Anyone been to Buenos Aires recently?

[Sylvanfan]

Well since there's no more work in Western Canada I figure might as well tap into my savings and do some travelling while I can get some decent bargains.

I'm heading down for a couple days at the end of next month before doing a cruise around the bottom of South America and back up to Val Pariso Chille. Specifically trying to figure out what area of the city to stay in, and the best way to get from the Airport to the city center. I have some ideas of what I'd like to do in thos couple days, but would love to hear suggestions for what I have to see since I have such a short period of time there. I think I'd like to find a B&B, or guest house to stay at so if anyone has stayed at a place like that and has advice that would be great too.

[prarieboy]

LOL!!

Sorry Sylvan I've never been there but since me and the wife will probably be pounding the pavement soon the travel idea sounds great.

You good sir, are well adjusted!!

[TSXCman]

bad news sylvan. Buenos Aries was the first place taken out by the bug attack

[BlackEleven]

I was there a year and half ago and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It's really an amazing city. I stayed in the San Telmo district, which was great. It's very bohemian, and cheap (at least by our standards) and is walking distance from downtown and most of the main tourist attractions (even if you have to go far the subway costs about 30 cents). There's loads of nice little restaurants, cafes and pubs and always lots of stuff going on. I stayed in a B&B, but I can't for the life of me remember the name.

From the airport, I just took a taxi. They're more expensive than the rest of south america, but still very cheap by north american standards.

[troutman]

IIRC, there is more than one airport - one is not far from the city center.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires#Airports

The Buenos Aires international airport, Ministro Pistarini International Airport, is located in the suburb of Ezeiza and is often called simply "Ezeiza". The Aeroparque Jorge Newbery airport, located in the Palermo district next to the riverbank, serves mostly domestic traffic and general aviation.

[mykalberta]

I am hopefully going down in May, already booked, just now hoping my buddies arent going to come up with some BS excuse.

They only have one international airport. The rest is for domestic travel. There seems to be alot of that in South America. Very few domestic only airports in NA that arent solely GA. DCA, LGA etc are really the only ones I can think of - there might be some more in Cali like LGB etc, not sure. Nothing major.

The crash that happened in Brazil a while ago was at the domestic only airport.

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, I know Rio has a city center airport for local flights and an international out of town. Sao Paulo is like that in Brazil as Guaraljus or whatever is quite a ways from the City Center, but had a smaller airport closer to the center.

I know for sure that I'm flying into the one in Ezeiza, as I made sure to check that since my flight from L.A. first lands in Santiago before going to B.A. I'm hoping that they don't force me off the Plane in Santiago and make me pay that crazy tourist fee in Chille, than send me off to B.A. It's bad enough I'll have to pay that fee in Puerto Arenas. But this being South America...anything tends to go down there. But since it's a continuation of the flight and it's only on the ground for an hour I hope they'll just keep me on the plane.

[BlackEleven]

I wwent through Santiago as well. They actually make you get off the plane, which is quite annoying, because youu have to go through security again there. I didn't have to pay any tourist fee though, and luckily the airport is quite nice.

[Sylvanfan]

^^^
Thanks for that little tidbit. I fly back out of Santiago which could be fun given how Chille tends to invent new tourist taxes and fee's every week. Did you fly down with LAN by chance? Some Aussie guys I met a few years back in Brazil said it was a decent airline. But things do change over time.

From what I can tell there are a lot of different barrios around the central area and each has it's own vibe. Sounds like a city where you can pass time pretty easily just by walking around and doing a bit of people observing.

[BlackEleven]

I flew into BA on LAN ( I was coming from La Paz ), which I didn't have any complaints about. I flew out on Air Canada, which went from BA to Santiago to Toronto.

It seems you already know that South American airports can be extremely annoying when it comes to fees. Instead of just adding the airport and other fees onto the ticket price, they make you pay at the airport ( a local told me it was to make the tickets look cheaper than they actually are). So if you're flying out at a busy time, the lineups to pay the fees are huge! I recommend showing up early to the BA airpot when you're leaving, as its no exception to this.

I wasn't required to pay any fees in Santiago though when they made me get off the plane on the way back to Canada. And in the end, it wasn't that bad, besides going through security, because its a very modern airport, not like some of the old run down ones they have in other south american cities.

[Cactus Jack]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I wwent through Santiago as well. They actually make you get off the plane, which is quite annoying, because youu have to go through security again there. I didn't have to pay any tourist fee though, and luckily the airport is quite nice.

My friend, you need to do a little research before claiming it is Latin American corruption and invention of fees. You do have to pay CDN$150 to get in to the country (that is the tourist visa). The reason you pay that is because Chileans have to pay CDN$150 to come to Canada. There is no transit visa required like the US, which is a real scam. We Canadians are lucky we can transit through the US no problem, but most countries need transit visa in the US even if they don't leave their terminal while waiting for another flight. That is a scam. They should call it a sitting-in-our-airport fee.
________
HERBALAIRE VAPORIZER REVIEW

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

My friend, you need to do a little research before claiming it is Latin American corruption and invention of fees. You do have to pay CDN$150 to get in to the country (that is the tourist visa). The reason you pay that is because Chileans have to pay CDN$150 to come to Canada. There is no transit visa required like the US, which is a real scam. We Canadians are lucky we can transit through the US no problem, but most countries need transit visa in the US even if they don't leave their terminal while waiting for another flight. That is a scam. They should call it a sitting-in-our-airport fee.

Where did he ever suggest any of that stuff you mention? There are a lot of fees required to travel to South America, and they tend to change very frequently, and it's not always easy to get the information as to what exactly is required.

But than you have to go put words in his mouth and derail the thing.

NO THANKS

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

My friend, you need to do a little research before claiming it is Latin American corruption and invention of fees.

My friend, you need to work on your reading comprehension skills. I made no such claim.

[Buzzard]

Not much relevant info...but some nice pictures over at skyscraper page.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...es#post4027498

[troutman]

I forgot to mention it, but I can't emphasize this enough - Buenos Aires has the most beautiful women in the world - ooh la la.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by troutman

I forgot to mention it, but I can't emphasize this enough - Buenos Aires has the most beautiful women in the world - ooh la la.

Are they as promiscuous as their neighbours from Brazil?