Travel notes from Argentina

[Naks]

Ola amigos!

Just got back from 2 weeks in Argentina, thought I'd share some travel observations.

Very few landies there, saw 3 in Patagonia incl a Puma. They seems to like V8 Jeeps there, loads of them all over. Didn't see a single Disco3/4/RR,
maybe two RRS in Buenos Aires?

Travel notes about Argentina (in no particular order):
1. Argentines are very friendly and helpful to tourists
2. Argentines do 3 things well: coffee, ice cream, and Quilmes (my new favourite beer). Except for the bit about serving coffee with sparkling water - WTF?
3. Forget what you heard about their beef, even Spur puts their restaurants to shame
4. Food is generally bland and expensive. Everything in Argentina is overpriced, come to think of it, but the food is ridiculously expensive. You even get charged for 'table service', sometimes up to Ar$20 per person - WTF?
5. The wine is not bad, but again, ridiculously expensive
6. Patagonian lamb is really good, about as good as Karoo lamb
7. A 4-star hotel in Argentina is about on the same level as a run-down 2- or 3- star hotel in SA
8. Punctuality is not in the Argentine vocabulary
9. If you are flying internationally out of Buenos Aires, get to the airport at least 5 hours before your departure time. The airport seems to be run by 5yr olds - expect long queues and little order
10. The national pastime in Argentina is littering
11. It's a beautiful country but it's BEEEG - you need lots of time to see it properly
12. You MUST see Iguazu Falls and the glaciers in Patagonia before you die!
13. Drink some Mate while you're there, you might actually like it


Some (lots) of pics & videos: https://plus.google.com/photos/113955869079171179014/albums/5692205354329082193

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-voMyWrNBtus/Tv7KqwSqigI/AAAAAAAAIdE/o6XNzwphLp4/w500-h333-k/Argentina%2B243.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QSx5zWQzCCg/Tv7SZPsnR-I/AAAAAAAAI2M/4u9FeTYEs0M/w164-h245-n-k/Argentina%2B598.JPG


In conclusion, a very expensive destination but well worth it! We'll
probably go back to Patagonia again at some point to see the other glaciers.

[Chucaro]

Thank you for your report, my only discrepancy is your comments about their beef. Your taste go against the 99% of the beef consumers and importers of meat from the river Plate countries. :)

[Bigbjorn]

I wonder why it is an expensive place when their economy has been shot for decades and their currency is worthless?

[Chucaro]

I wonder why it is an expensive place when their economy has been shot for decades and their currency is worthless?

Well the currency in U$A 0.23 = $ 1.00 argentinian peso
Regarding an expensive place and the economy, well about 8 million people are extreme well off and the country is extremelly rich in natural resources.
At the present time the Argetinian authorities are controlling how many dollars the argentinian are taken to uruguay for their holidays. Las week in one farry only they stopped U$A 2.6 million.
Between them and the Brazilians they own 80% of the real estate in Punta del Este, Uruguay a place as expensive to Monaco.
The Argentinian GDP is 584 billon dollars with a population of 40 million.
International Monetary Fund: GDP (nominal) 2010, ranked 28 out of 181 countries

[Naks]

Thank you for your report, my only discrepancy is your comments about their beef. Your taste go against the 99% of the beef consumers and importers of meat from the river Plate countries. :)


There are a couple of possible reasons:

1. They export their best beef, and what is left over is the bland stuff
2. The consumers you speak of have never tasted South African beef


A couple of SA tourists we met in BA also commented on how disappointed they were with the beef and with the food generally.

I think it's a bit of both. Now you have a reason to come visit us in SA ;)

[PhilipA]

If you are a Seff Effrican, I wonder what you think of Aussie prices.
We were amazed at the low prices in ZA for wine and food and the standard of accommodation.

We dined at the Capetown wharf and spent AFAIK AUD12 on a good bottle of wine and the main courses were about AUD 18. And this in a better equivalent of Darling Harbour! I had the biggest and arguably best Schwienhax'n at the brewery at the wharf with excellent German beer.

Everywhere we went wine and food were very inexpensive and the standard of "budget" accomodation was excellent and Namibia was just as surprising.

Regards Philip A

[Naks]

If you are a Seff Effrican, I wonder what you think of Aussie prices. We were amazed at the low prices in ZA for wine and food and the standard of accommodation.

Yeah, we will never complain about our local food & wine prices! Not to mention our airports are so efficiently run that we almost died of shock at the mayhem at Pistarini International airport!

No plans to visit Oz - the way they treat tourists during the visa application and on arrival is a deterrent.

