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Posts Tagged ‘Argentina’

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

La Bomba de Tiempo - percussion in the city

Brendan
The Global Nomad

Bomba de Tiempo

A cool live music experience in BA is to attend the now-legendary Bomba de Tiempo concert/live improvised jam sessions.

Performed in an open-air art space (but closed with a modest entry fee) the Bomba de Tiempo sessions are basically huge percussion jam sessions that have grown and developed over the years. The musicians sit on a huge staircase rising from the middle of an open square thronged with people drinking, passing the occasional joint, dancing, socialising or just nodding their heads. Each week there is a guest musician or two—the week we were there it was a Brazilian jazz guitarist. Music is a mix between rehearsed rhythms and off-the-wall improvisation. There are a couple of busy bars serving massive cups of beer (and wine—this is Argentina after all) and the atmosphere is casual and fun, with plenty of international travellers mixed in.

So if you like live music that’s unpredictable and want to see a different side of BA from the bars and clubs, check it out. It’s cheap, and the whole thing is over with plenty of time for a BA-time dinner and some late-night bar hopping.

La Bomba de Tiempo
Ciudad Cultural KONEX
3131 Sarmiento near Abasto Shopping
AR$10
approx 8pm to 10 pm every Monday night
rain or shine, holidays included
ticket window opens at 6pm
La Bomba Percussion school students entertain from 7pm

www.labombadetiempo.blogspot.com for details of who’s playing (Spanish only)
www.ciudadculturalkonex.org
www.flickr.com/photos/labombadetiempo for great photos of their concerts

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

Ayres de Español

Brendan
The Global Nomad

One of the most rewarding things to do when travelling (and perhaps the most useful) is to take local language lessons. This goes extra for travelling in Latin America; seeing as Spanish is so incredibly useful, it’s easy to justify the time, effort and cash. Spanish is spoken in more countries than any other country in the world, including the vast majority of South and Central America.

As in much of the Latin world, there are plenty of Spanish schools in Buenos Aires, some better than others. Don’t be put off by the Argentine reputation for having their own unique version of Spanish. It’s true, they do. But if you’re a beginner, it won’t really matter; if you’re advanced, you’ll know the difference. Plus any good teacher will steer your towards the universal while alerting you to any exceptions.

After some shopping around, my girlfriend chose Ayres de Español, a small boutique school based in the heart of Palermo Viejo. Aside from the location—which means a world of cafes, restaurants and shops are at your doorstep—she particularly liked their flexibility, as she didn’t want to be stuck in a classroom (they ended up—surprise!—shopping a lot).

Ayres works with some high profile students, namely Francis Ford Coppola and several embassies, so they are somewhat more expensive than the average. However, Mel was more than satisfied and would definitely recommend them.

Ayres de Español
Gurruchaga 1851, between Nicaragua and Costa Rica

60 pesos/hour private – can be done in your place (5 pesos/hour extra)
40 pesos/hour group (up to 4)
www.ayresdespanol.com.ar | info@ayresdespanol.com.ar

TELEPHONE:
From Buenos Aires: 4834-6340
International: 011-54-11-4834-6340
Mobile: 15-4074-6378
011(international access)
54 (country code)
11(city code)
4834-6340 (local number)

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

Thank You to the Cows – Buying Leather in BA

Brendan
The Global Nomad



SO, we’ve already talked about beef. And shoes. But at the prompting of my leather-lovin’ girlfriend (no jokes please), I should add my two cents about leather jackets (and purses, ok, fine).

There may be no better place in the world to buy leather jackets than Buenos Aires. Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking, Italian leather is amazing. But you pay for the quality you get. And I’ve bought some incredibly cheap leather in places like Bolivia and Ecuador (which had surprisingly good quality & style for the price btw). Got some awesome leather luggage in Greece, too.

But for my money no place compares in the price-to-quality-to style department to Buenos Aires.

I’m almost embarrassed to admit how much leather we bought on this last trip, but the top-quality workmanship, great leather and unbeatable Porteño style meant that the opportunity just couldn’t be passed up. Plus, with prices at about a third what they might be at home (as usual), it was a chance to buy more avant-garde styles you might love but be scared to pay $1000 for—prices keep us conservative at home. (Hell, if I were prepared to pay a grand for a jacket, I’d make damned sure I could get as much use out of it as I could.)

