The budget is a serious consideration when you take a trip. Regardless of how much you're prepared to spend in Buenos Aires, there a few things you should be aware of when it comes to cash.ATMs can be found in any bank, though there is…Read More

The budget is a serious consideration when you take a trip. Regardless of how much you're prepared to spend in Buenos Aires, there a few things you should be aware of when it comes to cash.

ATMs can be found in any bank, though there is usually a limit to how much you can withdraw -- I used several different ones and was always cut off at AR$1000 -- less than US$250. That doesn't last too long, and of course you have bank and ATM fees to be wary of.

Many places won't accept anything but cash. Some offer discounts if you pay in cash. Others have deals with banks in an effort to get people to pay with plastic, so you'll find some grocery stores and restaurants offer discounts to those who pay with a card from a certain bank. You can't go wrong with cash, though.

Change is chronically difficult to get. The largest bill in regular circulation is AR$100, which is worth about US$25 -- however, if you try to pay a 30-peso check, or even a 70-peso check, with a 100-peso bill, you will almost always be asked if you have something smaller. If you don't have exact change in coins and they don't have the coin power to give you, they will either give you those centavos in discount, suggest that they owe you and will pay you next time, or offer you a few candies or a lemon or something to make up the extra that you gave them. The small mom-and-pop type stores have a harder time with this than the bigger ones, but even in grocery stores sometimes you will have to wait for five minutes until the employee in charge of the change comes by your aisle with change for the checkout person. I tend to pay in 100s at the movie theatre and restaurants, and save my smaller bills for the verdulerias.

Speaking of smaller bills, you will want them for the taxis. Handing over $100 is a good way to screwed (the driver might say you only gave them a $50, or pull a quick switch and show you a fake $100, saying that that's the one you gave them). I don't mean to suggest that taxi drivers are dishonest -- the majority are good, hard-working people. But there are bad eggs who will take advantage of your foreign self. Beware, and use smaller bills.

Be on the lookout for fakes. There are several ways to tell: if you hold it up to the light, you should see the water marks. You can shine a black light on it to see tiny flecks shining back at you. There is a silver stripe that runs through the bill: tearing it just as the top of that stripe should reveal silver underneath. The numbers are ever-so-slightly raised (I don't like that test as I can't really feel the difference). And it's not just the 100s that are counterfeited -- I've seen fake 20s, as well. You'll notice that store clerks will habitually check the bills you hand them for authenticity.

Dollars are now a black-market luxury, so take care in how many pesos you withdraw -- changing them back to dollars here will mean a big loss for you. Don't try to take them back to States and exchange them there, either: I've heard that there are no banks in the US that will buy Argentine pesos right now. Check with your bank before you leave to be sure -- this is the type of situation that can change overnight.

And, as in any city, carry only what you need and be wary of pickpockets. As the economic climate wavers, we are seeing more and more of that sort of crime.Close

For many of us, vising a foreign country opens up a whole new shopping experience. Maybe we're looking for some fun new stuff for ourselves, or we feel like we have to bring something back home for all the poor suckers who didn't get to…Read More

For many of us, vising a foreign country opens up a whole new shopping experience. Maybe we're looking for some fun new stuff for ourselves, or we feel like we have to bring something back home for all the poor suckers who didn't get to travel with us. Either way, you gotta know where to go and what to get.

As mentioned in other entries, I love the craft markets and think they are great places to find something for your friends and family.

In general, I have not found the clothes and some other products here to be of especially high quality, though they do tend to be pricey. This depends hugely on where you go and what you buy, but the average shirt in the window seems to cost about $50 and looks like it could fall apart any minute. My boyfriend bought me a little backpack that I used sporadically to take stuff to the gym and on one three-day weekend in Uruguay, but after a couple of months three of the four zippers had broken and the beginnings of a hole started to appear in the front. Not impressed. I hope you have better luck.

Here are some of the main shopping areas:

Santa Fe. This long street is lined with boutiques. You will find lower prices if you go back into some of the galleries rather than just popping into the shops with street-front views.

