So my flight to Buenos Aires was by far the longest flight I’ve taken to date.  First we traveled on the daily Denver - Mexico City flight which leaves at 1:45 and arrives 6pm.  An easy four hours and a change trip to one of the largest metropolises in the Americas.  

The approach into Mexico City was an aviation treat:   After clearing the mountains and peaks that ring the city we immediately swooped down and around the sharp edged skyscrapers and for a perfect landing against a reddish sunset - thanks to the haze no doubt. The Mexico City airport was enormous but easy to navigate.

En route to Buenos Aires from Mexico City I realized why many foreign carriers, (foreign to the United States that is,) are given such high regard.  Even in coach we were provided wonderful treatment by the crew.  For the overnight flight we were given eye masks, earplugs, and of course pillow and blankets.  Actual nice pillows, not the crusty disgusting ones found in the usual overhead bins.

When the morning sun and Atlantic Ocean over South America came into view we were given hot towels and a decent breakfast to start our day.  Sure sleeping overnight in coach is not pleasant, but I was surprised and thankful for our crew and the service of Mexicana for the long duration of this flight.  Our return flight was long - ok VERY long, but again the good treatment and cheerful spirits of our nearby passengers made for a happier than usual flying experience again.

Photo from Airliners.net

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During the two weeks we spent Buenos Aires we had planned to visit another town in the region. I had researched Iguazu Falls, Ushuaia in southern Argentina, or Cordoba, a medium size city in north central Argentina known for it’s vineyards. The glacier fields in Ushuaia, the world’s most southerly city looked incredible, but we decided to visit Iguazu Falls, as we didn’t pack warm gear with us. The people we asked in the area all said it would be a great place to experience.

The first week in Buenos Aires I found a travel office called Columbia Travel, on southwest corner of Santa Fe and Pueyrredon. There I met Barbara, and her perfect English made communicating a breeze. Constantly using the internet for all my research I’ve never considered using a travel agency, but researching airfare and lodging was more than I wanted to do, and Barbara was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She planned a two night stay in Puerto Iguazu with airfare, meals, transportation, and tickets to the park with an English speaking guide.

We picked up our tickets the next week, and took a mid day flight up to Puerto Iguazu. We flew from Aeroparque Jorge Newberry, which is a few miles northwest of the city along the coast. This modern airport is smaller and used for regional flights, and only a quick cab ride from our neighborhood in Barrio Norte. The flight was a bit over one hour, but we were again amazed at the service provided by non U.S. carriers as we were treated to a full lunch and drinks.

Arriving into Puerto Iguazu we could see the mist and clouds created by Iguazu Falls, hovering in a giant sphere over the river. Having seen pictures of South American rivers it was amazing to see from the air how wide the rivers were, and the dense forest surrounding them.

After landing we found our bus and were soon at the hotel. The road was surrounded by dense jungles, and I couldn’t see through the trees more than about fifty feet. In Colorado we have thick forests with tall trees, but the ground is moss, dirt, and rock, allowing you to walk around anywhere you want provided the grade isn’t too steep. Looking into the jungle the brush must have been five to six feet high, and it looked as if the foliage would envelope you and eat you alive like giant Venus fly trap.

The hotel Barbara set up for us was a real treat. The Esturion Hotel is located about seven blocks from the center of town, along the banks of the Parana River. With four stories sunken into a hill, beautifully maintained grounds, and an open air design it felt like a small village lodge. And those looking for pampering can find pools, spas, and plenty of quiet spaces to relax and watch the river and wildlife. On the grounds of the hotel we found a giant peacock occasionally spying us from a distance. Unfortunately he, (or she), eluded my attempts to take a picture. As with Uruguay, the first thing I noticed was the contrast between silence and noise of Buenos Aires. I am a city person and appreciate the sounds and noise that comes with it, but sitting in a hammock at night listening to the sounds of the jungle was a tranquil experience.
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Back in town we walked around, checked out some shops, and took in the low key pace of life. The park was full of people this beautiful Sunday afternoon, and we sat there for a long time just relaxing and watching the locals drinking Yerba Mate: gourds in one hand and thermos in the other.

Late in the afternoon we searched for a place to have dinner, and went to a restaurant we had spied earlier at the end of the main street overlooking the bay.  The La Luna restaurant is a small yellow building with warm colors, paintings, and a wood burning fireplace. After a long day of biking and walking we sat down, and I smiled and knew it would be a great way to end the day.

We enjoyed a carafe of red wine, and soon had some well done steaks, salads, and potatoes to fill us up. The best way to end the day would be to enjoy the evening drinking wine and feeling the cool evening breezes wash over the town, but no matter how well you prepare, in traveling things come up you just don’t realize. In this case I miscalculated the time change between the two countries, and when Caleb and I finally figured it out we realized we only had 10 minutes to get back to the boat before departure, (not 1 hour and 10 minutes!)

