Trip Report (+ / -) Buenos Aires, Argentina 2013

This annual year end trip was to be a a journey with a few bumps in the road, outlined as follows:

[+1] Dec 22nd - The 11 hour direct flight (economy) in AA from JFK-EZE departed on time and arrived on time

[-1] Dec 23rd - On arrival at the in-laws abode (10th floor of apartment block), the power went out (common occurrence during the brutally hot summer in BA

[+1] Power restored 4 hours later

[-1] Power goes out again 8 hours later during the night with temperature = 35C / 95F 

[+1] Dec 24th - Barely a car in sight on the 4 hour drive south to the beach town of Mar del las Pampas

[+5] Dec 24th - Dec 29 - 5 glorious days & nights by the pool / beach

[-1] Dec 30th - On return to In-laws abode in BA, yet another power outage

[-3] Dec 31st am - No water or elevator or power (remember 10th floor & now temperature = 40C / 104F

[+2] Dec 31st pm - Clean up & cool down with shower at sister-in-laws & New Years Eve celebrations with friends / family

[-1] Jan 1st - Protesters against the power cuts block the streets by burning garbage (can't say I blame them)

[-2] Jan 2nd am - The missus & I get stomach bug the day of our return flight (bedridden between visits to the potty)

[-1] Jan 2nd pm - Flight delayed 2 hours because of the forecast of snow storm Hercules

[-10] Return flight is First Class as explained 'here' and because of continuing 'squirt alert' neither wifey nor I can take advantage of the food/booze first class has to offer

[+3] First class baggage allowance is (3 x 70lbs / 32kgs) x 2 adults + 1 x 50lbs / 23kgs for the wee nipper + 3 standard carry-ons + 3 personal smaller bags - yes we maxed it all out to bring back a lot of stuff from BA left behind from this 'sabatical'  

[+10] Jan 3rd am - Lie-flat first class seats are a god-send when you are feeling like crap and the proximity and ratio (2:16) of the first class toilets are a god-send when you feel like crapping x 5 times (refer squirt alert above)

[-3] JFK closed due to snow storm Hercules means we circle for 2.5 hours

[-3] Since we a running out of fuel we are given clearance to land in Philadelphia (then maybe a bus to NYC/JFK if we were lucky)

[+3] As we commence descent to Phili, JFK opens so we alter course back to JFK - phew!

[-1] On arrival at JFK temperature is -12C / 10F and I am in t-shirt & shorts - it's kind of a tradition ;-)

[-2] Missus and I take another 2 days to fully recover

[+5] Good to be home but exhausted!

I hope your travels went more smoothly....

Tags: ..Trip Report (+ / -) Buenos Aires, Argentina 2013..

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Happy 2014!

Greetings from hot and sunny Buenos Aires! We are visiting family for the annual Xmas - New Years vacation.  This year we escaped the power cuts in the capital and headed 400 kms south to the beach town of Mar de las Pampas for 5 nights.

It´s a very laid back place and was just what we needed to unwind.  My travels have been few and far between this year.  Parenthood, work and budget mean less time for the jet set lifestyle and hence less time and material for blogging but c'est la vie!.

Happy New Year!
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Tags: .Mar de las Pampas..

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How much does it cost to upgrade from Economy to First Class

I've noticed AA are now aggressively offering upgrade offers as you book online.  I recently booked a ticket for my family (me, wife and son < 2yr old) on American Airlines from New York to Buenos Aires for the upcoming (7 months away) Christmas / New Year high season. The wee man pays 10% of the fare as a lap infant. 

Off-peak will cost ~$1,200 per adult but a direct flight for peak holiday season is ~ $1,800 per adult, 11 hours and expensive and not easy with a child. A connecting flight would add hours and unwanted complexities to the experience albeit cheaper for approx ~$1550. Copa Airlines (not recommended due to leg room) and AeroMexico had ~$1,400 fares but layover times were not reasonable.  

I decided to go for the direct flight ~$1,800 per adult which is way more than I ever paid for a ticket before but it's an important annual trip and award availability was not showing anywhere as it did last year for the dates I wanted.  

American Airlines now offers upgrade availability as you are purchasing online and offered an upgrade to First Class for $880 pp for the return only.  I've flown business on AA several times but never First so I decided to make the extravagant splurge. First class on AA is for the first 4 rows only. On reflection an additional ~$2,000 for the 3 of us for the return flight only is a tad excessive and I likely won't do it again unless I win the lotto but you only live once. Anyone who has been stuck in economy for 11 hours with a baby should be able to empathise. By January 2014 the wee man will have flown business / first no less than 4 times - not bad for toddler. RyanAir this is not - Spoilt - never! 

