Discussion
All
I am thinking of going to Argentina for a 3 week hol next year.
Does anyone have any suggestions about what to see and do over there? Also how safe is it? I would like to in an ideal world book and plan excursions and travel around the country on my own or in a small group of say 4 max. Is this safe to do over there?
Cheers
Matt
I am thinking of going to Argentina for a 3 week hol next year.
Does anyone have any suggestions about what to see and do over there? Also how safe is it? I would like to in an ideal world book and plan excursions and travel around the country on my own or in a small group of say 4 max. Is this safe to do over there?
Cheers
Matt
I've been to a few places in the north about ten years ago. Foz do Iguacu is a place to see on the border with Brazil. I can't remember whether I went in on the Brazillian side or Argentine side.
Not much help I know.
By the way, I felt completely safe there unlike a lot of other countries in SA.
Not much help I know.
By the way, I felt completely safe there unlike a lot of other countries in SA.
I went last Nov, and when going well it was the best holiday I've ever had. I'll cover the not going well after the planned itinerary.
Arrive Sunday - Stay in Buenos Aires, don't go drinking because heading to Patagonia on Monday.
Monday-Thursday Patagonia
Thurs-Tues Buenos Aires for the weekend. Football, nightclubs, etc.
Tues-Tues Mendoza for a week of wine tours and lounging.
Tues-Thurs - back in BA before heading home.
Lots of steak, wine and general jollity was planned. This is what happened until the first Thursday, when my mate got smacked in the face outside a nightclub for chatting up a young lady whose boyfriend objected.
We waited until the Sunday to get a paramedic, mainly because his symptoms weren't that bad. Paramedic said keep taking ibuprofen, you'll be fine.
Come Tuesday morning as we're packing to go to Mendoza, all is not fine. When he tries to speak, it's all just gibberish.
An ambulance is summoned, and off to the Hospital Britannico we go. He's whipped straight into an MRI, which diagnoses 2 rather large clots in the brain. A somewhat fraught day ensues, getting questioned by the police, speaking to the consulate and breaking the news to his folks.
5 days in intensive care later (although he was up and talking the day after he went in), and 2 days in a general bed later and he's back out. A bit wobbly, but then on the basis it took him until February to return to work that was probably to be expected.
Aside from this being categorically my worst holiday experience ever (it could have been fatal, as the UK neurosurgeon told him, and Natasha Richardson unfortunately evidenced shortly after), the holiday was still punctuated by some great experiences.
Ariving in Buenos Aires in Nov, leaving the snow behind to 30c days. Going out on the razz for 18hrs straight off the plane. (Argentinian ladies like kilts btw).
The stunning scenery of Patagonia, and turning up to one of the swankiest hotels after over 24hrs of travel, 18hrs on the booze and looking like we were about to rob the place to be greeted like long lost siblings. The same hotel refused to take the tips we left at dinner, and knocked them off our bill at checkout. The food here was so good for the 3 nights we worked our way through the menu.
On the last night the chef came out for a chat, demanded he make his finest desert for us on the house and would we like a free bottle of champagne too?
Going to a 3-2 Buenos Aires derby (ok it was Velez vs Boca rather than River-Boca), but still an awesome experience.
Once my mate was in hospital the lads working in the hotel I was in took me out for beers and a tour of the city.
Everyone in the hospital was great too, the neurosurgeon was a great lad.
"You know the insurers, if you have been drinking, maybe they don't pay?"
"But Doc, if you are on holiday, and have a bottle of wine with dinner, the taxi crashes on the way home, you'd expect to be covered, yes?"
"Siiiiiiiii, of course!"
"Don't worry then, I'll get your money!"
I then went on to explain that I'm in charge of all the income for private and foreign patients in Edinburgh.
"How big is your hospital?"
"Well the one I work in is 900 beds, but we have around 6000 in total"
"We only have 200, do you want to come and work for us?"
"We'll see if I can get you the money for this one patient first, eh?"
He just starts laughing, and says that if I get the money I can have a job, and if I don't I have to stay to work it off, and wanders off chuckling.
Aside from the one bad apple that smacked my mate, everyone was lovely. Him getting hit could have happened in any city in the world, so just make sure you check if a lassie has a boyfriend before turning on the charm.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigalinembra/sets/721...
There's some photos to whet the appetite. I'd definitely go back, although might leave my mate at home next time.
Fantastic food.
Great wine.
Thumping nightclubs.
Gorgeous women.
Beautiful scenery.
Friendly people.
Very affordable.
What's not to like?
Arrive Sunday - Stay in Buenos Aires, don't go drinking because heading to Patagonia on Monday.
Monday-Thursday Patagonia
Thurs-Tues Buenos Aires for the weekend. Football, nightclubs, etc.
Tues-Tues Mendoza for a week of wine tours and lounging.
Tues-Thurs - back in BA before heading home.
Lots of steak, wine and general jollity was planned. This is what happened until the first Thursday, when my mate got smacked in the face outside a nightclub for chatting up a young lady whose boyfriend objected.
We waited until the Sunday to get a paramedic, mainly because his symptoms weren't that bad. Paramedic said keep taking ibuprofen, you'll be fine.
