James and the Giant Blog

Buenos Aires - Sport and Recreation

jamesey — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Futbol, futbol, futbol - This was the aspect of Buenos Aires I was most excited about before my visit. I planned to arrive a few days before my family so I could watch a handful of matches from the final weekend in this soccer crazy town. Unfortanely, it wasn't to be. Boca Juniors won the title early, and in an effort to save money, the league scheduled remaining matches at earlier dates. Too bad for me.

However, I did get to tour the two major stadiums of Argentina thanks to Tangol tours of Argentina. For anyone going to see these stadiums in the future, you definitely do not need a tour guide. Just get a taxi to each and you'll be fine on your own. I happened to get one to make things easy. I got to the meeting place, and met Eduardo, an old man and River supporter who would lead the tour. Also on the tour with me were a Colombian couple, Hector and Natalia. Eduardo told them things in Spanish, and then told me things in English. We took a cab around the city.

Estadio Monumental - is the home of River Plate and often the national stadium of Argentina. I had seen it on television many times before, and couldn't wait to see it person. It's in the well-to-do Northern end of the city, and the team is nicknamed "Los Millionarios." We got to the site of the stadium and entered through the Museum. The red sash of the team was plastered everywhere and the team's theme song was on repeat. Inside the museum, our group entered a time machine that took us to the halls of River Plate history. There was a room for every decade since the club's inception (in 1901) with all kinds of artifacts to study. I enjoyed it. There were video highlights in every room of famous goals and moments.

Once we made our way through the pomp, and the trophy room, we met with more tourists and were escorted to the stands in the stadium. I admit, I got some goosebumps. Everyone was made to take a picture with the stadium in the background, for purchase later. I of course got one. The tourguide walked us around some of the stands, and I noticed they were filfthy. Just like the rest of the city, trash was everywhere, and the season had ended many days before my arrival. At some point the tour guide asked a question in spanish and everyone raised their hand. I didn't so I got some jeers. It turns out she told everyone to raise their hand if River Plate was their favorite team. I got some more polite jeers when I said L.A. Galaxy.

I followed the group back out of the stadium, and around to the player's lockers. I was amazed at how filthy those were too. They were even flooded a bit from the previous night's rain. We didn't spend much time in there, and made our way through the tunnel onto the track around the stadium. We wern't allowed on the grass but we could go everywhere else.

The moat around the perimeter of the stadium was there. It was strange to see it, since I'd glared at it on TV so many times. The giant Coca-Cola soccer balls and shoes were hanging around the sidelines too. I got a lot of pictures and it was pretty neat. Visions of Copa Libertadores matches and Classicos danced around in my head. After a while, the tour guide lead us back to the museum, through the team shop. I bought a pair of socks.

Anyone familar with the stadium will recognize this from TV.

River's sash originated when they needed a way to distinguish themselves from another team wearing all white. It now represents the club existing forever.

La Bombonera - Is the nickname (meaning chocolate box) for Boca Juniors stadium, Estadio Alberto J. Armando. Located right in the heart of the poor Boca neighborhood, this is probably the most well known stadium in Argentina thanks to the team's success and Diego Maradona's godlike status. The national team doesn't play matches there, because last time they did, Argentina lost to Peru and missed out on the World Cup in 1970. The feel of La Bombonera was definitely more touristy than the Monumental. The entire place felt like it was catering to visitors from outside Argentina, rather than the local fans. I think the tourists are the only ones could afford the prices.

There are two visuals of La Bombonera that one has from seeing it on TV. The first is the way the crowd rushes and jumps onto the fences behind the goals when a goal is scored. The second is the strange East side of the stadium that looks more like the side of a hotel rather than a stadium, where people like Diego Maradona are seen hanging out of the boxes and singing.

I was really excited when I saw that fence, and immediately had a tourguide take a picture of me jumping on it. This immediately set off a wave of tourists doing the exact same pose. I think everyone who was there knows that scene from watching matches on TV. I got to walk around the box side a little bit, and was amazed at how close the seats were to the grass. In the front row, you can lean over and your head will be aboe the touchline. That would be truly intimidating for any visitors.

