Porteño Corner: Melany Vega

Name: Melany Vega
Profession: Promoter/Singer for La Costa Arrastra
Lives: Congreso, Buenos Aires (originally from Salto, Uruguay)
Age: 25

• You grew up in Uruguay. Where? And what was it like to grow up there?

I grew up in Salto, Uruguay. We were poor.

• Did you have electricity?

We had electricity, but no water and cement floors. I bathed with rain water. My mother was in a wheelchair my whole life because she had Multiple Sclerosis. She was already sick when she got pregnant with me. My dad was an alcoholic and violent with my mother.

When I was 12 or 13 I went and bought him a bus ticket and told him to go back to Buenos Aires, where he’s from.

My mother died when I was 14 and I lived with my (maternal) grandma after that.

• How did you end up moving to Buenos Aires?

When I turned 15, in 2008, I started work picking blackberries and I helped my grandmother to pay the bills. I kept studying English meanwhile because I got a sponsorship from a friend of the family to study it starting in primary school – as long as I passed every year, I could keep studying English. I studied English eight years.

I had many different jobs in Salto, and at 16, I started working selling clothes. My boss was really strict but she taught me how to be a good worker. She gave me a spot to sell my own things and so I sold Teddy Bears I purchased in bulk and they sold well — my Teddy bear business.

I even earned enough to be able to get water service in the house again under my name once I was eighteen, because my grandma had too many debts to put it under her name.

I had to come to Buenos Aires for my cousin’s wedding and that same boss wondered out loud why I didn’t just move to Argentina because I was taking too much vacation.

So I came here for good when I was 19. I called my dad and told him I was coming to Buenos Aires.

• What motivated you to come to Buenos Aires?

I knew that coming here I’d get access to more education. Salto is Uruguay’s second best place for university education, but it is limited. The food and transportation are also more expensive in Uruguay.

I loved my grandmother, she was so nice. She did everything she could for me and was amazing, but she only had third grade education and was old-fashioned.

Now that she is gone I don’t really have anyone aside from extended family in Uruguay.

• Weren’t you scared to join your dad considering how he acted in your childhood?

He was violent toward my mother, but not me. Today my father and I have good relationship because I came to understand that everyone is a victim of their own wounds. Once you are a parent yourself, you realize no parent is perfect.

• You said you grew up very religious?

Yes, my mother and whole family were evangelical Christian and so was I, but I had a cool uncle who was a sailor on the Captain Miranda, a famous Uruguayan Navy training vessel who introduced me to new things.

My uncle bought me the book, The Alchemist and so I started to think about alchemy and magic. I was trying to fill the hole that I had in my life.

Thanks to things my uncle exposed me to I became a part of a group called the Gnostic’s of Salto – they taught me a lot, even Buddhist teachings.

• You’re a singer in the band La Costa Arrastra did music make up a part of your childhood?

When I was kid I was part of the school choir. I always sang because it increased endorphins and makes you happy. I always liked music. Music is always a good way to channel my problems.

• What is your favorite type of music?

I searched for my African roots in music and found hip hop and RnB. Since I understood English, it opened some doors for me linguistically and socially. Now I like rock and roll — Rock National.

• Did you ever face discrimination growing up in Uruguay?

Mom’s family was black, so that was the community I was raised in. The only reason I ever felt discriminated against for being black was because of my hair. The kids used to say they could use my hair to wash pots.

Uruguay is pretty advanced in social issues for Latin America though overall, so it wasn’t bad.

• You identify as a feminist. What does that mean to you?

For me being a feminist was an evolution. Even as a kid I wondered why a girl who slept with a lot of guys was a ‘puta’ (whore) but a guy was a ‘genio’ (genius) for doing the same.

In the last couple of years I got more into the movement and began to read more. There is a great documentary called, ‘Suffragistas, Pioneras de las Luchas Feministas’ (Suffragists, Pioneers of the Feminist Fight).

In one scene they were asking the opinion of men about a very productive female worker. They said, ‘What do you think of the work of this woman?’ And the men said, ‘She’s ugly!’ That was a pretty poignant moment highlighting the struggle of women’s value being determined by her looks – like that is the only thing that matters.

