San Telmo and Plaza Dorrego

A must on any Buenos Aires tour is the the Sunday street market in the barrio of San Telmo. Street Tango, street musicians, artists, antiques, crafts and an occasional transvestite make for an interesting scene.

We finally made it last Sunday after saying we wanted to go for the last 7 months. Why we have not been is beyond me. It is a short bus or taxi ride to the other side of Plaza de Mayo and we had a great afternoon even though I'm not into the whole craft fair kind of thing.



The crowds on Sunday can be quite large. Despite the crowds, the whole walk from end to end is quite manageable and makes for an interesting stroll. The knick knacks compete with the people watching as the main attraction. But there are plenty of sideshows with Tango performers and other musicians panning for your coin along the route.



The best place to start is at Plaza Dorrego at the far end of Defensa street which they close off to traffic during the fair. The plaza is filled with antique vendors selling everything imaginable.

There will be plenty of photo ops and entertainment as you make your way up Calle Defensa towards Plaza de Mayo. On the street, the antiques will share billing with local handmade crafts from the neighborhoods more bohemian citizens.



There are plenty of great restaurants to eat at along the way. I can recommend Bar Plaza Dorrego or La Divina Comedia. Both have outdoor dining right on Calle Defensa and are well suited to watching the parade of people pass by on Sundays.



San Telmo itself has some great, albeit faded architecture with the city's largest concentration buildings from the 19th century. The architecture ads to the neighborhoods bohemian feel.

If you are planning a stay in Buenos Aires, be sure to put a trip to San Telmo on your list.

My Top 10 Places to Stay in Argentina

After a rather lengthy tour around Argentina, I thought it would be helpful to share the best hotels, inns and estancias I've come across.

I've taken my lead from fellow Quaffer, BA expat and full-time tour guide—Alan, who has compiled a list of his favorite hotels in Buenos Aires over at his blog.

But Argentina has so much more than just Buenos Aires. So here is my list of the best beds Argentina has to offer—assuming price is no object.

1. Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

Simply one of my favorite hotels in the whole world.

Even though it is brand new, the Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires has found it's place among the best hotels in Buenos Aires and has found it to the top of my list of best hotels.

To some, the Alvear (see #4 below) is the Grand Damme of Buenos Aires hotels. However, if you are like me, and all the marble, gold and gilded, white-glove service seems a bit dated and stuffy, head over to the Park Hyatt. The service at the Park Hyatt is warm and sleek and every bit as attentive with a very high staff to guest ratio.

The rooms are modern and cozy. This is what luxury in the twenty first century should be like. The tea and brunch at the Park Hyatt are wonderful treats and a favorite choice for my daughter on special occasions.

The Park Hyatt is really two hotels in one. The part facing Ave. Alvear was once a private palace. It has been wonderfully restored and blends the best of old and new. The tower facing Posadas street is sleek and modern.

It is one of the priciest beds in town. But, you will be rubbing shoulders with rock stars and other celebs passing through town.

2. Llao Llao Hotel and Resort Bariloche

My second favorite hotel is the Llao Llao Hotel and Golf Resort located 30km west of Bariloche. The views are breathtaking in every direction.

It is a great place to stay if you are on a romantic getaway, have the kids in tow, or if you are a celeb looking to hang with your gal pals. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy. Or if you prefer, there are plenty of great spots to do nothing but soak up the sun and the incredible views.

Golfer? This is the place for you. The views from the golf course are better than Pebble Beach.

You can find more pics in my earlier blog post on my stay.

3. Four Seasons Buenos Aires

Four Seasons reputation for excellence is not wasted on the Four Seasons Buenos Aires. It is a great place to stay if you are on business or traveling on your own.

To be honest, it was about 10 years or so ago when I stayed there as a young software executive on my first visit to Buenos Aires. It was the nicest hotel I had stayed in at the time, only it wasn't the Four Seasons. It was the Park Hyatt back then.

