Coming from Chile. Flying over the Andes was a nice experience. A beautiful view and high mountains close by. After arriving, I messaged a friend who was in Buenos Aires as well to let him know I’d arrived. We figured out that we’re staying in exactly the same building, just on different floors. What are the odds? The next day, I joined a Nomad meetup, which was fun and a good start to getting to know some people in the new city I had just arrived in.
Hyperinflation & Blue Dollar
I was expecting Argentina to be very cheap. I was proven wrong. Prices were crazy high (especially food), actually comparable to Switzerland. Argentina has been very accustomed to hyperinflation over the past 100 years, as I learned. While a sandwich cost less than $1 in 2024, it was up more than 200% to $9 this year. That’s crazy. Obviously, regular salaries did not increase, so people are struggling a lot. When I had takeaway food with me, people were always asking if they could have it. That’s a sign of real trouble. Not like in Australia or Switzerland, where they want money for their next drug trip. Argentina hit differently.
Then there’s this thing called the “Blue dollar”. Something everyone will come across when travelling in Argentina. I’m not a financial expert and don’t get the details. Basically, there are two different exchange rates. The official currency (Argentine peso) is pegged to the US dollar, but it loses value. That’s why there are two exchange rates. The difference used to be a lot, making prices for tourists very low. The time I visited, the difference wasn’t that notable anymore. So finding a place to grab cash at the blue dollar exchange rate wasn’t that big a deal, unlike a couple of months ago. Still, services like Western Union are recommended for getting cash rather than ATM withdrawals. Talking about cash. Getting 200 USD is a big pile of cash. 1000 pieces are the only ones I got, which is worth less than a dollar.
Food
What else is Argentina famous for? For sure, the steakhouses and meat selection, so-called Parrilla. There are such places everywhere. I’m not a huge meat lover, so it was too much after a while, but the meat is really good. So meat lovers will love it. Within Buenos Aires, there are some very famous places to go. I personally like “Milanesa” a lot. When talking about Argentinian food, “Empanadas” also comes up. Something that is internationally famous and well known. Another dish I’ve never heard of before is “Fugazzeta”. It’s a special style of Pizza with a lot of cheese.
Co-Working space
My routine in Buenos Aires was the same as it had been for the last few weeks in Chile. Working, commuting, food, sleep. Nothing much different. Also in Argentina, I went to a wework co-working in the city centre. Since it was a bit of a drive, I used Uber. The view from the co-working was spectacular. The view of the historic buildings of Buenos Aires, especially at sunset, was stunning.
Cocktail Bars
A friend of mine from Peru was joining me during my stay in Argentina’s capital. She was working remotely, too, and is very into cocktails and special bars. Buenos Aires has a lot to offer in that sense as well, as there are multiple bars within the list of “The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024”. So we went out to try them.
There were many themed bars. Like the New York City subway, where you go through an underground tunnel and enter the bar through a wagon. Another one was a flower shop upstairs, and through a back door, the guests arrived in the bar.
One evening, we had the chance to attend a guest bartending shift at the 8th-best bar in the world. The bartender came from Italy and the UK. The best as well. It was a lot of fun. It wasn’t open to the public; it was a private event, but thanks to my friend’s connections, we were able to join. It was a lot of fun.
Excursion to Tigre
My friend from Peru, the nomad friend from Thailand, and I discovered some areas around the city after work, especially at weekends. One such place was a bit North of the city, an area called “Tigre”. It’s located at the mouth of a large river, and the area has many side streams. In between buildings are placed, which are not connected by road but by river systems. So the way to go around is by boat instead of car or motorbike. This creates quite a special vibe. There are many tourist boats cruising along the larger river, and people can take a look at this quite unique place. Same as we did.
La Boca
A district in Buenos Aires, which is quite arty, has traditional tango dance venues and is also home to a local soccer team. Boca Juniors, one of the two largest sports clubs in Argentina. For that reason, it’s a very touristy area. People go there to wander through the narrow streets and grab a bite.
Orchestra at the Opera
Colón Theatre in Buenos Aires is considered one of the ten best opera houses in the world. At the time I was visiting the city, there was a special performance. They played Disney songs with the orchestra. The opera has one of the best acoustics, and it would be a shame not to experience it. The show was booked out. I’m not very into classical music, but I’m somehow familiar with Disney songs, so it was great. Not only were the acoustics great, but the building was remarkable as well.
Weekend trip to Montevideo
Montevideo in Uruguay isn’t far from Buenos Aires. A ferry is connecting the two capitals, and it’s a great weekend trip away.
Check out the details about the trip at “Weekend trip to Uruguay“.