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Buenos Aires 12-Day Honeymoon Itinerary Help

tslugmo — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:08:01 -0800

Booked flight to Buenos Aires for $287! Now I need help planning our 12 day honeymoon in South America. Have advice? At $119 before taxes, roundtrip LAX-EZE, I couldn't pass this one up. We're flying into and out of Buenos Aires, Argentina, but what happens in between is TBD. I've read some other posts here that have given me some basic ideas, but I wanted to see if anybody else wanted to contribute. Some details about us:

+ Arriving 9/30, Departing 10/11
+ We want our honeymoon to be split between Adventurous and Relaxing
+ Adventurous could be: Scuba diving, Horseback Riding, Hiking, Volcanoes, Rafting, even Camping, very open to suggestions
+ Relaxing could be: Lying on a Beach, Being Pampered in a Beautiful Hotel, Sipping Umbrella Drinks, Spa Treatments, Picturesque Pools/Hot Tubs, Breathtaking Unique Hotel Rooms/Locations, Typical Honeymoon Stuff
+ We love exploring and getting to know local people and places. We are averse to large group tours with other Americans.
+ I speak solid Spanish, lived in Spain for 6 months.
+ We couldn't care less about shopping as a vacation activity
+ While we can appreciate museums, we prefer stunning natural attractions
+ We are looking forward to exploring local food and wine (we're carnivorous). Steak, pizza and ice cream are already on our list, specific recommendations always welcome.

We do need to be budget conscious. Can't give a specific budget yet, plus some wedding guests may contribute to our honeymoon. We can probably afford to splurge a little on a few hotel nights to get the Honeymoon experience, but we can't do $300/night the whole trip.

My thinking is to splurge on the "Relaxing" portion of the trip, figuring the adventurous part could be at places like Estancias and other more "roughing it" (less expensive?) accommodations, but I'm open to suggestions.

Besides itinerary suggestions for how to spend 12 days in South America, I'm also looking for specifics about travel within the continent. I've read buses are better than trains, but for flights are there particular places to find deals? In Europe we use RyanAir or EasyJet, which don't come up on Kayak. Is there a similar option in S.A?

Attending a futbol game in Spain was awesome, any advice for attending a game in S.A?

We're thinking Uruguay and Brazil are possibilities. Chile? While we want to see BsAs and Rio de Janeiro, we'd also like to experience life outside the big cities. Is it going to be too cold to lay out on the beach somewhere?

Thanks so much in advance!

Give me some tips for enjoying my vacation in Buenos Aires (specific questions inside)

paperclip — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:20:08 -0800

Give me some tips for enjoying my vacation in Buenos Aires? I've been here three days and it's an awesome city so far, though a bit challenging for someone who doesn't speak much Spanish... I've got a few questions you can help me with if you've been here before, and you can get a warm fuzzy feeling from helping make my only vacation of the year even better! * What exactly is the menu ejecutivo in many cafes, and how do you order from it? In some places it looks like a good deal for a bite (some sort of fixed-price menu deal?), but ordering those items from the menu comes up to more money than on the sign. How might I be doing it wrong?

* Everyone says I should try the medialunas. Ordering this gets you, apparently, either a small croissant-looking pastry or a flat sandwich-type preparation stuffed with cheese, sort of a cross between a panini and a pita bread. How can I be more specific and order the croissants?

* I've bought a few things from the market. Say I go in and pick up some milk, yogurt and a couple oranges and head for the cashier. She'll scan the milk and yogurt but won't ring up the oranges, and won't attempt to explain why. OK, I've lived in Ontario, Quebec, and the U.S.A., vacationed in Europe a few times, but this is my first time in South America - I know I'm doing *something* wrong here again, but I give up, what is it?

* Walking down av. Florida in the evening, people constantly try and hand you little cards. Some sort of ad for strip clubs? I'm not sure what they're for. What's a polite, inoffensive deflection to use? Along the lines of "thanks, not interested". Is it considered impolite to just keep walking without acknowledging them?

* I've seen lots of clothing boutiques - I'd love to do a bit of clothes shopping before I leave. Is there hope or will this prove impossible without knowing a bit more Spanish?