We made our way around locker rooms and the innards of the stadium. I didn't know this, but Boca has a great lawn bowling team, and the fields are underneathe the western stands. I was also surprised to see stray dogs prancing their way around the tunnels. I've always wondered how so many dogs end up on the field during South American soccer matches. Now I know. No one cares to put them out, and it's easy for them to sneak in from the street.

I really enoyed the two stadiums, and the only reason I'd probably go back to B.A. would be for meaningful matches in those venues. I have a feeling that if I had grown up in the city, I wouldn't support either club. I've always been a bit of contrarian, and I'd find one of the other 10 teams in the city to support.

This is a statue of Maradona at the Boca Museum. A tourguide said "Pele may be El Rey (the king) but Maradona is Dios (god)."

La Bombonera through the fence. The box side on the right is a box because there are city buildings that block the expansion of the stadium.

I usually make quick thoughtful decisions, but this day I was on the fence.

Polo - The sport of kings is huge in Argentina. Of course it follows soccer, but it is taken very seriously, and I've learned that Buenos Aires is the hot spot for international polo. My sister and I signed up for lessons online. Our family caught a ride with our instructor, Fernando, and spent some time out in the countryside trying out the sport.

We went to the Puesto Viejo Ranch, about an hour outside of the city. Upon arrival was the first time I felt like I was breathing clean air during my trip. It was really nice to be out of the rush of the city, and in a place with nature. Flocks of parrots were out and about doing their thing, big birds flew around watching rabbits scuttle about, dogs roamed around the ranch making friends, and the horses waited for us to play some polo. It was great.

The last time I rode a horse was 2003. That wasn't necessarily a problem, because simply sitting on a horse and moving around is easy. My problem, according to Fernando, was that I was not rude to the horse. Getting polo horses to obey you requires a lot of kicking and whipping, and I couldn't get the knack of that. In fact, I abused my horse so infrequently, it lost respect for me. At the end of the day, it repeatedly tried to bite my foot in the stirrup just to let me know it was in control. My sister's horse obeyed her, and she was galluping around like a pro.

When it was actually time to play polo, I was actually pretty good at whacking my ball with the mallet. It wasn't long before I was knocking the ball 40 yards down the field and having my horse trot after it (he refused to run.) The trick for me was to aim my horse about one foot to the side of the ball, and that had me lined up for a good shot every time. Fernando was pleased with my ability. Unfortunately, my sister wasn't so good at making contact, which I attribute to her weak arms.

We were supposed to ride around for about 3 hours, but after just one, our butts were too sore to press on.

Despite a light drizzle, we practiced running up and down the field with the ball for a while, and we had a lot of fun until we got sore. Fernando was a great teacher, and very patient with our lack of skills. I guess he had to be, for the amount of money we paid him for the lessons. I'd highly recommend for anyone making a trip to Argentina to have a try at playing polo.

This horse hated me. I later switched to a white horse that hated me. Laura color coordinated for her helmet.

Fernando explaining how to whack the ball. The mallet is only allowed to be in your right hand. You swing from your shoulder.

The ranch grounds were beautiful.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Buenos Aires - The People and Quirks

jamesey — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:45:00 +0000

Demographics - Upon landing in Buenos Aires, and making my way through the airport, it was clear that the population was predominantly of European ancestory. I saw faces that would be common in Italy or Spain, and if my plane had secretly flown to one of those places, I'd believe it. No one was quite as white as me, but if they had to check a box on the census, most would check "caucasion." I think I was surprised by this. I expected it to be more like Mexico City, which has a much more diverse mix of people.

I should also add that black people were rare, and a tour of the Zujon (old 17th century building built on a creek) explained why. Most of the first black people (slaves) in Buenos Aires died in a yellow fever outbreak, when they wern't allowed to leave the infected area. The ones that did survive were sent to fight in wars, and shortly after slavery was abolished. I've always been curious why the soccer teams in the rest of South America had a lot of black guys, but Argentina doesn't. Now I know.

