Author Topic: Argentina Master Thread  (Read 159672 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #80 on: May 19, 2012, 10:54:14 PM »
Is it all about the food? Have you had time for anything else while you're there?
Sure is ;)

We went to a botanical gardens in Palermo that was nothing special and walked Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollyood's expensive shops.  We've walked around around Recoleta (our hotel area) which is a very Parisian and upscale/clean neighborhood.  We bought some gifts from the Recoleta fair after shabbos.  We also walked around the modern Puerto Madero area which is nice.  We walked to the Jewish neighborhood in Once, which is pretty run down, but my wife picked up lots of dirt-cheap tichels.

The Subway was on strike Wednesday and Thursday so the streets were very chaotic, over 1.3 million people use the subway daily and it was extremely hard to get a taxi and the streets were clogged so we did a lot of walking.  I think they're striking again starting on Tuesday as nothing was resolved.

Still on the list are the sights in centro, san telmo, la boca, the BA annual art fair, and maybe the malba museum by the time we leave Tuesday night.
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Offline lcyitz

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Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #81 on: May 19, 2012, 10:56:10 PM »
It is the dulce de leche pastry and did the pizza have whole olives on it? Whats up with  that??

If you like horse racing there is some there you can bet on a horse I found it fun

Offline Dan

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #82 on: May 19, 2012, 10:58:52 PM »
It is the dulce de leche pastry and did the pizza have whole olives on it? Whats up with  that??

If you like horse racing there is some there you can bet on a horse I found it fun
Yup, we tried lots of yummy dulce pastries from bakeries and in packages from random stores...cool to find cholov yisroel stuff like that in corner stores!
Plus we get Dulce crepes from the PH EZE every morning along with mounds of other food.

Not really into horse racing, pretty sure I can do that back home though.
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Offline lcyitz

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Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #83 on: May 19, 2012, 11:00:04 PM »
Been to Florida? (In ba)

Offline Dan

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #84 on: May 19, 2012, 11:01:31 PM »
Been to Florida? (In ba)
Not yet, it's on the Centro to-do list.
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Offline lcyitz

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Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #85 on: May 19, 2012, 11:07:05 PM »
Visit my brother in yeshiva :)

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #86 on: May 19, 2012, 11:17:25 PM »
I hear that Sunday morning there is a craft market near the cemetary.

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #87 on: May 19, 2012, 11:19:48 PM »
I hear that Sunday morning there is a craft market near the cemetary.
Yes, that's where we went after shabbos, it's a weekend fair.
Didn't go in the "haunted" cemetery there though, has anyone here gone in there?

Anyone have any opinion of the other Sunday fairs? Which ones are worth checking out?
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Offline sky121

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Re: Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #88 on: May 19, 2012, 11:52:19 PM »
Yes, that's where we went after shabbos, it's a weekend fair.
Didn't go in the "haunted" cemetery there though, has anyone here gone in there?

Anyone have any opinion of the other Sunday fairs? Which ones are worth checking out?
Any fun pictures you can share?
I know they'll be some when the trip report comes but until then...
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Dan

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #89 on: May 21, 2012, 05:13:46 PM »
Best place I found to trade money is the judaica store on Paso across from Soultani Pizza.
5.4 ARS per USD compared to the bank rate of 4.46.
Anyone know of a better place?
And out of curiosity, what does it cost for an Argentinian to buy dollars?  It seems they really want to keep dollars out of Argentinians hands.  Sounds like they're ready for a repeat of the crash from a decade ago.
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Offline Galitzyaner

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #90 on: May 21, 2012, 06:22:07 PM »
Terrible pizza and empanadas IMHO (though in fairness the empanadas seemed spoiled  :P, but the ravioli and gnocci with the red pesto sauce were good.

What are alfajores?  Is that a dulce-de-leche pastry?

Argentinos l-o-v-e alfajores!  Don't ask me why.

It's sort of like a soft cookie with dolce de leiche in between -sandwich. There are a few Cholov Yisroel companies.  Every local will tell you another company they think makes the best alfajores...

Too sweet for my tooth.

Isn't it cool that you can pick up Empanada's with beef for the equivalent of a dollar?
There's a kosher supermarket with 2 bakery's just beside it, in one of those 2 bakery's i remember getting those cheap empanada's.  But then again, that was a few years back, when i visited Argentina.

Went to the Kosher McDonalds?  Their burgers are not bad.. What'd you think?

Offline SGF

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #91 on: May 21, 2012, 07:53:37 PM »
Best place I found to trade money is the judaica store on Paso across from Soultani Pizza.
5.4 ARS per USD compared to the bank rate of 4.46.
Anyone know of a better place?
And out of curiosity, what does it cost for an Argentinian to buy dollars?  It seems they really want to keep dollars out of Argentinians hands.  Sounds like they're ready for a repeat of the crash from a decade ago.
if a argentinian wants to buy dollars they have to go to the bank and fill out a whole form about yourself and what you do for a living, later they hunt you down how come you have so much money and dont report it...
i guess its worth the judaica store the extra peso..