And I got more involved in the movement listening to the abortion debate. I had my own personal experience, and also learned about the wider debate. I realized which side I belong. And I realized that I shouldn’t see myself as a monster (for taking a RU-486 to terminate a pregnancy) and understood that women were not just meant to be mothers, or a wife, or a girlfriend.

For many people the word ‘feminist’ is a bad word and it’s associated with ‘fat’ and ‘ugly’ ‘lesbian’ or, ‘fea, gorda, mal garchada’ as they say — it makes me laugh.

It’s pretty recent that I use the word ‘feminist’ to refer to myself, even though I felt these things since I was a girl. I always wondered why certain things are the way they are.

• You dance a bit of tango – what thoughts do you have regarding tango as it relates to feminism?

That’s a good question. I dance a little bit, I went to some tango classes. I think the roots of tango are from lower classes and in the beginning only prostitutes danced it, so that influenced the culture of it.

I enjoy it a lot, but at some point, I began to see how the dance promotes machismo (chauvinism). There are many old lyrics (such as the tune, Flor de Monserrat ) that speak of things such as the ‘virgin girl of the barrio.’ They don’t say vulgar things but they talk about the ‘desirable virgincita.’ This is machismo. Also the whole thing that the man leads the woman and the woman follows. Men do have a certain power there.

The film Un Tango Más (in English: The Last Tango)– the woman, Maria Nieves (who stills shows up at the World Tango Competition in Buenos Aires) talks about the treatment of the men and the power the man has over the woman – he dresses her, tells her how to do her hair, how she was cheated on.

But now there exists groups where the woman leads the tango. There is another group I heard about that stop dancing if the song is chauvinist.

• Growing up religious, you said you were against abortion until the last couple of years and now you are in favor of it, can you share your personal story of why?

It all changed when I did some self-reflection. After I spent two years sacrificing for my son working and paying for childcare.

When I took the abortion pill last year I already had my son and I was sacrificing a lot. I knew that keeping the pregnancy would demand more sacrifice. Sacrifice is overrated.

I had my (two-year-old) son, because since I was religious, I thought I would go to hell otherwise. It’s sad.

I felt like it was my fault that I got pregnant, that I was stupid and because of this I never went to court to ask for child support.

We weren’t in a serious relationship. I wasn’t really in love with him. He left me when I was five months pregnant and got a new girlfriend and didn’t get in touch at all during the pregnancy.

The first months, my child’s father only gave me 300 pesos and bought some diapers.

I love my son, but that came after he was born and a part of my life, not when he was a fetus.

The majority of kids are accidents. The sexual education is lacking and once you’re pregnant it’s difficult to access abortion.

Then there’s the myth of the ‘Mamá luchona’ – who says, ‘I never had an abortion! I brought them all up myself!’ But three are in jail and two are in violent relationships. Raising a human being is something to be proud of, but that is not success in my book. And what about the woman’s feelings? It may seem like I am judging, but sacrifice is overrated. Life shouldn’t only be surviving. We need to dream more, live and enjoy life.

• You said you are also a part of a Feminist group?

The drummer of my band is part of a political party, Las Rojas, which is a feminist group. When I started with the band, I was invited to their meetings and that is when I first got involved in the discussion about abortion and met people my age who are concerned about this issue. I started speaking with women there and I realized we had so much in common.

That’s when the deconstruction of the guilt I had about my son began. I realized that I owe nothing to his father, just to my son. I put all the time and effort into allowing my ex (the baby’s father) to continue to study and work while I took care of all the childcare.

I feel I was always feminist but I didn’t know the word. It’s only recently that I learned what it is.

• Why do you think Argentina’s abortion bill didn’t pass?

The church has a huge role. The church is against sexual education. They teach abstinence.

It totally has to do with the church and is a method of control. But the church has this problem with pedophilia, which is completely sick and they protected thousands of priests. Look at the sex abuse scandal in Chile – the pope defended the bishop even though he abused minors. I find it completely hypocritical.

If you look up evangelists’ populations – there are ton in Brazil, and that is how proto-fascist (Jair) Bolsanaro got elected there — thanks to church brainwashing, because they are very against abortion. And this sentiment is particularly popular in poor neighbors — it’s another way for religion to get intertwined into politics.

