The National Religion of Argentina
My first full day in Buenos Aires, which was planned to be all about the dominant religion of Argentina - Football (for you in North America, soccer). Stay tuned to read all about it.
I woke up rather early in the morning, even though I had gone to sleep a little late the night before. My guess is that it was a mix of excitement to be in a new place as well as jet lag. Despite how many melatonins I take, wherever I am, and irregardless of the time difference, jet lag will always find a way to come at you when you least expect it.
Soon after, Renata came back as she was on a 24 hour shift in the hospital. We caught up properly since her dinner was rushed the night before. Even though we had plans to go to brunch in a few hours, we were already hungry so we decided to go grab some pastries, known in Argentina as Facturas.
The plan was to go to some of the Panaderias (bakeries) around the block to pick some up. Once at the first bakery, Renata explained the process to me - you start by grabbing a basket and a pair of tongs, then fill your basket with as many as many facturas as you want. At the end, you take it to the clerk, where the attendant wraps all of them for you in paper and checks you out.
We ended up picking a few items from two different bakeries, as Renata explained that each had its own specialty. I will disclose that almost all the items offered are on the sweeter side, having either dulce de leche, custard, jam, or a mix thereof, so be prepared for an overload of sweetness.
Back at home, we spread them out on the table and Renata prepared some coffee for the three of us (Ulises was now awake) to enjoy our facturas. The plan for the day was to rest some more, which we honestly all needed, then have brunch and make our way to the football match. Today was the round 16 game, where Argentina was facing against Australia for a spot in the quarter finals.
Shortly after noon, we got ready and went down to one of Ulises’ favourite restaurants for a Milanesa. It was this cool Americana meets rock restaurant, specializing in only Milanesas. For those of you who do not know, a milanesa is a flattened piece of meat, usually beef or chicken, breaded, and then fried and finished with different sauces and toppings. Think of it as Argentina’s answer to the Wiener Schnitzel! I went for a Neapolitan style for the toppings, which was tomato sauce, cheese, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. We also ordered some beef empanadas, which were truly delicious. It felt like an explosion of flavour, and the one olive that one in there was an amazing surprise which added a new depth of flavour. Ren and Uli explained to me that this was a traditional empanada of the region, and it was common to have a single olive in there. They also mentioned that empanadas can be either baked or fried, with the preparation depending on the place.
The milanesas arrived after which were delicious as well. The servings were huge, and none of us were able to finish a whole milanesa on our own. If you’re looking for a cheap meal that is delicious and will fill you up, milanesa is the way to go. We had ours at Don Igancio, and Uli explained that he has been coming here since he was a child as he grew up in the neighbourhood.
After lunch, we walked back to the apartment to grab a few things before heading to watch the match, and at this point, I noticed something very interesting on the streets. It seemed that they had gotten a lot calmer in terms of traffic but also much quieter. Being my curious self, I had to ask my friends, especially since they had also gotten quieter. They explained that it was the football nerves, and tensions were now high as this was an elimination game. This was my first realization of the meaning of football to Argentinians.
We took the bus to the game which also had a similar atmosphere - a mix of excitement and nervousness. The ride took about 30 minutes, although the quietness and the tensions in the air made it feel much longer. I observed the streets, which were unrecognizable because of how quiet they got, but also observed that everyone had some football related item on or with them - jerseys, flags, hats, everything. We arrived at Plaza Italia, where we were met with giant crowds all walking towards the park where the game was being shown. There were lots of locals, young and old, men and women, friends and families, all united and with a single purpose. Once at the park, I realized the extend of the setup that Buenos Aires ad prepared for the FIFA. The whole park had been converted to a fan zone, with vendors, facilities, and multiple gigantic screens with full speaker systems to enjoy the game. It was now about half an hour before the game, and the crowds were huge. We found ourselves a place to sit, a tiny little rectangle between groups of people, where we would be for the next 2 hours as we watched the game.
And then…silence. The game started and there was no noise at anymore, but the silence was loud in its own way. The tension was there, the stress and anxiety with every close shot, every right or wrong move, the game had everyone hooked. No one had any worries anymore besides football. Then came the first goal, and everyone was on their feet, cheering, chanting, shouting, applauding - all of it. Argentina now had a lead on the game, and people could begin to relax. But not too much though as it was still early, and nothing is known in football. Not to forget that this iteration of FIFA featured plenty of surprises, including Argentina’s historical loss against Saudi Arabia.
During the half time break, it seemed that normality was starting to come back on everyone, as the game had been going well so far, and tensions were starting to ease. The second half resumed with everyone once again glued to the screen, yet more relaxed. The second goal came which was welcomed with more energy than the previous, and it was now a 2-0 lead for Argentina, and the win was closer than before. The atmosphere quickly changed though when Australia made their first goal, reminding the crowd that the fame is not over till it was over, bringing with it a level tension higher than before. The team was now making more and more mistakes, and the crowd was at their mercy, holding their breaths. This would continue till the end of the game. The last few seconds were not easy either, as Australia almost scored a tying goal, which would extend the game even longer, something no Argentinians wanted. However, this did not happen, and celebrations started as soon as the closing whistle was blown.
Everyone was now cheerful, singing, dancing, chanting, and enjoying this important win which meant that the team was one step closer to the championship. After taking some pictures, we walked back towards the metro station, where we were met with huge crowds celebrating in the station. The party continued onto the metro, which was a very new experience to me. Not only was it packed elbow to elbow, but everyone was chanting victory songs, slamming every side of the metro, and jumping. I was honestly surprised that we were able to even move, and Uli explained to me that this was normal behaviour, despite the fact that there had been several instances when the metros would get stuck because of the celebrations. But this is what I meant when I say that football is the only religion of Argentina - nothing was going to step the pride and happiness, especially not a stuck metro. I was also told that this was not even a full celebration, considering that Argentina traditionally qualifies to the quarter finals of every FIFA, and that it was an easier game. The upcoming one against the Netherlands would have a lot higher tension, but then a victory would also be celebrated much more.
Back in the apartment, we were all very tired from the match. All the walking, tension, celebrating, and sitting in the sun really had its toll on us. We rested up some more, then Renata and Ulises got ready to go out again. They were going to a friend’s birthday party, which I was offered to join although ended up passing on due to how tired I had gotten. Renata helped me order some empanadas (the baked ones now), which I later went to pick up from a joint a few blocks away. I had two with beef cubes as well as one with corn and cream of sorts. All of them were delicious, and I was starting to see that I would likely be having a lot of empanadas while in Argentina. I passed out after the empanadas, where Ren and Uli woke me up upon their arrival to make my way to bed, as I was on the couch.
Overall, I really enjoyed the day, as it gave me a true insight of football, which plays a huge part in Argentinian culture. I am now hoping that Argentina makes it all the way to the finals and even wins, just so I can watch the celebrations, each which I would observe from a different part in the country.
What were your thoughts about my day? Any dishes you’d like to try? How is football in your country? Do you have another sport which plays an important role in the daily lives of people? Let me know in the comments below, but till then, stay positive!