The owner was more than accommodating and wrapped up our food, we paid, and generously tipped him. A taxi was nearby and sped us back to the Buquebus terminal. Adding to the sudden stress of being rushed, I lost an Argentine immigration form I should have had, and apparently to remedy this we each had to come up with 40 Pesos ($15 US).

Back in the boat surrounded by the night sky we ate our steaks and now soggy potatoes. Who knows where we might have stayed if we missed the boat? I hope to return, and with my Spanish becoming better every day, I can properly thank the owner for his wonderful hospitality, and apologize for having to skip out in such a hurry. If you travel to Colonia be sure to visit La Luna,  the little yellow restaurant at the end of the road.

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The main town square had some buildings with the immense doors I’ve been admiring in Buenos Aires. The small houses were well kept with trim lawns and big shady trees all around. We found a small outdoor market where local crafts and handiwork was sold. I’ve read that some people live in Colonia or on the shores or Uruguay and commute to Buenos Aires for work, and many Portenos own vacation homes in Punte del Esta, on the coast further east of Montevideo.

While walking in the morning we saw this group marching, singing and playing their drums. I was going to ask someone about it but didn’t remember by the end of the day. If anyone has more information about this, (especially the gentleman in the top hat), I’d love to know more. e.mail me Scooters and bikes are the best form of transportation in Colonia, so we rented bikes from Thrifty and headed up a path along the beach. The beach was small and rocky, but the surrounding hills and countryside along the shores of the bay were absolutely beautiful. Using my small map of the town, we took a circular tour a few miles inland. Leaving the beach we headed into the more rural part of town (well rural compared to the Cobblestone village).

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Colonia del Sacramento . Uruguay

Since the Buenos Aires provincial elections were occurring on Sunday, many businesses including restaurants were closed for the day. For a day trip out of the city we made plans to take the ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay that day. BBC Country profile of Uruguay

History of Uruguay from BBC

At 7am we took a cab down to the docks (which are just northeast of the downtown area) and were brought to the Buquebus terminal. Buquebus is Spanish for “boat bus” and is a large ferry company providing service between Buenos Aires, Colonia del Sacramento, and Montevideo (Urugauy’s capital). Buquebus offers a high speed boat makes the journey across the bay in just one hour, but we opted for the three hour ride there and back.

Uruguay passport control was efficiently located in the Buenos Aires terminal and we were processed before boarding, making it easy to exit upon arrival. We headed upstairs to the loading bridge and once inside were amazed at the size of the ship. I expected a boat with two decks and a bunch of seats similar to the ferries between Long Beach and Catalina Island (California), which I’ve taken many times. This ship had five levels, including an open air deck, and a large viewing area in front with first class. reclining seats. We bought a first class ticket which provided us access to a private area on the top level. Other than a private cafe, the seats and accommodations were the same as the rest of the boat, but it was quiet and empty, allowing us a well needed nap en route. The picture in the left is the Buenos Aires skyline.  I wandered around the boat a bit more and took some pictures, visited the duty free store, and played some Ms. Pac Man on the circa 1986 video games. As I woke up from a nap the shores of Uruguay came into view.

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Monday, after returning from our day trip to Uruguay, it rained most of the day and was considerably cooler in the city. This was a nice change as the first week it had been warm, and we spent the day with an umbrella checking out some cafes, bookstores, and funky clothing stores around the area, including a cool punk place called Bond Street Mall, at Avenida Santa Fe and Callao.

In the afternoon we took the subway to the Teatro Colon Theatre, but were unable to tour the inside, as the technical workers and crew were on strike.

From Tuesday to Thursday we visited Iguazu Falls, which was set up by Barbara at Columbia Travel. Many people that do trips to Buenos Aires for a week or more often do a side trip to Iguazu Falls, Patagonia, or Cordoba. These quick flights are affordable and depart from the airport in the city, so you don’t have an entire day taken away by flying.

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Nightlife in Buenos Aires gets started very late, and people generally arrive around 1am, and dance until morning. One thing about the culture I noticed when we were out late at night was the absence of complete intoxication. In the U.S. many people simply go out to get drunk, as the primary goal of the evening. It was different and refreshing to see people use alcohol as an addition to their entertainment, not the sole purpose of it. Even though people there drink, they take it a bit slower and enjoy it more. Probably one reason many are able to stay up all night dancing.

