January 2011 Visit to Buenos Aires
Jan 24th, 2011, 04:51 PM
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January 2011 Visit to Buenos Aires
What a fabulous time we had and what a wonderful destination! We are 2 couples from (northern) NJ, well-traveled but never having traveled together before, and we all had an outstanding experience! Everyday was filled with fun; we have so many memories to share. Many thanks to all the Fodorites who so graciously contributed to our planning; your excellent advice (as always) was greatly appreciated! Muchisimas gracias!
2 unrelated observations come to mind as I gather my thoughts. 1). By happenstance, it seems that our opening and closing activities sit like a pair of bookends at the front and back of our trip agenda. 2). We encountered 3 nearly trip-wrecking transportation glitches, each of which we managed to overcome as it occurred, thankfully.
On Monday, January 10, 2011, I heard a forecast of yet another significant snowfall for the NY/NJ metropolitan area! (transportation glitch #1): Luckily, I was able to change our plane reservations (both couples) for a departure 1 day earlier and also add an additional day to our hotel stay. No problem here - now we all beat the snow, plus got an extra day in Bs As!!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
We all departed from Newark Airport at 5pm and flew (through Houston) to Buenos Aires (EZE), arriving at about 10am (Wed., Jan. 12).
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
We took Manuel Tienda Leon taxi, (actually a van big enough to accomodate the 4 of us). They have a counter right after baggage claim at EZE. This was about $30 US per couple. We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center, using our Starwood points. The other couple paid a reasonable rate. We were on club floors with lovely views of the river and access to great and convenient breakfast and "happy hour" daily. We all decided that we greatly enjoyed the location and hospitality of the hotel. After checking in (rooms were available at that hour), we walked along Calle Florida for a while. Then we had a late lunch on club floor. Next was much-needed R & R! We got dressed for dinner and took a taxi to Puerto Madero, where we walked around this beautiful waterfront area prior to our dinner alfresco at Sottovoce. It was very relaxing, and we enjoyed delicious Italian food and Malbec, (La Linda). (Note: they have an outstanding Capri salad, not Caprese, which is chopped mozz. cheese, different types of tomatoes, olives, basil, olive oil, which each couple shared as an appetizer, served in individual bowls - positively delish)! Also, they served us complimentary watermelon and apple sorbets after dinner, very refreshing. Taxi back to hotel. *We felt that this day was bonus time, since we would have been home stuck in a snowstorm and instead here we were in the Bs As sunshine....
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Breakfast at club floor eatery, lovely buffet with very nice view. (Every day we enjoyed descafinado con espuma de leche, delicious decaf w. foamy hot milk, which I finally learned to say correctly, but perhaps not spell correctly). We then took a taxi to Palermo and did some shopping. We went to MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires), where we viewed contemporary Latin American art in a bright, modern space. Next we walked to Museo Evita; after seeing the exhibits, we lunched at the museum's oudoor cafe, a very pretty setting. They offered a plat du jour, which was reasonably priced, excellent and included wine. We walked to the Botanical Garden and relaxed a bit. Taxi back to hotel and enjoyed cold beverages on club floor. R & R, and got ready for dinner. Taxi to Palermo and had dinner at La Cabrera. This is a very good and popular parrilla, where we dined alfresco in a private area just for us. The steaks, served on wooden boards, were great (could actually cut them with a fork), and the complimentary hot and cold side salads were tasty. We were also served a bottle of champagne on the house. Taxi back to hotel.
* Taxi fares were reasonable; so our means of transportation were walking or taxis. My husband said that it never took us more than 7 seconds to get a taxi!
