Friends from Buenos Aires: Patrick Hussey
Thought it would be fun to get a little more perspective and ask a several others about their experiences here in Buenos Aires, Argentina. So I asked a few amigos here in Bs As to answer a few quick questions. Without waiting any longer, here we go:
Your name (hometown, or where are you from?)
Patrick Hussey, London, U.K.
1 ) When did you arrive and how long do you plan on staying (in total), or how long were you in Buenos Aires?
Arrived March 13, left June 15th.
2 ) Why did you come to Bs As? Are you doing what you came here to do?
I came because everyone one I met travelling in South Am on a previous trip said Argentina was their favourite place. Also there was this buzz about BA bubbling under, what a cool place it was. I wanted to check it out and of course it’s all half price for the Brits!
3 ) Do you like Buenos Aires (why/why not)?
I found it an impossible place to label, and my relationship with the city was more like a tempestuous relationship than anything else. Some days I loved it, often it drove me crazy! But there is a romantic, melancholy air to it I think everyone should hear for themselves, its a unique atmosphere.
4 ) What do you find to be the most significant differences between life in (insert where you’re coming from) and here in Bs As?
The time keeping is the most obvious thing, people only go out at two and stay out all night. On a less obvious note I would say there is an uncertainty in the air. What is going to happen next in this crazy country? That is the uncertainty behind Porteño eyes. That instability though probably lends to atmosphere.
5 ) For you, what’s the best thing about Buenos Aires?
The people, they were warm and curious about you as an extranjero (foreigner) as a Brit I was surprised by how friendly I found the general attitude.
6 ) And the worst thing about Bs As?
Hmm, that quiet melancholy always lapping at your mood.
7 ) Your Bs As favorites - restaurant, bar, and boliche? What’s your fave thing to do here?
Rest - Des Nivel (amazing steak and I’m a vegetarian!) Bar - Wherever Bar, Boliche- Don’t know!
Thing to do- Drink the amazing wine and chat to new friends.
8 ) Will you return to Buenos Aires and why?
Yes, when I have good enough spanish to unlock its secrets. It has so much going on which you lose out on without the language.
9 ) Did you have expectations for what Bs As would be like? Is the city what you expected it to be (why/why not)?
Any place you go is alsways so different from what you expect but BA really did take me by surprise, so like Europe but with this delicate flavour that is quite unlke anything I have experienced before. This may sound weird but BA is more like a person that a place, hard to know and changing.
10 ) Assuming you don’t intend to move here for good (at least not now), what will you miss most about the city and your time spent here?
I will miss the grand feel of BA, yes it can be complex and melancholic but it has a raw level of emotion most places don’t come near. It has definitely left a mark on me. But what I will really miss are the people I met there…and the wine! O god the vino!
For more about Pat, please check out his blog at http://bookchurch.com/
english
español
Can you tell me anything about the airport situation in Buenos Aires? I want to go there in December on Copa, but I hear that they don’t have a radar system and the air traffic controllers are always going on strike. So is it all manual take off/landing and near-collisions? From the papers, it sounds very chaotic. What’s the real deal?
5 July 2007 at 10:22 PM
Lisa,
Great question…
Every time I’ve flown in and out of Buenos Aires (EZE) the flights have been safe, sound, on time, and feel just like any flight at any other major airport in the world. And as it stands today, I feel very comfortable flying in and out of Buenos Aires.
That said, I know many people who’ve experienced prolonged flight delays, which can cause big problems when you’re making flight connections. I also recall several days where word around town was all planes were grounded due reportedly to poor weather conditions. I’ve heard the horror stories too (manual controls, strikes, etc.), and I assume there’s some truth to them (maybe quite a bit) - your concerns are well justified.
At the same time, many of the worlds leading airlines (British Airways, Qantas, American Airlines, Lufthansa, etc.) still fly in and out of Buenos Aires everyday. What that all means, I’m not exactly sure - but, I’d like to think that if they felt their passengers or staffs were in such clear and present danger (i.e. - felt other planes could so easily crash into them, etc.) they would discontinue flying in and out of EZE. To date, that doesn’t look like it will happen.
My guess is you’ll find your way into Buenos Aires with little problem other than the very real possibility of flight delays. I’m unfamiliar with Copa’s customer service reputation, but shooting them (or any airline flying into EZE) a call and having them talk you through is probably a good idea.
A.J.
P.S. - would love to know what they say!
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