Florida and Lavalle. Both pedestrian streets, and both have a lot of clothing stores as well as tourist-focused stores for buying souvenirs and Argentiny things like leather goods.

The malls. Abasto, Alto Palermo, Patio Bullrich, Recoleta. The most impressive looking is definitely Abasto; it's worth a trip just to see the building. Otherwise, they're all about the same and not really places to find bargains.

San Telmo. This entire barrio is home to antique stores, and you won't want to miss the huge antique market if old stuff is your kind of thing.

Once. This is where I always get directed when I ask someone where to find reasonably priced goods, especially products for the home, like kitchen appliances.

Keep an eye out for stores that are going out of business -- this happens fairly often, which is easy to understand when you take note of how many similar stores are within a stone's throw -- they're a good option for finding some better prices.

Happy shopping!Close

Buenos Aires tunes into its Italian influences and does ice cream right. Like alfajores, you can find an ice cream shop on nearly every other corner. The major chains include Freddo, Persicco, Volta, and Victoria, but you will find numerous independent stores, as well. The…Read More

Buenos Aires tunes into its Italian influences and does ice cream right. Like alfajores, you can find an ice cream shop on nearly every other corner. The major chains include Freddo, Persicco, Volta, and Victoria, but you will find numerous independent stores, as well. The experience is more or less the same wherever you go, and the ice cream is good everywhere, but when you talk to Argentines you will discover that everyone has his or her preference.

(Mine is Freddo. More specifically, the Dulce de Leche at Freddo.)

At each store you will be faced with a major decision: what flavor? There are always 10-30 flavors to choose from, and each one looks and sounds fantastic. If you're really curious, most places will give you a free taste of one or two before you make your final decision.

Sizes range from a tiny joke of a little cone up to a full kilo. It's kind of expensive -- I usually opt for a cup that costs about AR$25, or just about US$6. I guess it's on par with stores like ColdStone Creamery and Maggie Moo's in the United States.

If you're a budget ice cream eater, go on Mondays -- many of the chains offer specials, like 2x1 kilos or a 1/4 kilo of a certain flavor for maybe 40% off.

If it's busy when you go in, you'll wait your turn in line to tell the cashier what size you want, and you will pay up front. Then you will hand your ticket to the server and tell him what flavor you want. If you're the only person waiting to order, it's a little more relaxed and you can just place your order with the first person who acknowledges you, and pay as the server is dishing it up.

Argentines love their ice cream, and after that first bite, you will, too.Close

Even though it's tempting, you can't eat all your meals at a restaurant. Well, I guess you can. But if you're spending an extended period of time here, you probably will want to make your own food at some point, at least in part because…Read More

Even though it's tempting, you can't eat all your meals at a restaurant. Well, I guess you can. But if you're spending an extended period of time here, you probably will want to make your own food at some point, at least in part because there are very few places where you will find anything for breakfast aside from a medialuna (croissant) and coffee.

Your major grocery stores include Disco and Carrefour, among others. Disco regularly tends to be more expensive with less selection than Carrefour, so I lean toward the Carrefour. I go here for eggs, toilet paper, tortillas, vanilla, cleaning products, wine (the selection is enormous), and little else these days. It's summertime now, and with so many porteños vacationing out of town, it´s possible to check out without a long wait in line. During the winter, when I first starting shopping here, I experienced waits of up to an hour. It was horrible. This is what made me start looking outside the grocery store for my kitchen needs.

If you're a one-stop shopper, you can get most of what you'll need at these big stores -- but if you're a bargain shopper like me, you won't want to.

The verdulerias -- vegetable markets -- are consistently cheaper than the store, and they're everywhere. I pass three of them on my walk to the Carrefour, and there are a couple more in any other direction. I buy all my fruit and vegetables here.

The prices at these stores vary randomly: for example, on the corner, cherries are AR$15 for half of a kilo. Down the block, they're AR$20 for a fourth of a kilo! You won't always find such wide variance, but on berries of all kinds I have noticed differences, so I check all the nearby places before making my berry purchase.