Saturday during the day we went downtown to Florida Street, had lunch and walked through Puerto Madero to the Ecological Preserve. Puerto Madero has changed over the past ten years, and like cities in the U.S. it used to be an abandoned port area, but now a modern and trendy area with lofts, restaurants, and recreation. We rented bikes, (which didn’t work that great), and ended up walking them up and down the docks, which now just house small boats, as the large ships dock at newer larger ports to the north. Puerto Madero has some chain restaurants and hotels, and naturally I recommend staying in the older neighborhoods for a true city experience.

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One of the most rewarding and memorable experiences I had was visiting the English Club. I had posted some general city questions on the Lonely Planet message board a few weeks before leaving, and Laura sent me an e-mail inviting me to a group that gets together on Friday nights to practice and speak English, and enjoy company and food together.

We took the D subway up to Congreso de Tocumon (the last stop), and walked to a big American style coffee shop/restaurant called Fame. Fame was the first time I’d actually seen a coffee pot, as most small coffees are made fresh from a machine. We met Laura and soon others came arrived. We had a great time talking about life, politics, culture, and many other things. Talking about the positives and negatives of different cultures, as well as the mundane aspects of life in different countries was a wonderful experience. I learned more about Argentina, the recent history, and opinions on their country than I ever could through a museum, book, or walking the streets.

We met Laura, Mercedes, Gilad, and Sarah from Chicago, who took us the next week for dinner and some drinks. If you are visiting B.A. and looking for some company send Laura an e-mail and say hello! Their web site is: http://www.geocities.com/grupo_de_ingles/

We ended up visiting with the group for three to four hours. By the time we left the subway was closed so we took a cab back, and were driven down Avenida of the Liberador, a beautiful wide boulevard with statues, country clubs and large old social club type buildings.

Later in the week we got in touch with Pablo, who we had met a few nights ago at a club near our hostel. He spoke English very well and we had a great time again staying up much later than I’m used to. We had wanted to do some shopping and buy some original clothing so Pablo took us to Abasto Mall, which is a modern mall built around a large old 19th century market. It reminded me of the Beverly Center in Los Angeles, many levels and stores, and even had an indoor subway station. Since the exchange rate is currently three to one in favor of the dollar, we bought many cool funky shirts, pants and other clothes which doubled the spartan amount of luggage we took with us in backpacks.

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If visiting Buenos Aires I would definitely recommend a laminated city map (showing EVERY street, not just major ones). It’s very useful when walking the streets, taking a cab, or exiting the subways when you may not know what corner or direction you’re facing.

I bought a great city map at Mapsco in Denver (the best map store in Denver), so I had a good layout of the neighborhood we were in, and it came in useful, and often we had to duck into a shop to orient ourselves (especially after exiting the subway).

As noted every street is packed with businesses, which means we didn’t have to venture far if we needed something. Within one block of our hostel we had coffee shops, a large long narrow supermarket, and specialty stores selling everything from paint, socks, candles, and much more. Occasionally I would wander into a building, only to find it open up into a big staircase or courtyard with more halls and stairways. Exploring the back door of a restaurant, or side door of a building is a paradise for an urban explorer.

The first few days we walked around the northwest side of the city: Barrio Norte, Recoleta, and Palermo. Palermo is less dense than other areas, and we visited the Botanic Gardens and Buenos Aires Zoo the first week. One thing we missed in this area was the Evita Museum.

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I made plans to travel to Buenos Aires Argentina in the summer of 2005. The excitement of finally doing it, (not just researching on the internet), was just as much a part of the experience as the trip itself. Following months of anticipation we departed for two weeks on a Sunday in mid October. We flew from Denver to Mexico City on Mexicana Airlines, and after a day in Mexico City we took the overnight flight to Buenos Aires. I was impressed with Mexicana’s service. We were provided a full dinner and breakfast the next morning, and given booties for our feet, toothbrushes, real blankets, and eye shades for sleeping.

After an 11 hour flight with intermittent sleep we descended into the city as the sun was rising over the Atlantic. Ezezia Airport is located about 35 miles west of Buenos Aires and handles all international flights. A smaller airport in the city handles domestic flights and flights to nearby countries in South America. We landed, cleared customs, and walked into our new home for the next two weeks. Paul, who owns the hostel we made arrangements at, was nice enough to send a cab to pick us up. After some searching we located a gentleman holding a sign bearing my name, (another first experience). We cruised through the suburbs of Buenos Aires on a modern toll road, and 40 minutes later were in the heart of the city. I had no idea what to expect other than through photographs and reading about the city. As we exited the autopista (toll road), and headed north on Callao it was complete sensory overload seeing the hectic streets. It was symphony of people, taxis, cars, busses. I feel completely comfortable in big cities and have spent a lot of time in Chicago and Los Angeles, but never in a city and environment this dense before.

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