Península Valdés

For most travelers, the Atlantic experience ends around Mar del Plata, but a word to the wise is to continue farther south to Peninsula Valdés, one of the most untapped sources of natural beauty on this continent. Though this area of Chubut Province is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains off the radar for many first-time visitors to Argentina. In many ways it’s kind of like the Galápagos of Argentina, in that you are completely surrounded by nature and wildlife, and can get up and close to them, granted that you keep a respectful distance.

Peninsula Valdés only has one town, Puerto Pirámides, with a permanent population of 220, but the area is easily accessible from Puerto Madryn or several estancias in the region. The region is teeming with Magellanic penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, southern right whales and orcas. The majority of these animals are migratory, but there is something going on all throughout the year.

Learn more @ the Travel Guy.

Punta Tombo, though loaded with tourists in relation to the rest of the peninsula, is a penguin rookery with over 500,000 penguins waddling around. These animals are used to humans, so they will literally get right up next to you without any fear. You have to stay one meter away, but that’s as close as you need to. Punta Tombo is accessible via RP 1 and can be accessed via Trelew or Puerto Madryn.

Learn more @ the Travel Guy.

Bahía Bustamante

Heading farther down either RN 3 or RP 1 (RN 3 is recommended, as it is paved), you eventually come to the world’s only seaweed village, Bahía Bustamante. The village once housed 500 workers, but since the 80s has been minimized to around 40. Over the last five years the town has turned towards tourism, but keeps to its roots. The accommodations are rustic, and the emphasis is on the close contact with nature. There are over 100 species of birds, sea lion and penguin colonies in this region and other activities like estancia days, a visit to a petrified forest, or boat excursions. And of course, there is a “city tour” with information on seaweed production.

The only issue with this town is the means of getting there. It’s smack dab in the middle of nothing, so unless you have your own rental, it could be tough to make it. Transfers are possible from Comodoro Rivadavia, which has a small airport. As it’s in the middle of no where, this is an all inclusive estancia, with meals and excursions included in the price. If the excursions don’t exactly fit your needs, just take the time to relax by the water. It won’t take you long to be happy with the decision.

Learn more @ the Travel Guy.

Monte León

Deep down in Patagonia in Santa Cruz Province is Monte León, the newest national park in Argentina. A lot of this land was bought up by the NorthFace company and then given back to the original owners so that it could be kept away from potential development. Now this windy section of steppe which extends to the coast is protected for all to enjoy. Monte León also has a little bed and breakfast at the original house of the former estancia manager, which is over 100 years old. The owner, Silvia, is the granddaughter of that manager, and she speaks English well, having studied in London for four years as a teenager.

The lodge can’t offer activities anymore because it is now within the park, but the family runs this place with only one goal, to show an authentic side of Patagonia. It is a very peaceful and quaint place to spend a day or two, perfect for recharging your batteries on a long trip down the coast. You can go into the guest center for ideas and advice on what to do there, though Silvia is more than happy to share some tips. The only issue here, again, is transportation. Located far away from large cities, it’s ideal to have your own car so you can move around freely. Relying on public transportation can limit your ability to make the most of the stay.

While the more popular destinations remain highly trafficked for good reason, these other spots in Patagonia are well worth visiting, and not just on a second or third trip through the country. If you’re worried about the cost of some other places in Patagonia, give these ones a try.

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Buenos Tours

Hands down one of the most popular tour operators in Buenos Aires is Buenos Tours private walking tours. Choosing a walking tour is a great way to interact with the city like you wouldn’t normally be able to in a bus tour. Buenos Tours will take you to all the major attractions like Plaza de Mayo, and the Buenos Aires Cathedral, while entertaining you at the same time. Alan the founder has lived as a BA expat for 4 and a ½ years and knows the ins and outs of Buenos Aires. One of his customers said “ He shows you things you won’t access on your own and he tells you stories you can’t read in your guide book.”  If you’re looking for a introduction to Buenos Aires from a local’s perspective, you can’t go wrong with Buenos Tours.
www.buenostours.com

Buenos Aires Free Tour

No-one knows a city like its locals and this particular group of English-speaking porteňos (or locals) love their city so much that they’re willing to show you around it for free. The organization offers two walking tours every day, one at 11am (around the center) and one at 5pm (around Recoleta). They also organize trips to the see the famous Boca Juniors football team in action on the pitch and day excursions to a Matederos Fair, as well as private customized tours. www.buenosairesfreetour.com