These markets also tend to to carry eggs, mushrooms, fresh cilantro and mint, and sometimes bottled drinks. They carry what's in season and what's available, so occasionally you might get there and discover they have no broccoli or something. I base my cooking on what I find, rather than planning a menu and shopping to match it.

It can be hard to find hot peppers like jalepeños, but when I do find them, it's at a verduleria.

The fresh-baked bread at the bakery costs about the same as the packaged loaves in the store, so when I want bread, I go straight to the bakery and choose a wholesome loaf.

Rice, beans, nuts, granola, dried fruit, spices, chocolate chips, and much, much more can be purchased in bulk at New Garden, which has several locations throughout the city. Most products here are cheaper than in the grocery stores. They also carry various sauces and condiments, noodles, cookies and sweets, natural soaps and cosmetics, and honey. I have found that sauces -- like soy and Tabasco -- are a little cheaper at the grocery store, but it varies. I shop here about three times per week. I love it.

Grandiet, another store with several locations, also has some nuts, spices, and granola in bulk, but the big attraction here is the dried fruit: kiwi, melon, pineapple, grapefruit, papaya, mango, apricots, and more. Melon and kiwi are my favorite, and stopping here is an absolute treat. They also carry other nutritional products.

For empanadas, skip the grocery store version and go straight to one of the empanada shops. They offer more variety and the products are fresh and delicious. Many places will warm them up for you if you want to eat right away.

Cooking in another country can be a challenge if you can't find the ingredients you're used to, but if you shop around you will usually be able to find sufficient substitutes, at least -- and you´ll probably encounter a few new favorite foods.Close

In such a huge city, you can expect to find a lot of restaurants -- and you will. You also might expect to find an incredible variety of food. For this, you will have to look a little harder. Twelve million people in Buenos Aires,…Read More

In such a huge city, you can expect to find a lot of restaurants -- and you will. You also might expect to find an incredible variety of food. For this, you will have to look a little harder. Twelve million people in Buenos Aires, and they're all eating steaks.

Restaurants line the streets in Buenos Aires -- go into many of them, and you will find that the menu is more or less the same. If you want variety, you have to seek out those places that have made a name for themselves by being deliciously different. You won't find international cousine on every corner. You have to dig a little deeper.

Check out some of the entries in this journal. We love Mexican, Chinese, Thai, and Indian food, so we hunt those restaurants down -- and I write about them here!

If you love spicy food -- good luck! For the most part, Argentines don't, so even dishes that are listed as "spicy" -- even in, say, a Mexican restaurant where spicy is to be expected -- might not be very hot by your standards.

You will also notice that many Argentine restaurants charge a cover. Sometimes this is per person, sometimes it is per table. It is usually just a few dollars, maybe AR$10, but don't be surprised to see that added to your bill. This is not a tip; supposedly, it covers the use of utensils and the table service.

Tips are expected, though you generally can't put them on credit cards. If you pay with a card, make sure to leave the tip in cash. Some places don't accept cards, or they might have a minimum amount for using a card, so ask in advance if you don't have the cash on you.

When you enter a restaurant, you will most likely seat yourself and wait for a waiter to find you.

The Argentine dinner hour is late. Many restaurants don't even open for dinner until 8:00pm, and it doesn't really start rolling in there until 9:00 or 10:00. Make a reservation at popular restaurants, especially if you're keeping an Argentine schedule. If you prefer to eat a little earlier, you 'd probably be okay to skip the reservation -- but if you're thinking ahead, make one just in case.
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Uruguay and Argentina are only separated by Rio Plata, with travel between the two nations short and easy. Many guidebooks on Argentina recommend a few destinations in Uruguay to visit, one of them being Colonia del Sacramento.While in Argentina, my friend helped me book my…Read More

Uruguay and Argentina are only separated by Rio Plata, with travel between the two nations short and easy. Many guidebooks on Argentina recommend a few destinations in Uruguay to visit, one of them being Colonia del Sacramento.

