I think I could live in Buenos Aires.
I’ve visited some amazing places in the last 6 months but there’s very few I think I could say that to. Buenos Aires had everything: amazing food, a nightlife for any day of the week, an incredible football culture and warm, welcoming locals. This was it being in the freezing winter, so I could only imagine how fun summer is here.
Being the capital and a major city, Buenos Aires still had a lively hostel scene, even in winter. On my first day, I met an Australian from Alice Springs, who I ended travelling the rest of the week with. We formed a solid group of five or six, spending our days exploring the city, seeing football matches, and dabbling in the nightlife hotspots.
I managed to attend two football games during my time here of the two biggest teams in Argentina: Riverplate and Boca juniors. A couple that I met in Ecuador had given me a WhatsApp number to a guy that could get me tickets, which are notoriously difficult to obtain. First up was Riverplate, the second most popular team in Argentina and fierce rivals of Boca Juniors. We went to an entertaining game at Estadio Monumental which holds 84 000 people, that finished 2-2 with 2 late goals coming in the final minutes. The atmosphere was amazing.
Before the Boca Juniors game, I did a walking tour of the La Boca neighborhood, which focused on the area’s football culture and history. The whole neighborhood was a vibrant display of blue and yellow, Boca Juniors’ colors, with murals of Maradona everywhere. Our guide mentioned that around 40% of Argentine football fans support Boca, and it was clear why. I thought the atmosphere at River Plate was intense, but it was nothing compared to the energy at ‘La Bombonera’ for the Boca Juniors match. The experience lived up to its name and was absolutely surreal to be there.
In-between my 5 days in Buenos Aires, I took a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, which is a 50 minute ferry from the port of Buenos Aires. Uruguay wasn’t overly on the agenda for me, but after realising how close I was and the fact that I’m a shameless country counting whore, I couldn’t resist. Honestly, a day trip was enough to see the highlights of this charming town, especially in winter when its famous beaches are less inviting. Even a few hours in Uruguay was enough time for me to indulge in its national dish: Chivito, which is basically just a beef sandwich but it was tasty nonetheless.