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© 2004 Bonita Productions Inc.
Real Travel Adventures International Magazine
Flag of Argentina
Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires
By Bonnie Neely, Photos by Bill Neely
This was our first trip to Argentina, and we fortunately chose to fly on Aerolineas Argentinas, which flies U.S. to Buenos Aires routes from Miami, New York. We found the airline to be very comfortable, the food and service excellent, and everything on time. Unfortunately, we exchanged dollars in Miami and got about two pesos for one dollar. Too late we learned that in Buenos Aires the rate is almost three pesos for one dollar. At the check-in desk ticket agents gave us some good hints about traveling in Argentina and places to see that we had not read about. Our flight from Miami was very comfortable, with seats that reclined more than domestic flights in the U.S. Although we could have requested an English- speaking driver, we decided it would be fun to practice our limited and rusty Spanish. At the airport taxi stand we engaged a taxi, with price guaranteed at 34 pesos, (about $11 US) plus $3 in tolls. Even though it was rush hour in this city of over three million, traffic was very orderly and seemed considerate instead of horns blasting.
Our first sights of Buenos Aires were ghetto-looking high rises and Pampas grass bordering the jungley distant landscape. Minutes later in the heart of the city we saw modern buildings mixed with very old and beautiful architecture, sometimes beside shabby cement high rises. For a city this huge there is little smog.
In March, early fall for the Southern Hemisphere, we found temperatures about 70F, sunny blue skies. Sheraton Libertador Hotel looks non-descript from outside, but entering we found the spacious and beautiful lobby with orange, patterned marble floor, banked on one side with all windows and on the other side a lovely bar restaurant. International flights arrive in the early morning, so we had several hours to explore before our room was ready.
Sheraton Libertador is only one block from Avenida Florida, the pedestrian street where numerous “factory”stores offer the best of locally-crafted items, including cashmere and leather goods, which are absolutely beautiful. 
We were especially attracted to the soft, velvety brown items, which appeared to be spotted suede. We learned they are made from "carpincho" (capibarra) which is the largest rodent in the world! We also found many well-craftged silver and wood items, riding tack, and exquisite precious and semi-precious stones and jewelry. Silver is mined in Argentina, as are most kinds of gemstones. The lovely pink "rodochrosita" is a semi-precious stone found only in Argentina, and we wanted every one of the delicate and beautiful items designed with this stone. Be sure to plan in your travel budget to purchase one of these items of sheer beauty unique to this country.
We were especially attracted to the soft, velvety brown items, which appeared to be spotted suede. We learned they are made from "carpincho" (capibarra) which is the largest rodent in the world! We also found many well-craftged silver and wood items, riding tack, and exquisite precious and semi-precious stones and jewelry. Silver is mined in Argentina, as are most kinds of gemstones. The lovely pink "rodochrosita" is a semi-precious stone found only in Argentina, and we wanted every one of the delicate and beautiful items designed with this stone. Be sure to plan in your travel budget to purchase one of these items of sheer beauty unique to this country. In Retiro district there are also many restaurants and sidewalk cafes, which serve excellent food. Two people can eat several courses for under $10, and the food everywhere is fresh and individually prepared... reminding us of Gramma's cooking when we were children.
Since ranching is a major industry in Argentina, beef is their pride and is known to be the best in the world. Former ranchers that we are, we had to agree...the beef is excellent! However, we avoided the national favorite meal of "Parillada," which we knew included many parts of the animal which we consider unfit to eat! But don't be confused, the similar word, "parillo" means grilled, and is very tasty!
Finally ready for a nap, we found our spacious and beautifully-appointed room with a complete business center, refrigerator, safe, and marble bathroom on 14th floor with a dizzying view over city rooftops. We slept till our dinnertime, which was just Mate time in Argentina. Mate is yerba tea, which is grown in the Pampas and has for centuries been a favorite for its healthful properties. Argentineans grow up sipping this tea all day, and they pause in late afternoon much like British teatime, to enjoy sipping and visiting with friends.
The Sheraton Bar was a perfect place to eat a delicious dinner, and to our surprise and delight, music in the lobby unexpectedly began and we were entertained with a beautiful Tango performance of three dances, each with different elaborate costumes for the young couple. Tango, born in Buenos Aires just over a century ago, was first considered lewd and only performed in brothel areas. However, this artistic form came to popularity after the market crash of 1929 and by 1950's was the national dance. Pergola Restaurant in the hotel also has fine dining and breakfast buffets. For the convenience of visitors a full business center is on site and keyboard and Internet access in some rooms. The Libertador's top floor is devoted to a state of the art exercize room and a large, beautiful swimming pool and jacuzi spa, all with beautiful 360 degree views of the city. We found this an excellent choice for an upper medium price.
City Tour by Night, which starts at 7:30 pm and ends at 9:30 pm is perfect for the first night in Buenos Aires. All other evening entertainment begins about 9 p.m. till about 1 a.m., since that is the time locals dine and go to shows. On week-ends it is fashionable for an evening of dining and dancing to end at dawn!
We toured by van for two hours, getting out whenever we wanted to take photographs. Gonzolvo, our English-speaking guide, made the historical facts of each place we visited sparkle. Favorite stops included the only monument to Eva Perone in the city. It stands on the site at which she died of cancer, and appropriately a free library has been erected there. A champion of the poor, she is either loved or hated by citizens today. We also saw the impressive statue honoring laborers, which is opposite the building that housed her Foundaton. Going past the University we learned that anyone, local or foreign, can attend Argentinean Universities free!
