Gaucho100K

Many of my Foreign clients insist that the best price index for EZE is the GI, or "Gato Iindex".

This Index is calculated by dividing the cost of the "services" of hired companionship at a proper place of ill repute (e.g. Black or Shampoo) divided by the "free market" exchange rate of the Argentine Peso to the US Dollar.

Any time the US$ price of this "service" is below US$100, EZE starts to begin to be a bargain..... any result over US$100 starts to make EZE more expensive....

lhgreengrd1

I wasn't aware that the GI was ever anywhere close to as high as US$100 in Buenos Aires. I guess it depends upon the "properness" of one's sourcing. Also the level of "completeness" of the services obtained. Not that I've ever patronized such an establishment (I tend to prefer such commerce with independent contractors, as I admire their entrepreneurship).

Eastbay1K

While I have no particular knowledge of the GI, I would expect that on the SEOT (where some of the resident posters reside), the GI would be much higher over there than over here.

As far as "fine dining" goes, El Baqueano is now $420 for the multi course tasting menu. The meal would be in the US$100+ range in SF or NY. The wines ranged from the $200s through the upper 3 digits.

As far as some semi-OT comments regarding the legitimacy of the US$ in Argentina, on this morning's TV, there was a program regarding eating healthy and talking about different foodstuffs. The host was describing different foodstuffs, and comparing bread to "las monedas" (the coins) and butter/fat to "el dólar" (the dollar), and that you should eat coins with your dollars. One may note that no where in that description of coins and dollars did one see a vegetable.

fedechat

Argentina still cheap, but even cheaper if you can get the blue rate. Paying 380 pesos for taxi is a lot for a resident, the monthly salary of many people is 9.000 AR$ (more or less), if you work 5 days per week, you make 450 AR$ per day, and spending that money for a 40~60 minutes taxi ride is insane. In the other hand, 25 u$s is cheap, I spent 92 BP (Ł) from LHR to London (a 60 minutes ride) last spring.

Everytime I go to Argentina the prices are higher, but the exchange rate (blue rate) is favorable too, which means all the prices are "dolarizados".

Eastbay1K

My two pork chops that the butcher cut to order for my lunch (which I cooked at home) were $27.

I think the fear mongers can put it to rest for awhile.

spainflyer

I'm not sure that 1 USD per pork chop is a really good deal. On the other hand, I don't do most of the shopping in my family.

GUWonder

What is SEOT?

Eastbay1K

The Snooty End Of Town

iahphx

Gaucho --

Hmmm -- you seem to be applying some of the thought control policies of your Dear Leader.

And britsenbsas -- do YOU really think this is going to end well? I have almost 30 years experience visiting Argentina. I can assure you it won't end well. It's pretty much a race between Argentina and Venezuela now to the bottom of the barrel.

Eastbay1K

But the thing is that it is not going to end. It is going to be part of a continuum that will have a very rough patch, unless you are referring to the end of days.

Meanwhile, my taxi ride home tonight, at the night rate, cost approximately US$4 for a decent length ride, despite the big number on the taximetro, which is the topic at hand.

As you haven't been to Argentina in awhile because of the "fee," I can tell you that it is nowhere near close to the situation in Venezuela. Everyone here who wants a clean poto using paper can have one.

GUWonder

There is a huge gap between Argentina and Venezuela, and they are nowhere as close to one another when it comes to the extent of sustained shortages of consumer goods or even of capital goods.

Boom-bust-boom kind of cycles and corresponding currency debacles are nothing new to Argentina. Why would things be any worse there this time than it has been before?

Siempre Viajando

IMO the institutions of the Argentine government, while weak, are stronger than those of Venezuela. Moreover, Cristina is too weak politically to do what Chávez and Maduro have done in Caracas. So, it is unlikely that Argentina is going to go as far down in the barrel as Venezuela has.

But I agree with you in general terms. The security situation is deteriorating in Argentina and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Lovecraft

I still remember when $10 would get you a dozen empanadas...

iahphx

Well, obviously, Argentines aren't going to stand for the type of shortages now common in Venezuela. That's never going to happen in BA (I hope).

But the political trajectory is about the same. Kirchner seems to be channeling the late Chavez. From the outside, it seems quite bizarre. Like it would be impossible to imagine a leader in Western Europe behaving the way Kirchner is acting. Is Argentina really THAT different?

If you're an optimist, perhaps there's hope for improvement next October, when Kirchner has to step down (and, at least, this isn't actually Venezuela, so I guess she will step down). Heck, there are folks beginning to buy distressed assets on this theory. But Argentina seems to always squander the opportunities to "fix itself," so I remain skeptical.

Would you Portenos recommend folks plan a visit to BA next (North American) summer? Or, perhaps, should they wait and see what happens?

HIDDY

I'd say the political scene here has much more in common with Italy than Venezuela. The only difference being that Italy is accountable to the EU so can't pull the wool over too many peoples eyes without being found out.

Her going will help but to be honest I really can't see much changing after the next election no matter what the result.The biggest problem here is that politics (and life in general) is still run along the very old fashioned lines of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Too many people get a slice of the cake which makes it impossible for things to radically change.

What's needed is a strong leadership with modern ideas and no hidden agendas. Someone who has the guts to kick backsides and make changes....taking away the power of the unions would be a good start. A year away from the elections and what do I see when I walk about my town? Walls being painted with political graffiti obviously orchestrated by the very people who are supposed to set an example.