Another thing that surprised me was the weight people carried. Having seen the diet of meat, potatos and sweets, I'm not surprised any more, but Argentine waist lines are very similar to American waist lines. Even in the city where everyone walks, a big chunk of people could have used a little more exercise.

Language - Spanish. Duh. There is one quirk that intrigued me. Argentines like to pronounce the double "L" with a "sh" sound instead of a soft "y" sound.

Llama (as in como te llama, what is your name) is normally "yama", but Argy's say "shama"

Sevilla is "sevisha"

Pollo (chicken) is "poysho."

I have to give myself a pat on my back for my Spanish skills. I nailed most coversations with cabbies, vendors, and strangers. There is something about the Argentine accent that makes it easier for me to understand the language than if someone from Mexico or Peru is speaking it.

Style - There's no exotic dress in Buenos Aires. It's a mix of European and American styles. Since it was summer, dudes wore shorts. Gals wore skirts. If you're looking for interesting shopping, you probably won't find it if you already come from a big city.

Haircut -I can add Argentina to my list of Mexico, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland as lands where I got a haircut. My experience in Argentina was very similar to what I'd get in the USA. There was a shampooing, then a cut. The lady who washed my hair used 4 different products to do it, which seemed like a lot. I was a little dirty from having just played polo, so maybe she sensed that. The guy who cut my hair didn't make any converstion with me. He gave me tiny Euro-side burns and I don't like that. It cost $12.00, including tip.

The Poor - The impoverished who slept on the street rarely interacted with me. A few begged for change, but they mostly stayed to themselves, and dug through trash. As stated before, trash bags are all over the city, and the poor spend a lot of time digging. Many poor kids run into traffic when the light is red and perform a juggling act or dance. Then they run between the cars looking for tips. I wasn't sure whether or not they should be encouraged. Some of them were good performers.

The Rich - The neighborhood I stayed in for the second half of my trip was where the upper classes live. They wern't interesting.

Tango - I'm not sure if the tango industry in B.A. exists solely to satisfy tourists needs or if it's something Argentine's actually do. The commercialization and high prices of everything related to tango made me feel that no local would partake in it. Of course I definitely wasn't savvy enough to find a true local tango club, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

Dogs - The people of Buenos Aires love dogs. It was common to see dog walkers escorting a pack of 15 large canines down the street to a local park, which would be filled with fenced off areas for everyone's dog. Dog poop is all over the sidewalks, and no one cares. Stray dogs are even treated decently. On multiple occassions I saw strays being fed and hydrated by locals.

Politics - Political statements are all over the place. A lot of the time it's in grafitti form. I was amused at how much of the grafitti was anti-American. I wasn't surprised though. When you're number 1 at everything, everyone else gets jealous ;) Other political sentiment was in the form of protests. My trip conicided with the 10 year anniversary of the collapse of the economy, and ensuing riots which lead to the massacre of many citizens by police. Huge pictures of that event flanked the Pink House, Congress, and the main avenue.

Argy's don't want us building bases in Colombia.

More protests signs...Down at the bottom, Fuerra Kristina is in reference to President Kristina. If you like her, you spell her name with a "C." If you don't like her, spell her name with a "K."

At least one person likes the USA. No, I didn't write that.

Dog walkers discussing how they can blanket the sidewalk with even more poop.

The police were always around in good numbers near the main streets.

In mid hair-cut, the barber (white haired guy in the background) asks his cohort if my sideburns can be made any thinner. The answer was, "si." Thankfully, they've grown back.

Not even the zoo is safe from anti-Yankee sentiment.

This little stray at the San Telmo market got a lot of handouts from everyone. He mastered the sad puppy look.