Fast forward several years later and through a major renovation, it is even nicer than I remembered. The service, like the other two Buenos Aires hotels on the list, is top notch and its location just off 9 de Julio can't be beat.

Brunch here shouldn't be missed. My family took me to Sunday brunch here for my birthday. It was more my style than the brunches at the Park Hyatt or the Alvear—less pretentious and friendlier, but every bit as nice.

Similar to the new Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, the hotel features a wonderful french-style mansion in the back and a new, modern tower in the front. Ask for a room with a view of the pool and the mansion. You may even get a great view of the Obelisk.

4. Alvear Palace Hotel Buenos Aires.

Ask any porteño what the best hotel in Buenos Aires is, and they will all say the Alvear. For over 75 years this hotel has staged some of the most important events in Buenos Aires. It's white gloved service can't be matched. The english speaking staff from the concierge to the butler are eager to assist with any need.

For those looking for a throwback to a bygone era, this is the place for you. It is a beautiful old hotel filled with more marble and goldleaf than you have ever seen. The Alvear is grand without being gaudy. I prefer my hotels a little less gilded though. That is why it is not my top rated BA hotel.

However, the Sunday brunch and high tea are unmatched for their level of service and a great treat for visitors even if you aren't staying there. Either one is a must do on any tourists checklist.

5. Estancia Dos Lunas

If you come to Argentina, you have to experience a stay at a working estancia. Dos Lunas outside of Córdoba is one of the best. It is the perfect escape from the modern world and you get to experience what life was like for Argentina's wealthy landowners.

The food at Dos Lunas is exceptional and the hospitality warm and friendly. No TV, phone, or internet for miles.

There may be better estancias in Argentina, I have not found one yet. My family ranks our stay at Dos Lunas as our favorite memory in Argentina so far. I raved about our stay in my Dos Lunas post with plenty of pics.

6. Park Hyatt Mendoza

There simply isn't any other choice when staying in Mendoza other than the Park Hyatt Mendoza. It is situated in the heart of Mendoza right on the main square.

Like it's sister hotel in Buenos Aires, the Park Hyatt has designed a sleek modern hotel into a beautiful old building from Mendoza's past. The rooms are large, modern and very comfy. The the outstanding service is warm and friendly and can arrange any of your outdoor activities or wine tours.

Food at all of the restaurants are some of the best bites in town. Sushi on the patio on Friday nights shouldn't be missed.

The kids really enjoyed the small, but uniquely designed pool. Can't say much about the attached Casino, but the Spa is highly rated by past visitors over at TripAdvisor

7. Eolo - Patagonia's Spirit

El Calafate took my breath away and nudged out Bariloche as my favorite place in Patagonia. The best place to stay in Calafate has to be Eolo.

Well, you could spend $1000 (yes, that is one thousand US dollars) more a night to stay at Los Notros and be closer to the glacier. But, is it not worth it? The staff, service and food at Eolo are all exceptional.

Above all, it is the beautiful setting that sets Eolo apart. It is the ultimate room with a view as visitors are enveloped in the beauty and remoteness of southern Patagonia. It is one of those special places that shouldn't be missed.

8. Las Balsas

I wrote in my blog post about Bariloche that Villa La Angostura is the place
to stay for smart Argentine traveler in the know. The quaint
village is a lot more welcoming than run-down Bariloche across the lake.

There is not better place to stay in Villa La Angostura than Las Balsas. This small quiet inn is right on the lake with a chef that is world renowned. Probably not a place to take the kids. But, this is the place if you want a romantic getaway in the Bailoche area.

Las Balsas makes a great alternative to the Hotel Llao Llao (the other Bariloche area hotel on my list) if you prefer small comfortable inns over big resorts.

9. Hotel de Montaña Río Hermoso

Río Hermosa Hotel is one of Patagonia's best kept secrets. It is located right on the banks of the Río Hermoso in Lanín National Park. It is south of San Martín de los Andes in the middle of nowhere.