Enter BA leather. In our experience, most guidebooks and tourist folks will tell you to go to Florida Street, the long pedestrianised shopping avenue downtown (aka Microcentro). We disagree. Sure, there are tons of stores, but most of them have inferior quality (read: tourist trap). Plus they all have the same damned things. Worst, you get hassled—a lot. (“Hey man, buy leather jacket?”) Who needs it?

Unless all you are looking for is a cheap souvenir or a casual present, skip Florida. For the good stuff, head to Palermo. Again, prices are higher, but you always get what you pay for. Stores are beautiful, there is incredible selection, the atmosphere is great (with tons of cafes and restaurants when you need a break).

Our picks:

Mainstream/chain stores
Prune – mostly leather bags, great design and prices. www.prune.com.ar
Prototype – Men’s clothing, not primarily a leather store but my favourite for guys. prototype.com.ar
Lazaro – bags, purses, accessories. Repeat. www.lazarocuero.com.ar

Note that just north of Palermo there is an area where these and many other great Argentinean chains have their outlet stores—check it out for bargains.

Custom
Our hands-down favourite is Maru Guerberg. Mel bought three jackets here (see pics). Pick the style, pick the leather, pick the lining, let them measure and come back in a few days—voila! Prices range from $200-$300. Nothing for guys, sorry. www.maruguerberg.com.ar

A final note: if you need to ship stuff home and don’t want to take a chance with the regular post (which can be a bit dodgy), courier companies like DHL who will make it simple, if more expensive. Make a detailed list of what there is, don’t seal it before you bring the box in, and keep the value under $1000 unless you want to fudge the numbers as DHL won’t carry/insure it above that.

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

Cafayate, Argentina

Brendan
The Global Nomad

Quebrada de las Conchas

Head south from Salta and you enter a twilight zone of ochre rock eroded into crazy shapes that close into tight canyons, opening out dramatically into vistas carpeted with green. The drive to Cafayate through the Quebrada de las Conchas takes the better part of a morning, and is pretty damned winding—if you are prone to carsickness then take it slow, or take something to make the bus stop spinning!

Organised tours tend to focus on the rock formations, which, don’t get me wrong, are cool. However, after a couple of hours of “on the right you will soon see the rock that looks like Elvis…” you’ll be begging for a building. However, there’s certainly enough to shoot as a photographer—see below.

No, the main reason I wasn’t as interested in the rocks can be summed up in one word: Torrontés.

The Calchaqui Valley (in which Cafayate sits) is the largest and best producer of white wine in Argentina. The area’s signature grape is Torrontés, which does better here than anywhere else, as the grapes like the dry, windy climate. Makes you thirsty, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, Cafayate as a town has much less going for it than, say, Mendoza (which we will of course get to shortly). Not that it’s a bad place. But after you’ve taken enough photos of the red-brown rock formations on the way in, your time is best spent touring wineries. (This was another problem I had with the organised trips—only one short tasting. You mean I came all this way just for the Elvis rock?!) Next time I would do it the same way we have done Mendoza—with our own vehicle. Did I mention I forgot my driver’s license in BA…?

On a side note, we really enjoyed our lunch at Baco Pizzeria. It’s no secret place, but they make a fine pizza, the location is convenient, seats outside are comfy, and they naturally have a great selection of wines you won’t likely find outside the area. Plus the owner makes really neat carved wooden ashtrays out of leftover construction material. He might even give you one if you ask really nicely.

Baco
On the corner of Guemes and Rivadavia
Cafayate, Salta, Argentina
www.cafayate.net

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Salta, Argentina

Brendan
The Global Nomad

Salta colours

If you’re mostly familiar with the Andean side of South America, one can be forgiven for thinking you’ve left the continent when you’re in BA. An easy reminder of where you really are is to head up to the northern city of Salta, the gateway to Argentina’s most Incan influenced region. Bordering on Bolivia to the north, the province of Salta has familiar sights for the Peruvian or Bolivian traveller: indigena towns, coca leaf-chewing or tea, and markets overflowing with tipico textiles.

The land is stark, strange and beautiful, with a landscape of multicoloured rock strata that make it on to many a postcard. The famous quebradas (gorges) of Humahuaca and the Quebrada del Río de Las Conchas are eerie, dry and worth a day each to explore.

Salta cacti

Two other cool things to do in the area are to go see the mummies at the MAAM, on the main square in Salta, and drink some Torrontés in Cafayate. The second I will get into in another post. As for the mummies:

The Museum of High Altitude Archaeology (MAAM) was established (in the words of the Museum’s site) to “preserve, investigate, and make public the finding of the “Llullaillaco Children,” one of the most important archaeological discoveries of recent times.”