Tags: ..How much does it cost to upgrade from Economy to First Class on American Airlines..

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Asado (BBQ Argentina)

Perfecting this is no easy process.  Wood is the preferred fuel to burn until the embers are broken down and orange. Timing the cooking of the lomo (tenderloin) takes practice. The chorizo (spicy sausage) takes on a delicious smokey flavor. Add ice cold beer and some malbec wine and you're in food heaven.

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How much do things cost in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2013?

Prices have increased considerably since I spent a year here back in 2007 to 2008. Back then it was relatively cheap to live here in comparison to the USA or EU.  Assuming you had modest savings in a strong currency like Dollars or Euros you could live very comfortably. Many people chose Buenos Aires as a location for retirement.

The exchange rate in 2007 was u$d1 = arg 3 pesos
The official exchange rate in 2013 is u$d1 = arg 5 pesos
The actual exchange rate on the street aka "blue rate" is more like arg 6.5 pesos 

You might expect more bang for your buck with the change but with inflation it is quite the opposite.  In the table below I have tracked changes in prices since 2007.  Here is the original post that attracted a lot of attention back then. 

.Use the scroll bars below to see the entire list or click here

UPDATED JANUARY 2013

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Tags: ..Inflation in Buenos Aires, Argentina 2013..

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United Airlines Business First Class

A lot of point junkies never seem to get around to using their hard or easy earned miles. I splurged a lot of miles to fly the missus and wee lad in first class on the eleven hour direct flight from Newark to Buenos Aires and it did not disappoint.

The seat reclines to a full horizontal bed so after a 4 course dinner and a little too much champagne and a movie we slept very well. The baby slept most of the trip too which I'm sure the other passengers were somewhat relieved at.

Now it just remains to adapt back to flying coach :-(

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Paddy is back in BA

I started this blog as a way to keep a journal of my sabbatical year in Buenos Aires back in 2007. Now I'm back (for 2 weeks) but you wouldn't think that looking at our check-in bags.
I will update my Cost of Living in Argentina post shortly. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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I'm black and I'm proud

There is a line in the movie the Commitments that goes like this "Do you not get it, lads? The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once, say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!".


 I think the same could now be said of River Plate football supporters in relation to South America, Argentina, Buenos Aires, River Plate. This is one passionate River Plate supporter watching as his team gets relegated to the second division for the first time in it's 110 year history. Enjoy!

p.s hat tip to Duncan F. for link  

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Tags: .River Plate relegation..

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Win a Trip to Learn Spanish in Argentina with a Friend!

Win a Trip to Learn Spanish in Argentina with a Friend!
These guys really, REALLY, want to help you learn Spanish.

The makers of Bueno, entonces..., the hot new Spanish language learning software, are trying to build their Facebook cred by reaching 10,000 Fans by March. If they get there, one lucky fan and a friend will win a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for 10 days of intensive Spanish lessons, a chance to meet the cast and crew, and of course, have way too much fun.
From now until March 12th, Bueno, entonces... is offering a series of contests on the Facebook Page, which offers free daily Spanish phrases, words and grammar lessons. 100 participants will be chosen as Finalists from the series of contests and will be entered to win the Grand Prize Trip. The complete contest details are posted on the Bueno, entonces...Fan Page.
Starting Thursday (January 28) there is an easy-to-do photo contest. To enter, just snap a picture of yourself holding a sign saying "I want to win a trip to Argentina" and post it to their Facebook wall. Then get your friends to 'like' and comment on it. The TEN finalists with the most 'likes' will be selected next Friday (February 5). So polish up your tango shoes and hurry and go check it out
About the program:
Bueno, entonces... is like Rosetta Stone meets The Simpsons - the program is comprehensive, but at the same time hilarious and really engaging. Just released last year, it has been already featured in the iTunes App Store and on the Daily Candy website. To see more, check out their Learn Spanish website.

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Carnival Gualeguaychu Argentina

Every Saturday for two months Gualeguaychu in the province of Entre Rios celebrates carnival ('carnaval' in Spanish). I tried to see this last year but it was rained out not once but twice :-(( but we went on Saturday and the weather was well behaved this time.

A three hour bus ride from Buenos Aires gets you to the small spread out town of Gualeguaychu (pronounced Wally-wy-chu). The Carnival takes place on Saturday night but there are plenty of riverside beaches with bars and cafes to head to during the day.