I won’t even go into all the bible stuff, it’s full of stuff about the women in the house doing nothing and Mary Magdalen being a prostitute. It’s 2000 years old, and they keep reading and believing this stuff.

The old testament is full of violence against women. Bible quotes are out of context today but they always find a way to justify something that sounds ridiculous.

The church needs more children. Because if they help the poor they get more money.

I grew up in the church, so I am familiar with all this.

• So you aren’t religious at all anymore?

Human life is very precious. It’s a gift. I understand that religion is perfect for workers and slaves – work all your life and then you’ll go to heaven. Isn’t it convenient?

• Now your two-year-old son is with his father in Chile. How did that come about?

Yes, after the pregnancy and after two years and a month, I initially agreed to allow the father to take him to Chile.

When he got separated from his girlfriend he said he could give me 4000 pesos a month (about US$100 at the time’s exchange rate) or take the child with him to Chile, where he’s from, for a couple of months.

I was tired and I said okay because he had a good relationship with our child. After three months he decided he was going to stay there with my son. But my child hasn’t been to the doctor for a checkup since he’s been in Chile because he’s Argentine and doesn’t have papers there.

I thought about making a complaint for kidnapping (as permitted under the Hague Convention on international child abduction). But I see that my son is in good condition otherwise because my ex’s mother helps him and he lives in a big house and has everything he needs.

• You are saving up money to go visit him though?

Yes, even to go visit him I have to come up the money for the trip and the hotel. I’ve never been outside Argentina or Uruguay. I’m going to Chile in two weeks. I set up an appointment to meet with a judge to work out the custody agreement.

I want to come back with my son but I really don’t have enough money to take good care of him. I was thinking when he starts kindergarten I could have him back again because I can work while he’s in school.

• Can’t you ask for some child support payment from the father?

Yes, but I don’t feel I can depend on (receiving) it.

• You’ve been through some difficult things. After all this what is one thing that you are happy about?

I’m just happy my grandma met my son two months before she died.

Porteño Corner: Author & Teacher, Walter Freiberg

Walter Freiberg, Writer & Teacher
Age: 31
Lives: San Justo, Buenos Aires

• People love your novels for Spanish language learners (which you write under the name Paco Ardit) and you’ve had a lot of success selling them. What motivated you to write books for language learners?

Back in 2012 I was learning German, and I struggled to find good reading materials for beginners. The novels and stories intended for native speakers were too hard. At the same time, I didn’t want to settle for children books: they were just too boring and uninteresting for an adult learner. After a lot of research I found a great series of easy readers for German language learners. They were both easy and fun, and had great characters and plot lines.

This was the biggest inspiration for the Spanish Novels Series. For a long time I had been really passionate about learning and I had always wanted to create an online product. So, I thought it might be a good idea to combine these two things. That’s how I came up with the idea of creating an e-book — an easy reader — to help people to practice their Spanish skills. More than a year later, I wrote a second one and that’s when I thought I could create a whole series from beginner to advanced.

• You also speak four languages. Do you have any tips for those learning Argentine Spanish or any second language? Or learning tips in general?

Get immersed in the language you want to learn. Many people think the only way to do this is to travel to the country where your target language is spoken. These days, if you have Internet access and a couple electronic devices you can recreate any language environment you want.

Someone in Argentina can design her own Japanese reality in Buenos Aires. How do you do that? Easy: you forget about your native language and consume media in your target language only, all day long (as someone suggested: “Turn the TV on [in Japanese] now and turn it off in two years”).

If your target language is Japanese, you’ll watch online movies or series in Japanese, listen to Japanese music, read Japanese articles, read Japanese comics and novels. Japanese is your main language now.“Fake it ’till you make it,” as the saying goes. This holds true even if you’re a beginner. Even if you miss a lot of what’s going on, it helps immensely. Getting massive exposure to the language we want to learn is crucial. In the beginning it’s also better to focus on passive input (reading and listening). Once you have built a large enough passive vocabulary, the active part (writing and speaking) gets much easier.

