BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7

Subject: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: Escamillo
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 06:06 AM

My city has been ranked #7 in the world and #1 South of the USA as best tourism destination, by the Travel & Leisure Magazine:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2006/results.cfm?cat=cities

The author's view of the city is a little biased by his refinement and snobism, but anyway, it is pretty complete and up-to-date. I would have said much more about the music, because the Tango does not monopolize the taste of Argentineans.

The prices mentioned, presented as very attractive, are in fact the highest. You may find the same interesting places, shopping and meals for one third of those prices. And of course, the natural beauties of the country are not in the city.

Come on, try the South as Peter T. did once (I gladly remember his visit) and eat the best beef and drink the best wine in the world, learn to dance the real tango but don´t miss the Opera and the Jazz and all the folklore. And leave Argentina carrying out your new excellent guitar for one fourth the usual price.

And of course, give me the pleasure of meeting you.
Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 11:32 AM

Sounds lovely, Andres.

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: Rman
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 03:53 PM

Do you need any full time Bluegrass banjo teachers in Buenos Aires?

No, really, I mean it...

;o)

Le saluda muy cordialmente

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: RangerSteve
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 04:49 PM

I have a CD of Argentine folk music - recordings made in the early part of the 1900's before the tango took over. It's excellent stuff and it's a shame that the tango overshadows it here in the states.

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: GUEST,Anna
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 10:21 AM

Hola,

sounds great to meet you some day Andres. I'll be in Bsas from sept 2006, and occasionally i'm looking for someone to teach me argentinian folk guitar.Already asked some schools but it seems that there are no courses starting in september.
If you have any names...
Muchas grancias!
Un abrazo
Anna de Francia

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: GUEST,Anna
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 10:24 AM

ps : hey rman, if ever you go to ba to teach bluegrass banjo, please let me know i might be interested, though i would have to get a banjo. Great guitars shop in bsas called Nunez.
Anna

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 11:37 AM

Thanks for the link, Andres!! My friend was just there a few months ago. She went out into the country more than the city and loved it. I told her next time to let me know as she loves music, esp. opera and I would love for the two of you to meet!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 11:47 AM

Hi Escamillo, I see on some travel sites that Hostel accomondation is really much better value than hotels.

$20 a day!

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 02:18 PM

I see Beirut is in that list, just below New York...

No Venice? No Prague? No Amsterdam? No Dublin?

Given that list, I think Buenos Aires should probably have been higher up in it.

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 04:53 PM

We were in Buenos Aires for two weeks last November and it was a fabulous trip. Every day we walked and walked, sometimes eight or ten miles a day, even though taxis were everwhere and very cheap.

Excellent restaurants everywhere serving the world's best beef and fine Italian food. Prices (converted to U.S. dollars)were so low it was almost embarassing. The most we managed to spend on dinner was $50 for three including wine and dessert.

Although there are no "world class" tourist sights, the opera house will knock your socks off and the Recoleta Cemetery has to be seen to be believed.

And, Escamillo, we would have met up with you but we were unable to contact you. We started a thread about the trip but you didn't post on it. We tried PMing you and emailing you. We even tried semaphore. But, alas, no luck. Maybe next time.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: Escamillo
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 01:06 AM

Anna,
-----------------
Let me know how long you plan to stay in BA and I can look for a good teacher for you. Also tell me if you want personal lessons or a group class. I´ll be happy to meet you. By the way, Antigua Casa Nuñez is excellent, but, for these low local prices, you may prefer to buy direct from a famous luthier if you can wait.

RMan
---------------
Living and earning money in Argentina is no good business. Culture, everything you may think of, but money .. you will earn much more as a waiter in USA. Except if you want to STAY here. In that event your low earnings will be more or less balanced by the low prices and you could fall in love with the country as many Americans and Europeans did. If you really want to try, I can find contacts for you in the country blues field, and they in turn could connect you to bluegrass musicians, but I think you would be the only one and would become famous in a week.

Kat
-----------
Tell your friend to call me next time !

Sorefingers
----------------
Certainly, hostels are very good but beware of the "for export" class. They know that tourists find everything cheap, and will give you beautifully painted and decorated recycled rooms with no private bathroom and will charge as much as any good hotel out of the downtown. For 50 pesos (17 dollars) there are many good hotels !

McGrath
---------------
Yes, it seems that this rating refers mainly to "the destination of the moment", may be the year. Argentina is being just discovered by the world tourist because of the low prices, safety, cultural life and diversity of climates and leisure places.











Bev & Jerry,
--------------
He he he ! I´ve SUNG in that Opera House many times and wil sing again soon.
"spend on dinner was $50 for three including wine and dessert." - oh, you went to a fine restaurant indeed ! In a small family restaurant you would have paid $25 for the same quality. These is one of the many good things Argentina has to offer.

I did post to that thread, just below your last post, this was my message:
Subject: RE: Folk Music in Buenos Aires
From: Escamillo - PM
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 06:15 AM

Hi, there! I´m so happy to see that some Mudcatters will be visiting us. Thanks Kat for your PM.

The world is so small.. My office is located just on the second floor of the same building of the Kilkenny, the best known Irish pub and restaurant in the Retiro area, Reconquista street. However I´m not a customer because they use to run their amplifiers at top volume. There are many other places where you can enjoy Guinnes in several varieties !

As you may know, I am a classical choir singer who likes to sing spirituals and blues, and knows nothing about celtic music, except enjoying it as a listener, but I´ll try to find good places for Bev and Jerry. Angeles seem to be more in contact with celtic bands.
However I can take you to some places where you could see a real tango orchestra and authentic dancers, as well as native folk music.

(Angeles ! you ruined my exclusivity, now I´m the second Argentinean in the Mudcat - because you are a lady and goes first :) Call me whenever you want 4639-9429 or send me a PM here.

You are coming to one of the most active musical cities in the world. Prepare your ears, and prepare your teeth for the finest beef too.

Please PM me or post here the dates of arrival and leaving, and some idea of how you plan your activities, or whether you plan nothing at all, as I use to do.
----------------

Hope to see you soon,
Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: Escamillo
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 01:45 AM

RangerSteve
--------------
Argentine folk music is alive and well in Argentina, following a parallel and different path along the century. The tango is a product of the urban culture, specifically of Buenos Aires, and folklore remains the main popular expression in the provinces and many places of the big city too. Tango is more cosmopolitan and sophisticated, and has reached the cultural centers of the world much more easily. It is something similar to U.S.Folk vs. Jazz.

In the origins, some folk expressions in the suburban areas evolved to form the MILONGA taking rythms from the remainings of the black music of the Río de la Plata, including Montevideo in the Uruguay Republic. The early tango, born in the brothels, was very similar, but was strongly developed by great musicians who enriched it to become a class by itself.

If you see some early photos of Carlos Gardel, our finest popular singer, you will see him dressed as a GAUCHO (country hero like the cowboy) singing ESTILOS, MILONGAS, TRISTES. But his most popular image was that of the suburban singer of TANGOS, dressed as a COMPADRITO (sentimental, generous and "cool" kind of pimp), and later sing TANGO-CANCION as an international artist conquering Paris, New York and the whole world.

Please tell me if you want some links to Argentine country folk.

Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: BS: Tourism:Buenos Aires ranked #7
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 08:36 PM

Visited the Argentine for World Cup in 1978. Lovely country and people.