Buenos Aires is for shoe lovers

[starlady]

Partly this entry is an excuse to use my new David 8 icon, I'm not gonna lie. 

So, I am in Buenos Aires until next Tuesday night. It is pretty great so far! Between the buses and the subte it is fairly easy to get around and despite the fact that at this point my Spanish knowledge is basically second-hand Latin and Italian I have not had any truly horrible communications failures thus far. Partly this is because I have shamelessly let via_ostiense take almost every opportunity to practice her castellano. 

Today C and I lazed around until 11 am (v_o had to head out early for her classes) and then we went down the street to a cafe and drank coffee and ate things (medialunas and empanadas, mostly) and then v_o and I went to MALBA, which is pretty awesome and which packs quite a punch with its very well curated permanent collection, though they are between special exhibits right now so the third floor was closed. Still worth the AR $12 student rate I paid, though, despite the "we don't have change" brinksmanship the ticket takers put me through. (Change is worth more than its actual value in some ways because the buses only take change.) We then had ice cream at the deservedly famous Persicco and wandered through Palermo, including to Chicco Ruiz to try on some gorgeous but slightly too quirky boots (the actual buttons are a mixture of circles and squares; v_o had to help me button them), before heading to the only Cameroonian restaurant in South America. It was delicious. 

I really want to get a pair of shoes here, actually. I may well go back to Chicco Ruiz before I leave and buy either those shoes or a different pair if I don't find a different pair somewhere else that I love. 

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

Those boots were o la la! I bet the shoe browsing alone is a good reason to spend a week in Buenos Aires!

That's fascinating about the extra value of coins on transit. Is there not a pass system, with a magnetic stripe or a punch card?

[starlady]

The boots were great--but I really do need to be able to button all the buttons on my shoes, and I don't know if I could actually do it myself. If I go back (see below for other possible Big Splurge of the Trip contender, i.e. bags) I will wear more flexible pants, i.e. jeans, and not let v_o help me.

They do have transit cards, but I think they're fairly new/not common yet. And I think it would take a very large number of people switching to the cards to alleviate the shortage of change.

[via_ostiense]

The pass cards got implemented earlier this year, but you need a DNI number (National Identity Document) to obtain one, unfortunately. A friend loaned me a transit card, but then a pickpocket stole my wallet. >:(

[jesse_the_k]

Wow, a National ID to ride the bus? That's harsh.

Sorry about your wallet.:(

[via_ostiense]

Well, you can still pay the fare in coins (aside from the occasional bus that only accepts transit cards, grr), but having enough change is a hassle. I've had to go to the bank once to change bills into coins for bus fare, and will probably have to go again this week.

Thanks -- fortunately, I didn't lose much aside from the Monedero card and an expired driver's license. I hope the pickpocket's enjoying the $50 worth of bus fare that was on it. D:

[oyceter]

I want those shoes so much!

Also, yay wandering around and having fun!

[starlady]

See, but now I think I want one of these bags instead. Probably the Nagasaki or the Chou (they have them in this really gorgeous brown leather).

Yay wandering around! It is basically what I do. I did more of it today and it was great.