Friday, January 14
Breakfast at club floor eatery. Many thanks to LyndaS for being the first to mention Marcelo Mansilla, tour guide fantastico, and to all others who recommended Marcelo so highly! I had booked him prior to our trip, and we met him, as promised, in the hotel lobby at 9am. We needed to travel that day in 2 taxis, or walk, as we were now a group of 4 tourists and 1 guide, too many for 1 taxi. So we took taxis to Centro area (Civic Center), and Marcelo showed us Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, Metropolitan Cathedral, all the while explaining the history and charming us with interesting background. We walked to Cafe Tortoni and enjoyed beverages and the rich ambiance. Then we walked to Confiteria Ideal, a milonga (Tango Hall), and watched some tango lessons, while Marcelo explained a bit about the tango. We took taxis to downtown area and saw Synagogue Libertad, Teatro Colon (which is closed during this season), the Obelisk, and the Justice Palace. Warning: on the Ave. 9 de Julio, we witnessed a purse snatching; but fortunately the tourist's purse was quickly recovered by a passing man on a motor scooter, who rammed into the fleeing thief and knocked him to the ground! Next we taxied to Once (Jewish neighborhood), where we saw the heavily guarded building that had been the target of a deadly terrorist attack. We had lunch in Tib Tuna, a kosher restaurant, so that our friend (who is kosher) could have the opportunity to try an Argentinian steak. Next we taxied to Recoleta, where we walked around and admired the elegance. Marcelo gave us an in-depth tour of the cemetery, visiting Evita's grave and telling us the haunting story of Rufina as we stood at her monument, to name a couple. Finally we took taxis back to Retiro (area of hotel) and we saw the famous clock tower (which we became quite familiar with due to its proximity to our hotel), Falkland Islands Memorial, and large monument ot General San Martin. Now it was time to bid our amigo, Marcelo, a fond farewell, after an absolutely wonderful and informative full day of touring Buenos Aires, the city which one can clearly see that he truly loves and knows well. This was such a well-spent day, in which we certainly got a thorough and very enjoyable overview/intro to Bs As. We were fortunate to "meet" Marcelo; he helped make Buenos Aires a special place! We returned to our hotel and went to club floor eatery, before packing for the next day's adventure....
Saturday, January 15
We checked out of hotel at 5am and we taxied to Jorge Newbery Aeroparque (domestic flights) for our 7:30am flight to Iguazu Falls. We brought only carry-on luggage for this mini-trip. The flight was a little less than 2 hours, and 15 minutes after landing, we arrived by taxi at the Sheraton Iguazu Falls Hotel. We were upgraded to a fallsview suite! One has breathtaking views of the falls right from the rooms, lobby, and restaurant. The location is unbeatable and allows such easy access to the trails to view the falls. We checked in and, once again, the rooms were available for us. Then we enjoyed a nice buffet brunch (with a falls view), and then we were off for a boat ride under the falls. It was awesome and very, very wet - actual sheets of water were crashing on us constantly, (making us glad that we were wearing bathing suits)! This is a must-do activity, IMO. Next we took the inferior or lower circuit (trail). Every view is spectacular, simply stated! Upon our return to the hotel, we relaxed at the pool for a couple of hours, a much appreciated respite, but not without a view. After getting ready for dinner, we had a private cocktail hour on our balcony, (wanted to maximize the view), which was definitely a perfect place to enjoy a bottle of wine and snacks with our friends, creating a special and unique memory! Dinner at the hotel was satisfactory.
Sunday, January 16
We had a lovely buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then we took the tram to Garganta del Diablo, (the Devil's Throat), the most impressive waterfall of all. Then we hiked the superior circuit; each view is fabulous. We had pizza and beverages in the lobby bar area. We showered and got ready for departure and taxied to airport. (transportation glitch #2): Due to very heavy rain, lightening and thunderstorms in Bs As, flights were being cancelled. It seemed that we'd be stuck in Iguazu. So we used our time wisely to plan our remaining agenda. Time passed quickly, and after a 3 hour delay, our flight finally departed at about 9:30pm and we arrived back at "home base" at about 11:30pm, in time for R & R.
To be continued....
Carole
2 unrelated observations come to mind as I gather my thoughts. 1). By happenstance, it seems that our opening and closing activities sit like a pair of bookends at the front and back of our trip agenda. 2). We encountered 3 nearly trip-wrecking transportation glitches, each of which we managed to overcome as it occurred, thankfully.
