Comments for Buenos Aires Tips

Comment on How Bad is Crime in Buenos Aires? by Bill

Bill — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 06:13:39 +0000

OK, here are my two cents. I live in Canada but was born in Buenos Aires. Just visited my family for a couple of weeks.

1) Local citizens feel crime is out of control. People live in fear
2) Coming from Canada, it’s a big change. Crime in Buenos Aires is way higher.
3) As bad as it is, the city of Buenos Aires is way safer than Mexico or any other country in Latin America for that matter (except only Chile and Uruguay).
4) Some more good news, Buenos Aires is safer than many big cities in the US. I’m as fearful in some areas of LA and Miami at night than in Buenos Aires. The homicides per 100,000 people are lower in Buenos Aires than in most large US cities.

To conclude Argentina, is no Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan or China. That said is no worse than some areas of the US. And I take BA over Washington DC, New Orlean, St Louis, or Miami, and the crime statistics back me up on this one.

Comment on How Bad is Crime in Buenos Aires? by Juan

Juan — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:59:42 +0000

I had exactly the same experience as Alan on Florida St. A young guy was giving out cards and i said no thanks, so he said take it for later and i said sure even though i had no intention of visiting but then he said just come and get the card signed so i get credit and i agreed. Once i got in the girl just wanted to explain everything to me for my ‘future’ visit, I listened to her spiel and inisisted I had to leave. Here is where it got interesting, they brought me a ‘free’ coke for me and for the 2 girls that had now come to ‘explain’ things to me and to have a toast, i toasted with them but made sure not to take a sip because at this point I was very suspicious. I got up and at that point things got a little ugly, the 3 girls now were blocking my way saying that I needed to pay 60 for my free drink and 240 each for their drinks. I said I wasnt carrying any pesos but they didnt believe me. I had 35 pesos in my pocket which I offered to give them if they would just let me leave, they said it was 60 for my drink and accused me of pushing the girls, thye were no longer friendly at all. I literally begged them to let me leave but they inisisted I had to pay and wanted to see my wallet, i showed them but didnt open it completely to see the 300-400 pesos I had plus 20 USD because I knew they would take it all, I was still offering the 35 to just let me leave but they werent having it. Finally I just started moving towards the door, I’m not a small guy and when they said I was pushing them I rightly said that they were pushing me. As soon as I saw the daylight of the stair case I bolted, I wish I would have alerted the police but at that point I just wanted to get away as I was afraid for my life. In the end I got away without losing any money but it was definitely a learning experience.

Comment on How Bad is Crime in Buenos Aires? by Josh

Josh — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:50:01 +0000

I was there for the first time in 2004 and then in November 2010.
The experience for me was quite different. I was victim of a taxi driver who didn’t exactly take me to the place I requested ( i had to take another afterwards), then tried to fool me with the bill telling me i had given him a lower-value one, but i noticed and insited and he gave up.
Some people told me Buenso Aires was the problem but when I went to Cordoba I had a similar experience, the taxi refused to take me to the hotel i told him, he said it was a bad zone/street and suggested me to search for other place. I told him to try another hotel downtown, he said yes but in the end took me to a youth Hostel ( i suspect it was his friend’s or something). I complained but he answered ” tomorrow you can go to a better place. stay here tonight”. I felt scared but i decided to stay there instead of insisting him to take me to another place. Who knows where he would have taken me if he already had did wha he wanted once!
It’s a sense close to being kidnaped, not beign taken to the plece you request TWICE and in different cities. this may backfire tourism if the don’t fix it.
Lesson learned, use only radio taxis.

Comment on Best Neighborhoods for Tourists by CJ

CJ — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Both locations are fine. Santa Fe is a busy major street with lots of traffic noise. So I would probably go for the Palmero Soho location, personally. It’s closer to the better restaurants too.

Comment on Best Neighborhoods for Tourists by rosa

rosa — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:18:44 +0000

Hi,

I am traveling to Busenos Aires in March and have 2 furnished apaprtment options to choose from:
*One is in Palermo Soho (La ubicacion exacta es Uriarte entre Charcas y Güemes)
*The other one is in Barrio Norte/Recoletta (I googled it and think it is located on
Avenida Santa Fe 2630)
Does anyone know which one do you think is better located for easy nighlife and restaurants? Which is nicer?
I would really appreciate anyone’s help as I would like to book one of them and they are being snatch pretty fast!!

