A home for my words.

Choosing Buenos Aires, Argentina was a pretty simple decision for me while digital nomading. It kept me in close time zone proximity to my job at the time, offered summer weather while the Northern Hemisphere was experiencing winter, has high internet speeds, and a relatively low-cost of living for the US dollar. Having it as a home base also means you can have the opportunity to travel to Patagonia and even over to Antarctica, if you have the time!

Transportation from the Airport

I decided to book a personal driver from the EZE airport to my long-term lodging in Buenos Aires. I booked my ride here because I didn’t want to stress about safety precautions, especially when landing in a brand new country at night. I never like arriving at a destination I’ve never been to before at night and I’d seen accounts of taxi scams people fell prey to upon landing in Buenos Aires. I actually spoke with another nomad who hailed a taxi at the airport and was tricked her out of money by the driver who used sleight of hand. She excused it away by saying he likely was in greater need for money than she was, but I can tell it was still hurtful and disorienting for her.

Thankfully, the driver provided to me was kind. He held up a sign with my name, gave me a second to gather my bearings, led me to the vehicle, and chatted in Spanish with me on the long ride into the city. While I prefer to save money where I can, I’ve found that many cities have one issue or another when it comes to getting out of the airport. I’m at the point now where I would rather just spend a bit more for the safety, convenience, and peace of mind.

Day-trips

There are some intriguing day trips form Buenos Aires. I booked this trip to San Antonio de Areco. There I was exposed to gaucho culture, which were nomadic horsemen. We got to ride horses, experience traditional music and dances, as well as eat and drink to our content. I also experienced a horse-whisperer at work. It gave me a lot to think about in terms of what all goes into training a horse in this manner.

Nightlife

A big reason people choose Buenos Aires to live in as nomads is for the lifestyle. There are museums, restaurants, and nightlife options galore. I had to visit Uptown, a bar designed to imitate the experience of entering into the NYC subway. You walk down a long flight of stairs and walk through a subway station, turnstile, and then enter into a train. When the doors open, you’re in the bar! You unfortunately don’t exit the way you came in, but I was totally on board for the sentimental value of an establishment that reminded me of home.

I also turned 30 while in Buenos Aires! I kicked off the night by going to Ru’s Kitchen, an Indonesian restaurant with stellar food and service.

Museums

Museums are a go-to activity for me when traveling, and Buenos Aires does not disappoint in this department! The highlights were I got to see a guard change at one and my first ever original Frida Kahlo works!

Restaurants

I touched on one restaurant above, but there are truly so many winning restaurants in Buenos Aires, from traditional food to international cuisine. When travelling, one of my first goals is finding “my cafe,” the one that is my old reliable and that makes mornings extra exciting. In this case, that cafe was Dulce Charlotte Tienda. The service was great and I ate like a queen. Here are just some of the meals I had there. Seriously, the staff grew very accustomed to my visits!

An Argentine co-worker told me about Sheikob’s Bagels, a breakfast spot run by a New Yorker. On my first visit there, I shyly explained to the staff in Spanish that I heard that the owner was from the same place as me. They got him to come out and say hi to me! We’d chat whenever I stopped by for a meal after my morning Spanish classes and he was on site. Argentina is one of those places where it’s hard to get American-style bacon, but I told Sheikob it was no problem. I adored my usual bacon-egg-n-cheese-on-an-everything-bagel nonetheless!

Although I’ve never made it a full year being vegan, I still enjoy a good vegan meal. And at Gioia Cocina Botánica, you get a fine dining vegan experience! I ordered a few courses and a few cocktails, but below are two of my favorite plates:

Lodging

I stayed at Hollywood Suites & Lofts, a fancy high-rise with plenty of loft units, a laundromat in the basement, and 24/7 security guards. I’d seen reviews from people who were upset at how strict the security measures could be, but it personally gave me a needed sense of security. They wouldn’t let anyone up without identification and the explicit permission of the unit occupant.

Candombe

Candombe is a communal musical experience rooted in practices carried over by Africans who were enslaved in Uruguay. I had a failed attempt at catching live candombe while in Montevideo and knew that seeing a performance in Buenos Aires would be my last chance. On one of my last days in Buenos Aires, I simply showed up in a neighborhood known for having candombe bands and waited. Once I heard drums, I started to follow the music and was able to join in with the group on their march towards a more populated area of the city.

Very Honorable Mentions

A Bike Tour

So this happened:

During a bike tour, which I booked here, our tour guide mentioned that she was a tango singer. Two of my fellow tourists happened to have passed their time in Argentina by going to tango lessons together. This led to an impromptu performance outside of the La Bombonera stadium, home of the Boca Juniors. It was a marvelously impromptu moment.

Bookstores

My favorite snacks in Argentina

If you’re looking for what to eat in Buenos Aires besides the cafes and restaurants I mentioned above, here are two of my favorite sweet treats:

Also, it’s true what they say. The ice cream in Buenos Aires is truly something special!

Teatro Colón

You can book a tour to take a walk around this gorgeous building.

Mate Experience

Drinking mate is truly a way of life in both Argentina and Uruguay. The first time I learned of the yerba mate (tea leaves) and mate vessel it’s housed in was when I met an Argentine duo while celebrating the holidays in Montañita. They let me try some of the beverage once they’d brewed it, but that was nearly a decade prior. I wanted to learn the ins and outs of the culture and history of mate. Luckily there was a special group tasting experience nearby my residence. I booked a time slot here and set off. It was an experience filled with other young travelers and the instructor was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about mate culture. We even received cute certificates at the end of the tasting.

The Downsides?

There are some drawbacks to staying in Buenos Aires. Argentina has a long history of financial hardships. While the exchange rate might benefit you as a foreigner, actually getting physical cash in your hand can be a stressful journey. However, while I was there more and more places were beginning to accept credit card payments at a rate that reflected the actual exchange rate. This goes a huge way towards easing the financial woes of nomading in Buenos Aires. The city is also a place where safety, in particular phone theft, is still a concern. I also saw a number of establishments with armed guards during their operating hours to deter crime.

World Cup!

I happened to be in Argentina while the country was competing in the World Cup. People I knew tried to prepare me for how alive the city would be during this time, but it was one of those things I had to see for myself to understand. Take a look:

Conclusion

I am thankful for many of the experiences I had in and outside of Buenos Aires. Being there during the World Cup is one that definitely stands out! If I had to nomad out of Argentina again, I’d love to do so in Patagonia, but costs, connectivity, and weather would certainly have to be considered. All said and done, Buenos Aires offers a good quality of life for many a digital nomad.