My trip report from Argentina
 

Hi. My wife and I went to Argentina in April 2017 and we visited Buenos Aires, El Calafate to do Perito Moreno and Mendoza to taste some wine. Here is a trip report with some photos, links and maps: gardkarlsen.com/Argentina_trip_report.htm . I hope that it can be of help to others that are planning on visiting Argentina. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions :-)

Interesting TR, gard, and some good leads for future visitors to Argentina.

Thanks for the kind feedback :-)

For some reason or other, I'm unable to open it.

Very nicely written and brought back fond memories of my trips there.

It was nice to read another one of your reports. I was also disappointed with the steaks I tried in BA but did not pursue 'The perfect steak' as hard as you did.

Nice report Gard. Seems we had more luck in locating a decent steak than you. Thanks for including the prices - seems like price inflation is rampant in Argentina!

My friend and I also had a sad steak experience in BA (at a place often recommended by MarnieDC) and found it fairly expensive last year. However if you are looking for "tender", that really isn't the feature of a South American steak, especially the (formerly) grass-fed ones.

I much prefer lamb and seafood anyways.

OK, OK, you did not like EL Mirasol de Recova, mlgb. Bastante !

So sorry, mlgb, to have recommended this excellent restaurant in which we and so many others have had wonderful, delicious meals...including steaks. My friends - from the US, others from Canada, as well as a couple from the Loire Valley of France - were enthralled with their meal there...and trust me, they know good meals/good beef.

So, each to his own. There is no question that the quality of beef in Argentina has generally fallen - mostly, I believe, due to the upsurge in Feed Lots over Grass Feeding - but there is still great beef to be had. And I do agree that Uruguaian steaks are fabulous, still today.

So, mlgb, consider this a strong apology for having recommended a restaurant that I adore, but that did not please you or your companion (who does, if I remember, eat meat ?). In future, I am sure you can (and will) just ignore my recommendations :)

Yes MarnieDC, my friend is definitely a steak eater. And as I mentioned we both enjoyed the steaks in Montevideo as well as on the cruise ship. I also had some fantastic restaurant meals in Valparaiso pre-cruise.

Given all of the other places in SA that I haven't yet been or would like to return to, it's unlikely that I will any time in BA again.

El Mirasol was where we had the most fabulous seafood dinner with friends in BA .. they had steak and loved it ... it was actually their idea to go there .. being Argentine .. we relied on their good recommendations.

Given all the other places in SA that I have not been to either .. I still want to go straight back to Buenos Aires :D

mlgb ... some places just work .. you feel good being there, some don't.
I hope you enjoy your next trip wherever you go ..

Gard ... yes, the language is Spanish but Castilian Spanish so your / other peoples Spanish might not be the same .. I can speak Spanish but when we first moved to BA .. I had the hardest time understanding anyone.
I finally gave up lol ...

mlgb . . that's a shame that you were so not satisfied with BA ... I think we have all had that sort of experience at least once. Especially those trips that take a lot of planning and cost a bit .. you expect/want everything to be Worth it ..
sometimes expectations ruin the reality.

Where are you going next trip ?? Europe ? Somewhere else in South America?

I am torn between invitations to London and invitations to BA ...
oy !!

I am just back from a 2 week trip to Colombia..another South American country that I WOULD look forward to returning to...from Medellin to Bogotá, including visits to several new regions for me, more of the Central Andes, the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, and Guajira Peninsula.

Great people, great coffee, and real hot chocolate for breakfast!

mlgb, a friend of mine who lived in Miami among other states, moved to Colombia and he is delighted with the place. His photos are fabulous and the view from his terrace is amazing , I had no idea it was such a beautiful country/city ..

Hey Gard!

I am also planning to go to Patagonia from 18th April onwards for around 10 days. I wish to cover both the Chilean and Argentinian sides.

My prime concern is the public transportation from El Calafate to Perito and back and to El Chalten.

Any idea if buses run during that time?

It would be helpful if someone could also throw light on following bus services

1. from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales
2. Puerto Natales to Torres Del Paine and back
3. Puerto Natales to El Calafate

Thanks

Update on El Miraso de la Recova
 

Back in BA, January, 2018. Son and DIL joined us for a week...descriminating CA foodies. We ate in favorite places in our usual barrios : Recoleta and Palermo, and then to celebrate her BDay, we returned to El Mirasol. And it was wonderful ! We sat on the terrace instead of the more elegant 2 floors inside - the night was lovely and the romantic outdoor lighting and ambiance drew us outside. We shared the best Proveleta we had had anywhere and a gorgeous salad with fennel and..... Then we had one Ojo de Bife....jugoso, jugoso and a Bife de Chorizo, a Punto - both cooked to perfection and served with care and charm. Desert and wine were delicioso !

Still....in BA, perhaps in much of Argentina, today, beef can be Hit or Miss given the increased use of Feedlots for the cattle. And spices for most foods are quiet...especially compared to some other cuisines.

We are eager to try another tauted, but less elegant Parilla - La Chosa - so stay tuned :)

"Spices are quiet" ... what a charming way to put it .. That was one of our big adjustments when we lived in Buenos Aires .. But it was a pleasant adjustment to make :) I only remember having seafood at Mirasol .. Your mention of Provoleta makes me "homesick" ..

I dream of having dinner with Marnie and DH Vincent at El Mirasol!!!!!!!!!!! Lucky DS and DIL! Or maybe at La Choza, favorably reviewed on TA by top poster morewierd AKA Ronnie.

AV Rooster for Dinner....as guest, not as meal :)
 

AVRooster: You and your lovely DW are definitely invited to be our guests at El Mirasol or La Choza (favorite parilla of Moreweird and her DH). You have been such a knowledgeable and helpful poster on this Forum....and others.... that it will be our pleasure to host you. Hasta Pronto.