Urban Biking Tours

Night owls can discover the city’s vibrant nightlife culture by bike with Urban Biking’s evening tours, taking in the sights and sounds of Puerto Madero, San Telmo and Recoleta. The group also offers various four-hour day tours around the city as well as a full day trip to Tigre. Group tours start at around US$35. Bikes, helmets and refreshments are included in the price as well as an initiation into drinking mate (the local tea). www.urbanbiking.com

Urban Running Tours

An even more novel way to see the city is on the run and some of the city’s trained runners are offering to show you the way. You can pick and choose your route from the secluded leafy paths around Palermo Woods to the upmarket streets of Belgrano. You don’t need to be an expert runner but it might be wise to go easy on the Malbec the night before. Group tours start around US$50. www.urbanrunningtours.com.ar

Shop Till You Drop Tours

Fashionistas looking for insider information on the local scene should contact BA Local. The company, run by a fashion-savvy New Yorker, organizes Shop Till You Drop tours as well as personalized shopping tours depending on whether you’re after a pair of stylish leather shoes or avant-garde threads. Art gallery tours and other specialized outings are also available. Pricing depends on individual requests, preferred mode of transport and size of group.  www.balocal.com

Graffitimundo

Unless you’ve been walking around Buenos Aires with your eyes closed, it will have come to your attention that some of the locals are big on graffiti. If you’re interested in seeing some of the best tagging in town, join Graffitimundo’s tour. These tours are led in English and often accompanied by an Argentine artist. www.graffitimundo.com

Buenos Aires Bus Tour

For sedentary types, the open-top Buenos Aires bus tour is just the ticket. The bus does a circuit of the entire city and stops at 12 major attractions. Rig yourself up to a multi-lingual audio guide and sit back and enjoy the two hour and 45 minute ride. Alternatively, you can hop on and off the bus at the designated stops as you please. A day ticket costs 50 pesos and buses run every 30 minutes. The company also runs night tours and dinner and tango show packages. www.buenosairesbus.com

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The word “Menesunda” comes from the tango slang meaning fusion, mix or even disorder.

Recently, a new surge of energy has been injected into La Menesunda by the new owners, an enthusiastic couple, Damián and Celina.

The hostel is bright and colorful with luscious green plants and candles dotted around along with comfortable seating. There is a mixture of spacious private rooms and dormitories. A four person and 2 six person dorms are available and some private rooms are en-suite. The shared bathrooms are particularly nice as they are roomy and well maintained. Each is fitted with a toilet, shower and sink and offers complete privacy to the individual. One is equipped with a hairdryer.
Dorm rooms start at AR$37 and private rooms at AR$85. Generous discounts are given to long term residents, students and guests attending conferences.

There is also a large fully equipped kitchen with two fridges and a freezer to store your food along with a microwave. Soft drinks, wine and beer are also sold on site.

Breakfast is included in the price of your stay and is served from 8 am to 11am. It includes coffee, a variety of tea, bread rolls, a mixture of jam and the obligatory dulce de leche. At the weekend there is also a delicious selection of facturas- Argentine pastries.

La Menesunda´s guests are a mixture of long term residents, backpackers, romantic couples and occasional families. It is not uncommon for guests to take it upon themselves to share their national dishes by cooking for each other. You will discover that language is no barrier to making friends and it is these moments that will make your stay memorable.

Formerly a conventillo in the 1920s, a specific type of housing where immigrants from different cultures cohabited, the building typically has a large central courtyard. This area still continues to be used as a communal space today, where mate is shared and guests gather round to listen to the latest resident guitar player. In true Argentine style, there is also a barbeque on the first floor to cook those delicious asados.

La Menesunda is a sociable hostel but without the noise and sleepless nights. It is tranquilo with a comfortable living room for chilling and a good sized satellite TV and DVD player. There is also a good selection of international films available to watch free of charge.

Peace and quiet is enforced by the friendly receptionist on duty from midnight onwards on weekdays and 2 am at the weekend. The reception is 24 hours. The hostel´s staff are all multi-lingual with at least a knowledge of English and Portugese. As well as being helpful they are also very security conscious. Watch out, La Menesunda is indeed a hostel with buena onda and once you check in you may never want to leave!

