Hola, doña Raquel!

Only one person is OK. In fact, my first guest MauraNYC (see her post dated Sept. 18) took it by herself.

We would have to do my tour between Nov. 7 and 10 (Monday/Thursday) but, if you wish to watch a sport which very few tourists get to see, we may be able to arrange to attend a "pato" game (see www.fedpato.com.ar) on Nov. 5, 6 or 12. It is our national sport.

You can write to me to [email protected]

Quedo, como siempre, a sus gratísimas órdenes, doña Raquel.

BTW, I like this thread nice and long, just as it is.

Thanks Alberto,
I will email you within the next few days. Although Pato sounds interesting - I doubt if it will work because we arrive late Saturday afternoon and we will probably spend Sunday at Plaza Dorrego and maybe the Feria de Mataderos. (As you recall my friend wants to shop) So during the week would be best.
Have a good week..
Ciao.. hasta
Raquel

Maybe the Nov. 12 date would work for the pato.

ttt

to the top

Hi everyone.
I am planning on taking Avrooster's tour one day between November 7th and 10th. (exact date and time to be determined). If there are any readers out there who will be in Bs As at that time and are interested, why not email Av at the address he gives here and maybe we can make it a bigger group.

raquel_z

I suggest you to visit this bunch of "porteños"of different ages and interests but with a good level of English and fun at a public bar.
www.theenglishgroupofba.com.ar

Av,

I'd be interested in exploring the neighborhood with you - I'm always up for a part of BsAs that I haven't been to yet - and there are so many of them! No need to make it a special trip for just me, I'd be happy to join in on one that you set up with someone visiting (I think you have something coming up next week?), if that works for them.

Dan

Hello -

We are going to BA on Friday November 4 and will be there over the weekend. Are you available (we are a party of 4 adults)

Thanks
Mark

Well, VTmark, as explained in my post, my tour can only be done between Monday and Thursday. So, if you are here on the evening of Monday, Nov. 7, we can do it with raquel_z and saltshaker, whose posts are right above.

avrooster,
i'll be in BA nov. 8-13. your tour sounds interesting. i am interested in Argentina's economy and politics. specifically would like any information you could share regarding the formerly closed factories that have been taken over and are run by the workers. are there any other things like that are happening there that you can share with me?

Well, balibound lady, we certainly can talk about "Argentina's economy and politics.", in general. My views and theories run counter to most of what you will read or hear about Argentina.

More specifically about "the formerly closed factories that have been taken over and are run by the workers." dr_dawggy is an expert on that, as on so many other things. I'll let him know about your question.

About "any other things like that are happening there that you can share with me?" it is not quite clear whether you want to talk about these things personally, when you are in BA, or correspond on the subject. I prefer the former.

I don't know how much of an "expert" I am on recovered factories, but it is an area that interests me a good bit.

An excellent beginning point for information is the website for a Canadian documentary called The Take..
www.thetake.org Follow the links for tons of updated information about the movement.

Briefly, some of the businesses (not limited to factories, but including hotels, hospitals, insurance companies)have been successful, some have not.

There are two organizations that provide support for recovered factory workers, one very much to the left and the other more centerist. Unfortunately, sometimes they compete with each other rather than working cooperatively.

Some of the businesses have launched their own schools, day care centers, health clinics, and cafeterias...

Some city and provencial governments have bankrolled businesses, providing them with loans so they can purchase the business outright. Other groups of workers have no interest in purchasing the property. They believe it is theirs, because the former owners left owing them back wages and because the state provided what we in the United States would call "Corporate Welfare" to the former owners from state funds.....

In short, while it is one movement there is a lot of diversity withing the movement and success has varie widely as well.....

The Cicneros volunteer organization can arrange for one of their volunteers to meet with you to provide an overview and possibly to visit one of the recovered businesses. Some businesses are open to visits, others are indifferent or downright hostile to outsiders.....

Another excellent source of information is the Anthropology department at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Filosofia....

Hope this helps.

Well, balibound lady, I certainly delivered, so far, if I am allowed to congratulate myself!!!!!

Thank you, "Sage from Athens"!!!!!!

sorry for being so slow to respond. i had a very busy last few days. thank you very kindly for all the information. i have seen The Take and found the concept very interesting and inspiring.

avrooster - i will send you an email shortly. i am actually leaving for BA on Monday. if you have room and our schedule permits we would love your tour.

AV:

I have been reading the work of avrooster, santiagov, and dr_dawggy at various threads in this forum and at TripAdvisor. I must say I really look forward to every new post.

My wife and I ( dyed in the wool New Yorkers ) have been to Bs As three times since January '04, and the last time ( Easter '05 ) we bought an apartment on Av. Sta. Fe at Plz San Martin. That's how much we have fallen in love with your city. For 3 - 4 months every year ( starting a few years from now ) we want to make it OUR city.

So, as you can imagine we have seen many things, but it will be a good while before we have seen ALL things. We'll be there 23NOV thru 04DEC and would like to take you up on your weeknight offer. How about the two of us on 28NOV, a Monday night?

We'd love to explore your views, as we have Belgrano based family friends who have worked with us through the purchase, but we don't have a long list of Porteno contacts. In a way ( a good way ) your posts remind us of the English speaking realtor who worked with us to find our Bs As property, the late Jorge Gibbons...a really dear man who died before we could become closer friends.

Anyway, there's obviously much to tell, and probably not all of it is interesting or appropriate for all the thread readers in cyberspace. Give me permission to email you directly and I will happily do so.

Oh, one more thing. We're having Ana Luna pick us up at EZE and we'd like to arrange, with her, a day trip to an estancia on one of the days of our stay. Think about what would be your choice for the best 'day trip' experience.

SUSSnyc

Hi, SUSSnyc!

Nov. 28 is OK.

Of course, you can write to me to [email protected]

I appreciate your asking, as most people write without asking.

About the estancia day trip, you need to say what you expect. "Gauchos" dancing on top of your head? or a quiet day with a good meal and maybe some horse riding? It would be a good idea to post the question here and on tripadvisor.com, indicating what you expect.

Don't you want to stay for a couple of days in an "estancia"? I'll soon have direct feedback about "Estancia La Bamba" from a couple who took my tour last week and are staying there right now.

Go ahead and e-mail me.

Hi, SUSSnyc!

I'm sorry, but I have just realized I have a previous commitment for Nov. 28.

How about Nov. 29?

I'm expecting your e-mail