Great! I'm writing a LOOOONG reply to your e-mail. It will take me a while.

One thing worried me: Why on earth do you think I work for Fodor's?

I DO take quite seriously my hobby of advising here people who wish to visit my country, as tptr above (and many others) can confirm, but I certainly don't work for Fodor's.

"Have a great time in my country, where SOME guys (such as yours truly) still open the door for ladies to pass first."
Thanks, avrooster, I have the capability to open my own doors, and reject the suggestion that I need assistance from some big, strong, macho guy (or small, elderly, old-fashioned guy even) to get through a simple doorway. LOL.

And what I have seen of your country is quite pleasant.
-----
I repeat though: women need encouragement, not discouragement, to get out and see the world on their own.
The OP said: "If you could also help me dispel my fears".
and you answered "you should (have worries), as a woman traveling alone"
That is NOT my idea of encouragement or of dispelling fears, nor of a rational attitude toward the world in the 21st century.

OP, if you are an animal lover, you will probably enjoy the coatis that run rampant on both sides of the park. But watch out! I was sitting on a bench in the Argentine park, eating a popsicle, when one tried to climb up my back to get it. The park ranger scolded ME for feeding the coati! The coati's friends were meanwhile busy lapping up a spilled soda on a nearby table.

There are all sorts of butterflies everywhere, large and small, and some may land on you to drink the salt from your sweat.

The Bird Park is pretty amazing too, giving you the opportunity to be in a house sized cage with macaws and parrots, among other species in other cages. I picked up a small piece of wandering Jew plant(the common purple leaved houseplant) from the ground inside the habitat and all of a sudden, I was surrounded by these macaws (Arara in Portuguese), huge claws and beaks, long tails, up close and personal wanting a bite of that tasty plant (or one of my fingers, maybe).

Enjoy.

I'm relatively "small" (1,70 meters tall), I guess.

I'm 75, so I guess I'm "elderly".

And I'm as proudly "old-fashioned" as you can find in these times.

It may be "politically incorrect", but I'll go on opening doors for ladies as long as I have the strength to do so.

SambaChula, really. AVRooster is a decent and responsible Argentine gentleman who has become friends with many Fodors posters - male and female. My husband and I, and many friends, have benefited from his great ideas, above and beyond help and kind friendship.

You have been a fine poster with good suggestions as well, so I am puzzled by your reactivity to the above. Oh well. Regards.

Thank you, Marnie.

Jody316 (the OP) is wondering about the SUBE card and I don't know much about it.

Could you (or anyone else with recent experience) tell her about it?

Have a great time in my country.

Avrooster - I wouldn't take any notice of the comments of SC. my wife tells me you are a true gentleman and you can open the door for her anytime!

AND That ought to keep him too busy to even think of opening doors for those of us who find such behavior patronizing.

Well, Crellston, since I understand you'll be in BA soon, let me know where your wife is at all times, so I make sure I keep myself "too busy" opening doors for her "to even think of opening doors" for others "who find such behavior patronizing."

However, this thread is getting SO funny maybe I'll be too busy LMAO to open doors for ANYONE. LOL!

I hesitated to repoly about the Sube Cards as I have not been in BsAs since late March. But as of that time, one could buy a Card at many Post Offices, the Train Stations and Kioskos. They are very easily re-filled at neighborhood Kioskos.

It should be the same now.

Thank you, Marnie, on behalf of the OP.

@avrooster--
If you're not kept too busy opening doors, maybe you can function as a sidewalking escort, another quaint custom, walking on the curb side of course, so when the slops are thrown from an upper floor to the sidewalk, they hit the gentleman escort instead of the woman. :-)

After reading this hilarious thread, it should be quite OBVIOUS to EVERYONE that, when AV walks on the street with a lady, he takes the curbside.

In this century, the idea is to protect the lady from being splashed by a car hitting a puddle rather than from "slops ... thrown from an upper floor to the sidewalk".

LOL!

Have a great time in my country, where you can still find a few guys who are not ashamed to behave like gentlemen.

Avrooster, I trust you always walk with the lady on your left arm so as to keep your sword arm free so as to protect her from any rogues or vagabonds you may encounter on the streets of BA.

That isn't always possible, Crellston, but, as I'm ambidextrous, I would place my sword on the other side, if a lady took my sword arm.

Anyway, these days I carry a S&W .357 Magnum, with a silencer and a laser sight, instead of a sword and always tie down my holster on the street side.

This deserves a HUGE LOL!

Jody316 should soon post SEPARATELY a trip report about her visit to BA and our wonderful Iguazú Falls.

I understand she had a GREAT time in my country.

"AND That ought to keep him too busy to even think of opening doors for those of us who find such behavior patronizing."

I would sooner have a door opened for me than be literally shoved out of the way by a man racing to get the last seat on the train, which happened on a daily basis in London, along with young men happily sitting down without a care in the world while heavily pregnant women were left standing. If that is some men's idea of 'equality' then I'll happily take 'patronizing'.

The Lujan Zoo is shocking. I almost cried looking at some of those pictures. How can anyone possibly be entertained by stroking drugged up wild animals? :(

Clementine, about your: "If that is some men's idea of 'equality' then I'll happily take 'patronizing'."

I believe you mean "some WOMEN's idea of..."

Either way, AV....

Clementine, I agree with your post above; I have found Argentines and Frenchmen to be most polite and accommodating and helpful...especially in public transportation. Even the women are kind to pregnant women and seniors. I love that about them.

No avrooster, I meant men. Specifically the type of man who will sit down in a priority seat on the London Underground and then refuse to get up for a pregnant woman, stating 'you wanted equality, didn't you?'. Can't even count how many times I've witnessed that.

Marnie WDC, I agree. I don't think it's sexist or patronising, but simply considerate. I have yet to see an Argentine taking up a seat while someone who needed it more (pregnant woman, elderly person, someone on crutches) was left standing.