While in Argentina, my friend helped me book my trip to Uruguay through its website. I was planning to be in Colonia del Sacramento only for the day. The website is rather easy to navigate - and provides an icon of the craft that you'll be riding (Buque Rapido or Direct). The icons were a mystery to me then - but if you carefully read the schedule, you'll learn that the smaller craft is a Rapido (approx 1hr trip) and that the larger craft is a Direct (approx 3 hr trip).

Considering that I was going to be there for less than a day and that the trip each way would be 1-3 hours, I had a bit of a sticker shot when I learned that pricing was at least 200 USD. Pricing depends on dates/times, class, flexibility and f you're riding a Buquebus Rapido or not. Because I was trying to be conscious of my spending, I ended up booking the Direct on the return trip.

On the morning of my trip, I checked in at the counter at the Buquebus terminal, located near Puerto Madero. Luckily for me, the representative behind the counter spoke English, and I quickly retrieved my boarding pass. You must go upstairs to go through immigration, where you will need to fill out the form and present your passport. The process is simplified as both representatives from Argentina and Uruguay are in the same room. Entry to Uruguay is stamped on your passport before you enter the waiting room instead of going through immigration on the other side of the river.

There are no assigned seats on the ferry. First class is in a separate room from economy - and staff is at the doorway to validate your boarding pass. After 15 minutes after the ferry departed, the duty free shop was in service. Also, available on board is a snack shop which served common continental pastries.

The ride to Uruguay was very relaxing and luckily the waves were calm as well. However, on the return trip (on the Direct), there was a rainstorm that endlessly rocked the boat, causing me to be ill for a majority of the 3-hour ride. If at all possible, book the Rapido to avoid cases like these!

Also, don't forget to save the remainder of the completed immigration You will need to provide this to the Argentine immigration officials in Uruguay in order to return. Close

Buenos Aires architecture is characterized by its eclectic nature, with parts of the city resembling Barcelona, Paris and Madrid. The Argentines appear to value their European heritage highly and the lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other in South America. Today glass-sheathed…Read More

Buenos Aires architecture is characterized by its eclectic nature, with parts of the city resembling Barcelona, Paris and Madrid. The Argentines appear to value their European heritage highly and the lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other in South America. Today glass-sheathed skyscrapers cast their slender shadows on 19th century Victorian houses and other parts of the city have seen the evolving of styles that are almost unique.

Obviously, the Spanish had a major influence on the early architecture of the country. Italian and French influences increased after the declaration of independence at the beginning of the 19th century. During the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, other European influences penetrated into the country, reflected by several buildings of Buenos Aires such as the Iglesia Santa Felicitas by Ernesto Bunge; the Palace of Justice, the National Congress, and the Teatro Colon, all of them by Vittorio Meano.

The simplicity of the baroque style can be clearly seen in Buenos Aires in the churches of San Ignacio, Nuestra Senora del Pilar, and the unusual Cathedral. By 1900 Buenos Aires was considered to be one of the twelve world capitals with the finest architecture. Buenos Aires was said to be the third fastest growing city in the world behind Hamburg and Chicago. From 1880 to 1930, Buenos Aires went through a major makeover, unparalleled anywhere. Throughout these years the ever-growing sophisticated architecture aimed to symbolize the country’s prestige and greatness. Some of the finest buildings, for instance, the National Postal Office building, were designed by the same architects in charge of designing buildings in New York and elsewhere.

The architecture of the second half of the 20th century continued to reproduce French neoclassic models, such as the headquarters of the Banco de la Nacion Argentina, and the Museo Hispanoamericano de Buenos Aires. This style was to be complemented during the early 20s with innovative styles such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco. However, since the 1930s the influence of European rationalism has been pronounced. The construction of skyscrapers proliferated in Buenos Aires until the 1950s and many of these are still interesting.