“The three Inca children were found frozen at the peak of Mount Llullaillaco, 6,700 m. above sea level, on March of 1999. One hundred and forty-six artefacts, which formed part of their trove, were found together with the children: a miniature treasure that accompanied them in their journey to eternity. Studies reveal that they lived more than 500 years ago, during the height of the Inca rule, a short time before the Spanish Conquest.”

“The museum exhibits this wonderful discovery through a scientific perspective and in a didactic way to help us appreciate and further understand a culture that is still alive today.”

A more detailed and interesting explanation of the mummies can be found here and here:

mate
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Friday, July 4th, 2008

Artisan Chocolate, vol. 1: La Cumbre

Brendan
The Global Nomad

Love Chocolate?

If you read my earlier post on La Cumbre, the cute town north of Cordoba, and end up there, there is one essential little place I forgot to mention.

We found La Casita del Chocolate completely by accident, while wandering the country lane-like back streets of residential La Cumbre. Mel saw a sign with the word Chocolate on it and the mission began.

Turns out La Casita del Chocolate is actually an artisanal homemade chocolate shop run out of the front of a private home. Jorge and Patri, the couple who run it (we wandered around the little shop for a while before they came out of their home!) are two of the loveliest people we met in Argentina: warm, friendly and enthusiastic about their country. Both spoke some English, and both were trained as psychologists!

In any case, the chocolate they made was fantastic, in cute little shapes and many varieties, including the ubiquitous alfajores (see photo) - an Argentinean obsession, a variety of which La Cumbre is known for. Other treats include dulce de leche (see my Feb 23rd post about eating like a local in Costa Rica), and home made liqueurs.

As it was a complete accident we found it, I didn’t have my camera but I’ve taken a rough photo of their flyer, as I think it would be worth the walk to go find them!

La Casita del Chocolate
a.k.a. Jorge y Patri
Runciman y 12 de Octubre
La Cumbre, Argentina
tel (03548) 452693

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

28 Sport – BA’s Groovy Shoes for Guys

Brendan
The Global Nomad


One of the nice side benefits to Argentina’s massive appetite for beef is that leather is ridiculously affordable. Add to this the Argentinean sense of style (inherited from their Italian cultural ancestry) and you have one great shopping opportunity.

In a sea of women’s shoes, jackets and purses (don’t worry ladies, I have suggestions for you too) one men’s fashion mecca stands out: 28 Sport, home of some of the world’s grooviest handmade leather shoes. And they’re overwhelmingly for men.

28 Sport’s style sits somewhere on the more hipster end than the traditional. Imagine heavy leather high-top bowling shoes. Handmade. In gutsy combinations of mustard, burgundy or dark green.

All 28 Sport’s shoes are handmade, and it shoes (that was originally a typo but it made me laugh so much I left it in!) in the attention to detail. Because they only make one pair of each style for each size, have them check your size before you get attached to any particular style; they’ll then go into the back and tell you which styles they still have available in your size. If you’re feeling lucky they also have a shelf of one-offs—experimental styles they only made one pair of each.

The guys that run the store speak perfect English, and have travelled widely, bringing their wares to runways and stores from Japan to Germany. And although not cheap by Argentinean standards (prices range from US$120 for nubuck sneakers to almost $300 for heavy-duty higher boot styles), you’ll never get handmade quality and style like this for better value anywhere.

A last warning: 28 Sport is addictive. The pair I bought on my first visit quickly became my favourite shoes; this trip I bought 3 more pairs. We have one friend who came home with seven pairs.

28 Sport
Gurruchaga 1481, Palermo, Buenos Aires
www.28sport.com

Note that the store moved recently, so if you see another address on FitzRoy in guidebooks or the like, don’t waste your time like I did looking for the old store–this is the new address. Promise!

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Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Destination: Buenos Aires

Brendan
The Global Nomad

tango

This overview is somewhat tardy—I meant to put in a summary of Buenos Aires as a city, but was so intimidated that I ended up getting excited enough that I posted a review already.

I should come clean right at the beginning: I love Buenos Aires. For some time I have wanted to move here. SO the truth is, I just can’t find the right words to explain in a quick entry exactly why I love BA. It certainly could be the food—repeatedly, almost every day, I have a meal I am passionate about (as long as you eat beef!) It could be the incredible style of the people—Italy with a Latin flavour. It could be the prices, which amount to about one third of North American prices, allowing me to live like a king for the same pain as normal life at home. Could be the legendary nightlife, or the fact that they eat at times I am actually hungry (11:30pm seems like a completely normal time to go for dinner), or the romance of tango in the streets. Hell, it could be the famously beautiful women (ok, and men, fine).