Facilities

Disabled access
Computer with internet, wi-fi
Laundry AR$10 per bag
Room Cleaning Service
Currency Exchange
Transfers
Luggage Storage (Free of Charge)
Tour Bookings

Useful Transport Links

Subte E: 15 minutes to the centre and San telmo
Bus 126: 20 minutes to San Telmo
Bus 53: 45 minutes to El Caminito, La Boca
Bus 86: to La Boca and Ezeiza Internacional Airport
Subte Combination E and D: Palermo and Belgrano
Subte Combination E and C: Retiro (Buenos Aires bus and train terminal)
Bus 128: Palermo
Bus 160: Palermo

LA Menesunda Hostel
742 Boedo- Buenos Aires

54 11 49570946
www.lamenesundahostel.com.ar

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In San Telmo, the many antique stores sell riches of the city’s past. I am an antique fiend, but shopping here is bittersweet – a palpable reminder of the city’s economic woes. If you are looking for a keepsake of your trip – one that gives back as well as takes – try the Casa de San Antonio de los Cobres, in the gorgeous Pasaje de la Defense courtyard shopping area at Defensa 1179. Duck in off the street to the sunny patio, a 2-storied shopping area with worn tiled floors, fountains, and verdant plants.

A non-governmental organization, Casa de San Antonio de los Cobres works on issues of social justice with a small community in the country’s northwest. The store sells beautiful artisan tapestries of llama and sheep wool, made by indigenous peoples of San Antonio. The handmade vests, shawls, carpets, and blankets are unique and exquisite, wonderful place-based artisan goods. Profits from sales support projects in health and education in the pueblo. And, of course, a tapestry packs nicely in a suitcase – much easier to transport than a crystal chandelier.

Casa de San Antonio de los Cobres
Defensa 1179- PB local 32 – San Telmo
Buenos Aires – Argentina
Tel: 4300-7513

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Quequen is what Argentines refer to as tranquilo. Its sand roads are designated by numbers and family homes have names like Las Brisas de La Luna and La Caracol – giving it a country feel. Fresh fish can be bought at the house near the corner store and the only restaurants are on the beach with separate outdoor bars that blast homegrown reggae and hip hop hits alike.

The beach itself is a beauty; wide and clean with a view of an anchored ship along the distant shore, it stretches away from the pier that separates it from the port off to uninhabited beaches for miles. A ten minute walk from the main beach along the dune cliff brings you to “Jamming,” which serves as both a hostel and Quequen’s only nightlife destination.

“Jamming” has a raga vibe that, along with the surf school, sets the tone for an Argentine surf scene, of sorts, in Quequen. Kids with dreadlocks and long boards play music and show off their great tans by day, then sip Fernet and Coke and mingle by night. This past New Years Eve at Jamming was far better than to be expected in a town where the corner market’s row of computers are the regular place to be. With decent deejays and a great looking, self-confident crowd spilling out onto the cliff overlooking the beach, Jamming was the perfect place to ring in the new year. The party went until ten in the morning and was reminiscent of non-Pacha Ibiza. Somehow, a hostel and a surf shop manage to create an oasis of Ibiza/California on the Argentine Atlantic coast. Good vibes.

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Nestled behind 15-foot steel gates, through a dark Fourier on a quiet street in the posh Recoleta neighborhood, “The Spot” can be tough to find. There’s no sign out front, no advertising, and the bar doesn’t open until 10pm. This bar is no frills, all fun, and you can expect something different every time you go.

The crowd is almost 100% Argentine, who usually work or live nearby. There’s no food, but they serve a full cocktail list, draft beer, local Malbecs, and French champagne. The prices are cheap by neighborhood standards (cocktails $12-18, beer $7-9), and good tippers are often rewarded with a free shot, a loud cheer, or even a kiss on the cheek, which is typically Argentine.

The room itself is rather small, which gives the bar an intimate, yet sometimes crowded feel. There are small cocktail tables which line the outside walls, no table service, but by 2am, no one is sitting down.

The music has the feel of an international house party. On the weekends, the resident DJ, or the bartenders play a mix ranging from Latin House, Hip-Hop, 80′s Rock, Cumbia, and in the late hours, Reggaetone. By the time the sun comes up, the party starts to wind down, and people slowly begin to matriculate back home.

When asked why he doesn’t do more to advertise the bar, owner Diego Colb said, simply, “I don’t have to, the people that know about the bar are great customers, and the ones they’ll tell to come are just as good.” And it works. Since 1998, “The Spot” has kept its business steady with a good mix of loyal followers and curious one-time patrons. According to Colb, they are even planning on expanding, by opening up a new bar in nearby San Isidro, and making some small renovations to the original “Spot”.

“I want people to come in, relax, and feel like they’re free to do what they want here”, said Colb, “Think of this as an extension of your living room, and understand that you’re always welcome.”

