Hi, everybody!

I'm a new kid on this block, but I'm no kid, I'm 64. I have lived in Buenos Aires since I was born.

I have seen a few of the other kids (one of my nephews, among others) trying to drum up business here, which is OK, I guess, as long as they do it discreetly. However, sometimes I wonder how they manage to get any work done, as they spend so much time writing here. But, I guess that's their business, so I'll mind my own, which is the following:

I'm going to offer a free tour of a part of my town, which should be of interest to intelligent foreign tourists.

Why do I do it? Well, I hope to travel as much as possible during the years I have left and would like to know a lot of people from all over the world, who will be glad to reciprocate and show me THEIR town. THAT is my profit motive.

I like to call my tour "the REAL Buenos Aires", because, as opposed to just about 99,9% of the places mentioned in these forums, my guests will NOT find a single tourist in the places where I will take them. I used to work in the best hotel in Buenos Aires and the people who did this tour with me, raved about it.

The ideal number of people in each tour would be about four, but that is quite flexible.

This is my tour's itinerary:

After I'm finished with my work, at about 6 or 7 PM, I'd meet my tourists below the large clock (a traditional meeting spot) in the hall of the Retiro-Mitre railway station, across from the Sheraton and in front of the replica of the Big Ben, given to us by the British.

Ideally, my tourists should try to reach this place riding a "colectivo" (a local kind of bus), not a cab, because that is also a part of the REAL Buenos Aires. Anyone in your hotel should be able to tell you how to do it. If not, I'll help.

Bring some local coins, to buy your railway ticket (which is preposterously cheap) one way to Acassuso (a suburb north of Buenos Aires), where I live.

The point of the whole thing is travelling the way most Argentines travel. Being rush hour, the train will be quite crowded with predominantly white-collar workers going back home. This is the "best" railway line, because it serves a comparatively affluent neighborhood.

No danger at all, but obvious normal precautions should be observed, such as: no expensive watches or jewelry and only a little money and a camera, both kept in a safe place.

After half an hour of travelling, we will get off the train in Acassuso and I'll show you around the area. We may also enter a food market, to give you an idea of prices.

We will then wait to watch a deplorable spectacle few, if any tourists have ever seen: The "cartonero" train, which carries only the people who, after the late 2001 crisis, have to make a living rummaging through other people's garbage.

This is impossible to describe and something you have to see to believe and it will help you understand the Argentine crisis better than any book. Of course, I'll offer my own theories about why this happened and gaze into my crystal ball for the future.

This is quite stunning and far more interesting, from my point of view, than Evita's grave, for instance, a place to which tourists flock.

After that, we will proceed to one of several restaurants in the area, for dinner. Not a single tourist in sight, except you. Cost: MUCH cheaper than any of the places mentioned in these forums, which seem very cheap to foreigners, but are expensive for Argentines.

Then back to town in a "remise" (car with a driver), for a preposterous about 2 bucks per person (assuming 4 passengers). Tip the driver if he does a good job, please.

Any volunteers?????

I just visited BA in May so cannot take u up on your offer. I would only note that my "cicerone" gave me a similar experience and it was one of the things I loved about my trip. We went to la Lucilla where he lives, took a local bus and train, went to a parillaa where I was indeed the only non Spanish speaker - why don't u register with the Cicerones avrooster?

Well, Hobbes, thank you for your suggestion, but I am rather independent, so I prefer to do this on my own. La Lucila railway station, by the way, is two stops ahead of mine. I gather you did not get to see the "cartonero" train? Do you expect to come back any time soon?

well, I don't really know if you are joking about this or serious...as someone who takes a crowded commuter train every day betwee Baltimore and Washington, DC, the idea of doing it on my vacation is a bit silly (it's part of what I want to get away from), but then again, I travel also to see how people "really live."

However, if you are serious, I'm up for it as a way to spend part of my evening in BsAs. I'll be there in NOvember. I've also contacted the cicerone, and they sound great, but would meet with you too...that is, if you are serious.

send me an email [email protected] if you want to chat about this further!

ciao, Ellen
ps. of course, I'd reciprocate. and, I'll let you know now, the commuter train at rush hour is quite the unpleasant experience....

Hi, elr!

Of course I'm serious. Some people I took on this tour were quite well-heeled (they were staying at the best hotel in town) and they loved every minute of it, including the standing-room-only "colectivo" and the crowded rush hour train.

Did you read the first reply to my offer by "hobbes"?

When you reciprocate, I'm sure I will enjoy taking your "crowded commuter train between Baltimore and Washington, DC", but most certainly not every day, of course.

I'll write to your e-mail tomorrow.

well, I'm not all that "well-heeled," and never stay in the finest hotels! can I still join you?!

the more I think about this, the more interesting it sounds! I look forward to your email!

Hi, elr!

My offer says my tour "should be of interest to intelligent foreign tourists." You certainly can be "intelligent" while not necessarily "that well-heeled".

So, obviously, you can join me.

I've been reading your previous posts, trying to understand what you are looking for.

