Is Buenos Aires losing it's glimmer..

[jaredwb]

So, for those that have read my posts before in regards to Argentina life, you know that I love this city and the people.

However, I can't help to notice that it is losing much of what made this city sparkle (at least in my eyes).

Let's start with the obvious...prices! In Nov, I went to the states for 2 months and was SHOCKED and how CHEAP everything was in the states as compared to Buenos Aires. I was in San Francisco for 3 weeks and each time I went to the grocery store, I almost fell over. SO many options and the prices were seriously 1/2 of what they are here in Capital...it is insane. Clothing, don't even go there...I bought myself, my wife, and my son enough clothes to last us for the next 2 seasons...again, shocked at the prices. and of course, no surprise that the electronics are 1/2 what they cost here. An iPad 32G WiFi for example is 599,00 in the US and (I just bought one for one of my employees) here it is 3,999.00 (about 1000 dollars). I'm pretty sure that either 2011 or 2012 is going to bring another economic crash so maybe that will help a bit...just need to stick it out

Security...of course, sucks everywhere no matter where you live and I live in one of the nicest barrios in the city...but still, when I go out at night I tend to find myself looking over my shoulder more than I would like.

Cleanliness...this city is disgusting! If it isn't dog crap all over the place, it's garbage sitting in the street waiting to be picked up by the garbage collectors on strike every other week. And when it is hot, the city stinks to high hell.

Traffic, shitty sidewalks, rude people, too many Starbucks, and so many tourists that I hear more English in Palermo than Spanish.

Coming back from the U.S. it was the 1st time in 8 years that I actually considered leaving Buenos Aires for greener pastures...:-(

Thoughts?

 

[steveinbsas]

You could consider moving here: Beautiful Bahia Blanca

I work in property as many know here but I am planning my escape hatch at the moment to a very small town in Patagonia away from Buenos Aires and the worlds problems.

Keeping fiat currencies now is playing with fire . Use the monies NOW buy land , buy gold silver and one years supply of food . Prices for food will double in 2011 and inflation of 30 % will seem like the good old days.

There are two 25 x 50 meter (side by side) residential building lots (bordered by trees) for sale near my house (2 KM from the Atlantic coast and 8 KM from a economically stable (naval base) town pop. 75,000). The land here is ideal for growing food, raising chickens, and hunkering down while the rest of the world deals with the chaos. The soil here is fantastic and so is the weather (two cold winter months but no snow). I've planted orange, apple, peach, pear, and lemon trees since my arrival last June (after four years in Ciudad Buenos Aires).

A lot in the "village" four blocks from this location just sold for $20 USD per mtr2. The lots near me are priced at $16 USD per mtr2. The man who built the house I'm in thinks it's still possible to build with cement and bricks for about $600 pesos per meter and considerably less for solid wood construction. His estimate was based on the cost of materials six months ago, but since then those prices haven't increased nearly as much as food, which is still somewhat cheaper here than in Capital Federal.

 

[Johnny]

Jaredwb,

Most of what is bothering you doesn't much bother me, save for the prices. I don't feel any less secure. The heat is nothing compared to the long, hot and humid summers I fought in Miami. Dirty ? No big deal for me. Starbucks ? I don't like 'em but not an issue.

But, the vibe of a few years ago is diminishing. No question. Why ? I can't put my finger on it. The economy ? Maybe. At any rate, people at times seem glummer.

Maybe I've just been here too long. Five years. But, like you, I'm thinking about leaving as well. Vamos a ver.

 

[PhilipDT]

too many Starbucks,

No fucking way.

I'm from seattle, if anything, buenos aires doesn't have nearly enough starbucks.

 

[jaredwb]

No fucking way.

I'm from seattle, if anything, buenos aires doesn't have nearly enough starbucks.

LOL...ok, maybe compared to any big U.S. city there are not many Starbucks, but I remember when there were zero.

One of the things I used to love telling people when they asked me about Buenos Aires was that if you wanted coffee you had to sit down at a local cafe and drink your coffee there...no take away. I met so many people that way when I first moved here it was a special part of my initial years and still have great friends from those random cafe encounters.

 

[PhilipDT]

LOL...ok, maybe compared to any big U.S. city there are not many Starbucks, but I remember when there were zero.

One of the things I used to love telling people when they asked me about Buenos Aires was that if you wanted coffee you had to sit down at a local cafe and drink your coffee there...no take away. I met so many people that way when I first moved here it was a special part of my initial years and still have great friends from those random cafe encounters.

Yes I love sitting down and having shitty no take away coffee.

I'm sorry, I'll take starbucks's shitty overroasted coffee any day before 90% of the weak crappy swill they call coffee in your precious no take-away cafeterias.

 

[Napoleon]

One of the things I used to love telling people when they asked me about Buenos Aires was that if you wanted coffee you had to sit down at a local cafe and drink your coffee there...no take away. I met so many people that way when I first moved here it was a special part of my initial years and still have great friends from those random cafe encounters.

Yes I love sitting down and having shitty no take away coffee.

I'm sorry, I'll take starbucks's shitty overroasted coffee any day before 90% of the weak crappy swill they call coffee in your precious no take-away cafeterias.

I used to always tell people, "If you want REAL coffee, GO TO McDONALD'S and pass the McCafe and go straight to the counter. Their plain ol' drip coffee is about the best coffee you're going to find in this city."

I never did the sit down and enjoy crap coffee thing and therefore I never met people that way. Sometimes I focus to much on the destination (coffee that doesn't suck) that I forget that the best part is the journey. Now I'm a little bummed.

So, for those that have read my posts before in regards to Argentina life, you know that I love this city and the people.

However, I can't help to notice that it is losing much of what made this city sparkle (at least in my eyes).

Let's start with the obvious...

Traffic, shitty sidewalks, rude people, too many Starbucks, and so many tourists that I hear more English in Palermo than Spanish.

Coming back from the U.S. it was the 1st time in 8 years that I actually considered leaving Buenos Aires for greener pastures...:-(

Thoughts?

Let's start with the obvious: I got here in March of '07 and since my first day in the city, there have ALWAYS BEEN SO MANY TOURISTS THAT I HEAR MORE ENGLISH IN PALERMO THAN SPANISH. (I'm not a big ALL CAPS guy, but that was a ridiculous statement.)

At least now you're hearing more and more Portuguese, so you no longer think you're in SoHo, NYC.

I too have been contemplating life in BsAs a lot recently, but I just clicked on a video this evening that took me back to Uruguay last summer where I snapped this shot:

First the short, but very sweet beach at sunset duet music video.

"El Chinito": http://vimeo.com/19773174

Then I looked at the "filmmaker's" two other videos and I saw this one. It's a video birthday card to someone named Clara (a.k.a. "Clarita") who apparently is currently in Vienna. It's so typically Buenos Aires that it can't help but bring a smile to your face.

"From Buenos Aires to Vienna, Clarita turns 30": http://vimeo.com/17965024

This will hopefully pick up your spirits.