Is Buenos Aires a Third World City?

[Liam3494]

Totally off the subject I know, but there are 300,000 from irish heritage within Argentina, according to local knowledge acquired on Paddy's Day in BsAs. Mind you, we are not that brilliant at cooking ourselves - But we did give the World Guinness!

 

[soulskier]

Soulskier,

Come on. Just because nothing has ever happened to you personally does not mean crime is not a problem. Frankly, nothing has happened to me but I still am aware that crime is a big and growing problem.

The problem with people who work in tourism is that they constantly try to cover for the safety issues here so as not to cut into their income.

OK, how about if I include the over 200 guests that traveled thru BA on their trip to Bariloche, and non of them reported any issues?

To me, it means the city is pretty safe. It has nothing to do about me working in tourism, as you suggest. It has to do with the facts, which is nothing bad has happened.

 

[jp]

Totally off the subject I know, but there are 300,000 from irish heritage within Argentina, according to local knowledge acquired on Paddy's Day in BsAs. Mind you, we are not that brilliant at cooking ourselves - But we did give the World Guinness!

Have you found a decent pint of guinness anywhere? I got served frogspawn milkshake a few times then gave up.

 

[Joe]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe
We could use a new wave of Italian immigrants in order that the cooking skills be refreshed...

Quote:
Originally Posted by BlahBlah
How long have you been living in BA?

I think I know where Joe is coming from. The barrio of Pueyrredon (to name just one I am familiar with) is packed with Italian Argentines - so much so that during the Italian elections, campaining and poster displays filled the streets and the billboards. (people of Italian descent have a right to vote in Italian elections wherever they live, or so I understand) If you want top quality Italian food, the way they used to make it fifty years ago, head on out to Pueyrredon.

But that's the point: fifty years ago is the point. Immigrant communities anywhere, have always tended to preserve the practices and traditions of their own culture as they were at the time of migration. Maybe Joe is used to modern Italian cuisine, as practiced today in Italy. In which case the old fashioned Italian food he can find in Pueyrredon and elsewhere in BsAs won't be his thing.

I've only been here two months and I readily admit my poor Spanish skills hamper my ability to select food in restaurants. But twice I have had risotto and it in both cases it looked like regular rice with some yellow food coloring and extremely dry. Nothing like the risotto I have had in the US or Europe.

Honestly I had better food on the train in Italy then I have generally experienced here....

 

[Liam3494]

Have you found a decent pint of guinness anywhere? I got served frogspawn milkshake a few times then gave up.

Actually, I had quite a decent pint of Guinness at Down Town Matias, the one in the Buenos Aires Design Centre in Recoleta, when I watched Ireland win the Grand Slam back in March. The price was high (AR$ 28), but had to celebrate the win with a drop of the Black Stuff, and I admit to being suprised that it was decent. Usually Guinness doesn't travel that well, and have had my share of swill around the world.

I have no idea if they import all the way, or if it is brewed somewhere in S Am, if anyone knows, let me know!

 

[HDM]

I've only been here two months and I readily admit my poor Spanish skills hamper my ability to select food in restaurants. But twice I have had risotto and it in both cases it looked like regular rice with some yellow food coloring and extremely dry. Nothing like the risotto I have had in the US or Europe.

You probably aren't going to find "real" Italian food because you are not really in Italy. You should have no trouble, though, finding Argentine food.

But, here's a risotto that's pretty close. The mushroom risotto at El Catedral, which is on the corner of Cervino and Sinclair, in Palermo Nuevo. It is the best risotto I have had in Buenos Aires, although maybe not the best risotto I've had in Italy. And if you want creative fish dishes, stay on Sinclair in the direction of Libertador, and one block from El Catedral, on the other side of the street, you will find "Francesco." Expensive as all hell, but the best ceviche, by far, I've had anywhere in this city.

Now, if someone can locate an Italian (Naples style) pizza here ... please tell where.

 

[ghost]

Argentina, not just it's capital city, is Third World in all of the term's negative connotations.

To visit for a few days or a week, it might not be so obvious, but when you live here it surely is. The endless headaches, the chronic dishonesty and corruption and almost no way to solve it, the pollution pouring out at street-level and greasy soot coating everything, the most polluted river on the continent and no way in decades of talking about it to solve it. I used to think "Third World" was an economic term, etc. After living here for years, Im positive its in their head. They have a 3rd world mentality and ,therefore, this kind of country and no doubt for generations to come.

Sometimes its small indicators. Why dont any towns or suburbs have trash cans outside? easy! because they would be stolen in a flash. When I watch an old Flintstones episode and see Fred putting the trash can out in the closing credits, I think, Hey, argentina hasnt even gotten to that point yet! And its the same for vehicle inspections. The corruption is so deep and so hard to control, that they cant even have vehicle inspection stickers. The result are cars tied together with coat hangers and rope.

I know some honest people here and even THEY do dishonest things to survive. Its the only way here, always was, and will be. So everyone has their own definition of 3rd world. In mine, argentina shows what Jefferson, rather innocently, meant when writing in a letter he referred to the newly independent nations to the south as being infected with "the virus of Spanish influence," i.e., endemic failure.

Well said and well put. Argentina is 3rd World and Buenos Aires is 3rd Class and that is exactly the way the population prefers to be.

 

[Ries]

People don't stop to amaze me

I am assuming by this snide remark that you are willing to pay more than 50 centavos for my 50 centavos coins.
How much?
How many would you like?
I can probably supply you with quite a few, enough to finance my Fugazzeta habit at least.

Will you pay 1 peso for them?
Maybe you can pay my cable bill too.

 

[soulskier]

I am assuming by this snide remark that you are willing to pay more than 50 centavos for my 50 centavos coins.
How much?
How many would you like?
I can probably supply you with quite a few, enough to finance my Fugazzeta habit at least.

Will you pay 1 peso for them?
Maybe you can pay my cable bill too.

Ries, are you the guy hording all the coins in this country?

 

[criswkh]

I want to contribute to the black market of coins. We have 297 peso coins...highest bid wins I have an offer of 350 for it.