Newer modern high-technology buildings by Argentine architects in the last years of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st include the Le Parc Tower, the Torre Fortabat and the Repsol-YPF Tower. These buildings, and others like them, can be seen in the city centre but also throughout the newly developed Puerto Madero area. But other areas are interesting as well.

In the San Telmo district, the city's multinational heritage is embodied in a varied and cosmopolitan architecture - Spanish Colonial design couples with Italian detailing and graceful French Classicism. La Boca's pressed tin houses are painted a rainbow of colours, and muralists have turned the district's side-streets into avenues of interest.
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We were seduced by the crumbling facades and cobbled streets of this neighbourhood. It was once the up-market area of the city and after years of neglect it is once more slowly being gentrified. We enjoyed exploring and if we were antique lovers, this would…Read More

We were seduced by the crumbling facades and cobbled streets of this neighbourhood. It was once the up-market area of the city and after years of neglect it is once more slowly being gentrified. We enjoyed exploring and if we were antique lovers, this would have been heaven.

San Telmo is the oldest neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. It is a well-preserved area and is characterized by its colonial buildings. Cafes, tango parlors and antique shops line the cobblestone streets, which on weekends are often filled with artists and dancers. San Telmo's attractions include old churches, museums, antique stores and a semi-permanent antique fair (Feria de Antiguedades) in the main public square, Plaza Dorrego.

San Telmo became the most multicultural neighborhood in Buenos Aires in the late 19th-century, home to large communities of British, Galician, Italian and Russian-Argentines. The large numbers of Russians in San Telmo and elsewhere in Buenos Aires led to the consecration of Argentina's first Russian Orthodox Church in 1901. This is well worth seeing. The area suffered badly during the early 20th-century and some of it became derelict. San Telmo's bohemian air began attracting local artists after upwardly mobile immigrants left the area. Growing cultural activity resulted in the opening of the Buenos Aires Museum of Modern Art by critic Rafael Squirru in 1956, as well as in the 1960 advent of the "Republic of San Telmo," an artisan guild which organized art walks and other events.

Buenos Aires is the home of the tango. Ask anyone in San Telmo, and they’ll tell you that the dance was born there (although you’ll get the same answer in La Boca, and elsewhere). The best way to experience tango is by taking classes or going to a tango show. Tango shows take place in special restaurants, where you pay one price for a meal and a display of dance and music. The tango dancers are artists and athletes, and the shows are marvellous.

If you are into antiques San Telmo is where to go. The main street, Calle Defensa, is lined with antique shops. There are literally dozens of them, selling every sort of antique imaginable, from shiny old brass locks to books to old gaucho knives. There are some antique stalls in the San Telmo market as well. The best time to walk around San Telmo is either on Saturday or Sunday, as the main streets are closed to traffic. It's true that at the weekend it becomes a tourist spot, but you'll also get to see one of the best antiques markets in town, as well as a small army of street performers singing and dancing tango.

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Puerto Madero, is a district of the Argentine capital, occupying a significant portion of the Rio de la Plata riverbank and representing the latest architectural trends in the city. We discovered it almost by accident and found it a pleasant place for strolling by the…Read More

Puerto Madero, is a district of the Argentine capital, occupying a significant portion of the Rio de la Plata riverbank and representing the latest architectural trends in the city. We discovered it almost by accident and found it a pleasant place for strolling by the water. The area was originally a major dockland but it had become derelict over time.

In the 1990s, local and foreign investment led to a massive regeneration effort, recycling and refurbishing the old west side red brick warehouses into elegant houses, offices, lofts, private universities, luxurious hotels and restaurants. This is the area nearest downtown and the most accessible for visitors. The Buenos Aires Hilton, other hotels, state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas, theatres, cultural centres, and office and corporate buildings are located in the east side of the development. The neighbourhood's road network has been entirely rebuilt on the east side.

Today it is one of the trendiest boroughs in Buenos Aires, and has become the preferred address for a growing number of young professionals and retirees. Increasing property prices have also generated interest in the area as a destination for foreign buyers, particularly those in the market for premium investment properties.

