sueng

I've heard mixed reports about Senor Tango's dinner. Does anyone have any recommendations on which 'tango/dinner' show to go to? I am going with my parents and was hoping to show them to an entertaining show with some decent food. Also, should I book the tango show when I arrive in BsAs on my own, or should I book them through a travel agent? Does anyone have experience in this?

On a similar note, does anyone have experience/recommendations on travel agents for (a) city tours, (b) gauch party/day at a ranch, and (c) delta boat expeditions?

There seem to be many options of potential tour guides for each of these events, but I was looking for someone/company dependable with whom I can enjoy w/elderly parents.

Thank you in advance, fellow fodorites!

drdawggy

I have taken a variety of people of different ages to the Sr. Tango show. It is an enjoyable way to spend the evening.

Sr. Tango is more of a Broadway-style production than a pure tango show. It certainly includes Tango, but it includes other forms forms of singing and dancing...even a horse or two....
The food is decent. Not great by BsAs standards, but good...

Tango purists and gourmets will not be impressed....

there are places where the entire evening is devoted to tango and nothing more....and places where the food is better....but if, as you say, you are looking for an evening of decent food and an entertaining show...Sr.Tango delivers. You can make reservations on your own or through your hotel once you arrive. Sr Tango will send a van to pick you up and return you once the show is over.

Travel Agents....your message confuses me a little. Didn't you recommend a couple of agents in an earlier post?

If you want individualized attention, Cintia speaks excellent English and is very attentive.....Her niche is individualized service....so if you need someone who is bilingual to personally go with your parents, she would be an excellent choice. Many other agents will can make your reservations....but Cintia is both guide and travel agent whereas most of the others are agents but not guides.

drdawggy

Here is a description of Sr. Tango that I came across which I believe captures the essence of the show...

"Senor Tango the best example of dinner theatre extraordinaire, where tango meets Cirque du Soleil meets Cats. Emcee'd by Englebert Humperdinck's Argentine doppelganger, the high-tech production is well choreographed and performed by talented dancers and singers, but the tango hip-hop and mime extensions are a bit much. They even ride a horse on stage! "

Renat

Which other tango shows would you recommend?-one with good food and good entertainment. Thanks

milla

i particularly like piazzolla tango. it is genuine, it is our taste. The place used to be a theatre, some the tables are inside the balconies. the decoration is outstanding. It begins with a good dinner, nothing spectacular The real thing is the show and as such highly recommended. Maybe because i think that it was Piazzola the one that pushed tango to the place where it is now. Singer: Argentine people remember him when he was a boy. That is why locals enjoy going there.
www.piazzollatango.com
good luck

milla

i forgot the other questions. if this were my case, i would take them to a 24 hs visit to an estancia. if possible directly from the airport. and then the following day plunge into the city.

Gaucho parties are in general very tiring. of course it all depends on what you do there but i wouldnt think about a GP for my elderly parents.
There are excellent estancias that have a very relaxing atmosphere everybody young or old, would appreciate. Lakes or streams, horse riding or fishing, pools,carriages and excellent food.

Argentina offers an active day as a GP and a quiet day in the country side enjoying the life the weathly people did enjoy in the past. take the one your parents will enjoy most.

good luck.

LarryRGV

I have to give a somewhat different view on Sr Tango than most posters. We did not think it was so great. It was interesting, but there are bound to be other places that put on a better show. We did not eat there so cannot comment on the food. I will agree with posters that Cintia does a great job and her husband did a wonderful day long tour for us.

sueng

Wow - Thanks for all the replies.

drdawggy - Thank you for your excellent response. It seems like Senor Tango's may be a good option for a show and half-decent dinner. Considering that neither I nor my parents have seen a tango show, your description of Senor Tango seems like it would definitely 'fit the bill.' I did arrange for trips to Calafate and Iguazu via Mayra, but I have not booked any intra-BsAs events at this point; in a way, I wondered if I would truly need the help of a travel agent to book things such as tango/dinner shows.

milla - Thank you for your response as well. I will likely consider an estancia, over a gaucho party.

sueng

There's another show that seems good as well:

"Chanta Cuatro" - http://bytargentina.com/re/dinnertangoshow.php

Has anyone heard of the quality of bytargentina's services?

drdawggy

Chanta Cuatro is better known as the Esquina de Carlos Gardel. It is a well done tango show, but is pure tango without the theatrics of Sr. Tango...as such, people who don't understand the lyrics or history of tango often find it, well, boring (sorry, Milla, and other Portenos, not meant as an insult).

On another note, you can book most things within Buenos Aires yourself through your hotel or via the web, especially tango shows....
Sr Tango. local phone: 4303-0231
Esquina de Carlos Gardel. Local phone:
4867-6363.

milla

my favourite tango dinner show
www.piazzollatango.com
regards.

drdawggy

Milla,
I visited the Piazzolla web site. What a beautiful place!

I plan to go to Piazzolla next weekend based on your recommendation. Maybe I will take students and other extranjeros there in the future. As I said about Esquina de Carlos Gardel, my concern about Tango shows that are pure tango is that we foreigners don't understand the lyrics (full of slang and phrases with hidden or double meanings), and don't find most shows very interesting.....

macarena

We were at Sr Tango in April 2004 with my senior mother and husband, son. It is definitely a broadway type production. We enjoyed it very much. The food was OK. You sit at a table for I think- 8- so you may be seated with people you dont know. We didnt go on the gaucho show because I didnt want to spend 2 hrs on the bus getting there since our time was limited. I think the estancia trips are an all day affair I just wanted to spend that day shopping and walking around instead of seeing another "show" We are going back In December and I will either go the Sr Tango or I heard of another Tango show call Viejo Almacen. It seems pricey-$150 for the dinner show. Not sure what we paid for the other since the travel agent took care of everything in advance.

maries

i just got back from Bs. As. last week and I booked 2 tango shows when I arrived directly through the hotel. It took all of ten 10 minutes. When I was there in May of this year, I used a travel service and lots of hassles...they would only take cash, I had to arrange for thmto deliver vouchers to the hotel. etc. As far as Sentor Tango.... I personally did not like it. It is a huge, Las Vegas type of presentation. I've been to several tango shows and Viejo Almacen in San Temo is my favorite of all.... very traditional and full of sensual, beautiful tango!