Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Renting a car in Buenos Aires

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I posted on the topic of renting a car previously (HERE) and if you are interested in doing so, it’s still relevant and is worth referring to. This post is meant to be an update.

We rented a car from Localiza for 4 days to visit friends in Carillo last week. The cost for a teeny 2-door Chevy was $2,187.50 (pesos), which included unlimited miles. The car was okay, however, it did not have optional features of any kind. i.e. no power windows, manual locks, etc. Not even cups holders. All this was okay, but it didn’t have airbags, which we didn’t realize until we were returning from our trip. We will never rent a car again without airbags. It’s not worth the risk.

The previous weekend we rented a car, but they didn’t have it available and upgraded us to a 4-door VW. It had airbags, power locks, power windows and cup holders. The cost was $1,641 for three days with unlimited miles. I recommend this as a minimum, if you can afford it.

When you return the car, you are supposed to return it with a full tank. There is a filling station at the corner of Gorriti and Scalabrini Ortiz, however, when we went to fill up, they were out of gas. Out of gas! How does that happen? The other station that we know of is on Cordoba, not far from Scalabrini Ortiz, but it was closed for remodeling. So we returned the car about 3/4 full. No problem. They simply charged us about the same as it would have cost anyway.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Buenos Aires – My November 2013 Report

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Buenos Aires, like everything, is changing. Some changes are welcome; some are dreaded.

The city’s program of installing bike paths is the best we’ve seen anywhere. The bike paths replace parking lanes entirely, giving bicyclists a truly dedicated and protected two-way path. And they are all over the city, bisecting it in every direction. At home, in Evanston and Chicago, bike paths are half hearted . . . a joke really; a very dangerous joke played on bicyclists by politicians who don’t have the courage to act decisively and responsibly. In Nashville, we were shocked to find “share the road” signs on the expressway (!), where the speed limit is 55. Sorry, but that is simply idiotic. I must say, BA is way ahead of the curve!

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Photo above: Bike lane at the end of our block, along Julian Alvarez.

Buenos Aires has also changed the situation with trash, at least in Palermo and Villa Crespo. We haven’t yet been to any of the other barrios this time, but assume this is now prevalent everywhere. Previously, people did one of three things:

1. They would put their trash into a metal basket, well above ground, meant to keep animals from foraging (except for squirrels, because there are no squirrels here). Notice the metal basket in the photo below; next to the green Estanciera truck:

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Another:

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2. They would place their trash bags against the nearest tree or into the gutter along the curb.

3. In some blocks, for reasons I don’t know, they would walk to the corner and throw it into a growing pile.

Now there are one or more large bins on each block. Our neighbor cheerfully asked us to instruct our housekeeper to no longer place the trash against the tree in front of his house because the city now imposes fines for not using the new bins.

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Images above and below: The new trash bins.

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One outcome, it appears, is that we haven’t seen any carteneros (poor people, searching through trash for cardboard and other recyclables). We haven’t seen those on foot nor those that came around on horse and wagon. At least not so far. Although the sound of the horse clopping on the pavement was charming, the reality is that these people are desperately poor, searching for anything that can be reused or sold as scrap to make a few pesos. We often saw entire families picking through trash in the dark of night. Last night, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. UPDATE: During the three weeks that followed my initial report, we noted that there are still lots of carteneros working in the night.

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Yet another outcome is that the city appears noticeably cleaner than it did in the past. Not clean … just cleaner. Some of our friends here don’t notice the change because they are here all the time, but to us, there has been improvement. And little, by little, the city is paving over the century old stones with asphalt. It makes the roads more quiet, but we lament the loss of the granite paving. In places, the paving was artfully and beautifully laid in circular patterns. Along El Salvador, comes to mind. Gone. The stones (see photo below), I have read, were brought from Europe as ballast on ships.

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A year or two ago the city entirely remodeled the park at the end of the block. Now they have added a fenced dog run. That’s a welcome addition. And the city continues to install more curb cuts for the handicapped:

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Unfortunately, the guy at the rear wasn’t paying attention and stopped the flow of concrete too late, leaving them with a large slug of unnecessary concrete. After this photo, they all came to stand and look at the pile of concrete and to discuss what to do about it.

