[Tango-L] Top 10 reasons Inflation Hurts

[Lois Donnay]

Ok, that's the last time I try to convey sarcasm over email. Really - only
the last points are important. 

The original thread was, as I recall, how tourists should spend their money
in BA, and someone opined that steak dinners were such a good value that it
is silly not to indulge. My intended reply was to say I choose to go more
often and stay longer instead, so I don't indulge. No sympathy required,
just asking for an acceptance of everyone's choices. Well - OK, you can feel
sorry for how badly I was teased by my family for being thrifty (Note: this
is sarcasm!)

Now there is separate thread of the plight of Argentines dealing with
inflation. And a separate thread, of how cost is keeping some tango out of
the reach of Argentines. And another separate thread, of how the tourist
trade is changing Buenos Aires tango. These subjects are much more worthy of
discussion.

Lois Donnay
Minneapolis, MN 

Years ago when I went to Baires, the peso was at par with the dollar. My 
trips to BAires were very expensive indeed. We did not complain, we were 
happy to have the opportunity to go there and enjoy the tango scene. We had 
no paid guides, taxi dancers or anything of the sort. The shoes were from 
Flabela and very expensive. Mens shoes were over $100 USD per pair and the 
womens shoes were similarly expensive. The third rate hotels that go for 5 
star hotels in Baires were over $100 per night......While I can understand 
the disappointment of seeing ones dollars go away faster, The following 
reasons do not elicit much simpathy.


>10. Multi-visiting tango teacher has to eat soup instead of steak.

Steak every day all the time is not good for you anyway. Besides, how can 
one complain of food prices at 1/3rd the US price?

>9.  First-time visitor finds she can only afford 5 pairs of Comme Il Fauts
>instead of 6.

This is written with tongue in cheek, no?

>8.  Lesson addict can only take two private lessons per week instead of
>three.

Hard to believe that another $30 could not be found...

>7.  Female tango dancer tries to get her own dances and sits a lot instead
>of paying for a taxi dancer.

Well, how'a that so unfair? A good dancer would have no problem getting 
dances all night long after meeting some people.....

>6.  European has to stay at Porteno y Bailarin instead of taking the
>expensive cab ride to La Viruta.

That's also quite a stretch... Just how much does the cab fare cost and why 
is it such a tragedy to stay in one milonga? In other places there is not 
even a milonga every night, let alone a choice of milongas in one 
night....Besides, why would one want to go to la viruta anyway?

>5.  Women tourists has to learn to take the subway instead of the taxi

Well, it depends how many taxis one takes each day, right? Also, it's still 
incredibly less expensive than getting around in the USA or Europe.. Try 
taking a cab in Atlanta to go anywhere and see how much it costs....

>4.  Group leader doesn't take the group to Sunderland because it's too far
>away.

Group leader is too cheap or not savvy enough to arrange things properly..

>3.  Tourists stop using people like Janis to take them to milongas, and 
>make
>multiple faux pas.

Well, that's the cost of doing the tango business....

>2.  Argentines can no longer afford lessons

This is true, but it does not hurt the tango tourist nearly as much..

>1.  Argentines can no longer afford to go dancing

Again, this hurts the Argentineans more directly than the tango tourists.