* I saved the most open-ended "soft" cultural question for last. No one makes eye contact on the street - If I'm walking along and give a friendly smile / slight nod to someone the smile is never returned. Am I committing a huge social faux-pas? Is it just a cultural thing to get used to, or is it something about me? If it matters, I'm white, male, French-Canadian, mid-20s; I don't think I'm dressed "touristy", but then again who knows. I don't expect to make many friends without speaking the local language, that's certainly my fault, but I'm not completely antisocial. What's up with this?

I don't want to give the impression I don't like the city - BA is great, I'm just finding a few little things a bit frustrating.

TEFL in Argentina

casconed — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:25:07 -0800

Does anyone have recommendations for where to find job postings for companies hiring English teachers in Buenos Aires? A friend of mine is interested in moving to Buenos Aires this spring and wants to work as an english teacher while she is there. She has teaching experience (as a middle school teacher) in the US, but searching for jobs online turns up a ton of spam sites.

Buenos Aires? Yes? No?

Lemon of Byzantium — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:38:48 -0800

How should I go about teaching English in Latin America, specifically in Buenos Aires? First of all, I realize other posts have dealt with this to a certain extent, but it would be great to have some good, up to date information. Some of the information I have come across is from a few years ago. I want to know...

1) Where I can find good, up-to-date information regarding teaching English in Buenos Aires? Something like this article from Transitions Abroad would be helpful, but from 2008/2009. I'm aware of Dave's ESL cafe, but I'd like something a little more exhaustive. Why do I want more info? Well...

2) I know that Argentina has been on shaky legs economically in the recent past, and the current economic crisis hasn't helped. Are any of you living and or teaching in Argentina now? Are these jobs scarce, or is there always a market for it?

3) If there are jobs, how do I go about doing it? Should I just dive into it, take a course there, and hand out as many resumes as possible? Is certification necessary?

4) Finally, is Buenos Aires a good place to live and work?

As always, thanks in advance.

How to continue my grouchy urban life on a Buenos Aires trip?

paultopia — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:21:40 -0800

LAST MINUTE: Things to do for young, sorta hipsterish person in Buenos Aires, being dragged around by his mother? I'm going to Buenos Aires for 6 days starting tomorrow. Unfortunately, I'm going with my mother, and she and I share no interests.

I'm an urban hipster type who likes nothing better than to lurk about in grungy coffeeshops. I need things to do that

a) won't be too touristey
b) won't ruin my diet (so no steak 3 meals a day), and ideally
c) some things I can do with my more-outdoorsey, more-touristey mother, and some things I can sneak away and do on my own. (Clubbing?)

(this previous thread isn't too helpful)

Bringing U.S. laptop to Buenos Aires

cookie googleman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:59:11 -0800

What king of laptop adapter/transformer do I need for Buenos Aires? I have a U.S. Apple MacBook Pro with a THREE-pronged grounded cable. As far as I'm aware, I will need both an adapter that will work with my 3-prong grounded U.S. cable and also a converter or transformer to adjust the voltage. Is this correct? Does anyone know where I could purchase these items? Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thank you

Salta and Pepas

cloeburner — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:51:15 -0800

We are traveling from Buenos Aires to the north of Argentina and are looking for suggestions of where to stop and rest. My partner and I are headed northward toward Peru from Buenos Aires by bus. I will be going through Chile and she through Bolivia because of some visa entanglement, but we'd like to travel together through Argentina. We have about a week and a half to get to the point where we split (we were thinking Salta, but if there's a more efficient way, thats that.)

Any ideas or suggestions of where to go or what to see along the way. We were thinking of stopping by Cordoba, La Rioja, and Tucuman but nothing is set in stone. We are into biking, nature and experiencing local culture. We are a little underprepared gearwise for Andean winter, so someplace not too arctic would be nice. We've been in the city for a while so we'd like to see some trees and little birds. Also we like cheap delicious vegetarian food.