Like Las Balsas (see above), it is a small gem of a hotel. However, it is more secluded and private than Las Balsas and ideal for those wanting an exclusive get away close to nature. My Argentine travel agent once joked, "Las Balsas is where we take our wives, Río Hermoso is where we take our mistresses. And when you are done with her, you have the best fly fishing right at your doorstep."

I guess for certain men, it couldn't get much better than that. Río Hermoso tops my list of places to stay in the San Martín del los Andes area. I will be staying here when I return. With my wife of course.

10. The Cavas Wine Lodge

Touring Mendoza for the wine? Then you have to stay at The Cavas Wine Lodge. It is located at the base of Andes Mountains surrounded by lush vineyards 20 minutes south of Mendoza.

It was the first hotel in Mendoza dedicated to wine. Cavas Wine Lodge is known for its privacy, tranquility and romance (i.e. no kids allowed). Guests are surrounded by great wine, food and natural beauty.

The rooms are actually small casitas in the middle of the vineyard and feature private pools and rooftop fireplaces. Most guests comment that their fondest memory is drinking a bottle of wine with their spouse rooftop in front of the outdoor fireplace while the sun set over the Andes. The luxurious spa is top rated by former guests as well.

It is the one place we wanted to stay in Mendoza but couldn't because we had the kids in tow. So on this one, I'm going strictly by everyone else's strong praise.

What is your favorite place in Argentina?

What do you think? Did I leave your favorite hotel or estancia off the list? I know I have short changed Salta, Tucuman and other regions to the north. However, I haven't been lucky enough to visit the north of Argentina yet. What are your recommendations?

Península Valdés: A Unique Wildlife Sanctuary

Península Valdés is an oddly shaped peninsula on the Atlantic coast about 1000Km southwest of Buenos Aires. It offers two protected bays utilized by whales, sea lions, elephant seals, penguins and other marine life.

It is one of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites found in Argentina. Cueva de las Manos, and Los Glaciares National Park are examples of others.



The peninsula itself is a barren flat landscape no different than the Patagonian Steppe found on the mainland. It is sparsely populated with the private lands divided by just a few large sheep farms.



According UNESCO, the reason Península Valdés was named an UNESCO natural world heritage site was:

it is a site of global significance for the conservation of marine mammals. It is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whale as well as important breeding populations of southern elephant seals and southern sea lions. The orcas in this area have developed a unique hunting strategy to adapt to local coastal conditions.

The photo above is by Tony Galvez on Flickr and it shows a Southern Right Whale in the protected bay to the south of the Peninsula. The Southern Right Whales use the bay to birth their pups and rest before the long journey home at the end of Feb. We just missed them.

We were also a little too early to witness the "unique hunting strategy of the orca whales". In March and April, they will swim up onto the beach in the northern bay where hundreds of sea lions have just given birth to their pups.

The orcas use the unusually deep shoreline to spring up on the beach and surprise the pups for an easy lunch. It is pretty gruesome to watch. I'm almost glad we missed it. Here is a link if you really must see it for yourself

The, biggest colony of Magellanic Penguins is in Punta Tombo further down the Atlantic coast. However, there are some large colonies on the peninsula too. We were surprised at how close to the road these guys were.

If you visit, you will want to fly to Trelew (pronounced tree-lough) and rent a car. You can stay in Puerto Madryn, the closest city to the peninsula or you can stay in Puerto Pirámides, a small beach town on the peninsula where you can easily catch a whale watching tour in the bay.

We recommend you stay at one of the estancias on the peninsula. We stayed at Estancia Rincon Chico which allowed us onto their private, protected beach where we could walk right up to a large colony of elephant seals. I'll have a full review of the estancia in a later post.

Here are a few more photos of the elephant seals at Rincon Chico's beach.

Ushuaia: The End of the World

Ushuaia bills itself as the southern most city of the world and the last stop before Antarctica. Well Chile is actually closer, but Ushuaia is the last real city before Antarctica. Most tour companies book their Antarctic cruises from this port city.

