Argentines...scared Of The Cold?

[wineguy999]

All of these observations are spot-on, though I've never really observed the non-drinking thing. Either my friends are drunks, they think I'm a drunk, or I get a pass from being in the wine business.

 

[DontMindMe]

Re: the drinking stuff, nine time out of ten I prefer wine over beer. Once, I was the only one drinking the wine I'd brought to someone's home. After more than six hours of eating, talking and hanging out, I'd had exactly 3/4 of the bottle. That's three glasses. Everyone else had probably had at least two liters of Heineken apiece, except for the pregnant girl who had been chugging Coca Cola all night (you know, cause no one blinks and eye at that). Who got made fun of for being an "alcoholic" from then on? Me! All good-natured teasing of course, so it didn't much bother me, but to this day I don't understand it. It's a bottle of wine, not a bottle of vodka, and we're eating, and so much time has gone by...I give up haha.

When dining out with female friends I've had male waiters tell us that we've either 1) ordered too much food or 2) we don't really want that second liter of beer/bottle of wine, not for only four girls, oh my! Just take our money and kindly shut up, is what I always want to say. This only seems to happen in cheto neighborhoods, though, and not that often.

I agree about the subte in the winter being unpleasant. It's such a PITA to take off a coat and then put it back on while trying to keep an eye on my purse, etc. that I usually just unbutton the top few buttons and suffer in silence while everyone else hugs themselves on the platform as if we are are about to journey to the North Pole.

 

[sergio]

So do Argentines have a different genetic makeup?

 

[ajoknoblauch]

So do Argentines have a different genetic makeup?

No. They have a different cultural makeup.

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

We to not to catch a cold ever if, never do the nose poking with your index finger. Then constantly wash your hands, do the gargles either with a shot of your favourite destilled stuff or even a gulp of Wine.

 

[Girino]

You're lucky. In my experience this is not at all typical. Of all the people I know, not a single one drinks much of anything, if anything. It's a waste to go out and order a bottle of wine unless you plan to drink the whole bottle yourself. Women will sip a bit to accommodate you but they'd rather have Diet Coke.

I think my Argie family thinks I am drunkard because I drink 3-4 glasses of wine per meal. You can't have coke or apple juice with a proper meal if you are past your your 20's!
I was uh-oh when my SIL and his bf came at our place for a family dinner with a bottle of Diet Coke and one of 7up. I mean, that was no 6 y.o. party!

It was clearly a case of the BYOB (bring your own bottle)

 

[Ries]

I wonder if some of this is generational.
Although I am as old as the hills, myself, I hang out a lot with younger people in BA, and they all drink normal amounts of alcohol- There is almost always beer and wine at the table.
And when I go out to see music, at places like Konex or Niceto or Matienzo, there is always drinking. Heck, at Konex, they only sell litres of beer, and the Fernet comes in liter size cups too.
I do notice a distinct lack of public drunkeness, particularly compared to english speaking or scandinavian countries.
In the US, or the UK, you see people falling down drunk in public all the time.
I almost never see that in Argentina.

 

[Girino]

I wonder if some of this is generational.
Although I am as old as the hills, myself, I hang out a lot with younger people in BA, and they all drink normal amounts of alcohol- There is almost always beer and wine at the table.
And when I go out to see music, at places like Konex or Niceto or Matienzo, there is always drinking. Heck, at Konex, they only sell litres of beer, and the Fernet comes in liter size cups too.
I do notice a distinct lack of public drunkeness, particularly compared to english speaking or scandinavian countries.
In the US, or the UK, you see people falling down drunk in public all the time.
I almost never see that in Argentina.

I am not sure if this is generational. Sure my grandparents didn't have so much money to waste on alcohol as my parents (born in the 50's) had and did. Alcohol is introduced in a boy/girl by the family, when you are invited to take a sip of Spumante on great occasions. Of course they don't incourage you to get drunk, simply to taste some of the expensive stuff.
I think here wine cost as much as a soda, so this "enjoy the good things of life" way of thinking is not applicable. Plus, given the lack of taste in food hey have, no surprise it is the same also in the wines.

There is a drinking issue in now youngers (born in the '90s), because they are taking things to another level, and mixing it with drugs (I.e. Their kind of fun night means who passes out last, who is so drunk he would do something degrading and then tape him and ridiculize him publicly, etc)
I have had my fair share of alcohol binges during my university years but that was it. That was not Appreciating alcohol, that was just using it as a mean to socialize. Now I do enjoy beer and wine, and I have my own preferences.

Now in Argentina I drink alchol almost daily, but that means I have an aperitivo before lunch or before dinner, usually when I am about to start cooking.
If I am at a more formal dinner, e. g. Sunday lunch with the family, I'll have 3 or 4 glasses of wine but I won't get drunk!

I either drink beer, water or wine when having lunch/dinner, I can't stand that childish crap they use here (apple juice, diet coke, soda, wine and soda, sidra).
There is party/junkie drink and food drink, but they are two separates worlds for me!
A over sugared drink will cover/alter the food taste, I might actually get offended if they drink that shit to wash down the food I personally cooked like if it was some fast food crap!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

 

[Gringoboy]

In the UK, we used to board up the shop windows on Friday and Saturday nights, not because of looting, but because of the drunks.

 

[TomAtAlki]

We're lucky, I think all our friends are drunks! ( except maybe 1 or 2).
Nancy