annetti

I'm just curious. Are you getting the same exchange rate for the US dollar in Argentina that I have seen posted here for the last couple of weeks? Today it was listed as 2.891 pesos for the US dollar. Thanks in advance.

avrooster

If you sell dollars at a decent place here (not at "Global Exchange", they are crooks, conveniently present in most of our airports), you should get between 3,12 and 3,15 pesos for each dollar.

Check out
http://www.dolarhoy.com/indexx.php
for the prevailing quote.

To whoever tells you the rate is 2,89 pesos per dollar, tell them you want to buy some dollars with pesos and what is their rate for that?

Coming back any time soon?

Scarlett

A couple of days ago in the exchange place on Quintana the US dollar was $3.05
This is the lowest that we have seen it but that was just that exchange place..it pretty much stays at $3.10- 3.12

avrooster

The exchange place on Quintana is in the most touristy place in BA and tourists SELL dollars.

For the exchange rate in downtown BA, check the website I mentioned.

Scarlett

As I said, the exchange place on Quintana showed $3.05 , &quot;this is the lowest that we have seen it but <u>that was just that exchange place.</u>it pretty much stays at $3.10- 3.12.

We have been doing &quot;money stuff&quot; lately and it is staying around $3.15

Here is a good site for checking up on things..


http://www.xe.com/ucc/

drdawggy

The advantage of checking dolar hoy is that it gives actual exchange rates paid at various locations around Buenos Aires. Many sites list the rates for large commercial transactions, whereas the dolar hoy rates are the amounts paid for small transactions by individuals.

avrooster

Said above by the world-famous drdawggy, the universally acknowledged TOP Internet expert on the town of BA in particular and tourism in Argentina in general.

annetti

Thank you, AV, Drdawggy and Scarlett. It is interesting to me to see how far off the rates were on the exchange site I was checking. It looks like little has changed since my visit in July and August 2007.

AV: If all goes well, we plan on a return visit next March or April 2009 when I (thankfully, I think!) retire. Although few people will be checking this thread, we plan once again to concentrate on BA. We spent 5 weeks there last time (had no problems filling our time) and think we will do the same again, with maybe a side trip to Mendoza. I think we only left the city once, though we had other intentions, with a sidetrip to Tigre. Thanks for asking and again thanks everyone for your usual help in answering my questions.

Annetti

Scarlett

Fantastic! 5 weeks is great..so glad you can do that! It makes such a difference on any trip but it is such a long flight and this is such a huge city..so much going on..glad you will be doing that

Tomorrow the Olympic Torch comes through the neighborhood..should be interesting

dr dawggy is absolutely an expert on most things Argentine and was and continues to be a huge help when I get confused ( to put it gently) with things here..of the people who post on these forums with advice, I would always consider his first ( then me LOL)...

So...we will see you next March-April

annetti

Scarlett - you are right, the flight is unbearably long from LAX (though no jetlag and no direct flights currently), just incredibly boring, so we figure we should maximize our stay. We are really looking forward to having some fresh pasta and good pizza again!! There is something especially nice about the BA dining experience.

Scarlett

Our flight was over 15 hours
From PDX to Houston then to BA which was 10 hrs...

One of the things I just love about eating out here is that the table is yours as long as you wish.
You are never rushed through choosing what to eat, or how long you stay and schmooze ..
We arrived at a place the other night, 9 friends came along after us, reservations were for 9:30pm...we left around 1:30 or so

We have been taste testing pizza lately We tend to like thin crisp crusts so it has been fun..so far not fattening fun, to find a favorite.
I love that everywhere you go, they make fresh pasta.

If you want to go somewhere special..we went here for my birthday..everything was perfect

http://www.settebacco.com.ar/

annetti

Hi Scarlett, I grew up on the East Coast, so I am very specific about my ideal pizza. We prefer the thin, crisp crusts and I have very seldom found an LA pizza that could measure up which is not to say they don't exist, but they are a rarity. We had such wonderful pizzas in BA, starting with good to excellent quality. I still remember one with roasted bell peppers that was pure heaven, recommended to us by the waiter. I am not sure what makes the dining experience so pleasant in BA, it might be the leisurely way of serving where you have the table to yourself almost indefinitely, or the linen on the table, or the professional attitude or maybe it is just that the food is so good, but it certainly is a pleasure.

I looked up the restaurant you recommended and with this note and the ones above, I now have it bookmarked. We certainly enjoyed the French Bistro you recommended on our first trip. Thank you.
PS If you find a special pizza place, please let us know, because besides ice cream, I know no other food that pleases me more . . . well, maybe I should add chocolate to that list!

Scarlett

I will tell you now before I forget ... at Volta or Freddo or any of the small ice cream places..try Banana Split ice cream and Chocolate Swiss ... each place does it a little differently but they are always good

For fabulous seafood..
http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/detail.php?ID=99

And use that site
www.guiaoleo.com.ar

annetti

Scarlett: Thanks for the ice cream ideas. I was so caught up with dulce de leche ice cream at Freddo's when we were there, that I never could bear to try another flavor!!

When I returned home, desperately missing my favorite flavor, I found a gelato place in Redondo Beach, CA advertising &quot;Dulce de Leche gelato direct from Argentina.&quot; Needless to say, I was drawn inside like a magnet, but, it was sooo disappointing. The only thing it had in common with BA gelato was was the color, otherwise it was really terrible. Even the Hagan das here which does a dulce de leche is pretty mediocre and I have always been a fan of Hagan Das ice-cream. (pls excuse the spelling, if I have it wrong!) Sadly, I will have to wait 12 months to get my fix. But, a little compensation, I can buy Dulce de leche ( canned and an import from Chile) and it does taste pretty good over vanilla HD!

Scarlett

Last night my husband brought home ice cream from a place here in Recoleta..Swiss Chocolate..but this one was different..chocolate ice cream with hidden little chocolate balls with dulce de leche inside them...omigod.....

AndrewDavid

scarlett, so the favourable exchange rate is keeping u in gelato eh!!

AndrewDavid

Scarlett

Absolutely!!

AndrewD! we just watched the Olympic Torch go down Libertador and Alcorte..we were at the cafe at the Belle Artes Museum... what fun !!!