As we traverse the city on our bikes we notice that new construction continues with abandon. But we don’t understand it. The government restrictions on the U.S. dollar should have stopped the real estate market in it’s tracks, and we’re told it did.  Yet we see developers tearing down buildings, helter skelter, and replacing them with new ones. Who is buying all this, we ask? Everyone shrugs. Meanwhile, boutique hotels have been closing right and left. Even the venerable Malabia House in Palermo Soho has bit the dust. In spite of that, we see new restaurants and shops that have appeared just since our last visit in April. People keep trying; plodding forward against the heavy current of a sputtering economy and against the odds. Hooray for them for trying! Suerte!

Acuña de Figueroa 1581 (Palermo)

Above: Just one development that is a couple blocks from Casa Palermo. See more at the developer’s website. And that’s just one developer.

Meanwhile, the peso continues to be in trouble. :(  The official exchange rate is now around $6.11 pesos to $1 USD. The “blue rate” (read: black market rate) is around $9.80 pesos to the USD. Last April the official rate was around $5 pesos and the blue around $7.50. The rate of inflation is a mystery, but many insist it’s around 25%. Things are noticeably more costly, but still affordable for foreigners and those with dollars.

In spite of the economic woes, we observed at dinner last night that the restaurant was packed full, with people waiting for tables. The ambient noise was loud from all the talking and laughter and clicking of wine glasses. The lights were bright and there seemed to be sense of hopefulness. But the portions were smaller and we noticed some patrons sharing; something we’ve never seen before.

There is one thing that hasn’t changed. One thing that you can count on. When it rains, it pours.

-jrb  11-28-13

Nice and red

We enjoyed this Malbec last night. $62 pesos. I hope to find it in the U.S!

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Made in Argentina?

One of things I love about Buenos Aires is that you come across shops like this little women's shoe store. Interesting designs at a reasonable price. ($35 USD for a pair of all leather "tennis shoes.") And when we asked if they are made in Argentina, the woman said "Yes, of course. In the back," and opened the door to the rear of the store, to show us the workshop where the shoes are made.

Where: Lineal at El Salvador 4380 in Palermo, just a few blocks from Casa Palermo.

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Dining on budget?

Lunch in Buenos Aires is still a bargain (11-28-13). I had steak (bife de chorizo) with fries, a basket of breads with butter, a glass of wine and desert for 67 pesos (excluding tip). That's about $10 USD at the official exchange rate or $7.50 if you can exchange dollars at the "blue rate."

Where? Los Remanseros. Around the corner from Casa Palermo, at the corner of Medrano and Costa Rica.

p.s. the fries were perfect … crispy on the outside and like mashed potatoes inside.

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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Tres Tintos Muy Rico

 

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Licuados (Smoothies)

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You can get licuados at many cafes and restaurants, but Baraka, in Palermo Soho, offers some unusual and interesting varieties. The photo above is a portrait of our favorites, Vehemente and Carmin, respectively. The Vehemente is made with strawberries, mango, black pepper and ginger. In contrast, the Carmin, which is very different, is made from ginger, carrots, beets and orange; perfect if you want something that is not too sweet.  Baraka is located at Gurruchaga 1450, between Gorriti and Cabrera.

The menu below describes all the options in English. Remember, the $ in BsAs means pesos, not USD.

 

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Visit the studio of Ardiana Bozzi - Artist

Adriana has a remarkable talent for drawing and painting the human form. Her specialty is nude males, but she renders other subjects with equal beauty. Her studio is at Thames 1484 (near Gorriti) in Palermo SOHO (Buenos Aires). Visit her website . . . the link is HERE.

 

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Below, a sketch of polo competitors.

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Just how to you say “to live in a cloud made of farts”

Like every language, Argentine Spanish (called Rio Platense Spanish) includes numerous slang phrases and words that adds a richness, color and depth that tourists (and even schooled Spanish speakers) will not understand and probably not use or learn during a short trip to Buenos Aires. Nevertheless, these words are interesting to read about. A good introduction appears at the website Gringo In Buenos Aires.