Buenos Aires City and Travel Guide
Welcome to Buenos Aires!If you had watched the movie Evita which came out years ago (in which Evita Peron was successfully portrayed by pop star Madonna), then you are probably familiar with the city of Buenos Aires. To those who are not, then you must know that Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina. It is the biggest city and has the largest port which is conveniently situated on the southern banks of the River Plate (or the Rio de la Plata.) This is why Buenos Aires residents are dubbed portenos, or people of the port. There is another province within Argentina also called Buenos Aires, which is why natives of the city also refer to their city as Capital Federal to minimize confusion. People who reside in the Buenos Aires province are called bonaerenses to distinguish them from residents of the capital.
Famous people in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires gained prominence as the home of Evita Peron, a former amateur actress who married President Peron. Buenos Aires thus has a name as the center of Peronism, the political movement supporting President Peron. Some places which movie buffs may remember from the movie Evita are the Casa Rosada which was the president’s palace, and the Plaza de Mayo where many demonstrations by Argentinians have taken place. Evita Peron was considered by many in Argentina to be a national hero because of her socio-civic and political activities, though in the movie she was portrayed to be a scheming manipulator of people.
Biggest jewish population in Latin AmericaMost of the portenos, or residents of the city, are of European descent – usually, they are of Italian or Spanish lineage. There are also significant numbers of portenos whose forebears come from Wales, England, Croatia, France, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, and Germany – this makes the city of Buenos Aires a melting pot of cultures from different lands. What is surprising to find is that the biggest Jewish population in Latin America can be found in Greater Buenos Aires, composed of about 250,000 people. Most of these are Russian and German Jews, with some Syrian Jews added to the mix. Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith espoused by portenos. However, there are also people who observe the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox faiths. Evangelicals have steadily grown in numbers since 1980s. Aside from the Jews previously mentioned, Muslims have also existed in Buenos Aires for more than a century.
Buenos Aires - The Paris of South AmericaBeing situated at the mouth of a port, Buenos Aires is a vital economic engine of Argentina. The port itself is one of the world’s most active, and the city acts as the financial, commercial, and industrial center of the country. But aside from is economic importance, Buenos Aires is also a cultural locus for Argentina, mainly because of the deep influences wrought by European cultures. Thus, Buenos Aires has also been dubbed the Paris of South America by some quarters. To live up to that name, Buenos Aires is presently home to one of the best opera houses known as the Teatro Colon, and also to certain choral groups and symphony orchestras.
The movie EvitaDo watch the movie Evita to get a cursory feel of what life in Buenos Aires must have been like before. Then visit so you get a first-hand experience of life in this very dynamic city.
This is just a little summary about the city Buenos Aires. Soon you can find reviews, forums, blogs and galleries.
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