Dear All,

Thanks for all of your great tips and advice about travelling to BsAs. My wife and I just returned from an unbelievably fantastic trip. The following review touches on some of our key experiences only - thus, if you would like more details or have specific questions, just post, and I'll answer them.

I heartily recommend Buenos Aires as a travel destination. It's not just that dollar goes far, or that the food is amazing, or that the neighborhoods are so walkable, or that the public transportation is easy, or that the weather in April was gorgeous (75 F and sunny every single day), or that the people are affable and eager to help - it is a combination of all of these factors and so, so much more. You can smell the history of the city on almost every street corner and the hustle and bustle energy of the city combines with a sense of romance so effortlessly. My wife and I have lived in NYC for several years now and it suited us perfectly. I speak Spanish very well and it certainly helped us although there were clear dialectal differences peculiar to Buenos Aires that I had to pick up on the fly (such as Ciaogracias (!)).

We stayed at four places during our 7 days - obviously a highly non-ideal situation but it had to be done due to last minute travel changes. We stayed at Garufa (B&B), Vain (Boutique Hotel), Bobo (Boutique Hotel), and Solar Soler (B&B). All four of these places were in Palermo - our favorite neighborhood in the city. All of the people we encountered in each establishment were extremely helpful and the accommodations were almost exactly what we read about on various sites (fodors.com, tripadvisor.com, etc.). Although Bobo was clearly the highlight - mainly for its food and helpful staff, Solar Soler cannot be beat for $60 USD per night.

One of the best things we did were take a bike tour of the city for about 4 hours. We did this on one of first days in Buenos Aires and we saw almost every major neighborhood in a safe and efficient manner. We used Biketours.com.ar and would recommend the outfit without reservation.

Although the brief hunger strike in Brazil (March 30th) derailed our plans to see a Boca Juniors match, we were insistent on watching at least one football game and we saw Racing vs. Gimnasia. Not the best quality match but an experience nonetheless. Seeing a football game in BsAs, like Tango, is clearly a important cultural experience that should not be missed. As it was our first time, we did go with a tour group and I would advise this as some of the other cheering sections were quite rowdy and potentially unsafe.

Also, I must comment on the quality of the food, coming from NYC and being an admittedly a food-obsessed person. The quality of steaks we had in Buenos Aires was undeniably the highest that we have ever had. To truly enjoy the steaks, however, one must be aware the crucial differences in the ordering methodology employed in BsAs and how it specifically differs from the U.S. Jugoso (rare) is about equivalent to Medium Rare and Al Punto is approximately equivalent to Medium. We ordered our steaks Al Punto usually and were quite pleased. Most of the parillas that we visited served steaks that were simply marinated and grilled without much sauce or finishings. The accompaniments such as papas fritas were usually fantastic and the wine selections were top notch. For creative eclectic fare that is affordable, I cannot recommend Bobo enough. The quality of ingredients, creativity, and presentation, were all top notch, regardless of the time of day we were dining there. The gnocchi were particularly superb, possibly the best we have had in the world..

Lastly, some of the interesting things that struck me as a first time vistor and will surely stay with me for some time to come are:
1) the number of couples holding hands in public - quite romantic...
2) the nonagressiveness of vendors towards tourists
3) the amount of dog excrement on the neighborhood sidewalks - sometimes we felt like we were playing a filthy version of hopscotch
4) the emphasis on design in all aspects of life (living, eating, home goods, fashion, transport)
5) the beautiful park "February 3rd" that was teeming with people and ideal for running

Please feel free to ask follow up questions as I will do my best to answer them. And again, thanks for all of your advice.

Regards,

DKG50

Thank you for a great report DKG50!

I'm sure glad you had a good time in our town!

DKG50,

Thanks for your report, we leave on Thursday. Will be there 20-25th.

did you have any rain?

I looked at the weather report and have been dissapointed to see rain for the days we are there.

if you did have any rain, did it last long?

Dear Tripgirl,

No, luckily we did not have any rain at all. We were told that it rained for a week straight before we got there but we were blessed with sunny skies and 75 degree temps every single day we were there. Hopefully, with it being a coastal city, the jet streams should move by quickly.

All the best for a smooth and fun trip.

DKG50

DKG50

Thanks for a great report.

I just got back from a month long tour of South America and like you I just loved Buenos Aires.

I can identify with many of the comments you made.

I mentioned this on another post but I will repeat it here.

The reason for the dog poop is that dog walking is a lucrative job in Buenos Aires.

I dog walker can make up to $35.00 per dog per month.
That is why you will see one person with 10-20 dogs, all on separate leashes of course.

A government paid doctor earns about $290 to $300 per month.!!! so you see dog walking is better.

Thanks for your great report of your experience in Buenos aires.

Percy

Thank you so much for your report. The bike tour is a unique way to see the city I would think. Might have to give it a try next time although I was really glad, at times, that the friend we were staying with was driving. I am having trouble mixing bikes and the heavy traffic in my mind.

It is a beautiful city. Even though my husband had lived there for a year when he was younger and had told me so much about it, I still wasn't prepared. So much beauty, history and those tango dancers were wonderful to watch. Sadness too seeing the white scarves and understanding what they meant.

Thanks again

DKG, loved your report!
So how safe did you feel on a bike on the streets with the taxis? lol
We thought BA was quite romantic too, I look forward to walking , holding hands with my husband , next week, in BA

Percy, they have dog walkers in NYC and other cities..the difference is that in those cities, you get a citation if you are caught not picking up after your dog, and people frown on you if they see you leaving it on the sidewalk..same as here in Portland Or. In Buenos Aires, for some reason, they have not done this yet..actually that varies from neighborhood to neighborhood..Recoleta had very little if anything on the sidewalks, in Palermo, it was impossible to walk on the sidewalk by the Botanical Gardens.
. Someone said not long ago that it does not reflect pride in ones home, to leave dog droppings all over, hopefully things will change.

We are moving there this week, we are bringing our dog, this new Porteño family will pick up after Pup

Dear Scarlett,

To respond to your question about comfort on the bike, I was completely fine. However, I used to race bikes in college and I have excellent bike handling skills. My wife, a relative biking novice, felt very comfortable. That being said, you must still use common sense and caution as you would while navigating any city on a bike. Hope you have a great time!

DKG50

Thanks for the report.

Your post made me that much more excited for my upcoming trip. Thanks for the report!

I enjoyed your trip report immensely. thanks very much.