Business Trip: Bogota & Buenos Aires - What to see?
Discussion
As part of an almost 3 week long business trip to north and Latin America, I will have the oppotunity to visit Bogota and Buenos Aires for the 1st time in a few weeks time.
Bogota
I arrive Wed night from Miami, and Thu & Fri I have meetings all day, and I fly out Sat eve.
Fri evening we're being taken out for dinner with business colleagues, and one of my contacts is intent on taking me out drinking late on the Fri .... hangovers, at least, are expected!
Any places to go to or to avoid?
Also, as I don't have much time in Bogota, I thought it could be good to have a long walk on the Sat., (get tid of my hangover!)and I saw a guided walking tour was available.
Has anyone done this kind of thing, espcially in Bogota where safety may be an issue?
Buenos Aires
I have quite a bit more time here. I arrive very early on Sunday morning and have meetings Mon all day and Tue a.m., but I'm not flying home until Thu evening, so I've essentially Sun daytime/eve and Tue afternoon until Thu afternoon.
Does anyone have any recommendations, please?
(I won't mention the Falklands!)
Thanks for any tips/recommendations.
Bogota
I arrive Wed night from Miami, and Thu & Fri I have meetings all day, and I fly out Sat eve.
Fri evening we're being taken out for dinner with business colleagues, and one of my contacts is intent on taking me out drinking late on the Fri .... hangovers, at least, are expected!
Any places to go to or to avoid?
Also, as I don't have much time in Bogota, I thought it could be good to have a long walk on the Sat., (get tid of my hangover!)and I saw a guided walking tour was available.
Has anyone done this kind of thing, espcially in Bogota where safety may be an issue?
Buenos Aires
I have quite a bit more time here. I arrive very early on Sunday morning and have meetings Mon all day and Tue a.m., but I'm not flying home until Thu evening, so I've essentially Sun daytime/eve and Tue afternoon until Thu afternoon.
Does anyone have any recommendations, please?
(I won't mention the Falklands!)
Thanks for any tips/recommendations.
I can only comment on Bogota - which was such a lot of fun when I stayed for several months a few years back. Night life was the most fun part - bars, nightclubs and some great restaurants in the city centre. For weekend activities I was taken outside the city by my hosts but the one weekend w did stay in Bogota we had great fun going up the mountains using the funicular railway.
http://www.cerromonserrate.com/en/
You're taken up to over 3000m and the altitude is a bit of a shock to your lungs. Plus there's a restaurant up there (San Isidro House) that, from memory, specialises in lobster of all things. The views over Bogota are well worth it.
Apart from that there's the gold museum and the Colombia National Museum that I went to. Both were quite fun.
I was expecting danger and carnage at every corner but saw no such trouble. the only trouble I did see was the police rounding up ladyboys which was entertainment in itself. The riskiest thing was crossing the road with crazy Colombian van drivers trying to mow down the pedestrians.
http://www.cerromonserrate.com/en/
You're taken up to over 3000m and the altitude is a bit of a shock to your lungs. Plus there's a restaurant up there (San Isidro House) that, from memory, specialises in lobster of all things. The views over Bogota are well worth it.
Apart from that there's the gold museum and the Colombia National Museum that I went to. Both were quite fun.
I was expecting danger and carnage at every corner but saw no such trouble. the only trouble I did see was the police rounding up ladyboys which was entertainment in itself. The riskiest thing was crossing the road with crazy Colombian van drivers trying to mow down the pedestrians.
Just a quick update ..... got back from my trip on Friday
Bogota
VERY interesting place. Arrived from Miami late'ish on a Wed evening, 1+ hour to get bags and another +1 hour to have bags scanned to EXIT the airport!
(Who knew they were worried about stuff coming IN?!)
Had 2 days full of business but also a chance to be walked aroudn the City by locals during Fri lunchtime, palace, congress, old buildings, etc., could be in Spain or Tenerife from 40+ years ago.
Fri night was dinner and partying in the T-zone. VERY lively bars and restaurants. We were taken to a place called Andres D.C., a 5 floor mega-restaurant and party place close to the T-zone. I've never seen anything like it!
....and the girls?!?!?!?! WOW!
....*ahem*
Oh, and stayed at the Sofitel. VERY good.
Buenos Aires
Arrived very early on a Sun (04:30 local) and was collected by a car service. Deposited at hotel at 06:00 and having alreayd paid for the Sat night previous to ensure we had rooms, had a good sleep before heading out.
Spent much of Sun walking, Ave de Mayo, Plaza de Mayo then the full length of Defensa St. Defensa has a street market all day Sun. It was quite an eye opener!
Fantastic food. Steaks to DIE for. Empanadas galore, Choripan cooked on open wood BBQ, etc. Litre bottles of beer. Just SUPERB!
Wed we had a day free of business, so used the yellow HoHo (hop on, hop off) tour bus. It was very useful. I did get to see Boca (Boca Juniors won the championship on the Sun night we arrived and the supercup on Wed the same week. The city went mental!) Caminito was good fun! Very colourful, but also now very touristy.
One problem we faced: being able to withdraw more than ARS1,700 from any ATM at any one time.
=> Recommend taking USD and changing on the "blue" market, which is much a better FX rate anyway!
I have to go back to both cities again next year. I can't bloody wait!!
Bogota
VERY interesting place. Arrived from Miami late'ish on a Wed evening, 1+ hour to get bags and another +1 hour to have bags scanned to EXIT the airport!
(Who knew they were worried about stuff coming IN?!)
Had 2 days full of business but also a chance to be walked aroudn the City by locals during Fri lunchtime, palace, congress, old buildings, etc., could be in Spain or Tenerife from 40+ years ago.
Fri night was dinner and partying in the T-zone. VERY lively bars and restaurants. We were taken to a place called Andres D.C., a 5 floor mega-restaurant and party place close to the T-zone. I've never seen anything like it!
....and the girls?!?!?!?! WOW!
....*ahem*
Oh, and stayed at the Sofitel. VERY good.
Buenos Aires
Arrived very early on a Sun (04:30 local) and was collected by a car service. Deposited at hotel at 06:00 and having alreayd paid for the Sat night previous to ensure we had rooms, had a good sleep before heading out.
Spent much of Sun walking, Ave de Mayo, Plaza de Mayo then the full length of Defensa St. Defensa has a street market all day Sun. It was quite an eye opener!
Fantastic food. Steaks to DIE for. Empanadas galore, Choripan cooked on open wood BBQ, etc. Litre bottles of beer. Just SUPERB!
Wed we had a day free of business, so used the yellow HoHo (hop on, hop off) tour bus. It was very useful. I did get to see Boca (Boca Juniors won the championship on the Sun night we arrived and the supercup on Wed the same week. The city went mental!) Caminito was good fun! Very colourful, but also now very touristy.
One problem we faced: being able to withdraw more than ARS1,700 from any ATM at any one time.
=> Recommend taking USD and changing on the "blue" market, which is much a better FX rate anyway!
I have to go back to both cities again next year. I can't bloody wait!!
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