On Monday, January 10, 2011, I heard a forecast of yet another significant snowfall for the NY/NJ metropolitan area! (transportation glitch #1): Luckily, I was able to change our plane reservations (both couples) for a departure 1 day earlier and also add an additional day to our hotel stay. No problem here - now we all beat the snow, plus got an extra day in Bs As!!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
We all departed from Newark Airport at 5pm and flew (through Houston) to Buenos Aires (EZE), arriving at about 10am (Wed., Jan. 12).
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
We took Manuel Tienda Leon taxi, (actually a van big enough to accomodate the 4 of us). They have a counter right after baggage claim at EZE. This was about $30 US per couple. We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center, using our Starwood points. The other couple paid a reasonable rate. We were on club floors with lovely views of the river and access to great and convenient breakfast and "happy hour" daily. We all decided that we greatly enjoyed the location and hospitality of the hotel. After checking in (rooms were available at that hour), we walked along Calle Florida for a while. Then we had a late lunch on club floor. Next was much-needed R & R! We got dressed for dinner and took a taxi to Puerto Madero, where we walked around this beautiful waterfront area prior to our dinner alfresco at Sottovoce. It was very relaxing, and we enjoyed delicious Italian food and Malbec, (La Linda). (Note: they have an outstanding Capri salad, not Caprese, which is chopped mozz. cheese, different types of tomatoes, olives, basil, olive oil, which each couple shared as an appetizer, served in individual bowls - positively delish)! Also, they served us complimentary watermelon and apple sorbets after dinner, very refreshing. Taxi back to hotel. *We felt that this day was bonus time, since we would have been home stuck in a snowstorm and instead here we were in the Bs As sunshine....
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Breakfast at club floor eatery, lovely buffet with very nice view. (Every day we enjoyed descafinado con espuma de leche, delicious decaf w. foamy hot milk, which I finally learned to say correctly, but perhaps not spell correctly). We then took a taxi to Palermo and did some shopping. We went to MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires), where we viewed contemporary Latin American art in a bright, modern space. Next we walked to Museo Evita; after seeing the exhibits, we lunched at the museum's oudoor cafe, a very pretty setting. They offered a plat du jour, which was reasonably priced, excellent and included wine. We walked to the Botanical Garden and relaxed a bit. Taxi back to hotel and enjoyed cold beverages on club floor. R & R, and got ready for dinner. Taxi to Palermo and had dinner at La Cabrera. This is a very good and popular parrilla, where we dined alfresco in a private area just for us. The steaks, served on wooden boards, were great (could actually cut them with a fork), and the complimentary hot and cold side salads were tasty. We were also served a bottle of champagne on the house. Taxi back to hotel.
* Taxi fares were reasonable; so our means of transportation were walking or taxis. My husband said that it never took us more than 7 seconds to get a taxi!
Friday, January 14
Breakfast at club floor eatery. Many thanks to LyndaS for being the first to mention Marcelo Mansilla, tour guide fantastico, and to all others who recommended Marcelo so highly! I had booked him prior to our trip, and we met him, as promised, in the hotel lobby at 9am. We needed to travel that day in 2 taxis, or walk, as we were now a group of 4 tourists and 1 guide, too many for 1 taxi. So we took taxis to Centro area (Civic Center), and Marcelo showed us Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, Metropolitan Cathedral, all the while explaining the history and charming us with interesting background. We walked to Cafe Tortoni and enjoyed beverages and the rich ambiance. Then we walked to Confiteria Ideal, a milonga (Tango Hall), and watched some tango lessons, while Marcelo explained a bit about the tango. We took taxis to downtown area and saw Synagogue Libertad, Teatro Colon (which is closed during this season), the Obelisk, and the Justice Palace. Warning: on the Ave. 9 de Julio, we witnessed a purse snatching; but fortunately the tourist's purse was quickly recovered by a passing man on a motor scooter, who rammed into the fleeing thief and knocked him to the ground! Next we taxied to Once (Jewish neighborhood), where we saw the heavily guarded building that had been the target of a deadly terrorist attack. We had lunch in Tib Tuna, a kosher restaurant, so that our friend (who is kosher) could have the opportunity to try an Argentinian steak. Next we taxied to Recoleta, where we walked around and admired the elegance. Marcelo gave us an in-depth tour of the cemetery, visiting Evita's grave and telling us the haunting story of Rufina as we stood at her monument, to name a couple. Finally we took taxis back to Retiro (area of hotel) and we saw the famous clock tower (which we became quite familiar with due to its proximity to our hotel), Falkland Islands Memorial, and large monument ot General San Martin. Now it was time to bid our amigo, Marcelo, a fond farewell, after an absolutely wonderful and informative full day of touring Buenos Aires, the city which one can clearly see that he truly loves and knows well. This was such a well-spent day, in which we certainly got a thorough and very enjoyable overview/intro to Bs As. We were fortunate to "meet" Marcelo; he helped make Buenos Aires a special place! We returned to our hotel and went to club floor eatery, before packing for the next day's adventure....