I think it’s important to take responsibility for our own learning. Learning is a very personal process, and we have to fully own it. Having access to a good teacher or a mentor is great, but we are the ones who need to put in the work and the effort. Don’t wait to be spoon-fed everything. Be curious, be proactive. Feel free to experiment. Spend a lot of time with the language and don’t neglect the practice!

• You also teach piano. What are the differences in learning a language and learning an instrument?

I think the main difference is that, to learn an instrument, we need to take care of more technical aspects. There’s this thing called ‘instrumental technique,’ and it’s important to get that right to make progress in our learning process. Unless your instrument is the voice, usually the music instrument is an external object. That has its pros and cons. It’s nice to have an external reference to see how we’re doing. When we’re learning a language though, many of the processes take place within us (think of pronunciation or how to come up with a full phrase). On the other hand, when someone is learning an instrument there are lots of new movements to integrate with our system. All in all, I think it takes more time to get really good at an instrument, than to get fluent in a new language.

Having said that, I think there are many things in common between learning a language and learning an instrument. First, in both cases we could say we’re speaking about learning a language. Music has a language of its own, and part of learning an instrument is becoming fluent in this music language. When you learn a language there is reading, listening, writing, and speaking. In music it’s the same: we read scores, we practice ear-training, we write music on staffs, and we sing and do solfeggio (solfège).

There’s a music learning approach called ‘Suzuki method’ that approaches the process of learning an instrument just as we naturally learn our native language. All of us got started in our native tongues by tons of listening and speaking. Reading and writing come much later. The ‘Suzuki method’ encourages students to listen to a new piece lots of times and then learn it ‘aurally’ with the help of a teacher. They start learning by listening and speaking (playing). Only after a while they are introduced to music scores. Even though I don’t use this method, I adapted some aspects of the philosophy to my teaching style.

When it comes to practice they’re also similar. Both if you want to learn a music instrument or if you want to get fluent in a new language, you’ll need consistent daily practice.

• You are the President of the Argentina Toastmaster’s club. How did you get involved in that and what has involvement in Toastmasters brought to your life?

I learned about Toastmasters thanks to Steve Pavlina’s blog. In February 2015, one month after I moved downtown, I went to a meeting as a guest. The next day I joined the club as a member. In the beginning, I was interested in developing public speaking skills while getting some English practice. After a few months I was hooked on the leadership part as well. I was invited to join the Executive Committee of the Morris Gellman Toastmasters Club (the first English club in Argentina), and fast forward three years and I’m serving as the President of the club.

Toastmasters helped me on so many levels. I’m super grateful. I got to know fantastic people, made new friendships, and explored different life paths. I always approached it as a training ground. As I got involved in different roles and functions during these years, I had the opportunity to learn and practice many skills that helped me both to grow my business and to improve as a person. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

• You are interested in meditation and have done meditation retreats. Can you tell us a little of about how meditation can aid in learning?

Meditation is a great tool to develop mindfulness — awareness of the present moment — and concentration — the ability to focus our mind on a single object. These are crucial skills to learn virtually anything. When you’re learning something you need your full attention there, moment to moment. If your mind drifts you’re wasting your time; you’re deluding yourself thinking you’re practicing or learning when you’re not. Mindfulness helps us to be aware of what we’re doing, and how we’re doing it. With concentration, on the other hand, it’s important to stick with the object of our practice and to focus our mind as if it’s a laser beam.

• You are also a vegan, which must be a challenge in one of the world’s most carnivorous countries. How do you do it and what do you eat everyday? Does being vegan in the land of asados affect your social life at all?

In the beginning it takes a little bit of self-discipline, but then it gets easier and easier. I used a gradual approach: first, I cut out all meat. After a few months, I stopped eating eggs, and then continued dropping other animal products. It didn’t happen overnight. I introduced new foods and recipes to my diet gradually. I was saying goodbye to many things, but at the same time I was introducing a lot of new things. There are so many tasty and healthy fruits, veggies and plant-based products. It’s insane!

I also took it as a learning challenge on health and nutrition. Intuitively, the idea of getting all the nutrients I needed without using animal products felt right. I thought: if I can get everything I need on a plant-based diet, why would I continue supporting an industry (meat and dairy production) that causes so much suffering to so many beings? It just feels out of alignment with my personal values. I’m lucky enough to be able to choose which foods I want to eat. So, I choose plant-based foods.

