The old subway line ''A'' performing its last trip.

Abasto Shopping Center

Corrientes 3247 (between Aguero & Anchorena), Abasto

[Open 10am to 10pm daily]

Largest Shopping Center in Buenos Aires

The Abasto shopping center is probably the one mall in Buenos Aires that has at least something to appeal to all people, of all ages, although apart from its wonderful 1930s Art Deco architecture you could not really argue that it is an authentic Buenos Aires experience.

As far as shopping goes, it is full of mainstream clothes stores, and it boasts over 250 brands to choose from, including major labels like Nike, Lacoste and YSL. As I said, not all that authentic an experience, but at least the building itself really is quite beautiful (see right), and is on a very large scale – it is the biggest mall in the city of Buenos Aires (Unicenter, the biggest mall in Argentina, is outside the city limits).

This area of Abasto also has played a major role in the social and tango history of Buenos Aires, and for those reasons alone it is worth a quick visit, even if you are not interested in the shops inside, which will probably be quite similar to the ones that you can find back home. And there is also a range of things to see and doinside the center, which can be found near the end of this blog post.

History of the Mercado de Abasto

In 1893, a market fair started in this zone, which back then would have been referred to with its official barrio name of Balvanera. This official barrio is still found on the maps, but these days it is generally split into three unofficial, but more commonly used, areas, of Abasto, Once and Congreso – all named after major landmarks in each area (the Abasto mall, Once train station, and Congress building, respectively).

By 1930 Buenos Aires needed a wholesale distribution center for its food produce, and this old marketplace couldn’t cope with the needs of a rapidly growing population, so plans were projected by the architects Delpini, Sulsio and Besque for this grand structure to be erected as a new indoor home for the wholesale food market. Building began in 1931, and el Mercado de Abasto eventually opened in 1934. It soon became the center of the noisy, busy food trade in Buenos Aires. Crowds of workers would also drink, listen to tango music and play cards in the seedy bars around the market.

On the structural side, it was significant as the first building in Argentina to ever use cement for both its façade and indoor finish. I bet that really has you excited. The original façade is still the same as ever, with its lovely five curves at the front, the central one being wider and taller than the others, as can be seen in the picture above.

The Modern Abasto ‘Shopping’

The Abasto market set the lively pace of this neighborhood until it was closed down in 1984. This was due to its position in the middle of the city, which was seen as impractical, given that all of the produce came from the countryside and it meant unnecessarily travelling through most of the busy city to bring it here. And so a new central market was instead built on the city outskirts, which is the present Mercado Central, with the Abasto building sadly left abandoned to contemplate its former glory.

However, fifteen years later, in 1999, Abasto was reborn into a shopping center (or just ‘Shopping’, as they say in Buenos Aires), as it was refurbished completely on the inside, and with additional structures at the back and side, but keeping the original beautiful Art Deco façade.

Carlos Gardel’s Old Stamping Ground

The area around Abasto also just happens to be where the most famous tango singer of all time, Carlos Gardel, lived (with his mother) for most of his life. He was so closely connected to this area, that one of his nicknames was El Morocho del Abasto, which basically means ‘the dark-haired guy from Abasto’.

In honor of this, a nice bronze statue of the immortal tango crooner stands just outside of the Abasto building, as shown in the picture over to the right.

Also within just a few blocks distance are his former house where he lived with his mother, on Jean Jaures 735, which is now a museum about his life, a small street named after him, called Pasaje Carlos Gardel, a subway station bearing his name, a corner tango house built in an 1893 bar that ressurects his songs in razzle-dazzle Argentine tango shows each night, and even a small street called Pasaje Zelaya where Gardel’s multi-colored mug is painted on most of the walls.

Finally, just across from the side of the mall is El Progreso Bar, on Anchorena 529, which happens to be one of the few places in Buenos Aires where Carlos Gardel actually sang (among other famous tango figures such as Tita Merello), which has also been preserved in the state it would have been in when Gardel performed there.

How to get to Abasto

Getting to the Abasto mall is fairly easy, thanks to an adjoining Subte (subway) station, called estacion ‘Carlos Gardel’, on the red B Line.

Also, if you are staying in a hotel, you can ask them to call 4338 2333 to arrange you free transport to and from the shopping center, which will certainly help if you are planning on going on a big shopping spree.

