Buenos Aires Underground: The Subte

Although today was my first successful trip on the colectivo (the bus) all by my lonesome, I still prefer the Subte.

A lot less intricate than the New York subway system, the Subte has about 5 lines, labeled by color and letter. I live on the Green Line or the D which runs along Palermo's main drag, Santa Fe. It actually stops right outside my window - although so does a regular train that makes a lot of noise. No worries...I sleep heavy. Nothing can wake the dead.

Anywho, a Subte ride is about 1.10 pesos (about 30 cents). Gotta love the dollar right now. I slip through the turnstile and down the stairs to what is generally a very pretty subte platform. There are vendors selling magazines and newswires, gum and candybars. But in larger stations, large kiosks (bigger than you'd find in the middle of the mall) sit selling watches, jewelry, books etc. On the D Line the walls are generally decorated in murals of painted tile often telling a piece of Buenos Aires history.

When the car pulls into the station, you can tell how old it is by how much graffitti plasters the side of the yellow-painted metal. The seats are covered in that felt-y kind of fabric - some cars have seats that are more like couches. And when you hear the siren that the doors are closing, the doors are ACTUALLY closing. Don't tempt them. They close fast. And hard. I think they could kill you.

People sell goods on the train - though they have a different style than New York. Instead of making a sales pitch for those delicious M&Ms, Argentines hand out their goods. They give them to you. They just place their magazine, or sheet of stickers, or hair ties on your lap and walk all the way down the subte car doing the same for every seated passenger. Conveniently, there are no doors separating the cars, only open air. The cars are connected by an accordian of plastic. So, then they come back around and collect all of their commodities. It's like I was given a gift for 2 whole minutes!

But the best are the subte performers. These artists grant the title "Subway Performer" new meaning. You have three little Mexican guys playing guitar and singing mariachi in New York, ha! We'll one up you. We've got a four man band with a drummer who has a box drum and a symbol (ON A STAND!), a bassist with an amp, a guitarist, and a plastic piano/clarinet player (the Playskool kind) AND we will all sing in 3 or 4 part harmony while doing it. So there. OR how about a full on magician - trunk and all?

And the people of Buenos Aires are a gracious audience. In New York, people feel like if you applaud you're screwed. That's it. You've acknowledged that you listened to them and now you have to hand over the dough. Here, people applaud generously. There was even someone who whooped and hollered for the magician. They don't necessarily give money - although some do. Their willingness to devote their attention and enjoy themselves simply speaks to that Argentinian warmth I feel a lot of in this city.

And with that I say with all the warmth in my heart: BESOS!