What I eat everyday varies. For breakfast I usually have a big bowl of oatmeal with soy milk (or another plant-based milk), nuts, chopped fruit, corn flakes, and granola. Some days I might have a huge smoothie (plant-based milk, a few bananas, cacao and cinnamon), or either a coffee with soy milk, and some toast with peanut butter and jelly. For the main meal I usually have a couple veggie burgers (made out of quinoa, lentils, chickpeas or some other legume/cereal combination), a salad, and some rice, potato or yam.

• You’ve also volunteered with the housing non-profit organization, Un Techo para mi Pais. Can you tell us a little about your experience with Techo?

It was great. I found them after searching for volunteering opportunities in my area. I completed a form telling them I was interested in helping out. Soon after that I received a message from the organization and scheduled an interview. In a couple weeks I was volunteering in a neighborhood where they did social work. My main task was acting as moderator/facilitator for a group of neighbors to carry out small projects to improve their living conditions. I volunteered there for almost two years. I learned a lot about working with groups of people, leadership, and communication. It was a fantastic experience.

• Since you’ve had success as an author, you’ve been able to travel overseas. Can you tell us a little about your travels? Where was your favorite place?

My favorite place so far has been Toronto, Canada. I loved the cleanliness of the city, the kindness of the people, and the availability of healthy food options all around. It seems like a very advanced city. The people I met there were super friendly and always willing to help.

• As a life-long porteño what Buenos Aires’ attractions do think visitor’s can’t miss seeing while visiting the city?

Two places I really like are the ‘Jardín Botánico’ and the ‘Jardín Japonés,’ both in Palermo.

⇒ Read about Walter’s Spanish novel series and other resources to help learn Argentine style Spanish.

Gran Bar Danzón: Buenos Aires’ James Bond-Style Bar

If James Bond had to rendezvous with a seductive female double agent in Buenos Aires he would probably invite her to El Gran Bar Danzón for a cocktail. This Recoleta cocktail lounge, wine bar and restaurant has just the sort of sophisticated atmosphere where 007 would feel at home, and it’s also home to the city’s best Martini, shaken or stirred.

A strong whiff of valerian greets visitors as they make their way up the steps at the small entrance of Danzón.Valerian is supposed to put people at ease, which is obviously the desired effect in this low-lit, smart bar-cum-restaurant.

Bar Danzón is a good spot to bring a date or meet someone new. To fit in here, be sure to dress up if you’re a lady, and flash the cash if you’re a man, as those seem to be the prerequisites for falling in love, Danzón-style. It may not be quite tuxedo and gown territory, but dressing with a little panache will ensure you stand out among the city’s movers and shakers.

Although there are usually a few twenty-somethings, Danzón is geared toward a more mature Recoleta crowd, with the median age for women being mid-thirties or so (think Pussy Galore in Goldfinger), and men a tad older (Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye).

Floor space is at a premium in Danzón, meaning the atmosphere can go from ‘intimate’ to ‘crowded’ very easily, especially during peak cocktail sipping hour which from about 8:30-11:30pm.

Thriving since it opened in 1998 and designed by the same people responsible for top end bars such as Sucre and Uriarte (now closed), Danzon’s layout tends towards style over practicality. The prime real estate in this bar is the lounge area with its leather loungers, where you’ll get table service and the chance to socialize with fellow sofa-dwellers while observing the beautiful people at the bar. For non-diners not lucky enough to land a sofa spot, other options are a seat at the delightfully glittering bar or one of few raised tables. Once those places are snapped up, most people end up standing pressed against one other, balancing their drinks while struggling to maintain a nonchalant air as staff and fellow customers squeeze past.

Tables in the small dining area to the back of the bar are also snugly arranged — a reservation is recommended if you don’t want a long wait. Both bar and waitstaff are immaculate in their presentation and service. Their long white coats make them look like butchers or lab assistants, but since they’re all so good-looking and maintain a level of professionalism that is hard to find elsewhere in Buenos Aires, somehow it works.