In fact, Ushuaia has become a very popular port of call for many cruises. Over 500,000 people came through the port last year and even more are expected in 2008. English outnumbered castellano 2 to 1 on the streets.

All of those cruisers steer the demographics on the street to the grey haired set. Don't let that stop you from coming though. Ushuaia is a must see on any Argentina adventure.



Ushuaia sits right on the Beagle Channel and is a former penal colony modeled after Sydney. Below is a mural depicting some of the most notorious criminals held there.



Ruta 40 runs out well before Tierra Del Fuego. Tierra Del Fuego is a large island cut off from the main land by the Straits of Magellan, so it is not easy to get to Ushuaia by car or bus. Given the cheap air fair between here and El Calafate or Buenos Aires, you are better off flying (even with Aerolineas Argentina's typical 4 hour delays.)

The port city is surrounded by mountains and there is some pretty good hiking. But, the best part is the wildlife in the Beagle Channel. Book yourself a boat cruise and tour the channel.



We were a bit boat toured out after Bariloche and El Calafate so we found the smallest boat tour we could find—a sailboat that only fit eight. We lucked out and my family was the only ones on the boat so we had a private tour of the channel and its wildlife. Below is a pic of our captain.



There is an abundance of marine birds and mammals in the Beagle Channel. Below is a pic I posted earlier of some Sea Lions along with some of the other marine life found on the islands in the Channel.

El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier

Ask anyone who has done the whole Route 40 excursion down Patagonia what their favorite place was and you will likely hear just one answer—El Calafate.

And the star of El Calafate is the Perito Moreno Glacier. While it is by far not the biggest Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, it is the most awe inspiring.



I was truly blown away by Porito Moreno. You are able to get really close up and hear it creaking, cracking and slowly moaning. You can physically see it advancing. Every so often a loud explosion and crash thunders across the lake as a large chunk of ice breaks off and tumbles into the water below. Words just can't describe it.



I sat for hours just listing and watching the glacier. It was a moving experience.



Only the Grand Canyon had moved me like that before. And I would put Perito Moreno above the Grand Canyon. It is that spectacular.



However, there is one other reason that El Calafate is on the top of everyone's list.

The sunsets.

The first day we were in Calafate, we drove back from the Glacier during sunset. Suddenly, the sky was on fire with every color imaginable. Also, the lake which was already a unique shade of milky blue intensified with a deep turquoise color. The grass of the steppe became even more golden.



I have never done ACID in my life. But, I have to say Calafate at sunset must be the closest you can come to being on an acid trip without taking drugs.

El Chaltén: Trekking Capital of Argentina

Our first real destination after Bariloche was the small village of El Chaltén set to the backdrop of Mount Fritz Roy and located at the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park.

The town itself is in a beautiful valley just past Lago Viedma, in between the confluence of Río De las Vueltas and Río Fitz Roy.



If you are a hiker, this is the place for you. There are endless hikes of all lengths and levels of expertise. And the great thing is most hikes start right from the town.

We were only there for two days. The first day, we were forced inside because of a freak wind storm with hurricane force winds that kicked up dirt and debris and sent it stinging into your skin. No hiking for us that day.

The second day, things cleared up and I was able to head out early for a few hikes.
I even got a shot of an Andean Condor on one hike.



I highly recommend taking the all day hike to Laguna del Desierto which will take you past a beautiful waterfall (Chorrillo del Salto) and awesome views of Cerro Torre and Fritz Roy.



Another recommended outing is taking the Viedma Discovery cruise and hike. A boat takes you across Lago Viedma to the glacier and then you put on your crampons and head out over, on top of, under and through the glacier on a spectacular ice trekking adventure.



There are accommodation's for every price range in El Claltén. From very cheap hostels to a 5 star hotel (who's prices are as higher than Fritz Roy). We stayed at Lo De Tommy in a two story apartment. It was very comfortable and nicely furnished. They also provide a great breakfast at the main house.