Well enough of the tourism pitch and now for some photos. I have a terrible habit of cutting people heads off in photos as you're about to see.

Tags: .Carnival Carnaval Gualeguaychu Argentina..

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Love Hotels aka Telos in Buenos Aires

I can't believe it was almost a year ago (where the hell does the time go?) since I wrote this post about Love Hotels aka Telos which is worth a look if you didn't see it. I think I was mildly amusing and creative back then - what the hell happened?

I was reminded of it today because I saw a car driving around pulling a trailer with a big advert for one of these 'pay by the hour' hotels. Only arg$40 pesos for a 2 hour shagfest! (less than u$d12)

Before I arrived here I'd only seen places like these on TV movies which were usually pretty grotty and associated with prostitution. Here however, it's commonplace as 'kids' often live at home until they're married or shacked up with their better half. This can mean a 30+ year old 'kid' living with the parents and dating a possible Mr/Mrs Right needs a bit of privacy. So off they toddle to the Telo (love hotel) for some nookie.

You have a variety of rooms classes/prices to choose from.

Although the front entrance is frequently shielded by trees for privacy, they are not the seedy equivalent of the establishments you've seen on TV. For the most part, they are clean and well maintained, although there is a tendancy for the decor to be 70's pink porn style from floor to door to wall to ceiling to the champagne - all pink? If you pay a little extra you can stay longer and get breakfast in bed - pink tea and toast anyone?

Check 'em out yourself and let the lovefest begin!

http://www.sexnos.com.ar

http://www.pink-hotel.com.ar

Tags: .Love hotels, Transitorios (temporary hotels) aka Telos in Buenos Aires..

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Noche de los Museos (Night of the Museums)

As promised, here is more of the cultural stuff going on in Buenos Aires - Noche de los Museos (Night of the Museums) Buenos Aires, Argentina


National Geographic recently mentioned this humble blogger not just once but twice for Free things to do in Buenos Aires

There maybe no such thing as a 'free lunch' but on Saturday, November 15th, 2008, most of the museums in Buenos Aires will be open from 7pm - 2am (yes am) for free. Add to this the free concerts of all varieties of music from classical to jazz to rock to tango. Public transport to get to the various venues is free. The whole thing finishes off with a kick ass open air party down by the docks in Puerto Madero with bands, DJ's, dancing and as is typical in this neck of the woods it goes till dawn and oh yeah, I forgot to mention - it's free. Click here for more details for free.

Tags: ..Free things to do in Buenos Aires, Noche de los Museos (Night of the Museums)..

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Barrio Chino (Chinatown), Buenos Aires

According to Google, quite a few visitors to this blog come here to discover tips and info about Buenos Aires and travel in Argentina in general and I've not been posting much of that type of content recently so I'm going to try and do a weekly post to introduce different neighbourhoods and events.

We went to Barrio Chino recently which is a small area of just a couple of blocks where there are lots of restaurants (Chinese ones strangely enough!) and supermarkets where you can buy all sorts of oriental produce including spices and soy sauce etc. It's one of the best places to buy fresh fish as they have a great selection and they are very reasonably priced. I decided to buy some merluza (similar to hake) so I bought 2 huge fish for 23 pesos (US$7).

They de-gut them in a quick n' dirty fashion for you but don't de-bone them. I put the fish in the fridge on Friday when we got home. We had family commitments most of the weekend and stayed over at the in-laws Saturday night and didn't get back to the apartment until Sunday evening.

When I opened the fridge there was the most god awful, noxious, abominable smell you could ever imagine. Not to be deterred, I removed the fish and washed them and filleted them. The smell subsided.

I put one in a large pot and cooked it slowly with coconut milk and veg for fish stew which was quite tasty. I stuck the other one in the freezer. Bad Move! Opened the freezer the following day and the same waft of wrank nasty fish hit me in the face. I immediately dumped the fish but the smell won't go away. It's like that Seinfeld episode where he can't get the smell of B.O. out of the car.

Anybody want to buy a fridge - going cheap?

How to get there: Intersection of Juramento and Arribenos in Belgrano.

Subway D to Juramento or there is a bus depot right beside it

Tags: ..Barrio Chino Buenos Aires, Chinatown, Chinese in Buenos Aires, smelly fish, where to buy spices Buenos Aires..

