fun out of the sun

Sure, Buenos Aires is in a different time zone; but really, it's in a different time. Everything is later here. Lunch is at 2pm, afternoon tea at like 5pm, and dinner around 9 or so. On schoolnights, bedtime is early, but when partying happens, the night doesn't begin until after midnight (so technically, morning). 

It's traditional, when going out on Saturday night for instance, to take a cat nap ("disco nap") before or after dinner, then watch a movie and get ready. One usually departs around 12-1am for an early arrival (happy hour is usually 10-12am), then party until the sun comes up. The more lame dive bars close around 4am, while the better ones (and clubs, of course) don't close until at the earliest 6am. And I know that there are afterparty locations for sunday morning boozefests after the sun come up, but I haven't had the opportunity as of yet to visit one.

Since basically all drinks (except Quilmes) are imports, they cost about the same as in the US (maybe a little cheaper, since value added and wages are lower on average): AR$10 for a shot or a beer, AR$20 for a mixed drink, cocktails for any variety of steep prices. 

Buenos Aires' bar scene is crawling with Americans and Europeans, in front of and behind the bar. One of the first nights we went to a place called El Alamo where the main bartender was from Boston, all the music was American or British, and basically the entire patronage were either American expats or from a variety of Latin American countries (also some Irish and Germans). This past Saturday we went to a place in Palermo called Sugar that was owned by a Brit. Paula, from Texas A&M, new one of the bartenders from home, and the DJs were French (if I recall). Most of the clientele were Argentine but I met several Brits and some Americans, plus of course the 20+ of us in our group alone.

The one hangout thus far we've discovered that's minority foreigners is around Chenaut, an area with some nice bars that unfortunately all close at 4am. However, I do intend to make some friends with locals, so I can cease being a stupid American who comes with only Americans in tow, and to better accommodate myself to their país.

On another note, I found a man who custom-hand-makes leather shoes, and I'm getting a pair of black leather high-tops, hecho a mano, for the same price as your run-of-the-mill Converse Chucks. Argentina rules.