Come Tuesday morning as we're packing to go to Mendoza, all is not fine. When he tries to speak, it's all just gibberish.
An ambulance is summoned, and off to the Hospital Britannico we go. He's whipped straight into an MRI, which diagnoses 2 rather large clots in the brain. A somewhat fraught day ensues, getting questioned by the police, speaking to the consulate and breaking the news to his folks.
5 days in intensive care later (although he was up and talking the day after he went in), and 2 days in a general bed later and he's back out. A bit wobbly, but then on the basis it took him until February to return to work that was probably to be expected.
Aside from this being categorically my worst holiday experience ever (it could have been fatal, as the UK neurosurgeon told him, and Natasha Richardson unfortunately evidenced shortly after), the holiday was still punctuated by some great experiences.
Ariving in Buenos Aires in Nov, leaving the snow behind to 30c days. Going out on the razz for 18hrs straight off the plane. (Argentinian ladies like kilts btw).
The stunning scenery of Patagonia, and turning up to one of the swankiest hotels after over 24hrs of travel, 18hrs on the booze and looking like we were about to rob the place to be greeted like long lost siblings. The same hotel refused to take the tips we left at dinner, and knocked them off our bill at checkout. The food here was so good for the 3 nights we worked our way through the menu.
On the last night the chef came out for a chat, demanded he make his finest desert for us on the house and would we like a free bottle of champagne too?
Going to a 3-2 Buenos Aires derby (ok it was Velez vs Boca rather than River-Boca), but still an awesome experience.
Once my mate was in hospital the lads working in the hotel I was in took me out for beers and a tour of the city.
Everyone in the hospital was great too, the neurosurgeon was a great lad.
"You know the insurers, if you have been drinking, maybe they don't pay?"
"But Doc, if you are on holiday, and have a bottle of wine with dinner, the taxi crashes on the way home, you'd expect to be covered, yes?"
"Siiiiiiiii, of course!"
"Don't worry then, I'll get your money!"
I then went on to explain that I'm in charge of all the income for private and foreign patients in Edinburgh.
"How big is your hospital?"
"Well the one I work in is 900 beds, but we have around 6000 in total"
"We only have 200, do you want to come and work for us?"
"We'll see if I can get you the money for this one patient first, eh?"
He just starts laughing, and says that if I get the money I can have a job, and if I don't I have to stay to work it off, and wanders off chuckling.
Aside from the one bad apple that smacked my mate, everyone was lovely. Him getting hit could have happened in any city in the world, so just make sure you check if a lassie has a boyfriend before turning on the charm.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigalinembra/sets/721...
There's some photos to whet the appetite. I'd definitely go back, although might leave my mate at home next time.
Fantastic food.
Great wine.
Thumping nightclubs.
Gorgeous women.
Beautiful scenery.
Friendly people.
Very affordable.
What's not to like?
The brilliant hotel that disliked tips and had uber friendly staff was in Patagonia.
http://www.edeniahoteles.com.ar/eng/index.html
That's the place. Think it was about 400 quid for 3 nights including evening meals iirc.
Place in BA where the guys took me out for beers was the Don Telmo. Far less swanky, but great location and cheap. Think it was about 70 USD a night.
http://www.dontelmo.com/
ETA - Just looking at the Patagonia hotel site makes me want to go back.
Had an awesome time down there.
http://www.edeniahoteles.com.ar/eng/index.html
That's the place. Think it was about 400 quid for 3 nights including evening meals iirc.
Place in BA where the guys took me out for beers was the Don Telmo. Far less swanky, but great location and cheap. Think it was about 70 USD a night.
http://www.dontelmo.com/
ETA - Just looking at the Patagonia hotel site makes me want to go back.
Had an awesome time down there.
Edited by BigAlinEmbra on Monday 10th August 18:49
JCB123 said:
I really want to go to Argentina...it looks beautiful....I hear property is cheap too...possibly a little pad for long summer breaks?!
Unfortunately it's so big, just can't choose where to go....this thread has helped me - ish!
Unless you're going for months, then just resign yourself to the fact that you aren't going to see it all then decide what you want to do most.Unfortunately it's so big, just can't choose where to go....this thread has helped me - ish!
It's got pretty much everything, it's kind of like the USA without the Americans, better food, and they don't rip you off for wine either.
Just as some starters...
Buenos Aires - huge city, catch a football match, see some street tango on a Sunday, go all night in a club and ogle the gorgeous women. That said, imo you don't need more than 4-5 days here. Worth shooting over to Colonia in Uruguay by all accounts, I missed this due to aforementioned change in plans.
Patagonia - mountains, lakes with icebergs, glaciers, and ranches with so much animal on offer you may pass out from eating.
Lakes region - no beed, but my mate's brother stayed here for a few months and really rates it.
Mendoza - heart of the wine region, Andes as a backdrop. Gutted I missed it, but may have a second crack at some stage.
Salta/The North - deserts, salt flats, supposedly even friendlier than the rest of the country. More indigenous folk, so lots of arts and crafts banter going down.
Iguazu - massive waterfalls, rainforest, Brazilian border.
Pick no more than 3 and go and do it over 3 weeks.
£6-700 flights there.
£200 internal flights.
£500 ppn on hotels.
£1000 spending money.
Job done.
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