But in the end, it’s all of the above, and so much more. Every great city that people love to love, whether it be Paris, Barcelona, or Rome, is as much about a feeling, an atmosphere, a light—something intangible. BA has that magic, and the only way to know what it feels like is to go.

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

Bar 6, Buenos Aires

Brendan
The Global Nomad

“Bar seis” is the kind of place you can hang out in all day. Trust me I’ve done it. A few times.

I should start by making it clear that I don’t want to give the impression this is a brunch place—it isn’t particularly. It seems to be just as busy for all meals, and is a great place to warm up with tapas and a drink before other restaurants get going in notoriously late-night BA.

However, a good, high-quality brunch is a thing of beauty anywhere; in the land where breakfast generally consists of nothing more than coffee and medialunas (mini croissants), it’s positively decadent.

Bar 6’s signature “top 6” brunch is beautiful, and spreads out so much you might need another table. Bagels (a rarity in BA), fruit, espresso coffee, fresh-squeezed juice, maybe some smoked salmon and of course, champagne (hey, this is Argentina!) Sip your coffee after, bring a laptop to check your email on the high speed wireless and it might take you so long to eat you’ll be there for dinner—equally as well done.

Bar 6 has more than a few low tables with couches, big comfy chairs, some on a catwalk above the bar so you can watch the fashionable crowd, others in a little glassed-in patio for smokers and sun seekers. Plus the location in the heart of Palermo couldn’t be better if you’re planning on stepping out afterwards to eat, drink or shop.

Bar 6
Armenia 1676, between Honduras and El Salvador
Open every day from 8pm
tel 4833.6807

Friday, June 20th, 2008

Rooms to let for 50 cents…or, Apartment Rental in Buenos Aires

Brendan
The Global Nomad

For most people, the single greatest expense while travelling is hotels. As soon as you’ve been away long enough for accommodation to outstrip your flight cost (which can range from a week to…well, as long as you can stay in that dorm bed for), the smart traveller is always looking for ways to reduce that serious suck on your travel finances.

While the simplest answer is to stay in cheaper places, there are other ways to travel smarter, without having to share your room with 15 other strangers. Who snore. Or shag in the middle of the night. One easy way is to travel overnight (see last post)—every good night’s sleep you can get on the road is one more night you can stay somewhere else.

If you have more time than money, a simple way is to rent a room (or apartment, or house) longer term. This almost always works out cheaper per night, even if all you’re doing is bargaining for a discount at the same hostel or hotel you were in anyway.

As in many cities, Buenos Aires has a thriving business in apartment rentals, where professional companies list and rent hundreds of apartments on behalf of their private owners. Minimum stay is usually a week, so as long as you are in town for at least few days, you can get an apartment for the same cost or cheaper than you’d pay for a comparable hotel room. Stay for a month, and the 4th week is usually free, making things even more affordable.

 

We’ve rented apartments in BA twice now, and I know of many others who have done so without problems. Sure, there’s no room service, but most come with regular maid service, and the benefits of privacy, space and your own home (and kitchen!) for the time can’t be underestimated—especially if you’re away from your real home for an extended time.

We’ve used ByT Argentina both times, and found them helpful, professional and have done almost everything in English. There are many more agencies out there, and a quick search on the Internet should turn up some.

Prices tend to bottom out at about $200 a week, so if your budget is rock-bottom hostel you may not be able to save. However, for only slightly more (especially if you’re sharing with one or more people) you can take a HUGE jump in quality. The two apartments pictured below were both in the $1000/month range—well worth the 20 or 25 bucks apiece per day, and a fraction of what we would have likely spent otherwise. Our latest came with high speed wireless internet, maid service twice a week and two local cell phones to use while we were in town.

Note that you may need to pay part or all in US dollars cash, and that there will also be a cash deposit on top, refunded at the end of your stay.

www.bytargentina.com

Another major player worldwide is Vacation Rentals by Owner

Apart-hotels are another option, typically more expensive but still good value when compared to standard hotels, and with the added space, privacy, kitchen, etc of your own place. In Mendoza we found this apart-hotel swanky and spacious for the price, although it was definitely out of the typical backpacker budget:
www.apartmendoza.com.ar/mt/index.html

Of course, there’s always Craigslist, but make sure to follow all the usual caveats about buying on the internet: no money orders, and best to be able to SEE it in person before you send any money.

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