The landmark statue of the city is the 66 meter Obelisk, which is in the center of a round-about where 22 lanes of traffic converge and sort themselves out without a traffic light!...the largest intersection in the world. Erected by the Argentine government in 1910, it commemorates the centennial of freedom from Spain and is in the center of Libertador and 9th of Julio Avenidas. This street is also the location of The Colon Theater, one of the world's five acoustically best opera houses. The interior of the Colon is a daytime tour worth taking.
There are many other beautiful parks around the city, each with another impressive monument given by various countries for the huge 1916 celebration commemorating Independence Day from nearly 300 years of Spanish Rule. Even Spain gave one of the monuments!
Our City by Night Tour group disembarked from the van at Congress and descended to the 9th oldest subway in the world and the first in South America. It was built in 1913. We rode the original, wooden train cars with manually operated doors…amazed that the train still operates perfectly! We even passed the first ticket window. Because few people could read a century ago, each station has outline tiles of a different color so people know where they are. 
We disembarked at Plaza Mayo and climbed the stairs to the Executive Branch of the government. Instead of the White House, it is pink and the President works there, but it is not his residence. It is also where Eva Perone addressed the crowds from the balcony. The building front is the only pink side because originally they ran out of pink paint, so it has remained. Government buildings, the Colon Theater, and other magnificent stone-carved buildings were designed by French and Italian architects in the 19th century and are connected by long, grand avenues. Newer edifices of all different periods have been inserted everywhere possible, sometimes sharing a wall with the older buildings. There are thousands of high rises, but all are only a few rooms deep. Many have upper floors as penthouses with stair-stepped façade for the view of Rio Plata, but most have straight cement backs, appearing to be cut off.
In San Martin Park we saw the impressive statue of the country's greatest hero, who freed Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, Uraguay and Chile from the Spanish. The huge bronze monument is a phenomenal sculpture because all the weight of the mounted figure rests on the hind two legs of the reared horse. The park is a marvelous green arboretum, planted over a century ago and has enormous trees of many varieties, many of which have gorgeous blooms of purple, yellow, orange, red, or pink. 
This park overlooks the English Clock Tower, which is near the railway and bus terminals and offers a picturesque view to Park Towers Sheraton Retiro where you'll find five star and extreme luxury accommodations, which many worldwide dignitaries and stars choose for their stay. After leaving the city for a few days, we returned to stay in this Sheraton where we found the grand convention facility which hosts many large groups and meetings. The hotel also has a beautiful outdoor swimming pool and bar with live music on the roof, a large state-of-the-art gym and indoor pool and an excellent spa for both men and women with well-trained masseuses and masseurs.
Business travelers welcome the excellent full facilities for almost any type of work needed, from high-speed Internet, PC stations, FAX etc. available in beautiful lobby surroundings or in their rooms. Several excellent restaurants are in Sheraton Retiro Park Towers and a full shooping arcade for descriminating tastes.
In the hotel lobby we discovered a theater which each night offers one of the excellent Tango Shows in Buenos Aires. Orignially an all women show, it now has excellent male and female dancers and a bit of humor in some of the skilled dancing. The show is well worth seeing.
At Embarcadero, the fascinating harbor area of Rio Plata, is the widest river mouth in the world...over 100 miles. You can cross by speed boat in a couple of hours to Montevideo, Uraguay.
In most of the large Buenos Aires parks there are wrought iron fenced areas of trees, benches and grass, where we saw about 40 dogs on leashes or linked to the fence temporarily and watched by a few paid pet walkers. A wonderful system for keeping parks and sidewalks clean!
Agentina's economic problems for several years have been compounded by a negative balance of payments exacerbated by the currency situation. After their currency had been pegged to the American dollar, it was suddenly devalued to only one third, causing financial distress for everyone. These brave people insist that restoring their country to be a leader in the Southern Hemisphere is worth the personal sacrifice everyone is currently enduring. However, the government is non-military and is stable and the country is peaceful, preferring to work as friends with the strong South American countries which are members of the South American Economic Union. After a history of wars Argentinians believes everyone benefits from peace.
President Kirshner is determined to bring the country to sound economy and repay its debt. People are suffering from very low wages. The average middle class worker earns the equivalent of about $300 dollars US per month! However, medical and dental care, higher education, and care of the elderly are all free.
For foreign travelers the exchange rate is an excellent value, making this one of the safest and least expensive places to visit. Buenos Aires, with its largest ethnic populations being Italilan and French and with its close ties to Spain, has a very European cosmopolitan heritage and cultural offerings of incredible museums, art, history, restaurants, theater, ballet, opera, shows, shopping and much more.
It is a surprise for a Latin American capital city to feel so European. People involved in tourism speak very good English, French, Italian, German, and some Portuguese. Amenities in the hotels are of top quality and impeccably clean, with excellent staffing, making tourism one of the industries which may help Argentina out of its economic woes, now that the government is stable.
We decided to spend the final half-day in the City of Buenos Aires at Ricoletta, the posh area around the oldest church and cemetery. Here you'll find some of the best restaurants and most elite shops, hotels and residences in Argentina. The sidewalks are lined with many kiosks of beautiful handcrafts of all kinds from jewelry to paintings, leather, and many other items. Plan several hours to do your souvenir shopping here.The City of the Dead is truly that, with paved pedestrian streets lined with elaborate buildings, some nearly thirty feet high, incredible family-owned mausoleum edifices designed by architects and sculptors for several hundred years. There we paused with throngs of tourists at the crypt of Eva Perone, the champion of the poor, still decorated daily with poems, pictures, and fresh flowers.
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