The Spot Bar
Ayacucho 1261 (3 blocks away from Santa Fe Avenue)
Recoleta

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The room has a high ceiling dotted with spinning fans and a few ineffective air conditioning units; the walls are covered in panels of yellow wall paper, outlined by gold molding. These panels are separated by tall mirrors, and all remaining exposed plaster is painted a deep salmon pink. The room is well lit; the dance floor is a little tightly constrained by dining tables on all sides, most of which had reserved signs on them by the time my friends and I arrived, early, at eleven.

Strangely, this scene felt familiar to me. Not from experiences here, but from my brief forays into the world of social dance in the United States, where the crowds are older and the venues are rented from the local Rotary club. The group of people gathered to dance at El Niño Bien was also older and divided into two groups – those who admitted that they were older and those who didn’t. The unabashedly old couples danced in a way that held the form but not the tension of tango – the places where their bodies touched were worn like the soft places in a favorite pair of jeans.

Their understated dancing contrasted sharply with the flashy dancers in tight clothes. Kicking up their fancy designer tango shoes, swirling their elegant dance skirts, these dancers seemed to embrace the presentation aspect of tango culture. They looked like they were conscious of being watched, or perhaps just wanted to be. One of the boys in my group who works in the Argentine film industry pointed out a few former actresses in the crowd, one of whom wore a gold bikini top that left her whole stomach exposed. She must have been nearly sixty, but her make-up and demeanor were defiantly thirty-two.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVV83rj9aOc]

Entering upon this scene, the Argentine boys I had come with seemed comfortable; they ordered a medium sized picada, two fernet and cokes, and settled in to watch the dancing. But I felt a little more lost. El Niño Bien is traditional in more than just the age of its dancers. It also follows many of the formal rules of the milonga. Tango plays in sets of four or five, with a different kind of music played to signal the break. For each set of songs, you dance with only one partner. Men ask women to dance, not vice versa, yet it is up to the woman to make eye contact with the man, letting him know that she is interested in being asked. I spent a lot of time trying to make eye contact with dancers and then, at the last moment, ducking my eyes downward to stare at my fascinating finger nails.

I wouldn’t make eye contact with a man on a subway here—that would be positively forward – but at a milonga, it is just part of the tradition. In my semi-boldness I danced with an Australian who has lived here for eight years, an Argentine tango teacher who usually lives in London, and of course the boys with whom I came. From these partners, I learned more about tango than I had in several classes, particularly from the teacher who insisted that I dance all five dances with my eyes closed. “It’s all about trust,” he told me, “and not looking at your feet.”

When I got home at four a.m. my calves hurt from standing in heals and my body was sticky from the humidity and the dancing; the air conditioners had been no match for the packed room. But I was happy to know that for the first time in Buenos Aires I had actually danced a tango instead of just stumbling my way around a dance floor.

The tango is a dance that gets better and better as you start to hear the rhythm in the music and feel the way in which the basic step, which seems to be a myth, is actually chopped up and sprinkled throughout the dance. For tourists and residents who want to tango, I highly recommend El Niño Bien, although I wouldn’t recommend going alone. Dress is in general more formal and reserving a table is a good idea if you don’t want to either stand or arrive naively early, as I always seem to. Then dance with your eyes closed and watch with them wide open.

El Niño Bien
Humberto I 1462
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel. 4483-2588

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Recently, I caught their most popular local tango band, La Chicana. La Chicana is a modern Tango band fronted by a couple – a female vocalist and male guitarist and accompanied by percussion, bass, violin, and accordion. The band plays frequently at El Tasso when when they’re not on tour. The couple have excellent chemistry on stage – she’s saucy and smart and he’s smitten and sarcastic. The lyrics tell stories of love, life, and struggle with a nostalgic tone. There’s even a tango written for their dogs.

Other acts in the Festival include Nicolás Ledesma, Pablo Agri Sexteto, El Yotivenco, Néstor Marconi Trío, Julio Pane, Hugo Riva, Rodolfo Mederos Trío, Horacio Molina, Astillero and Ariel Prat, Soledad Villamil, Susana Rinaldi, Víctor Lavallén Orquesta Típica, Mariano Mores, La Petitera, Sexteto Mayor, Leopoldo Federico Orquesta Típica, Rubén Juárez, Lidia Borda, Ariel Ardit, María Graña, Adriana Varela, and Selección Nacional de Tango.