Melodious Melodica in the Mystic Mist

cloeburner — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:25:39 -0800

Two questions about Argentina. First, does anyone know any good hot springs [termas] that are not exceedingly far from Buenos Aires. Second, does anyone know any music stores in Buenos Aires where I could acquire a melodica or other instruments for not too many pesos. Stipulations: We would prefer the hot springs are more natural. That is to say, the water isn't pumped from a spring into a bathroom. Secret ones without fences and buildings would be the raddest. But, barring that, just good ones will suffice.

If hot springs do not work out, does anyone know any sweet sweet nature spots in Argentina.

Thanks for the assistance.

Brazil v. Argentina?

evidenceofabsence — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:02:53 -0800

This summer, I'm set to attend a 5-week program in Brazil's Atlantic forest. I'm going to be in Sao Paulo state, but a ways outside the city. I have a week afterward to be a big dumb tourist, and I'm trying to decide whether I should stay in metropolitan Sao Paulo, or fly to Buenos Aires. I've never been to South America before, but I have an acquaintance in either city, which is nice. Pros:

Sao Paulo:
-Don't have to pay extra airfare/figure out a second flight.
-I like big cities.
-It'd be a little weird to fly in and out of Guarulhos, and not see the place.
-It'll be mid-August (i.e. winter), making Buenos Aires kind of chilly.

Buenos Aires:
-I speak Spanish (and don't speak Portuguese).
-It looks a lot cheaper, in terms of hotels, and everything else.
-I've wanted to head there for quite some time.
-And, finally, I'm a little freaked out by the crime rate in Sao Paulo. I like to wander around a place, and having to take curb-to-curb cabs weirds me out a bit.*

Thoughts? If I skip Sao Paulo, am I missing out? What if I skip Buenos Aires? How's Gol, in terms of safety/reliability? Any additional advice, or recommendations, welcome.

*I'm pretty sure I'm being a huge jerk, or a big sissy. (Feel free to tell me so.) I'm from New York, and I pay attention to my surroundings. Thing is, from what traveling I've done, I know it's a lot easier to "pay attention" when you speak the language and know the neighborhoods well. It also helps if your hippocampus has a tiny subway map in its tiny brain pocket.

Trying not to fry them

Bezuhin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:30:13 -0800

Plug adapter for Argentina and Uruguay? I am going on a trip to Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Iguazu Falls (Argentinean side). I'm going to be staying in business-class hotels (Sheraton Montevideo, Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires, Iguazu Jungle Lodge). I am taking my iPod and the battery charger for my Canon SD870IS (both dual voltage/frequency), and I am researching what type of plug adapter I will need. It looks like most places will either have this two-prong plug, which is similar to the plug used in many countries, or this three-prong plug, which is similar to the plug used in Australia and New Zealand. Just when I think I will be able to get by with a simple universal adapter, I notice this warning regarding the three-prong plug found in AR and UY: In Argentina and Uruguay, the neutral and active wires are reversed from what is used in other countries. Now what? Should I just wait until I get there and buy a plug adapter at the airport? Any first-hand knowledge or general advice would be much appreciated.

I'm thinking of moving to Buenos Aires and would like to hear from anyone who has lived or spent a lot of time there

medpt — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:07:21 -0800

I'm thinking of moving to Buenos Aires. I'd like to hear from anyone who has lived or spent a lot of time there. Like this poster, I've recently entered a position where I can work remotely from anywhere that has reliable electricity and broadband. I want to take advantage of this position by living abroad. (I'm an American currently living in the US.) Buenos Aires appeals to me because:

* it's a big, diverse, cosmopolitan city with lots to do
* it's walkable and has good public transportation
* it's Spanish-speaking; I hope to take lessons and improve my rudimentary Spanish
* I'm paid in American dollars, which will apparently go far there

What do you think? Have you lived in Buenos Aires? Is it awesome? Can you suggest another city that might be a better fit?

Cockroach/bug situation in Buenos Aires?

Ashley801 — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:23:15 -0800

Does Buenos Aires have a lot of cockroaches? How many/how big? Are they avoidable in your apartment/building? I'm deciding between several cities for study abroad. Having lived in cities with a lot of cockroaches I'd rather not repeat the experience.

Is Buenos Aires more like Seattle, where you will only find cockroaches in squalor, more like NYC where they are unavoidable in any large apartment building but rare in single-family houses, or more like Miami, where many people have them even in a single-family house (and they're huge and fly)?