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Oktoberfest Argentina

Oktoberfest in Villa General Belgrano, Córdoba, Argentina

Every year in October the small town of Villa General Belgrano goes a little 'extra krout'. Many of the descendants of the town are of German origin and some still speak German. Argentina is not renowned for it's beer. The national brand of Quilmes is simply quite awful but there are some great micro brewers in the area that are a welcome exception to the rule.

This beerfest has been going since 1964 and now the town has a dedicated park to house the beerfest each year. The official party starts with a parade and gets going at noon each day making its way to the park enclosure. They have traditional bands and German food and of course beer and this continues until midnight. The after party includes salsa / cumbia music and of course more beer until the wee hours! Highly recommended - Enjoy the pics!

Tags: ..Oktoberfest Buenos Aires, Oktoberfest Argentina,Villa General Belgrano in Córdoba, beer, party..

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Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires

I went on one of my now famous walkathons today.  I need to motivate myself to get going but once I get going, I'm like Forrest Gump or the Energizer Bunny - I just keep going and going.  15 minutes walk from our new place in San Telmo is the barrio of Puerto Madero.

It's probably one of the most expensive places to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment in Buenos Aires.  It's a tacky tourist area and restaurant prices are on a par with accommodation i.e. bling bling! although there are some good buffet deals.

Despite the credit crunch elsewhere in the world, construction is booming here (see photos above and below) and great monstrosities of tower blocks with luxury apartments are selling and renting for up to 10 times the going rates elsewhere in the city.

There is a huge ecological park behind Puerto Madero that is a welcome respite from the concrete jungle.  It's a bird watchers haven and although I am a city slicker at heart, it's so refreshing coming here to escape...everything and anything! (check the photos below). 

I did the 8km circuit around the park at high (extra sunny) noon and now look very similar to  this...

Tags: Puerto Madero, ecological park, The Parque Natural y Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur Natural Park and Ecological Reserve,apartments 

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San Telmo, Buenos Aires

I finally got the WIFI working in our new place via our DSL service 'Speedy' so internet is now functional in any room of our one bedroom apartment!  We had cable internet in the old place with Fibertel (Cablevision) and neither is very fast compared with USA or UK. They both advertise 3 megabytes per second but it's no where near that from the tests I've done but it's better than dangling from the balcony trying to steal someone signal.

We haven't got TV connected yet, which is a blessing in disguise as far as I'm concerned.  We've been going thru the old DVD collection so it's been fun watching / rewatching some vintage old stuff. I finally got around to watching Billy Connollys World Tour of England, Ireland & Wales which I've had for about 6 years which was a good nostalgic trip down memory lane. I also have ALL the old Star Trek movies so it's been a Kirk & Spock marathon overload! The wife is not a big fan and cannie' take anymore Captain!

Here are some photos of the new neighbourhood. I've been happy snapping as I stroll around.  It's one of the oldest parts of the city and has an interesting mix of locals (portenos) and tourists. Many of the the buildings (that thankfully haven't been torn down yet) are really old, ornate and beautiful and there are a few great indoor and outdoor markets.

I've got 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' playing on dvd right now so you must excuse me as I watch my bad boy hero Clint shoot 'em up!

Tags: San Telmo Buenos Aires, San Telmo Tango, San Telmo Bars, San Telmo Barrio, San Telmo Restaurants, San Telmo Apartments rent

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Pet Peeves - The list grows longer!

I have an ever growing list of pet peeves as I get older. If patience is a virtue, then I guess I am sadly, very lacking in at least that virtue and probably many others.

It was a long weekend here, so we headed about 350kms north east of Buenos Aires to a tiny remote town with 'termas' (hot springs). The place is called Villa Elisa and is in the province of Entre Ríos. The location was pleasant enough and we had a nice bungalow, 3minutes walk from the termas.

Most people head out of Buenos Aires to 'el campo' (the countryside) to escape the crowds. This weekends experience was the opposite. Sharing a pool with 250 people and being poked, prodded and elbowed is not my idea of fun but seems to be 'the norm' here. I think you get points for the more people you can bump, shove and squash. I HATE crowds - Do NOT invade my personal space. Think of it as an imaginary bubble that protrudes from my frame, just like my beer belly and beyond!

My tolerance for queueing is almost non existant, but this was tested to the limit this weekend as the hoards that descended on this place seemed preconditioned to forming lines as some sort of bizzare communal ritual. The longer the line, the more succesful the ritual. Want to buy a beer? - Join the queue. Want to eat? - Wait outside on the line. Need to pee? - Cross your legs and wait your turn.

