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Buenos Aires - Land of Contrasts |
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Competition Details Many of us became aware of Buenos
Aires, perhaps for the first time, through the musical "Evita". Eva Peron's
fascinating life, set against the backdrop of Buenos Aires, capital of a powerful country
on the Today, nearly 50 years since the death of Eva Peron, Buenos Aires, the bustling capital of Argentina, South America's second largest country, remains evocative of the era in which she lived with such flair. Dubbed "the Paris of the South," it is also the continent's most developed and sophisticated city, serving as the region's financial and cultural centre. Buenos Aires is a curious juxtaposition of the new and old, with the sophistication of the modern era but the atmosphere of an earlier time, much like a gracious lady past her prime, all the more marked by the prevailing air of disrepair. Thus new buildings sit alongside the old, and official business is frequently mired in bureaucracy and paperwork, despite the availability of electronic technology. One thing that one isn't prepared for is the sheer, breathtaking beauty of Buenos Aires. Situated on the Rio de la Plata, the wide, tree-lined avenidas are so reminiscent of Paris, that you would be forgiven for thinking that jetlag had befuddled your brain and that you were in Europe. The Avenida 9 de Julio, said to be the world's widest avenue, with 16 lanes of traffic, is a pedestrian's nightmare. Don't be deterred by this, because the best way to experience Buenos Aires is on foot. Locals favour cheap and efficient public transport, which includes underground ('subte') rail lines, an extensive bus ('collectivo') service, and many thousands of distinctive black and yellow taxis. However, public transport is not for the faint-hearted as road markings, signals and speed limits are generally ignored, with buses being driven like cars and taxis squeezing through the narrowest of gaps in the heavy traffic. For all that, accidents are less frequent than might be supposed, if only for the driver's knack of expecting the unexpected from other vehicles. Buenos Aires is a city of contrasts, combining a unique vibrancy and rhythm with a somewhat elusive character. It is a melting pot of the cultures of Europe and Latin America. Though Buenos Aires is heavily built up, one of its surprises is the number of small parks that it contains, frequented throughout the day for relaxation, conversation and even sunbathing. They are also the territory of professional dog walkers, often seen with a dozen or more animals of all shapes and sizes on leashes. The largest park areas are found in Palermo, where the bustle of city life is soon forgotten. These include the zoo, the botanical garden, which is overrun by a thriving population of stray cats, the Rosedal, with its shaded walkways and lake, and the Japanese Gardens. Also found in this area is the polo ground and horse racetrack. Buenos Aires dates from 1536, when the Spanish explorer Pedro de Mendoza set up a camp, probably on the site of the present-day Parque Lezama, a short distance south of the city centre. This century has seen a succession of military coups and dictatorships, culminating in the so-called 'dirty War' of 1976-83, which have taken their toll. But today Gran (Greater) Buenos Aires, which includes the Federal Capital and surrounding areas, is home to some 12 million people out of the country's total population of almost 36 million. Recorded as the world's ninth largest city in 1887, it is close behind Los Angeles and Calcutta among others. It has been said of Portenos, as inhabitants of the port city of Buenos Aires are known, that they think like Italians, dress like the French and consider themselves English. Although few speak anything other than Spanish, this mix of cultures is the essence of Buenos Aires. Fashion is eclectic, although denims remain de rigueur for many for city wear, even in summer when the temperature and humidity soar. To the newcomer the landscape of Buenos Aires can appear somewhat starling, being almost totally flat with no natural landmarks except the mighty, muddy Rio de la Plata on its northern side, some 50km wide at this point, and the seemingly endless sprawl of high-rise buildings. But it soon becomes apparent that the criss-cross of narrow streets and broader leafy avenues do divide the city into approximately regularly spaced blocks. The city is also divided into some fifty barrios, or districts, and though these have long since ceased to exist in the original sense, they still hold meaning for the many socially conscious Portenos at least. Social status ranges from the opulence of Belgrano and the open spaces of Palermo to the north-west of the centre, through to shopping areas in Corrientes, to the Bohemian San Telmo and the port area of La Boca to the south-east. The Plaza de Mayo, which is historically linked to the founding of Buenos Aires, is also the spiritual and political centre of the city. On the south side is the Cabildo (town hall), which dates form 1725 and is the city's oldest surviving building. On the north side is the Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace) or pink house, famous for its balcony from which successive Argentinian Presidents have addressed their supporters gathered below. In between, in the middle of the Plaza, is the Pir mide de Mayo, which is the oldest monument commemorating the may revolution of 1810, and to the side is the Catedral Metropolitana, which houses the tomb of General Jos de San Martin, the country's liberator and national hero. At the opposite end of the Avenida de Mayo, which leads off the Plaza, lies the Congreso del la Nacien. The area is also the financial heart of the city, containing the headquarters of various banks and other institutions, and it borders the principal shopping areas. The shops in Buenos Aires are small and offer a style and level of service that has long since disappeared in many other cities. There are few large, individual stores, apart from food supermarkets, and indeed few major shopping centres. Clothes shops abound, including some of the top fashion houses such as Burberry's and Dior, and there are also many book shops (though few books in English are available). Local specialities are leather goods, curios including native Indian carvings and other artwork, gaucho memorabilia and the gourds and bombillas for mat, the bitter herbal tea which is very much part of the region's culture. Night and day merge into one in Buenos Aires, with the streets as bust after dark as by day. Portenos work long hours, generally starting between 8 and 9 in the morning and continuing through to 6 or 7 or later in the evening. They go out for meals or entertainment much later at 10 or 11 at night, ending with a strong, black coffee at a caf, in the early hours of the morning. Culturally all tastes in music and drama are catered for at a wide range of theatres. Of these the ornate, Italian-style Teatro Colen is the most highly regarded, and is one of the city's landmarks, renowned worldwide for its productions of opera, ballet and classical music. Argentinians enjoy their sustenance, and most styles of cuisine are available, with fast food outlets such as McDonald's starting to make inroads into traditional eating habits. Not unexpectedly in a cattle-rearing country, the most popular food is beef, which is usually cooked on parilla. Favoured cuts include offal such as sweetbreads, kidneys, large and small intestines, spiced and blood sausages, ribs and steaks. Pasta and pizza are also popular, as are the pasty-like empanadas, which make a cheap and tasty snack. Argentinians are also prodigious drinkers, whether of soft drinks to assuage the summer heat, the full local wines made in the shadow of the Andes in Mendoza and Salta as an accompaniment to food, or of coffee, at any time of day. The many cafs dotted around the city contribute to the uniqueness of its life, where Portenos gather to talk or simply to watch the world go by. But perhaps even more than this, it is the tango that is the spirit of Buenos Aires, which originated in the brothels of New York and Paris in the 1880's and was immortalised by Carlos Gardel in the city in the 1920s and '30's. The mournful words, seductive music and passionate dance have become synonymous with city life. Professional tango shows abound, but the experience of seeing and hearing it on the streets of La Boca or San Telmo, where it evolved, at a Sunday afternoon fair, when people throng the streets, is one that should not be missed. Buenos Aires, has also been affected by the economic conditions of the 19990s, those of rising prices, declining service standards, belt-tightening among the employed and increasing unemployment. This in turn has brought feelings of uncertainty in the future, thus polarising an already socially-divided society further. In Porteno society, the social distinctions that occur in life continue beyond death. Successive generations of the wealthy and wee-connected have been laid to rest in extravagant mausoleums in the Recoleta Cemetery close to the city centre, while the less well-off are interred elsewhere. This is also the final resting place of Eva Peron, whose flower-bedecked Duarte family crypt attracts a constant stream of devotees. With the 18th century baroque-style church of Neustro Senora del Pilar alongside the cemetery, it is not surprising that the Recoleta is a place of peace and tranquillity. Nor is it surprising that the well-kept gardens and vista of buildings with a faded elegance, should bring to mind the words of the great Argentinian poet and writer, Jorge Luis Borge (albeit written in a different context): 'Hard to believe Buenos Aires had any beginning, I feel it to be as eternal as air and water'.
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Buenos Aires pulsates with the exotic rhythms of South America
and, alluring as ever, this city of contrasts invites you to discover her. Take a stroll
along the Boulevard Avenida 9 de Julio, the world's widest avenue and visit the Plaza de
Mayo with its gracious Casa Rosada, the pink Presidential Palace from which successive
Argentinian Presidents addressed the population. You could be the lucky Voyager member who wins a one-week stay for two at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Buenos Aires. Together with your partner, you will be flown to this exotic destination, courtesy of South African Airways. This prize is valid for a year after the winning date and is subject to availability. South African Airways will provide two return economy class air tickets to Buenos Aires which are not transferable and are subject to availability. The competition is open to all South African resident Voyager members but excludes employees of South African Airways, Hyatt Hotels and Hunt Lascaris and their families. No correspondence will be entered into and the prize cannot be exchanged for cash. To enter this competition, please e-mail us on: voyager@flysaa.com and request an entry form to be sent to you - please state your Voyager membership number and your mailable address. The prize must be utilised before 30 September 1999. Stay at the The Park Hyatt Buenos Aires is located in the heart of the city's exclusive La Recoleta district, surrounded by fashionable shopping and financial institutions and embassies. Combining restoration of a turn of the century mansion with a newly constructed and complimentary guest room tower, the Park Hyatt, like Buenos Aires, is a place of contrasts. The two buildings, one in Belle Epoque style and the other neo-classical, are connected by beautifully landscaped gardens, with flower beds and a Roman style swimming pool. Sumptuously decorated with hand-selected antiques and luxurious fittings it is also equipped with an up-to-the-minute business centre and the city's most modern fitness centre. Dining options include Bistro Galani, a Mediterranean restaurant, and The Dome, an intimate bar with an excellent champagne list, which features a nightly tango show. Located on the seventh floor of the Regency Club, decorated with a variety of artwork and featuring a grand selection of national and international literature, it is a peaceful area for relaxation.
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brink of social change, prickled the imagination of
Tim Rice to the extent that he felt compelled to write a musical about her. 
Then tango until dawn to the beat of Latin American rhythms.