Food, Wine & Cocktails

Those who do decide to dine won’t be disappointed, although they may be a little taken aback by the prices, which are high by local standards, but not totally unreasonable considering the quality of the food.

Since the beginning, Chef Martin Arriera set the gastronomic tone, offering up some surprising taste combinations such as goat’s cheese ravioli with sweet pumpkin sauce and sweetbreads, or crunchy glazed duck with a sauce of blueberries, balsamic vinegar and pistachios.

The over 400 wines selected by sommelier Fernanda Fazekas to represent the best of what Argentina has to offer is one of Danzón’s best selling points. Highly knowledgeable waiters can recommend the perfect drop to compliment customers’ meals, with prices ranging from reasonable to rap star territory. Danzón is one of the few places to find fresh oysters in Buenos Aires and they also serve excellent sushi, which are great options for those in the bar or lounge areas who want to dabble for dinner.

Danzón’s bartenders are about as good as you’ll find anywhere in the tango city. Weekly cocktail specials written up on the blackboard are often inventive, usually delicious and always interesting. Keep an eye out for specials on wine by the glass as well, which are rotated daily. If you’re unsure of what to select, chat to any of the bilingual bartenders and they’ll offer helpful suggestions – or just stop flip flopping and ask yourself, ‘what would Bond do?’

Bar Danzón gets crowded on Wednesday nights from 7-9 pm during ‘jazz y tragos,’ which features a DJ spinning jazz on vinyl. Other nights the music tends to be chill-out inducing ambient electronic.

-Dan Colasimone

Gran Bar Danzon—$$$$
1161 Libertad
Recoleta, Buenos Aires
Tel: 4811 1108

Hours:
Mon-Thurs 7:00pm-2:00a.m.
Fri 7:00- 4:00 a.m.
Sat &Sun 8:00-4:00 a.m

• Happy Hour: 7-9 p.m every day
• Dinner reservations recommended
• major credit cards accepted

Ride-Sharing in Argentina: Uber & Cabify

Ride-hailing apps such as Uber are a popular option for visitors to Buenos Aires and other large cities in Argentina. They are often more cost efficient and also remove some of the uncertainty or confusion that language issues can cause using a normal city taxi.

In Buenos Aires particularly, using ride services is less stressful than renting a car and driving and faster than the bus or subway.

The main ride-sharing service that foreigners are familiar with, Uber, is generally about 30% cheaper than taking a taxi, except during peak times, such as holidays that cause surge pricing. Unlike most taxis, Uber can be paid with (non-Argentine) credit card, users know the cost of the trip beforehand and the app provides information about the driver, such as their name and customer rating.

This means Uber users don’t have to deal with cash and the perpetual problem of making sure one has change on hand with which to pay the driver.

Using the Silicon Valley-born app also cuts down on the possibility of taxi scams that include costly detours, sped-up meters or getting counterfeit bills as change.

The biggest drawback to using ride sharing apps in Argentina is that it usually takes five or ten minutes for a car to show up, while hailing a taxi is usually instantaneous.

Sometimes drivers will also cancel the ride if they see you are paying with a credit card instead of cash.

→ Get your first Uber ride free using the code: anden38ui

Anger in Argentina over Uber

Taxi drivers stage a roadblock in Buenos Aires to protest Uber. Courtesy CN5

Buenos Aires’ taxis drivers are angry at being undercut by an unregulated service, and there have been loud protests about the app, taxi-led roadblocks and a few incidents of Uber drivers and passengers being mobbed by cab drivers.

The government has backed up the taxi union in the struggle. The day after the service debuted in Buenos Aires in 2015 the courts ordered the service shut down. Uber paid a fine but due to its unregulated nature, continued to operate and even pushed back by offering the service for free for a few days.

The government then blocked Uber from processing major credit cards issued in Argentina — locals have to use alternative prepaid methods (including bitcoin) or cash in order to pay for their ride. Travelers using a foreign credit card, can pay using it, but some drivers don’t like to accept rides paid with credit cards.

In 2018 the city of Buenos Aires voted in a law that imposes fines on Uber drivers caught using the app. The Supreme Court later backed Uber but the service remains in legal limbo in most of Argentina.