Also, how large are they? And, what's the bugginess factor like there in general?

Buenos Aires seems to have a temperate climate, so this is unclear to me...

Thai food in Buenos Aires?

conifer — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:43:26 -0800

Any one know of an authentic Thai restaurant in Buenos Aires? There are plenty of Fusion places, but that just doesn't do it for me. Porteños just can't handle spicy - they think ginger and garlic are spicy - and I'm craving spicy like crazy, having just come here from two months in Bangkok. So I suppose spicy and authentic are the key words here.

Cool theatre in Buenos Aires.

sonnet — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 18:58:50 -0800

So my man and I are going Buenos Aires for ten days starting in about 2 weeks. I'm a theatre artist here in Austin and I know that BA has an interesting theatre scene that I'd like to check out. Anyone know of specific shows or companies that I should look for? (More about my tastes inside.) I'm not that into "straight" plays. The work I make - and tend to like - is generally original or adapted, usually with a lot of movement, and a sense of humor. Also, my Spanish is not great, so dance-based productions or companies might be easier to understand. Oh, and I've seen, and liked, De la Guarda. Any info will be enthusiastically appreciated.

I'm glad I spent it with you.

dobie — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:05:44 -0800

Describe a perfect Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I will be in Buenos Aires on the 14th of April for approximately four days. One entire day will be free from my work obligations and I would like to have a great memory of the place.

Personally, I prefer to enjoy a place in terms of soaking it in through local touchstones rather than hitting the regular tourist haunts. Big fan of local areas of congregation like parks and/or squares. But go nuts. Any ideas will be helpful.

Books about Argentine financial crisis of 2001?

np312 — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 22:06:58 -0800

I'm looking for a good book about the political and economic crisis in Argentina (particularly Buenos Aires) in 2001. Documentaries would be good too. I'm not an economist or anything, so it would be best if the book was very readable and for the average person.

Basically I need to have a better understanding of not just the financial crisis that struck Argentina in 2001, but other aspects of the unrest of that particular year: ie what other political groups, activist groups, protesters, etc were involved in the riots and civil unraveling.

Also interested in anything that ties/places the events of 2001 into the country's larger political/historical perspective as a whole.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Best price on airfare to Buenos Aires?

medpt — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 08:48:34 -0800

How can I find inexpensive airfare to Buenos Aires? I just used Kayak to price tickets, and the cheapest were in the $1200-$1300 range. I'm traveling from Austin and would like to stay for a couple of weeks in mid-December. My travel days are flexible.

Mexican food in Argentina

punkbitch — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 14:02:29 -0800

Does anyone know a good, SPICY, authentic Mexican restaurant in Buenos Aires? I went to a place yesterday and ordered mole and got a chicken breast covered (more-or-less) in Snickers bars. Anyone know a really good place? The Argentine pallette seems to avoid all things picante.

Advise on honeymoon destinations.

rocketman — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 13:43:53 -0800

We're looking for places to honeymoon, probably next year, and possibly 2007. My fiancee and I are very lackadaisically planning a wedding/honeymoon, sometime in the future, probably next year, and maybe in 2007. I'd say next year is the most likely bet.

We've agreed that we want to go somewhere neither of us has been to before, which precludes much of the US and Western continental Europe. Our first idea was Corsica, and I've just hit upon Buenos Aires / Argentina as another possibility

The full honeymoon will likely be 10 days to 2 weeks, and right now, it looks like we'd go either in April, early July, or October.

How do the two locations compare? Do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Things to do in Buenos Aires

penguin pie — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 10:57:02 -0800

Things to do in Buenos Aires in August? (Yes, I know it's winter...). A friend has just dropped out of a 5 day trip and I'll be there alone, and on my birthday, and I'd like to spoil myself. A similar previous thread didn't come up with much but hopefully someone will have some suggestions.

Recommendations for budget/fun/unusual travel in Buenos Aires.

gottabefunky — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 12:33:50 -0800

Three days in Buenos Aires in early December - what to do? Think offbeat, unique, and budget-minded. But must-sees are not out of the question either.