The highlight of the trip was a relatives 'sweet fifteen' birthday party which we had been invited to. The venue was at a club called 'Frank Zappa' and they played the entire collection from Pink Floyds - 'Dark Side of the Moon' before, during and after the meal - surreal! As is typical in Argentina this went on till the wee hours and we headed back to our bungalow at 6am while the rest partied on till past dawn.

Besides people who walk slowly and block your path, another one of my pet peeves is traffic jams and the inexplicable gradual slow down in traffic only to speed up again for no apparent reason. The farmers are blocking the roads again so traffic was heavy on the road home. We were very lucky to make it back to Buenos Aires today as many others are still stranded half way due to the blockades.

Got any pet peeves to share?

Tags: Pet Peeves, people who walk slowly and block your path, 'sweet fifteen' birthday party
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Perito Moreno Glacier Melting

Many of you will have seen the news reports showing the glacier in Perito Moreno, Patagonia, Argentina breaking off into the ocean. I had the great pleasure of seeing this 'natural' phenomenon a while back and it was truly breath taking seeing gigantic slabs of ice, the size of tall buildings, crack and crash into the ocean with a tremendous splash (link here).

When I saw this great spectacle it was January a few years back, which is high summer for the southern hemisphere. This time however, it is occurring in July i.e. winter for these climes.

Global warming is generally accepted as the culprit (unless somebody has been spreadin' a whole lotta salt!) The glacier is melting at an advanced rate never seen before. This is denied by the usual skeptics who claim it's just natural variations in the earths temperature. These are the same skeptics who have a vested interest in not acknowledging this fact i.e. they consider adhering to the Kyoto protocol too expensive.

Penny for your thoughts?

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FREE BEER! - Yes You Heard Right !

I like (actually I love) to go for a quiet pint every now n' then and just stare into the deafening silence and hear the hypnotysing clock on the wall "tick- tock - tick- tock!" There's something therapeutic about it.

When I want to go out for a pint somewhere with some atmosphere, it gets a bit more complicated. For one thing people don't go out here until LATE, VERY LATE! - They eat late, they drink late, they party late. They go to work late! - A city of vampires if ever there was one!

Bars mid week are empty until 11pm so forget about the after work tipple. If your lucky the bar will get some traffic just before midnight.

Clubs don't open at weekends until 1 am and won't be busy until 3am and wrap up somewhere between 7-10am. Siestas are a way of life and one which I've adapted to....zzzzZZZZZZZZZ!

....Where was I? ah yes....

There is an exception however......


From the same person who brought you 24 Hour Alcohol Delivery comes the true story a local bar that is offering the following:

FREE BEER !!!

For Girls : Free beer and free national drinks everyday noon to midnite
For Guys : incredible HAPPY HOUR with free pizza - 3PM-8PM.

Chicas Argentinas
Photos Courtesy of 'El Alamo Bar': Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Night is Bikini Night!

Full Details Here

Shoeless Joes El Alamo Bar

Address: Uruguay 1175 (between Santa Fe & Arenales), Recoleta

Photos of signs courtesy of Buenos Aires Tours

• Free Beer for everybody with lunch.
• Free domestic booze for the ladies until 10pm.

Before I get slapped for being a sexist pig (again) - I am really only doing this as a public service announcement for you thirsty ladies. - SO ENJOY!

Thanks to fellow blogger Julia at Evans Gate for reminding me about this den of inequity.

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I See Dead People!

Recoleta District (Barrio), Buenos Aires

Probably the most touristy district in Buenos Aires is Recoleta. It's here you find an over priced arty / souvenir market (on weekends) and restaurants that charge double than outlying areas. It's also where you find lots of famous dead people in the cemetery including several ex heads of state and of course, the pride and joy of the country, Evita a.k.a Eva Peron (don't cry now!) and don't make jokes or this could happen.

If you don't like cats then don't come here because the stray cats are breeding like rabbits or indeed err ..em...cats, in this dead zone and pissing like horses and the stench of cat pish can be over powering at times. The graves / tombs are elaborate to the point of being tacky and probably cost more to build than a 3 bed apartment uptown. It's a good central location though so maybe you could invite the relatives to stay at your tomb for a long weekend after you've snuffed it.

Although the 6pm curfew could be a tad awkward unless they can scale high walls. It seems to be par for the course in Buenos Aires to have very high walls around a cemetery and I'm still not sure if it's to keep the grave robbers out or the dead people in!

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