Thanks so much!!

Comment on Making Friends in BA by Barry

Barry — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:48:50 +0000

Hey,

I made friends at my school, they had conversation classes on Fridays and we all went afterwards, so really helped my spanish, plus I got to see more of the city with other travellers and locals.
The schools called LVstudio and its in Palermo.

Comment on Ten Things to Do in Buenos Aires by Víctor

Víctor — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:27:14 +0000

If you are planning to travel to Argentina you have to practice their most popular game, POLO !!!

You don´t need prior knowledge in the sport. Believe me, is extremely funny !!!

These lessons con be taken individually or by group and take place throughout the year and are dictated by players with Handicap and vast experience in Polo tournaments. We are also accompanied by the presence of sports advisors which enrich the learning process.

We will provide all the necessary tools for the practice: stick, helmet, whip and horses.

You could also find us in Facebook as ¨ Polo Class ¨

Comment on Making Friends in BA by Kendall

Kendall — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:35:10 +0000

I recently moved to Buenos Aires with a basic knowledge of Spanish, but I was looking to break away from my textbook and practice outside of the classroom. Of course, I also want to meet other expats and travelers, so I considered a bunch of different conversation events hosted in the area. I found a great one that is FREE on Wednesday’s at 3:30 in Palermo!! Perfect time, perfect location, and for just $0, the price is right! There is a good mix of locals, expats, and travelers so it is a great way to new people and practice the language of your choice; either English or Spanish. They also have conversation socials on Fridays at 7 pm for just $20 pesos, where everyone goes to a local bar for happy hour drinks! This is a great, cheap, and fun thing to do while in Buenos Aires.
For more information, contact them at info@lvstudioweb.com or check out their blog at http://lvstudioclassesinpalermobuenosaires.wordpress.com/

Comment on How Bad is Crime in Buenos Aires? by Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:46:29 +0000

I have been to Buenos Aires 16 times and each time the petty crime seems worse. In Jan. 2011 I got on the Subte D to Catedral and immediately my wallet was taken out of my back pocket. I had known better not to carry my billfold there..but I forgot.
Immediately I told my friend who went immediately toto went to where I had been standing and demanded from woman my billfold…I got it back,,minus 200 pesos.

So, in Oct. I was going to meet my friend at Cafe Tortoni…so I took the Subte D to Catedtral. This time I put my wallet in my pantleg pocket which I felt would be safe. I looked around before getting on the Subte and even watch my leg while on the Subte…but in the blink of an eye…it was stolen.

I was feeling bad about my experience in Argentina while I awaited my friend. I told her what happened so we went inside to have a coffee. While we were talking, my friend got a call to her cell phone and the caller ask if he was speaking..to Sra……….and she said yes. He said he had just found a billford which had her card in it. So, yes, I got my billfold back minus the 200 pesos. I return to him and gave him a reward…which he did not want to take…but finally, he understood why it was so important for me to say Thanks to him with the money.

Several days later, I took a taxi ,,,paid my fare and got out….later, I discovered that I didnt have my billfold..and I thought I had left it at a cafe. Later when I got back to my apartamento, the security guard handed me my billfold…the taxi driver had found it and returned to me since I had a card with address of my apartamento.

So, yes, I had some bad experiences…but the overwelming goodness that came to me…tells me that there are some very wonderful people in Buenos Aires.

And yes,,,and now, I call myself….Senor Suerte….Mr. Lucky

PS….Think I should put my future b illfolds on a locked chain!!!!

Comment on Watch Out for these Scams and Rip-offs by Leticia

Leticia — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:08:26 +0000

Dear fellow travelers, ex-pats..

If you have been scammed in Buenos Aires and would like to share your experience in a documentary, contatc leticia.meruvia@zigzag.uk.com

We’re currently in production on a series about scams that occur in cities around the globe for European television.

We want to provide an informative travel show that emphasizes each city as a travel destination but at the same time aims to make tourists aware of popular scams like the ones mentioned here.

Many thanks!