visa at the same time.
Without further ado here are three things to like about going to Colonia: (more…)
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. Argentina was chosen as hosts by FIFA in July 1966. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina who became the fifth team (after Uruguay, Italy, England, and West Germany), to be both hosts and world champions.
An excerpt from a facebook wall conversation I had with a friend as I sat in a café in Colonia diddling around with my iPhone….
I forgot my drivers license so I couldn’t rent a motorcycle, so I rented a golf cart. After about an hour here you run out of things to do and the only ferry returning to BsAs today is at 8:30 at night. With that said, the last couple hours my boredom has led me to driving around like an idiot in my golf cart, losing money at a casino, falling asleep in a cafe and now currently ripping Internet off a hotel while I drink a beer as I await my ferry which will be in another 3 hrs. A cute little town, but 12 hrs here is a bit too much.
It’s impossible to live the expat life in Buenos Aires for very long before becoming aware of the existence of Colonia del Sacramento, commonly referred to as simply ‘Colonia.’ That’s mostly because it’s a short boat ride from Buenos Aires that offers the opportunity to renew your three-month tourist visa (it’s across the Río de la Plata in Uruguay).
Colonia is not just a ‘visa run’ destination for perma-tourist expats though. It’s also a popular tourist attraction in its own right. This popularity is not surprising, as its old quarter has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sources including Lonely Planet heap praise such as “its charms attract visitors from all over the world” upon it.
So there’s no doubt that Colonia has good marketing. But is it actually as interesting or fun a destination as they’d have us believe? Let’s take a look at what you can do in Colonia:
When we’re in our own country, and speaking in our native language, tactfulness and saying what we mean are things that come naturally to us (…well, most of us). But expat life in Argentina is a whole different kettle of fish!
To help you navigate these treacherous waters, here are 10 things that you shouldn’t say while you’re in Buenos Aires. Some of them are culturally offensive; some are mistranslations that Spanish speakers will find puzzling and/or hilarious, and some just reflect a mindset that will prevent you from having as good a time in Buenos Aires as you otherwise might.
It’s inevitable that living the expat life means foregoing some of the things you ordinarily like to do. Be that as it may, some things are sacrosanct. Reliable broadband is one, and another…is brunch. Sure, the standard combo of tres medialunas and a cup of strong Argentine coffee will get you buzzing, but when the sugar-and-caffeine high ends abruptly a little later you’ll be left wishing you’d had a healthier option instead. Read on for some of the best places to find just that.
Most people are well aware of Tigre as a great day trip from Buenos Aires. I would take it a step further and say it is the perfect weekend trip. Either a two day/two night or two day/one night trip. I can’t think of a better way to escape the city and feel like you are in a whole other world while being only an hour away. The idea is to rent a Cabaña in the river delta, preferably as secluded as possible. While there are many options to choose from, a lot of Cabañas are located on some of the main river channels, busy with boats, less clean water and more people. Try to find something that is as far away from the town of Tigre as possible. The Via Tigre website provides the location of each Cabaña complex it lists. I chose to stay at Perikos because it appeared to be the farthest away from the city as possible. I was right.
Since most porteños have neither the time or the resources to take extended vacations during the summer, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires decided it would bring the beach to the city. CalledBuenos Aires Playa, the city debuted “urban beaches” last summer complete with sand, volleyball courts, cooling stations and soccer fields.
Since the beaches were such a hit last summer, the city has added more beaches for this summer season. The beaches will be open Tuesdays thru Sundays until Febuary 28th.
