Alternative Tourism

[BlahBlah]

That's like an European who lives in downtown Detroit or a American living in the Paris slums

 

[Celia]

Well, I've stayed in less salubrious parts of Paris and I never saw anything like I see here in terms of the number of cartoneros and children rummaging through trash. Never seen anything like it in London either.

 

[soulskier]

Another average photo of Argentina

 

[tangobob]

If you are going to show the bad side of life in Buenos Aires then where are your photos of road deaths?

 

[ReemsterCARP]

Either people take themselves way to seriously here, or they get easily offended (or both). I was just mocking the 'alternative tourism' packages that some companies offer, like doing a 'villa miseria' tour, or seeing a match with Boca's 'La Doce'. At the same time it's a (humorous) attack at BA's touristy image of tango, steak and supposedly being the 'paris of the south'.

The funny thing actually is that these photo's (although they did not reflect my daily life in BA) ARE daily reality for many people. Even I, as an exchange student got in touch w/ the other side of buenos aires. Some of the photos are actually from my personal collection.

I took the (Roca) train to Ezeiza to visit a slum in Esteban Echeverría (I have a relative living there), I used to go to River Plate matches, I walked the subte tracks (actually when trying to get to El Monumental), my university was located in Once etc.

I'm not posting these images to paint a negative image of Buenos Aires. Hell, we all live there or have lived there and we (at least are supposed to) know what it's like (even though some expats never get out of the Barrio Norte bubble - which is kind of sad). And there's no need for expats to defend the poor Argentines we're mocking, they're verbally very competent.

About the Caracas comment:
The last thing I want is compare Caracas favourably with Buenos Aires. Compared to Caracas, Buenos Aires is HEAVEN ON EARTH. 50% of Caracas is pure slums, it's a dirty, ugly, contaminated city which lacks the SAFETY and diversity of cultural offerings that BA has. And last, but not least, it's too much orientated at the EEUU instead of the UE (which I perceive as a negative thing - purely because I'm a UE citizen - no offence to the EEUU citizens).

People that have read my posts over the past few years know that BA is my second home, that I have very close relations with my argentine family and friends, and that I love most of Argentine culture, while I acknowledge the downsides such as peronism, clientelism, el gatillo facil, paco addicted villeros, barras bravas etc. The only reason I don't live in BA right now is because there (currently) are no job opportunities for me.

Saludos,

Reemster.

PS: I had hoped more people would've contributed images to complete the alternative tourism tour.

 

[rihornos]

Hello

Buenos Aires has the good and glamorous side but also this dark side that we hate to see when we go out of the city and we pass by Villa 31, but expats are not the only ones that don`t see these place and I don`t blame them because it`s not a nice experience or a nice place to see, but is a part of a developing country, this is not 1st world and is good to have it clear mainly for our politicians that are the one that should have these issues into account and make the effort to change it. Is not offensive what Reemster says this is my opinion as a local.

 

[BlahBlah]

Just build a wall around it, so that it can only be seen if you enter the villa or drive on the autopista

 

[rihornos]

It is better to give this people some opportunities like education, we build walls for private neighborhoods but I don`t think people should live surrounded by walls where they can`t get out and other can`t get in, what sort of life is this....

 

[BlahBlah]

A life of 70 years of political incompetence

 

[rihornos]

and mostly corruption I would say