The new 2 km Puerto Madero Tramway line serves the area, running parallel to Alicia Moreau de Justo Avenue (along the ward's western side) but this did not seem well used by either locals or tourists. We took a ride and were the only ones onboard. The neighbourhood is still not well-connected to the city's transit network. Few bus routes run through Puerto Madero, no subway line reaches it and there are currently no official plans to extend the subway network to the neighbourhood.

There are several minor tourist attractions here including the Uruguay Corvette, a ship built in England around 1877 and which served as part of the Argentine Navy for a number of years. Today the ship is a museum open to the public. The Sarmiento Frigate is also here (see another entry in this journal). The Puente de la Mujer (Woman’s Bridge) is a pedestrian bridge that connects each side of Puerto Madero. Visitors come to the Buequebus Terminal at the north end of the area, which is the terminal of the ferry company Buequebus and is used by travellers to go to Colonia and Montevideo in Uruguay.

While nothing exceptional, Puerto Madero is a nice place to walk along the water and there are ample benches all around if you want to just sit and relax and enjoy the nice day. There are many restaurants in Puerto Madero which cater to tourists - menus printed in English, outdoor seating, and higher prices. The outdoor seating is nice and the atmosphere is enjoyable but we thought the food was little different to other cheaper areas.
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Take an appetite with you to Buenos Aires. We knew little about Argentine cuisine before arriving in the country but quickly came to enjoy what was available. Most Argentines eat a light breakfast, usually bread and tea, maté or coffee, a large lunch and then…Read More

Take an appetite with you to Buenos Aires. We knew little about Argentine cuisine before arriving in the country but quickly came to enjoy what was available. Most Argentines eat a light breakfast, usually bread and tea, maté or coffee, a large lunch and then another large meal after nine - usually much later. If you wish to adopt this regime and you get hungry before 9pm, there are pizzerias confiterías where you can get deli type meals, including a pancho or hot dog. As a visitor you will have more options though. Your hotel is likely to have a buffet breakfast on offer with hot and cold dishes and dinner is usually available from around seven.

Though porteños enjoy a varied ethnic cuisine thanks to their immigrant ancestors, the traditional Argentine meal of beef is most popular. It is something you need to try. Much of Argentine beef is exported, but in Buenos Aires, you'll find plenty of restaurants to enjoy what is saved for local consumption. Steak houses called parrillas abound. Some call attention to their menus with stuffed cows in the doorway or cook their meat in the windows. In Buenos Aires, beef is truly the King.

To fully enjoy meals in Buenos Aires, you need to understand the cuts of beef. The following comes from an Argentine source and is a good reference:
bife de lomo is equivalent to a sirloin steak and is the leanest and most expensive cut
bife de chorizo is cut from the rib near the rump and a very popular cut
bife de costilla is a T-bone steak.
tira de asado is a strip of rib roast big enough for two
vacio is the bottom part of the sirloin porterhouse and flank and is the juiciest cut
A parrillada is a mixed selection of beef cuts, other meat and sausages. If you like your meat rare, order it juogoso. Medium is al punto and well done is bien hecho or cocido. We were surprised to find that there were not many vegetables, potatoes, rice or other accompanying items with your meat. However, salad and bread seem to be traditional as starters and the salads may be anything from a sliced tomato to a mixed salad with eggs and artichokes. Combine this with an Argentine wine, either red tinto or white blanco, and most visitors will be really satisfied.

For dessert, we found that there is usually a choice of fresh fruit, custard or cheese and preserved fruit, or queso y dulce or pastries made with dulce de leche. Juices are popular as are licuados or juice blended with milk. For a hot drink you can order coffee at any time but be aware that it will be a very strong espresso. You can also order café chico which is a thick strong coffee in a small cup or café cortado a small coffee with a touch of milk, often served in a glass. Café con leche, coffee with milk is usually served at breakfast only. If you are a tea drinker, and want milk in your tea ask for un poquito de leche else your tea will be served with lemon slices.
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