Buenos Aires, like everything, is changing. Some changes are welcome; some are dreaded.
The city’s program of installing bike paths is the best we’ve seen anywhere. The bike paths replace parking lanes entirely, giving bicyclists a truly dedicated and protected two-way path. And they are all over the city, bisecting it in every direction. At home, in Evanston and Chicago, bike paths are half hearted . . . a joke really; a very dangerous joke played on bicyclists by politicians who don’t have the courage to act decisively and responsibly. In Nashville, we were shocked to find “share the road” signs on the expressway (!), where the speed limit is 55. Sorry, but that is simply idiotic. I must say, BA is way ahead of the curve!
Photo above: Bike lane at the end of our block, along Julian Alvarez.
Buenos Aires has also changed the situation with trash, at least in Palermo and Villa Crespo. We haven’t yet been to any of the other barrios this time, but assume this is now prevalent everywhere. Previously, people did one of three things:
1. They would put their trash into a metal basket, well above ground, meant to keep animals from foraging (except for squirrels, because there are no squirrels here). Notice the metal basket in the photo below; next to the green Estanciera truck:
Another:
2. They would place their trash bags against the nearest tree or into the gutter along the curb.
3. In some blocks, for reasons I don’t know, they would walk to the corner and throw it into a growing pile.
Now there are one or more large bins on each block. Our neighbor cheerfully asked us to instruct our housekeeper to no longer place the trash against the tree in front of his house because the city now imposes fines for not using the new bins.
Images above and below: The new trash bins.
One outcome, it appears, is that we haven’t seen any carteneros (poor people, searching through trash for cardboard and other recyclables). We haven’t seen those on foot nor those that came around on horse and wagon. At least not so far. Although the sound of the horse clopping on the pavement was charming, the reality is that these people are desperately poor, searching for anything that can be reused or sold as scrap to make a few pesos. We often saw entire families picking through trash in the dark of night. Last night, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. UPDATE: During the three weeks that followed my initial report, we noted that there are still lots of carteneros working in the night.
Yet another outcome is that the city appears noticeably cleaner than it did in the past. Not clean … just cleaner. Some of our friends here don’t notice the change because they are here all the time, but to us, there has been improvement. And little, by little, the city is paving over the century old stones with asphalt. It makes the roads more quiet, but we lament the loss of the granite paving. In places, the paving was artfully and beautifully laid in circular patterns. Along El Salvador, comes to mind. Gone. The stones (see photo below), I have read, were brought from Europe as ballast on ships.
A year or two ago the city entirely remodeled the park at the end of the block. Now they have added a fenced dog run. That’s a welcome addition. And the city continues to install more curb cuts for the handicapped:
Unfortunately, the guy at the rear wasn’t paying attention and stopped the flow of concrete too late, leaving them with a large slug of unnecessary concrete. After this photo, they all came to stand and look at the pile of concrete and to discuss what to do about it.
As we traverse the city on our bikes we notice that new construction continues with abandon. But we don’t understand it. The government restrictions on the U.S. dollar should have stopped the real estate market in it’s tracks, and we’re told it did. Yet we see developers tearing down buildings, helter skelter, and replacing them with new ones. Who is buying all this, we ask? Everyone shrugs. Meanwhile, boutique hotels have been closing right and left. Even the venerable Malabia House in Palermo Soho has bit the dust. In spite of that, we see new restaurants and shops that have appeared just since our last visit in April. People keep trying; plodding forward against the heavy current of a sputtering economy and against the odds. Hooray for them for trying! Suerte!
Above: Just one development that is a couple blocks from Casa Palermo. See more at the developer’s website. And that’s just one developer.
Meanwhile, the peso continues to be in trouble. :( The official exchange rate is now around $6.11 pesos to $1 USD. The “blue rate” (read: black market rate) is around $9.80 pesos to the USD. Last April the official rate was around $5 pesos and the blue around $7.50. The rate of inflation is a mystery, but many insist it’s around 25%. Things are noticeably more costly, but still affordable for foreigners and those with dollars.
In spite of the economic woes, we observed at dinner last night that the restaurant was packed full, with people waiting for tables. The ambient noise was loud from all the talking and laughter and clicking of wine glasses. The lights were bright and there seemed to be sense of hopefulness. But the portions were smaller and we noticed some patrons sharing; something we’ve never seen before.
There is one thing that hasn’t changed. One thing that you can count on. When it rains, it pours.
-jrb 11-28-13