Cueva de las Manos

Cueva de las Manos, or "Cave of the Hands" is an exceptional collection of primitive cave art dating back 9,500 to 13,000 years ago and made by the ancestors of the Tehuelche Indians, who inhabited Patagonia before the arrival of European settlers in 17th. century.

The cave name is a little misleading. It is actually a series of hanging rocks along the side of a beautiful canyon along the Río Pinturas in the middle of Patagonia. There is a cave there, but only a small one. Most of the cave art is outside on the hanging rocks around the cave entrance.



The name obviously comes from the stenciled outlines of hundreds of human hands you see above, mostly left hands. However, there are other images of animals like guanacos (they look like llamas, but have a cinnamon red color to their fur).

There are also hunting scenes with hunters and guanacos. In fact, the paintings are preserved with a guanaco fat and urine varnish.



The hands all look to be from adolescent males. One theory is that the hands marked a coming of age ritual or were done to signify the first kill of a young tribe member.

No one knows for sure. Another theory is that the hands belong to the artist making the stencil. That would account for the fact that their are hundreds of left hands but very few right hands. For some strange reason, there is even one foot.

The stenciling was done mostly in black, red, white, yellow and green tones with the earliest images done as a negative image. But, later images improved upon the technique, and used a colored undercoat (usually white) upon which the stencil was applied in another color.

Cueva de las Manos gives us a glimpse into the lives of the earliest inhabitants on the South American continent. In the 1990s it was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.



I'll close with a YouTube video of the site set to the music of Tangheto:

The Romance of Ruta 40 (Route 40)

In the States, we had the legendary Route 66 that personified the United States in the 40s and 50s and featured the diversity of our cities and landscapes. It passed some our most prized natural treasures like the Grand Canyon. The ultimate road trip was to travel its length from Chicago to LA.

The equivalent in Argentina is Ruta 40. It runs tip to tip up Argentina's western region. It passes through Salta, Mendoza, Bariloche, El Chaltén, El Calafate and on down to Tierra Del Fuego.

Most all of the natural treasures Argentina offers are a stone's throw away from Ruta 40. The biggest attraction though is the shear sense of isolation one feels once they leave the lake region south of Bariloche.

Between Bariloche and El Chaltén the road diverts away from the mountains and crosses the Patagonian plains. It is mostly flat empty desert spotted with dried pampa grass and shrubs. And it goes on and on for 1,000s of kilometers.

Nothing but you, your car, the dirt road (yes it is mainly a dirt road) and endless nothingness as far as the eye can see.



I was drawn by the mystique of traveling this stretch of Ruta 40. Only we had no car and rental cars were outrageously expensive. The one-way drop off fee alone was over $700. We even looked into buying a car because it would of been way cheaper than renting. Only, the red tape was too daunting.

Chaltén Travel to the rescue. Chaltén Travel offers a two day bus trip tour between Bariloche and El Chaltén, with an option of continuing on a third day to El Calafate. They can even tack on a side trip to the Cueva de Los Manos.

¡Perfecto!. Or so we thought.

We paid more than we would have if we had used a normal bus service like Andesmar. But, we were told that we would stopping for lunch and breaks along the route. Plus, anytime we wanted to stop and take pictures all we had to do was ask.

No problem. We thought it sounded better to have a guided tour bus than doing the overnight bus and sleeping through it all.



We'll the bus was old, dirty, uncomfortable and had no air conditioning. The only stop for lunch was at a gas station for 15 minutes where we all fought over 3 day old ham and cheese sandwiches. When we got to the town with our hotel for the night, we were told it was the only one with a grocery store and we better buy provisions for food for the next day's 12 hour ride.

The only problem, our bus arrived in the town a quarter till 9:00. The stores all closed at 9:00. So all thirty of us rushed to closest of the two stores and fought over the last remaining bits of bread, deli ham, and cheese. I picked through the mostly rotten and bruised fruit they were selling.