Things to do for families in Buenos Aires

The Abasto shopping center also includes several activities that may help to keep families with kids entertained when on holiday in Buenos Aires, for example:

• A 12 screen cinema, which goes by the name of ‘Hoyts’ and shows all the major American, European and Argentine release.
• A massive food court on the top floor where you can guiltily pig out on junk fast food, if that is, like me, one of your secret pleasures. This includes a Kosher McDonald’s restaurant, as Abasto is part of the Jewish area of Buenos Aires.
• The Museo de Los Ninos, with its massive indoor big wheel (see right) and where kids can play at being adults in a ‘city’ scaled down to child size, where they can, for example, operate cranes on a building site, run a TV studio or man the helm of a ship. It costs 5 pesos per person for entry and is open from 1-8pm on every day, except Mondays.
• A fairly large games/amusements arcade replete with the usual flashing lights and games machines that gobble up pocket money at a fast rate.

Buenos Aires Travel Guide Special Tip

If you are looking for a place to go to the cinema in Buenos Aires, I find the Hoyts cinema complex in Abasto one of the most laid back, least busy places to do so in the city. It also wins my prize for having by far and away the best sweet popcorn! It is called pochoclo in Spanish, and if you want sweet, ask for dulce, or say salado for salted.

Also, if you go to the Hoyts cinema in the Abasto mall at night, you will get to see the outside of this wonderful building at its best, when its curves are lit up after dark, to stunning effect:

And finally, if you are on a budget, I also recommend going to the cinema on a Wednesday night, which is the day before the big releases come out, because entrance is generally about half price then. Almost all films in Buenos Aires are shown in the original English version, with Spanish subtitles, so there will be no potential language problems.

Living in Buenos Aires as a freelance translator

Buenos Aires charmed American expat Tina so much that what was only supposed to be a short vacation turned into a decision to live and work - and dance! - there...for the time being, at least. Tina shares what she enjoys about everyday life in Argentina's capital city and offers some tips on adjusting to the local culture.

-Where were you born?

Seattle, WA - USA

-In which country and city are you living now?

Buenos Aires, Argentina

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I came alone and I live with roommates.

-How long have you been living in Argentina?

I landed on Feb 2, 2008.

-What is your age?

31

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Argentina?

I originally came here to spend a one-month vacation (dancing tango and seeing friends). I knew by my second day that I was going to stay longer than a month. It's such an easy city to settle into and I didn't want this to just be a vacation. So I extended it to three months, which turned into six months, and then I decided to just stay put.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit? 

I'm here on a tourist visa like a lot of others who live here. Have to renew every three months.

-How do you make your living in Argentina? Do you have any type of income generated?

I am a freelance translator (from Italian to English) and I work online. I already had my work with me when I came (via my laptop) which is why I think it was so easy for me to stay. I knew I could be productive and be in a place that I love at the same time. You can't beat that!

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language? 

Yes, now I do speak Spanish. Not perfectly but I speak it. I came here once before, in Feb 2007 and took some Spanish lessons, but this time around I just got out there and started speaking. I'm fluent in Italian, so it was easy to pick it up. I'm able to make friends, hold conversations comfortably, etc. Sometimes the accent here is baffling but for the most part, I get it.

I think it is so important to do your best to learn the local language no matter where you go. Speaking the language has opened so many doors for me, both here and in Italy. Armed with the local language, you get to have people in your life who you would not otherwise know. And it just feels so good to be able to do your errands and negotiate and get directions without doing too many charades (which, even with Spanish, I still tend to do. It must be the Italian in me.)

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

This is my 3rd time living abroad and I can definitely say that yes, I miss Seattle (and Italy) and my family sometimes. I miss the salty sea air and Pike Place Market, my family, good olive oil, international wine selections... I danced Tango in both Seattle and Italy and even though I have the best Tango in the world at my fingertips here in Buenos Aires, it makes me miss my friends back home who came into my life through Tango.

-Do you have other plans for the future? 

I'd like to live in Italy again in the future. I am waiting for my Italian citizenship (I have lost track of how long) and once I have that, I will start thinking about it. I was supposed to go sooner (this September) but I just can't bring myself to leave Buenos Aires and I'd rather wait until I have citizenship so I can go as an Italian, instead of having to go through all the Visa stuff. It will be a while.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I am renting in a large apartment (in my opinion it's more like a house!) with 4 roommates. It's very spacious and I think only two people are home at any given time. I have managed to save money by sharing a place.

-What is the cost of living in Argentina?

It really depends on which barrio you live in and what your day to day needs are.