Saturday, January 15
We checked out of hotel at 5am and we taxied to Jorge Newbery Aeroparque (domestic flights) for our 7:30am flight to Iguazu Falls. We brought only carry-on luggage for this mini-trip. The flight was a little less than 2 hours, and 15 minutes after landing, we arrived by taxi at the Sheraton Iguazu Falls Hotel. We were upgraded to a fallsview suite! One has breathtaking views of the falls right from the rooms, lobby, and restaurant. The location is unbeatable and allows such easy access to the trails to view the falls. We checked in and, once again, the rooms were available for us. Then we enjoyed a nice buffet brunch (with a falls view), and then we were off for a boat ride under the falls. It was awesome and very, very wet - actual sheets of water were crashing on us constantly, (making us glad that we were wearing bathing suits)! This is a must-do activity, IMO. Next we took the inferior or lower circuit (trail). Every view is spectacular, simply stated! Upon our return to the hotel, we relaxed at the pool for a couple of hours, a much appreciated respite, but not without a view. After getting ready for dinner, we had a private cocktail hour on our balcony, (wanted to maximize the view), which was definitely a perfect place to enjoy a bottle of wine and snacks with our friends, creating a special and unique memory! Dinner at the hotel was satisfactory.
Sunday, January 16
We had a lovely buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then we took the tram to Garganta del Diablo, (the Devil's Throat), the most impressive waterfall of all. Then we hiked the superior circuit; each view is fabulous. We had pizza and beverages in the lobby bar area. We showered and got ready for departure and taxied to airport. (transportation glitch #2): Due to very heavy rain, lightening and thunderstorms in Bs As, flights were being cancelled. It seemed that we'd be stuck in Iguazu. So we used our time wisely to plan our remaining agenda. Time passed quickly, and after a 3 hour delay, our flight finally departed at about 9:30pm and we arrived back at "home base" at about 11:30pm, in time for R & R.
To be continued....
Carole
Jan 25th, 2011, 08:36 AM
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Thanks! I was thinking of dropping the trip to Iguasu. We'll be in BA in April visiting study abroad son. Maybe I should spring for the expense of visiting the falls. Maybe that makes more sense than Punta del Este in April. I'll do some more research. Anyway, thanks for the information!
Jan 26th, 2011, 11:54 AM
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Monday, January 17
Breakfast at club floor eatery. We taxied to Recoleta and checked out the Alvear Palace Hotel and then the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau; both hotels are elegant, sophisticated and quiet. Then we walked along Avenida Alvear and Avenida Santa Fe and did some window-shopping and admired the stately buildings. At Cumana, we enjoyed a yummy lunch of empanadas: pumpkin, corn, & cheese, cheese & onion, and tomato, mozzarella cheese, & herbs. We topped it off with delicious helado (ice cream) at nearby Altra Volta. The dulce de leche granizado (pulverized dark chocolate in the dulce de leche ice cream) was outstanding. We walked all the way back to the hotel, hoping to walk off the calories, and we shopped a bit on Calle Florida. We had wine on the club floor, and then we walked to dinner at Juana M. (in Recoleta), good steaks, pastas, and salad bar. Our friend, (actually her daughter), has friends who live in Bs As; so we all enjoyed a pleasant dinner with portenos. After dinner, we all walked back to the hotel.