Some people remain loyal to taxis and not only because they are slow to warm to new technology. Argentines often views U.S. companies with suspicion and the country has a strong tradition of unionization and workers’ rights.

Uber drivers are independent contractors with no benefits or labor protection, but many Venezuelans coming to Argentina are enthusiastic to work as drivers with the app.

Safety of Uber in Argentina?

For now, passengers in most of Argentina use Uber at their own risk. Uber in Argentina has looser requirements than in some other places, particularly when it comes to the cars.

Occasional police checkpoints have been set up to crackdown on Uber drivers, which means drivers frequently request a passenger sit in the front.

Also, it is important to note that in the case of an accident, the insurance company will most likely get away with not covering Uber passengers, since the service is unregulated and technically illegal.

Those using Uber may want to make sure they have travel insurance.

The one exception is the city of Mendoza, where legislators have kept up with technology and thus legalized Uber in that city.

Getting Uber at Ezieza Airport

It’s worth noting that using Uber after landing at the international airport does not tend to go as smoothly as one would hope.

While the airport has free wifi, the Uber app is blocked. Even if one orders an Uber with their own data-plan they will have to go outside and find the driver, luggage in hand, among a sea of cars. Taxi drivers may become aggressive if they catch on that the car is an Uber. Because of this many Uber drivers avoid the airport, but if you do call Uber, act like the driver is an old friend and get in the front seat. (If that prospect sounds dodgy, Wander Argentina offers safe, reliable prepaid airport pickup.)

A user internet comment from about Uber in Buenos Aires in which a woman claims she was detained by police for using Uber in Buenos Aires. — A user comment from Soon.news

Uber Alternatives: Cabify, Easy Taxi & BA Taxi

The Spanish-owned Cabify is an alternative to Uber with no price surging that is said to have more rigorous requirements for driver and cars, but it does tend to be more expensive. Lyft is not yet available in Argentina.

Although not ride-sharing app, Easy Taxi is a Brazilian-developed app that may be useful for travelers, as it is popular throughout Latin America. It locates a taxi using GPS, but the fare is usually paid with cash — just a few cars accept credit cards. It has been in the country four years and operates in Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba.

BA Taxi is an app that the city of Buenos Aires rolled out in early 2017 to compete with Uber. The app, which you can download here, allows one to order a taxi in Buenos Aires with their smartphone and is similar to Uber, although it is for registered taxis only and the platform is in Spanish. BA Taxi fares can also be paid with a credit card.

→ Click here to learn more about taking taxis and remises in Buenos Aires and the BA Taxi App.

→ Click here to arrange pickup and transfers to or from any Buenos Aires airport.

→ Enter the code Anden38ui to get your first Uber Ride free!

Buenos Aires’ Hippest Hostel: Art Factory

Art Factory hostel is a cool option for a stay in Buenos Aires, not just for the graffiti throughout each location, but the relaxed, friendly vibe.

Since opening their original location in Palermo a decade ago, Art Factory has debuted three new locations, making this hostel more popular than Buenos Aires’ longtime favorite for single travelers, Milhouse Hostel.

Each Art Factory location is housed in classic, restored building. Inside the style is comfortable and colorful with murals along the hallways and in each room. Aside from the usual amenities such as towels, sheets, and wifi, Art Factory features a bilingual staff, free coffee and tea all day, a breakfast that includes eggs and fruit, a library, ping pong tables (at the Palermo location), and free activities such as Spanish conversation classes.

Which Art Factory Hostel Location is Better?

The original Palermo location is spacious and perfectly located to enjoy the many restaurants and clubs nestled around the hostel.

The more minimalist Act Factory Soho, in a large black corner building, is just five minutes from the Plaza Italia transit hub, making it a good location to get around the city. Light sleepers should note this is the noisiest location, but the private rooms are very nice.

The San Telmo Art Factory is for free spirits who want to stay in the south of the city and enjoy their large roof-deck close to downtown attractions such as the Plaza de Mayo, the San Telmo Fair and the walkable and modern Puerto Madero neighborhood.

Beer lovers will definitely want to stay at the newest location, the Art Factory Beer Garden, which claims to be the first hostel in Buenos Aires with its own (quite lovely) beer garden, twenty types of beer on tap and a live DJ spinning music.