Buenos Aires, In Idiosyncracies

They say every city has a personality, so as I'm getting to know my new home for the next half-year, I thought I'd document its idiosyncracies—the features that make Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires. Here's my first impression:

1. On almost every city block you will find:

A newspaper stand

A kiosko

A pizzería

Someone with a cigarrete in their hand

2. For 30 pesos, you can get a burger, fries, and a drink at Burger King. For 45 pesos you can eat decently (though also a little thriftily) at this fancy restaurant with linen and a waiter.


3. The Abasto shopping mall seems like one of the fanciest spots in town, with rows and rows of designer stores, like YvesSaintLauren.

In apparent contradiction to its upscale atmosphere, the mall also has not one but three McDonalds: one big one on the ground floor, one in the food court on the third floor, and a kosher one on the other side of the food court. The mall also has an indoor kids carnival called "Neverland," but no one seems to wince but me.


4. Every restaurant serves the same food: pizza, pasta, milanesa (breaded meat), tortilla, omlette, tarta, empanada. Even Acapulco, a Mexican restaurant on la calle Lavalle, can't help itself from putting pizza and pasta on the menu.

5. You can find kids swimming in the fountain in front of the Congress building.


6. A number of cities have lots of grafitti, but only in Buenos Aires is the majority of it political.

"Gane que gane pierde la gente - no votes"

"Basta de mano dura contra el pueblo pobre"

"Los Kirchner a la carcel"

7. It's possible to go a supermarket and not find beans.