Tuesday, January 18
Breakfast at club floor eatery. We walked to Plaza Mayor and went down to Subte A at Peru station to see the original wooden subway cars. We then walked along Calle Peru all the way to San Telmo, where we sat outside on the main square at Bar Plaza Dorrego. We had cold drinks and peanuts in shells, as we watched tango dancers! After walking around the cobblestone streets and exploring the area, we took a taxi to El Sanjuanino (in Recoleta) for my favorite lunch, empanadas. Then we walked to Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), where we first viewed the collection of Argentine art upstairs and then the European art on the main floor. Next we taxied to Libertad Synagogue and Jewish Museum and took a tour. Afterwards, we took a taxi to Calle Florida for a little stroll and shopping and had helado at a branch of Freddo, yummy. We walked back to the hotel and got ready for tango show night. After much deliberation, we had finally decided upon Piazzola Tango on Calle Florida. We were picked up in our hotel lobby at 8:30pm, and we were seated at a prime table in the very front row. The show is in a beautiful restored art nouveau theater. Dinner was fine, including plenty of malbec. The show was very good and included alot of tango, singing, gaucho/folklore dancing, and a live orchestra. We all had a great time! We were transported back to our hotel.
Wednesday, January 19
Breakfast at club floor eatery. It was (our first and only day of) pouring rain, and this was the day we had planned for our dia del campo (day in the country) at Santa Susana Estancia. We were picked up at 10:30am, and upon arrival at noon at the estancia, we were served empanadas and drinks. Then we checked out the very small museum and gift shop. For lunch, we had fresh bread, various salads, steak, chicken, wine, and dessert. We watched a tango and gaucho/folklore dancing show. Our friend had talked about "mate", a strong tea served in a gourd-like vessel with a metal straw which is passed around and shared; so they actually served her mate. (She drank some and passed it along)! Since it finally stopped raining, there was a small demonstration of gaucho skills with horses outside. The day was truly disappointing, because we were unable to ride on horses or in carts due to the muddy terrain. We also thought that there would be more of a display of gaucho skills. On the return trip, we were dropped off at Calle Florida to do a little walking and shopping. After getting ready for dinner, we taxied to Palermo for dinner at Bio, a cute, organic, vegetarian restaurant. We really enjoyed quinoa risotto with vegetables and goat cheese, and sauteed mushrooms with jasmine rice. We took a taxi back to the hotel.
Thursday, January 20
Breakfast at Park Tower club eatery, since our usual spot was under repair. Then we walked through Calle Florida and Galerias Pacifico shopping mall, noting the interior murals,
and strolled along Avenida de Mayo, admiring the architecture. We went to Congreso Nacional; but it was closed for the month. We took a taxi to Palermo Viejo, where we wandered around and we did some shopping. We lunched at Romario; we had empanadas and pizza, followed by helado at Chungo in Palermo Hollywood,(mmmm....). We returned to the hotel for R & R, got ready for dinner, and went to the wine bar in the lobby. We had decided to have our "farewell dinner" at Duhau Restaurante in the Park Hyatt Hotel (in Recoleta); so we headed over there by taxi. In a most relaxing and elegant setting, we dined alfresco on the terrace and celebrated a wonderful vacation. The food was quite good and beautifully presented, affording us a special dining experience! We taxied back to the hotel.