Also, sadly, due to constant hyperinflation, any figure I give you today will be obsolete in the near future.-What do you think about the Argentineans? I find people here to be genuine (instead of "fake nice"), hard working, welcoming, very straight forward, and very Italian.-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Argentina? Positives:The produce here is out of this world. The best grapefruit and oranges I've ever had. The leafy greens here are amazing - they have so much more substance and texture than the supermarket greens in the US. I can buy my produce from one of the many verdulerias (green grocers) and most of the time the vegetables still have their roots intact, dirt & all. It feels so real. The beef is wonderful too - not pumped full of steroids, and it's grass fed as it should be. The sweets here are gorgeous - anything with dulce de leche! The Tango is another huge positive here. It's the best dancing I've ever experienced. The cafe culture is very special to me - I admire the people's ability to just sit down and savor the experience of having coffee with a friend. You can sit for hours with just one cafe con leche and the waiters will not bother you. The public transportation is great, albeit a little tricky to use. There are always people out, walking on the sidewalks, in parks, sitting in cafes - it's a city that is very much alive.Negatives: Sharing sidewalks with the locals. I get so frustrated sometimes walking down the street. People don't get out of each other's way and there's a lot of people-dodging going on. Never count on being able to get somewhere fast if you're walking, because you'll most likely get stuck behind somebody who keeps getting in your way. Aah! There is a lot of harsh reality here, and you have to be a sensitive and grounded person to be able to deal with it. Yes it's a "fun" expat life where you can do just about anything but there are plenty of others who are not so fortunate. People have to work hard to keep up (just barely) with continuous hyperinflation. On the roof of a restaurant not too far from my apartment, is a small cluster of tin shacks that people live in. There are cartoneros at night who rummage through the garbage to take out recyclables which they turn in for a small stipend. There are a lot of abandoned buildings that I'm sure were once beautiful but now have fallen to decay. Argentina has been through a lot in the past century and there is evidence all around. I look at it as a reminder to not complain. The dog-doo on the sidewalks. I'm always looking down for fear that I'll step into something. The pressure on women to starve themselves and have plastic surgery.-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Argentina? Learn Spanish. Be sensitive to the fact that most people here do not have the luxury of dividing the prices by 3. Eat flan con dulce de leche for dessert and don't feel the least bit guilty. Be prepared to be overwhelmed. It is an intense city where a lot of things are going on at the same time. Just take it easy and try to soak it all up. When all else fails, eat helado. Keep up with the current events here - there is always something happening and it will affect your daily life.

A Tango with Taxi Drivers in Argentina

A country that arouses her passions - that's how American expat Layne describes Argentina, where she's been living for more than three years already. Here she talks about her work as a freelance writer, the unusual method she uses to taste various cuisines in Buenos Aires, and her suggestions about how to approach Argentine life and culture.

-Where were you born?
Bellflower, California, USA
-In which country and city are you living now?
Buenos Aires, Argentina
-Are you living alone or with your family?
Alone
-How long have you been living in Argentina?
3 1/2 years
-What is your age?
34
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Argentina?
I'd been planning on living abroad since 2003. The fact that I spoke Spanish combined with the vibrancy of the arts/culture/literature scene in Buenos Aires made it an attractive choice.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
I still don't have one!
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
I don't have medical insurance. I go to the German Hospital and pay for appointments as I go. It's affordable and the quality of care is excellent. There are affordable options (about $100-150US per month) for health insurance via an organization called Expat Connection.
-How do you make your living in Argentina? Do you have any type of income generated?
I work as a freelance food and copywriter. I lined up the copywriting gig in the US and have been building up my food writing over time in Buenos Aires. In both cases, networking opened the doors.
-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I speak fluent Spanish and think it's essential to understanding and appreciating Buenos Aires. You can survive without it, but you miss an awful lot.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I miss my family, my friends, and my Mexican food. I dance tango, do restaurant reconnaissance, and try to take advantage of all the arts/culture festivals that the city of Buenos Aires sponsors. From jazz to tango to literature to food to nights at the museum, there's always something new happening.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I'm renting a semi-furnished apartment in an upper-middle class neighborhood called Belgrano for $650/month.
-What is the cost of living in Argentina?
This varies depending on how you want to live. If you want to go out to dinner, to clubs and take taxis everywhere, you could easily spend $2000US per month. You could probably live on half that amount if you looked hard for a cheap place to live and took public transportation. Keep in mind that inflation is changing (i.e. increasing) the cost of living every day.
-What do you think about the Argentines?
Argentines are famous for their warmth, curiosity and intelligence. They seem a bit mystified by all the foreigners who are coming to live in their country.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Argentina?
It's difficult to feel apathetic and live in Argentina. It's a country that arouses your passions - for good or for ill. There are days when I'm absolutely in love with Buenos Aires - when random people on the subway ask me about book I'm reading, or when I get into a taxi and the driver has the radio tuned to the tango station. But there are days when the city breaks my heart - when I see people digging through the garbage in the wealthy neighborhoods, when I realize that many of the city's workers have to commute 2-4 hours a day to get to their jobs.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Argentina?
Be prepared for contingencies. Nothing is secure. Nothing is certain. Approach Argentina as you would approach the tango - listen to the music and be at peace with the fact that you have no idea where you'll end up.