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #92 on: May 23, 2012, 01:01:06 AM »
Not sure if I wanna stay at the Park Hyatt in BA (it is alot of points) anyone know anything about Abasto Hotel? I can get an upgraded room with balcony and whirlpool for 133 a night for Fri thru Sunday when I want to be in the jewish area. Rest of the time gonna stick to starwood I think.

Offline misterstuf

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #93 on: May 23, 2012, 04:54:42 PM »
are there any decent hotels walking distance to the jewish area? I prefer starwood properties but read earlier in the thread that they are far and I would pay more for location,

Not sure if I wanna stay at the Park Hyatt in BA (it is alot of points) anyone know anything about Abasto Hotel? I can get an upgraded room with balcony and whirlpool for 133 a night for Fri thru Sunday when I want to be in the jewish area. Rest of the time gonna stick to starwood I think.

If you prefer Starwood properties, you can consider the Park Tower. I don't know what your idea of "walking distance" is, but the hotel is about 2.2 km (1.36 miles) from Chabad of Recoleta.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=park+tower+buenos+aires&daddr=Ayacucho+1416&geocode=Fd4j8P0dvUiF_CEuqXZr0OXnIilBHYwTtcq8lTEYFudeMJqZdA%3BFe4o8P0dY_eE_CmnOhNfvcq8lTGaRWLsPd092g&aq=&sll=-34.590683,-58.386197&sspn=0.025543,0.038409&vpsrc=0&hl=en&dirflg=w&doflg=ptm&mra=luc&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=15&layer=c&ei=lE29T8XhA4W68gbfuaiSCg&pw=2

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #94 on: May 23, 2012, 11:02:53 PM »
If you prefer Starwood properties, you can consider the Park Tower. I don't know what your idea of "walking distance" is, but the hotel is about 2.2 km (1.36 miles) from Chabad of Recoleta.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=park+tower+buenos+aires&daddr=Ayacucho+1416&geocode=Fd4j8P0dvUiF_CEuqXZr0OXnIilBHYwTtcq8lTEYFudeMJqZdA%3BFe4o8P0dY_eE_CmnOhNfvcq8lTGaRWLsPd092g&aq=&sll=-34.590683,-58.386197&sspn=0.025543,0.038409&vpsrc=0&hl=en&dirflg=w&doflg=ptm&mra=luc&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=15&layer=c&ei=lE29T8XhA4W68gbfuaiSCg&pw=2
thanks for helping me out there with the map. Certainly an option and the hotel looks nice. Any clue how it compares with Abasto Hotel?

Offline Dan

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #95 on: May 23, 2012, 11:07:42 PM »
Uch, I wouldn't recommend staying in Abasto/Once.
Find a place in Recoleta.
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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #96 on: May 23, 2012, 11:10:51 PM »
Uch, I wouldn't recommend staying in Abasto/Once.
Find a place in Recoleta.
Is there a chabad with meals or something of the sort for Shabbos in that area? I was thinking of splitting my stay in half with just Shabbos in Abasto for meals but if it is nasty would not wanna ruin my only Shabbos there.

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #97 on: May 24, 2012, 02:25:05 AM »
Is there a chabad with meals or something of the sort for Shabbos in that area? I was thinking of splitting my stay in half with just Shabbos in Abasto for meals but if it is nasty would not wanna ruin my only Shabbos there.
Having spent one Shabbos in Buenos Aires, I highlly recommend staying in the Jewish area (for Shabbos that is).  I don't know why you venture out to other countries, but assuming that it's for the purpose of sightseeing as well as seeing other Yiddishe Kehillos around the world, why would you squander away a Shabbos in middle of ...idk where...

It was for me at least, a truly interesting experience seeing such a vibrant Kehilla and checking out the different shuls etc.., something which can't really be seen/felt any other time besides Shabbos/Yo"t.

"Just sayin' "!

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #98 on: May 24, 2012, 09:10:27 AM »
Having spent one Shabbos in Buenos Aires, I highlly recommend staying in the Jewish area (for Shabbos that is).  I don't know why you venture out to other countries, but assuming that it's for the purpose of sightseeing as well as seeing other Yiddishe Kehillos around the world, why would you squander away a Shabbos in middle of ...idk where...

It was for me at least, a truly interesting experience seeing such a vibrant Kehilla and checking out the different shuls etc.., something which can't really be seen/felt any other time besides Shabbos/Yo"t.

"Just sayin' "!
I agree with you I just have no clue where the Jewish area is aside from there being food in Abasto and a chabad in Recoleta which Dan mentioned. Where would you reccomend spending Shabbos? I am now trying to find a good hotel in Recoleta.

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Re: Argentina Master Thread
« Reply #99 on: May 24, 2012, 09:18:55 AM »
Once is the jewish community, Abasto is nearby.  It's one of the more run down/dirty/dangerous sections of the city, especially at night.

Funny because in Sao Paulo the jews have all moved to the nicest/safest section of the city but I guess that just didn't happen in Argentina.


I do understand wanting to be near Once for shabbos, so if you don't mind switching hotels it's not a bad idea.
I would recommend buying Hyatt nights/points off someone.
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