The next day was a twelve hour ride. Our crew and bus were switched out and our new bus was even more beat up with cracks and holes all over the windshield. We lost our "host". And the new crew didn't speak English. And when we did ask them questions they shrugged as if they didn't know and refused our requests for stops.

Fortunately, we didn't need an English guide. It was just that everyone else on the bus (mostly Europeans) were told that we would have a tour guide who spoke English.

As far as Route 40, it was truly awe inspiring in its vast emptiness. Only it was hard to get a sense of its true isolation when you are surrounded by 30 other people.

If you want to get from Bariloche to El Chaltén, fly or take a regular coma-class bus (one were the seats convert to a bed). Please don't waste your money on Chaltén Travel's non-tour.

Feels good to be back in BA

Just a quick update for family and friends. We arrived safely back in Buenos Aires on Saturday night. I should say Sunday morning. Our flight out of Trelew was delayed by about three and half hours. Rather than getting in at 10:00, our flight landed more like 2:00.

We had a slight mixup getting the keys to our apartment, and by the time we got in and ready for bed it was after 4:00.

Anytime you fly Aerolineas Argentina you can be certain your flight will be delayed. We knew what we were getting into. It could of been worse. At least there were no riots.

I have a big backlog of photos and blog posts to work on. I promise, I will get to them in the next couple of days.

Air, Foam, Ugly Betty, and the Hotel Llao Llao

Down here in Latin America, the Sony Entertainment Television channel has been doing a big push for the Ugly Betty show. The commercial is on non-stop.

The commercial features a scene where Betty and her date have to review a very trendy hotel restaurant. The date is fed up about being there and vents his frustration on the menu items. Especially the Air and Foam. He says something to the effect of, "Air and Foam, what kind of food is that!"

During our recent stay, my wife and I were fortunate to get a free meal at the Hotel Llao Llao's fancier restaurant, Los Cesares.

We showed up in blue jeans and t-shirts feeling a little out of place—just like Ugly Betty's date in the commercial. Only, we were the only ones in the pretentious, old-style dining room. It was completely empty.

We opened our menus and both started laughing at the same time. Our menu featured two dishes—one with Air and one with Foam. We both started cracking jokes about the Ugly Betty commercial and trying to figure out just what the difference between Air and Foam was.



We were still cracking Ugly Betty jokes when we looked up to see none other than Vanessa Williams walk in with her posse. (Well, it was more like a big group of girlfriends than a posse.)

My wife leans over after they sat down and asks, "You know who that is don't you?"

"Of Course!", I replied.

"No, do you know who she plays on TV?"

Not being a big fan of TV, especially the Sony Channel, I had to admit that I didn't know she was on TV. I just knew her from her from Penthouse...er, I mean Pocahontas.

My wife had to explain that she played the cruel boss on Ugly Betty.

What a coincidence. Here we were laughing about a show and in walks one of the main characters. In the remote reaches of Argentina no less.

They sat down in a big table adjacent ours and had a good time talking about things any other group of women talk about while having a girls night out. We left them alone and carried on with our diner. Although they were a little loud and the only other table in the restaurant so it was a little hard not overhearing each others conversations.

When we got up to leave, one of the woman in the group said something like, "Enjoy your long stay in Argentina. I hope you get to stay longer." I guess she heard our debate earlier about staying another year or not.

My wife replied, "We will. Only hearing you gals having such a good time together made me miss my girlfriends even more!"

Another woman in the group jumped in and said,"Well ditch your husband and join us tomorrow! We're doing the spa all day."

My wife thought about it a moment and looked at Vanessa who was silent during this whole exchange and said, "Thanks for the offer, but I have the whole day planned with him. It wouldn't be fair to dump him like that."

My wife must really love me if she passed up hanging out with Vanessa Williams' posse to spend the day with me.

What a wife.