Friday, January 21
Breakfast at Park Tower club eatery. Then we had to pack, ugh. We walked to Calle Florida, for the last time. Next we walked over to the train station, (very near our hotel), and checked out the interior of the old station. (We like old train stations). Note: On waiting to cross a busy street very near the station, a friendly tourist warned us that she had just had a necklace snatched there; so be alert. Then we taxied to the Japanese Garden (in Palermo), and we wandered along the serene park and bridges. After this peaceful break, we took a taxi to Puerto Madero and headed right to Sottovoce, where we lunched alfresco enjoying the lovely waterfront area. "Bookends": We ended on the same culinary note as we had begun our journey back on January 12; it was just as we had remembered it. The individual bowls of chopped capri salad and outstanding variety of fresh breads, as well as the pasta, were the perfect final touch for all of us. We happy campers walked back to the hotel, where we all got ready for departure, checked out of the hotel, and made our final visit to the wine bar. At 7:30pm we left by taxi for EZE (international airport), for our 10:50pm flight to the U.S. Transportation glitch #3: Suddenly, the highway traffic came to a complete halt! The driver told us that his dispatcher informed him that there was a demonstration on the highway with no known ending in sight. We were all sure that we would miss our flight. Our driver fantastico executed risky detours and amazing maneuvers, and somehow we arrived at EZE at 9pm (an hour after our carefully planned "ETA" at the airport). This was indeed a most impressive and frightening ride! My husband told him that he was "the best driver in the world"! By the time we checked in, went through immigration, etc., we just made our 10:50pm flight! My were we happy upon landing in Newark (a NYC area airport) at noon on Saturday, January 22, to see the smiling face of our son, who was there to meet us.
This was truly an extraordinary vacation. We were delighted to share it with good friends, creating special memories for all of us. Every day brought laughter and good times, and our varied experiences actually pleased all five senses. Buenos Aires has it all: rich culture, history, beautiful sights, delicious food and wine (and helado), and portenos with a passion for life. We look forward to returning there one day soon....
Carole
Breakfast at club floor eatery. We taxied to Recoleta and checked out the Alvear Palace Hotel and then the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau; both hotels are elegant, sophisticated and quiet. Then we walked along Avenida Alvear and Avenida Santa Fe and did some window-shopping and admired the stately buildings. At Cumana, we enjoyed a yummy lunch of empanadas: pumpkin, corn, & cheese, cheese & onion, and tomato, mozzarella cheese, & herbs. We topped it off with delicious helado (ice cream) at nearby Altra Volta. The dulce de leche granizado (pulverized dark chocolate in the dulce de leche ice cream) was outstanding. We walked all the way back to the hotel, hoping to walk off the calories, and we shopped a bit on Calle Florida. We had wine on the club floor, and then we walked to dinner at Juana M. (in Recoleta), good steaks, pastas, and salad bar. Our friend, (actually her daughter), has friends who live in Bs As; so we all enjoyed a pleasant dinner with portenos. After dinner, we all walked back to the hotel.
Tuesday, January 18
Breakfast at club floor eatery. We walked to Plaza Mayor and went down to Subte A at Peru station to see the original wooden subway cars. We then walked along Calle Peru all the way to San Telmo, where we sat outside on the main square at Bar Plaza Dorrego. We had cold drinks and peanuts in shells, as we watched tango dancers! After walking around the cobblestone streets and exploring the area, we took a taxi to El Sanjuanino (in Recoleta) for my favorite lunch, empanadas. Then we walked to Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), where we first viewed the collection of Argentine art upstairs and then the European art on the main floor. Next we taxied to Libertad Synagogue and Jewish Museum and took a tour. Afterwards, we took a taxi to Calle Florida for a little stroll and shopping and had helado at a branch of Freddo, yummy. We walked back to the hotel and got ready for tango show night. After much deliberation, we had finally decided upon Piazzola Tango on Calle Florida. We were picked up in our hotel lobby at 8:30pm, and we were seated at a prime table in the very front row. The show is in a beautiful restored art nouveau theater. Dinner was fine, including plenty of malbec. The show was very good and included alot of tango, singing, gaucho/folklore dancing, and a live orchestra. We all had a great time! We were transported back to our hotel.
Wednesday, January 19
Breakfast at club floor eatery. It was (our first and only day of) pouring rain, and this was the day we had planned for our dia del campo (day in the country) at Santa Susana Estancia. We were picked up at 10:30am, and upon arrival at noon at the estancia, we were served empanadas and drinks. Then we checked out the very small museum and gift shop. For lunch, we had fresh bread, various salads, steak, chicken, wine, and dessert. We watched a tango and gaucho/folklore dancing show. Our friend had talked about "mate", a strong tea served in a gourd-like vessel with a metal straw which is passed around and shared; so they actually served her mate. (She drank some and passed it along)! Since it finally stopped raining, there was a small demonstration of gaucho skills with horses outside. The day was truly disappointing, because we were unable to ride on horses or in carts due to the muddy terrain. We also thought that there would be more of a display of gaucho skills. On the return trip, we were dropped off at Calle Florida to do a little walking and shopping. After getting ready for dinner, we taxied to Palermo for dinner at Bio, a cute, organic, vegetarian restaurant. We really enjoyed quinoa risotto with vegetables and goat cheese, and sauteed mushrooms with jasmine rice. We took a taxi back to the hotel.
