Parisian touch in Argentina

Buenos Aires is perhaps the only city on earth that can challenge Paris in terms of charisma, cityscape and culture,” said my guide Georgina, while showing me the vibrant capital city of Argentina. An overstatement for sure, but I see some truth in it as the city’s grand ensemble of parks and avenues, palaces, museums and plazas, and cafés, bars and bohemian lifestyle unfolds before me. I find it to be more European than South American, and there are reasons for it.

Though the city was founded by the Spanish colonisers in 1536, its golden era started only around mid-18th century when Argentina became the seventh richest country in the world. Migration from Europe, particularly from France, Italy and Germany, peaked during that era, making Buenos Aires a melting pot of wealth, cultural creativity, and innovation. The European architects gave the former Spanish colonial outpost a revamp with lots of Parisian touches. Perhaps that’s why it’s nicknamed “Paris of South America”.

Identity crisis

I soon realise this high-energy city, like Paris, never bores, rarely sleeps and wields an irresistible appeal over visitors. Strong fashion consciousness of the inhabitants, their weakness for coffee and wine, interest for literature, art and music, high affection for dogs, and liking for Renaults and Peugeots further explains their city’s nickname.

The city’s soaring architectural line-up is like any other neoclassical European metropolis. This is explicit at the Plaza de Mayo conclave, which stands as a silent witness of Argentina’s history from 16th century Spanish colonial times to great “Peronist” rallies in the 1950s and bloody riots in 2001. The expansive square is ringed by many grand edifices. Immediately recognisable is the Casa Rosada or the Pink House, featured many times on television news and movies like Evita. From the balcony of this grand mansion, some of Argentina’s heroes like first lady Eva Peron and football legend Diego Maradona greeted their fans crowding outside. Currently, the building is the office of country’s President Cristina Fernandez.

Many grand thoroughfares originate from this square, Avenida de Mayo being the most prominent. Draped with decorative domes, balustrades and caryatids, an impressive array of European-styled buildings flank this ten-block stretch alongside several boutiques, shops, bookstores and restaurants, the 157-year-old Café Tortoni being famous for its décor, service and ambience.

Buenos Aires locals, called porteños, passionately enjoy their café culture like most Parisians do. “No, we don’t imitate them, it has come naturally to us because we enjoy socialising,” tells Georgina while enjoying a caffeine hit at a café on the busy 9 de Julio Avenue, which is the widest boulevard in the world. Nearby is Teatro Colon, the city’s grandest venue for cultural performance that can rival the opera houses in Paris or Vienna.

The social and cultural influence of cafés is so intense that around 50 old establishments have been declared as a part of the cultural and historical heritage of Buenos Aires. Ornamented chairs, marble top tables, wood paneling, brass fixtures and soft music playing in the background collude there to transfer back people’s minds and moods to a bygone era when intellectuals and commoners as well grouped there to discuss anything from the release of a new book or a cinema to the latest in Tango music.

Passionate locals

“Most Argentinians have three religions — Christianity, Tango and Football,” Georgina declares with pride and no one will disagree with this. While conversing with the locals, it may be sometimes difficult to determine who is greater, Jesus or their celebrated footballer Lionel Messi. It’s highly possible to trigger an unfriendly outcome if too much comparison is made between Pele and Maradona.

I sense more samples of that craziness when I visit the lively neighbourhood of La Boca, famous for its passionate identification with the local football team Boca Juniors where once Maradona’s heart and affection lay. On a mid-week afternoon I find thousands outside the La Bombonera stadium, the home ground of Boca Juniors. Seeing such a huge gathering, I immediately think there must be a match staring soon. “No match today, the fans are waiting to buy tickets for this weekend’s game,” clarifies Georgina, while guiding me through numerous shops selling mainly football merchandise and souvenirs.

The area displays blue collar aesthetic, which appears as a legacy of the poor 19th century European and African migrants. Their lust for a good life, sense of humour, and craving for fun and love for art led to the birth of Tango music and dance. Today, it’s the nation’s cultural emblem and no visit to Buenos Aires is complete without experiencing it.

I first see it as a street performance at Plaza de Mayo where a group is entertaining the crowd with elegant moves and steamy embraces, all of typical Tango dancing. However, nothing compares to the charm of getting totally immersed in its mood and rhythm at a classy venue while sipping nice Argentinian wine. Like Lido and Moulin Rouge in Paris, there are many spots where connoisseurs can enjoy the graceful footwork and body movements, nicely choreographed with evocative music and songs. The show inspires many in the audience to learn the routine in its very basic form — the eight tricky steps. I try it later with one of the performers and that stays as my best souvenir from the trip.

 Fact File

Getting There: Fly Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dubai to Buenos Aires
Food: Argentina is famous for its grilled meat cuts, but for veg and non-veg curry lovers, Tandoor Indian Restaurant is a great option
Local Tour Operator: Eurotur (www.eurotur.com.ar)
Tango Show: Check www.laventanaweb.com for details