I'll write to your e-mail later. Gotta run now.

Anyway, we are FIVE MONTHS away from your visit, so we have plenty of time to plan.

just so you know, I also post on virtualtourist.com, if you need more insight. I go by "ellielou." No offense to anyone on fodors, which has been incredibly helpful, but the board there is a bit different, much more international, and more "backpacker" types. I "travel" between the two boards because they are both helpful in different ways....and I feel that as I traveler, I'm sort of in the middle...!

yes, five months is a long time to plan, but, then again, it gives me something nice to think about during my very long commute and when I'm "pushing paper" in my cubicle!

We'll stay 5 days in B.A. frm Dec.18, 2005.
2 couples, no kids anymore, ~55. We are interested in such tour. Sign us up for one of the days.

elr and Govacgo: Too tired today, will write tomorrow.

elr: I did some checking with a search engine for "Día de la Tradición" and found its festivities are celebrated in San Antonio de Areco on the Sunday after Nov. 10, which is Nov. 13, right in the middle of your stay. I do NOT promise anything, but since I've never been to it, I just MAY drive you out there (about 70 miles), if I'm in the mood, of course. It's bound to be crowded, which I do not like much.

To elr: I expect your comments about the "Día de la Tradición" information I gave you. You can e-mail me to [email protected] for further information about my "REAL Buenos Aires" tour. It seems we could do it on Monday, Nov. 14, but I am not quite sure you will still be in Buenos Aires on that date. Friday is not a good day for me to do my tour, because I'm always very busy from Friday afternoon until Saturday afternoon. I read other posts from you and it seems to me you are giving Uruguay too many days, but, of course, it's a matter of taste.

Got into virtualtourist.com, but it felt to me more like a site to meet people than to get travel advice, with all the pictures of the members and that kind of stuff.

I have also written a little on tripadvisor.com and I feel it is better, if all you want is advice from other travelers.

OK, Govacgo, we can do my tour on December 20 or 21. There are four of you and that is an ideal number of people for my tour, as indicated in my post.

We can go on writing here, or, if you prefer, you can e-mail me to [email protected]

Is there anything else you would like to know about Buenos Aires and/or my tour?

hi,
I was expected an email because I thought that perhaps we should chat off this board. And, I really appreciate your potential offer of driving all the way to San Antonio for the fiesta! I'm just afraid that it may be too tour bus oriented....

Regarding virtualtourist, that's what I thought at first, that it was some dating site; sure, some of that goes on, but I've made real, live friend there (I know people have on fodors, too), and it's easier to see if people have similar sensibitilies by how they put together their travel pages.

anyway, I'm writing to you on your yahoo account now!

see you there!

Hello. I will be visiting Argentina and Brazil in September and would be very interested in your real tour. I am going with a group and we arrive in BA on September 6 for a few days, don't remember the exact date we leave as I just booked the tour this week. I'm sure others in my group would also be interested. If you give me your email address, we can discuss further. Kind regards, Maura

Hi, Maura NYC:

We could do my tour in the late afternoon of September 6, 7 or 8.

As indicated higher up on this thread, my e-mail is [email protected].

I look forward to hearing from you.

avrooster, I think this type of tour sounds fascinating. We will be visiting Bueonos Aires on a South American cruise and will be in B.A. 3 days ( February 7,8 and leave at 5:00pm on February 9, 2006). We live in Southern California and would welcome recipricating. My email is: [email protected]

If you email me, please put something like Buenos Aires in the subject line or I'll delete it thinking it's spam.

Hi, petlover!

We have two dogs and 4 cats, mostly strays we picked up, so we are pet lovers too.

The problem with your dates is that early Feb. in Argentina is like early August in the US, holiday time.

So, I have no idea, at this writing, where I'll be at that time. It could most likely be in Bariloche, a place you certainly should visit when you get a chance (splurge on the Llao-Llao hotel and resort), but it could also be Disney (Orlando) or Anywhere, World.

Please DO write to me again in Nov. or Dec. Maybe at that time I'll know for sure whether I'll be in town or not in early Feb. 2006. It should be quite warm in Feb. and I think maybe a fodor's member called santiagov could have a good boat outing in the Río de la Plata to suggest, which would be perfect for that time of the year.

You are welcome to ask me anything else you wish to know about Buenos Aires. I'm no expert, but I should be able to at least point you the right way.

AVrooster, you have referred in a couple of your postings to the best hotel in Buenos Aires. In your opinion which is the best hotel in Buenos Aires?
If you were planning a trip to Tierra del Fuego from Buenos Aires, how would you do it?
Thanks. Your postings are quite interesting.

Hi, cmcfong!

The Alvear Palace Hotel is, almost indisputably, the best hotel in South America, particularly if you like "old style" hotels.

About Tierra del Fuego, I have never been there and I am not quite sure what you want to know, but I'd certainly fly there, if that is what you are asking.

Thank you, AVrooster. I was wondering if one should go there from Buenos Aires or whether one should go from Santiago. I will be coming from the USA.