Thursday, January 20
Breakfast at Park Tower club eatery, since our usual spot was under repair. Then we walked through Calle Florida and Galerias Pacifico shopping mall, noting the interior murals,
and strolled along Avenida de Mayo, admiring the architecture. We went to Congreso Nacional; but it was closed for the month. We took a taxi to Palermo Viejo, where we wandered around and we did some shopping. We lunched at Romario; we had empanadas and pizza, followed by helado at Chungo in Palermo Hollywood,(mmmm....). We returned to the hotel for R & R, got ready for dinner, and went to the wine bar in the lobby. We had decided to have our "farewell dinner" at Duhau Restaurante in the Park Hyatt Hotel (in Recoleta); so we headed over there by taxi. In a most relaxing and elegant setting, we dined alfresco on the terrace and celebrated a wonderful vacation. The food was quite good and beautifully presented, affording us a special dining experience! We taxied back to the hotel.
Friday, January 21
Breakfast at Park Tower club eatery. Then we had to pack, ugh. We walked to Calle Florida, for the last time. Next we walked over to the train station, (very near our hotel), and checked out the interior of the old station. (We like old train stations). Note: On waiting to cross a busy street very near the station, a friendly tourist warned us that she had just had a necklace snatched there; so be alert. Then we taxied to the Japanese Garden (in Palermo), and we wandered along the serene park and bridges. After this peaceful break, we took a taxi to Puerto Madero and headed right to Sottovoce, where we lunched alfresco enjoying the lovely waterfront area. "Bookends": We ended on the same culinary note as we had begun our journey back on January 12; it was just as we had remembered it. The individual bowls of chopped capri salad and outstanding variety of fresh breads, as well as the pasta, were the perfect final touch for all of us. We happy campers walked back to the hotel, where we all got ready for departure, checked out of the hotel, and made our final visit to the wine bar. At 7:30pm we left by taxi for EZE (international airport), for our 10:50pm flight to the U.S. Transportation glitch #3: Suddenly, the highway traffic came to a complete halt! The driver told us that his dispatcher informed him that there was a demonstration on the highway with no known ending in sight. We were all sure that we would miss our flight. Our driver fantastico executed risky detours and amazing maneuvers, and somehow we arrived at EZE at 9pm (an hour after our carefully planned "ETA" at the airport). This was indeed a most impressive and frightening ride! My husband told him that he was "the best driver in the world"! By the time we checked in, went through immigration, etc., we just made our 10:50pm flight! My were we happy upon landing in Newark (a NYC area airport) at noon on Saturday, January 22, to see the smiling face of our son, who was there to meet us.
This was truly an extraordinary vacation. We were delighted to share it with good friends, creating special memories for all of us. Every day brought laughter and good times, and our varied experiences actually pleased all five senses. Buenos Aires has it all: rich culture, history, beautiful sights, delicious food and wine (and helado), and portenos with a passion for life. We look forward to returning there one day soon....
Carole
Jan 26th, 2011, 01:15 PM
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Wonderful trip report! Enjoyed reviews of the Sheraton Iguassu (have contemplated staying there). Sorry to hear about the numerous traffic nightmares. Encountered my fair share in other Latin American countries.
traveltalesfromtheredheadedtraveler.blogspot.com/
(My travel writing blog!)
traveltalesfromtheredheadedtraveler.blogspot.com/
(My travel writing blog!)
Jan 26th, 2011, 02:39 PM
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What a fun trip for 2 couples and so glad I found this as we leave on Saturday for Argentina..I am sorry we will not be staying longer in BA, but am printing out your itinerary "just in case"- never know when flight delays would keep us there.