Veterans from various efforts live in camps outside the Pink House. Many have lived hear for 10 years.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Buenos Aires - Food & Drink

jamesey — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:00:00 +0000

I write this after a bout of food poisoning and a bad sinus headache that affected me for a few days. I'm pretty sure it wasn't due to anything I ate or drank in Argentina. At least 9 days passed between me puking my guts out and being in Argentina. Now, onto the food.

Meat Meat Meat - Anyone going to Argentina will know that the beef is going to be special. Even with all the hype, the meat surpassed what I expected. It really was great. You could taste the grass-raised cows and really sense the flavor of the land. The chefs knew how to cook their meat too. It was always pink, easy to chew, and just delicious. I sound like a real food critic, but I'm not. I just know all the beef I had was fantastic.

Finding beef to eat is mindless. It's served everywhere. The best places are the restaurants labeled paradillas (grills) where the meat is cooked on a huge grill where everyone can see it.

Finding other meats like poultry, pork, fish, innards is easy too. All of these fine things are served in every restaurant. If you don't have colon cancer after a trip to Argentina, count your blessings.

Sides - Potatos. Potatos. Potatos. When you order your meat, expect some sort of potato to come with it. Often if's in the form of fries, or sliced potato. Mashed potato is popular too.

Deserts & Pastries - If it's European, it's found it's way to Buenos Aires. Gellatto, sugary croissants, and tirramissu are everywhere. I usually stuck with flan, and made sure it was smothered in dulce de leche. Dulce de leche is awesome caramelized sugar mixed with milk. I love it. I would marry it if I could.

Vegetables - I think Argentines hate vegetables. It was more common to see old, unsold vegetables on the street than in a restaurant. You could see curbsides of carrots, cucumbers, lettuce and tomatos and then go to a restaurants where the only vegetables option is gross old grey lettuce. I had some asparagus one day. It was grey, and watery. I had some beef and broccoli at a Chinese restaurant. There were 2 broccoli heads, a ton of red peppers and a lot of beef. Mid-way through my trip I was having withdrawls.

Wine - I'm no sommolier, but I really enjoyed the wines that were offered. I think I prefer drinking wine in Argentina rather than beer. I wasn't careful enough to write down the names of what I had, but regional house wines of any color were great. My family especially liked that mot of the wines were nitrate-free.

Beer - Quilmes is nothing special, and you can get it in the USA. It hits the spot when temps are hot, but it's flavorless. I had a lot of it, and probably never need to have it again. Brahma from Brasil is prevalent too, but it's the same as Quilmes. Don't tell the two nation's that. They'll fight you.

Stella is the big "import" and like Quilmes and Brahma, it's weak and doesn't do anything. In the Panama airport, I had an Atlas, which was a pale lager, just like the rest of what you get in South America. One beer I did try from Chile was called Kuntsmann IPA and it was decent.

In my trip to Mexico City in 2009, I had a wide array of great beers. South of Mexico, I think beer is kept cheap and easy because that's what people can afford. There isn't much variety because the idea of growing new and exotic barley and experimenting with various yeasts isn't cost effective. Oh well.

Mate - This tea you drink socially is alright. I had it twice and it's pleasant.

Water - I drank the water. I believe it's safe for gringos.

Street Food - Is not very common in Buenos Aires. There were some grills working where I had a great chorizo sausage sandwhich, but those were next to a street market.I think the Chorzipan was my favorite meal of the trip.

These ribs were huge. I barely got through them. They were so delicious I feel like all future ribs are ruined.

I bought this Pan de Dulce (sweet bread) for our Christmas morning meal. It was tastier than it looks.

Ducle de Leche and whipped cream flank my flan. That sounds dirty. It's delicious.

My dad and I split this spread of meats. The black thing is blood sausage, and the thing on the tray is intestine. I devoured both.

The dark Quilmes is bleh, just like the light Quilmes.

I ordred this plate of bacon for lunch one day. I was one with the pig.

Chorizo + Pan = Choripan. This was fantastic, on the street at San Telmo Market. I overheard Australian tourists exclaim "crikey" when they ate it. You know it's good.

Avoid Pizza in Argentina.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.