[incisor]

No plans to visit Oz - the way they treat tourists during the visa application and on arrival is a deterrent.

good to see the system works! (pity it dont work for some rugby teams...)




my eldest daughter has some tales to tell of the airports over there as well...

and the locals, where she was, not having a clue what service was or n[knowing what the word concern meant as well :p

[Bigbjorn]

Well the currency in U$A 0.23 = $ 1.00 argentinian peso
Regarding an expensive place and the economy, well about 8 million people are extreme well off and the country is extremelly rich in natural resources.
At the present time the Argetinian authorities are controlling how many dollars the argentinian are taken to uruguay for their holidays. Las week in one farry only they stopped U$A 2.6 million.
Between them and the Brazilians they own 80% of the real estate in Punta del Este, Uruguay a place as expensive to Monaco.
The Argentinian GDP is 584 billon dollars with a population of 40 million.
International Monetary Fund: GDP (nominal) 2010, ranked 28 out of 181 countries

So the well-to-do are converting their funds into US$ and smuggling them out of the country. That tells me something about both the economy and the government.

[Chucaro]

So, when you go to Europe or USA you take australian dollars?
The australian economy is very strong, however big capitals are investing overseas and are selling their manufacture base here, that means that Australia is a hole and that the politicians in both parties are bad?
You have to realize that very wealthy people travel with U$A 200.000 like we do with $20000 or less.

[Naks]

good to see the system works! (pity it dont work for some rugby teams...)

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. If you are not... I hope you are in the minority who feel that way.

Australia is a beautiful country, but if that is the attitude of the locals, I'll visit the rest of Africa. Here at least people are friendly and welcoming :)

[Bigbjorn]

So, when you go to Europe or USA you take australian dollars?
The australian economy is very strong, however big capitals are investing overseas and are selling their manufacture base here, that means that Australia is a hole and that the politicians in both parties are bad?
You have to realize that very wealthy people travel with U$A 200.000 like we do with $20000 or less.

I travel with a modest sum in the currency of first destination. Sufficient for taxi/bus/metro from the airport and for tips. I use my Visa debit card for everything else including cash withdrawals.

It is illegal to carry more than $10,000 out of Australia.

When did Argentina devalue their currency and change the name from the Austral to the peso? I remember doing foreign exchange conversions about 1989-90 in Australs, several thousand Australs to the AU$.

[Chucaro]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. If you are not... I hope you are in the minority who feel that way.

Australia is a beautiful country, but if that is the attitude of the locals, I'll visit the rest of Africa. Here at least people are friendly and welcoming :)

UHH!!! you are touchy, no wonder you did not like Argentina.
I have the priviledge of visiting few countries and interact with people of many cultures here and overseas and I can telling you that Australian people are one of the most friendly and genuine people in the world and with a good humor as well.
Just and opinion from an uruguayan with more than 42 years in Oz ;)

[Naks]

UHH!!! you are touchy, no wonder you did not like Argentina.

On the contrary, I really liked Argentina. Definitely going back there to see more of the Patagonian sites. :)

[incisor]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. If you are not...

leave your sense of humour in argentina?

[Chucaro]

leave your sense of humour in argentina?

I need Ron to correct this spanglish if I am wrong but should not be:

left your sense of humour in Argentina? :confused:

[Bigbjorn]

Today's exchange rate is AU$1 = 4.46 Arg. Pesos.

How many pesos is a 500 ml bottle of Quelmes?

Cost of beer is my way of determining cost of living in a foreign land.

Example- long neck of Heineken (750 ml) in most of the USA US$2.20 - 2.40. Six pack of proper Danish Carlsberg (not badge engineered Vic rubbish) US$7.50 - 8.00.

[Chucaro]

I do not know in hand the cost of the 750mm bottle but the 5 lt barrel of Heineken cost $ 165.00 (argentinian pesos)
1 lt bottle $60 pesos.

[Naks]

How many pesos is a 500 ml bottle of Quelmes?.


IIRC a 300ml Quilmes (at the hotel bar) was 12 pesos, in restaurants around 10-12.

[LWB123]

Hello from Brisbane.

Been to both countries on many occasions and am not sure if there is another Argentina on the planet following your original description and list of observations - which was a bit of a case of damned with faint praise at best.

Found the place to be genuinely enjoyable, people were friendly, food, wine and beer excellent, accommodation reasonable and my experiences at Pistarini Airport has been no worse than anywhere else and certainly no worse than Oliver Tambo International in Johannesburg.

Always enjoy a steak and a bottle of wine in the Republic too, but think you might be having a wee tug of yourself if you genuinely think the quality of beef in South Africa is anything better than anywhere else on the planet - certainly OK but I wouldn't reckon it is particularly superior to the local produce here to be honest. The Argentine parillas turn out a reasonable product, however much is excellent and some mediocre. Depends on what grabs your fancy and your mood at the time.

I guess we all go to foreign places and for some it is a great experience and for others a disappointment.