Very enjoyable, upbeat trip report. Thanks for sharing; and I am thrilled I can find a great salad (been worrying about that I'm afraid; although I told myself it is okay to miss a salad every once in a while)
IF you had to choose ONE restaurant where Mr. MoneyB can have his "whatever" and I can enjoy wine and greens -out of those you visited, would it be Sotto ? - as I sit here watching snow fall dreaming of an outdoor cafe!
Thanks.... we will have 5 total meals in BA so I am carefully watching and reading!
MoneyB
Very enjoyable, upbeat trip report. Thanks for sharing; and I am thrilled I can find a great salad (been worrying about that I'm afraid; although I told myself it is okay to miss a salad every once in a while)
IF you had to choose ONE restaurant where Mr. MoneyB can have his "whatever" and I can enjoy wine and greens -out of those you visited, would it be Sotto ? - as I sit here watching snow fall dreaming of an outdoor cafe!
Thanks.... we will have 5 total meals in BA so I am carefully watching and reading!
MoneyB
Jan 26th, 2011, 06:51 PM
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Hola MoneyB!
Yes! Sottovoce in Puerto Madero, great capri chopped salad (not the same as caprese salad, but similar). We had it twice! Try to sit at a table at edge of outdoor space, closest to water. Oh how I wish I was still sitting there now too, as we are also enduring yet another snowstorm here in north NJ!
Also, may I add that for lunch at Cumana (in Recoleta), we had delicious empanadas! The portenos next to us had what looked like a great (thick) onion & cheese pizza (no tomato); I think that it is a typical local kind. I wanted to order that next; but we were full! (Plus we had to leave room for helado at Altra Volta)!!
So glad that you enjoyed my report. Have a wonderful time; I know you will! I doubt that you will have a meal that you don't like; but I understand that you want to make sure that every meal counts. Bon appetit! Safe trip....
Carole
Yes! Sottovoce in Puerto Madero, great capri chopped salad (not the same as caprese salad, but similar). We had it twice! Try to sit at a table at edge of outdoor space, closest to water. Oh how I wish I was still sitting there now too, as we are also enduring yet another snowstorm here in north NJ!
Also, may I add that for lunch at Cumana (in Recoleta), we had delicious empanadas! The portenos next to us had what looked like a great (thick) onion & cheese pizza (no tomato); I think that it is a typical local kind. I wanted to order that next; but we were full! (Plus we had to leave room for helado at Altra Volta)!!
So glad that you enjoyed my report. Have a wonderful time; I know you will! I doubt that you will have a meal that you don't like; but I understand that you want to make sure that every meal counts. Bon appetit! Safe trip....
Carole
Jan 27th, 2011, 01:24 AM
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Thank you again, Carole, for this wonderful trip report!
Since you "look forward to returning there one day soon....", you can start your planning by looking for cheaper plane fares that pop up sometimes.
Since you "look forward to returning there one day soon....", you can start your planning by looking for cheaper plane fares that pop up sometimes.
Jan 27th, 2011, 04:21 AM
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Carole, you are making me hungry! The pizza you observed at Cumana is the famous fugazetta.
You can read a description its historical origins, and see pictures here: http://www.weareneverfull.com/stuffe...l-pibe-de-oro/
We're looking forward to trying it, and many of the other taste treats you sampled, when we arrive in Buenos Aires in early February. Oh, and the capri salad sounds delicious too!
Kevin
You can read a description its historical origins, and see pictures here: http://www.weareneverfull.com/stuffe...l-pibe-de-oro/
We're looking forward to trying it, and many of the other taste treats you sampled, when we arrive in Buenos Aires in early February. Oh, and the capri salad sounds delicious too!
Kevin
Jan 27th, 2011, 05:33 AM
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Thanks Carole! Leaving soon and that capri chopped salad in high on the list! So enjoyed your report as we are getting last minute preparations going on!
Will be happy to see green again and not snow!
MoneyB
Will be happy to see green again and not snow!
MoneyB
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