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La Catedral is an architectural mystery. It is on the second floor of an unassuming building on the corner of Sarmiento and Medrano, near the geographical center of the city, not its tourist centers of San Telmo and Palermo. When you enter, you ascend a staircase to the dance hall, which appears upon first glance to be in a barn. The roof is high, with wooden beams. Years of kitsch hang from them, the most noticeable being giant, glowing heart that looms over the bar. Taller than a person, it is made from red cloth which covers various sized plastic cans, giving the heart’s arteries their shape and transparency.

On the walls there are posters, paintings, and some odd bronze apparatuses that seem to hearken back to the barn that this strange milonga never was. Probably once an old warehouse with a floor now built into its middle, the milonga’s ambiance could be overwhelming and over the top. But somehow, in the dim, faintly red light, it seems like just the right amount of history and absurdity to give the tango dancers both the context and the freedom to play out their art on the dance floor.

The popular night to go is Tuesday, although of course Friday and Saturday nights are also very cheap. On Tuesday, beginner classes start at 10:30 and can often be very large, ideal if you want to hide in the crowds while getting some practice, less perfect for those seeking one on one attention. The teaching is all done in Spanish, since the clientele are mostly Argentine, and I think it is most fun if you bring your own partner. That being said, I have never been to La Catedral with a partner of my own and I have always had fun.

During the lesson you get a chance to dance with different people and maybe make a few friends who will ask you to dance once the music starts. When dancing does begin, usually around 11:30, the regular couples file out onto the floor to work on their technique together. This is probably my favorite part about La Catedral on Tuesday (besides dancing myself, of course). The tango couples who dance here are not professionals—the lack that snap and polish, that surreal quality of the truly gifted. Instead, they are simply people whose passion and devotion to the dance have made them pretty good. Their love, not their sharp ankle flairs, is what fascinates me about them. And for those who have been reading this, and thinking, but I really do just want to watch tango, these are the couples who I think make it worth your while to come to La Catedral. The bar and an assortment of tables take up the room’s back half, where people do often simply sit, eat, and drink as they enjoy the scene.

Last week I went to La Catedral not on a Tuesday but on a Thursday and found it to be the most satisfying experience I’ve had with tango in this city, despite the fact that I didn’t dance a single step the whole night. I went with some friends, arriving later than we had intended (which left me feeling very Argentine) and we claimed a table. As time passed, we began to wonder, was any one coming? There were only two couples on the floor, devoted to one another and with no hope of other partners in site.

Then, at about 12:30, the floor cleared completely and two men with guitars went to the stage. They sat on two chairs behind a small table with wine and candles and proceeded to play and sing for an hour or so. The music was beautiful and simply and they even had a song written about La Catedral! After their performance, the bar cleared out even more until we felt like maybe we should be going. That was when, from a back room, a group of musicians, maybe fifteen in all, emerged and began to have a “jam,” if jam is the right word for an impromptu tango session. Men and women played and sang together, guitars and accordions were experimented with, and my friends (and our two new Argentine friends) and I simply watched with wonder. I think the place may have actually been closed by that point, but Danny the barman walked by and gave us a smile—he knew we didn’t want to go home.

I hesitated to write about La Catedral because I love the fact that it is such quiet and out of the way place. But like every one who finds a gem, I wanted to play with it in the light. So if you go to La Catedral, enjoy it for what it is: a place for people who love tango as a habit, not as a once a year spectator sport.

Tango at La Catedral
Sarmiento 4006, Almagro
Buenos Aires
Tango Classes and Milongas nightly
Thanks to Rob Nuijten for the beautiful pictures.

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Only six months old, this baby bar has locals like Villa Diamante hand-picking your sonic experience downstairs, where a friendly staff concocts picture-perfect martinis.

Upstairs the decor glory continues with art showings and sunken tables plus a bar that toys with the slogan “coke is it” (not like that, you’ll have to go to Kim Y Novak for the slopes) with Coca-Cola crates stacked up and strung with lights.  The crates make for a festive, retro/industrial effect back-of-the bar.

The brightest star of this shiny new it spot is the terrace. Did I mention the terrace? It’s replete with beanbags, Pum Pum art, and a large sky light that resembles a greenhouse, where you can play Peeping Tom on the main room bar. Gorgeous vistas and super tranquilo evenings await you at Le Bar – where you will make entrances into three separate beautiful spaces and raise a glass to the newly raised standard of Buenos Aires nightlife.

Le Bar in Downtown Buenos Aires
Tucumán 422
Downtown Buenos Aires
Tel: 5219-0858

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