From Cape to cape. Expeditions by land and sea.

[drron]

After landing an doing a taxi to the terminal we went back out to the taxiway and did another loop to the gate.Amazingly no one stood up.As we approached the gate the Captain announced a medical emergency and again everyone stayed seated.It was not the young girl but an elderly gent in 2E who was taken off the plane.The bun rush began.The run of bad luck with baggage came to an end and we were nearly first out.Decided to walk to the International end to change some money for the taxi fare in-not much as on FT everyone advises using the cambrio in town to get a much better rate.Walked past this-

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Instant passports.Hmmm.Only 1 bank exchange office.As slow as a wet week and only 1 customer at a time let in.I knew that the taxi fare should be about 150 pesos to our hotel and which taxis to use.I made a decision to give the driver 200 pesos if he was honest.Well the taxi did not have a rigged meter but we were taken on a scenic tour and the fare was 205.7 pesos so he got a magnificent tip of 4.3 pesos.

So check in at the Sheraton Libertador.Only upgraded to a club floor room.Met the fellow who got the Presidential suite who was a MR plat of only 3 years so it seems SPG is generous to MR plats and Marriott to SPG plats.
The bathroom is the worst we have had at a Sheraton.Bath so narrow we both had to shower.A filter coffee maker but only instant coffee supplied with 1 styrofoam cup.Lounge pathetic with poor food options and a policy of 1 alcoholic drink per person.We along with an American and a Canadian quartet took it in turns to get a second per night.Not sure why as the white was awful and the malbec only just drinkable.

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Of course you got a view to the River Plate-

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But using 50 times zoom.

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Not being able to satisfy our hunger for dinner we first went to the nearby mall but nothing appealed so we went back to the hotel.The main restaurant doesn't open at night so dinner in the bar.Mrsdrron had a Caesar salad and I an open chicken and avocado sandwich plus the usual bottle of Sav Blanc.

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To add insult to injury they have a cover charge for eating there.Turned out not unusual in Argentina.

 

[drron]

The hotel is only 1 block from Florida walk one of the main shopping streets and the Gallerio Pacifico which looks great at night-

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I went back to change money but the best I could get was 15.5 per $US.At the bank it was 15.2.The best rate came from a fellow sleeping on the street.Thought it might be counterfeit but all good.So I used him the next 2 days with a rate of 15.8.During the day he had his wife and 2 kids with him.His wallet was stuffed with cash.By the third day we were getting on well.
Most during the day were offering less than the bank rate using tricks such as saying fifteen seven when asked the rate,going to their"shop" and finding that meant 15.07.Then there was the crime.Of the ~45 other couples on our cruise 2 were assaulted and robbed on Florida walk in daylight.When mrsdrron did her review on the hotel on TA there was a new review of a couple staying the weekend before us.On Saturday at 1300 they were attacked and robbed just outside the hotel and spent the weekend in hospital.
Brekkie at the lounge.The scrambled eggs looked dicey.I gave them a miss,mrsdrron didn't and 12 hours later 36 hours of D&V began.I guess you are realising I am never going to recommend this hotel.

So day 1 and we got on the hop on/off bus.2 companies,same price but one has more extensive routes and a stop near our hotel so that is the way we went.Pretty slow but we got to see a lot of BA.So some scenes as we walked to the start point for the first service of the day.A lot of interesting buildings with many European influences-

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Lots of statues.Most "heroes"of the Revolution.

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A reminder of home-

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A theatre that began life as an ice rink-

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[drron]

A nifty way to clean the lagoons,ponds etc-

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An impressive building near the airport.Turned out to be a restaurant-

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The new stadium-

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Dog parks everywhere but no cats visible-

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A polo field-

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[drron]

A poorer part of town-

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Street scenes-

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[love_the_life]

When we were in BA about 7 years ago, Florida Street was identified as a crime area, targeting tourists. We went there for a quick look but didn't buy anything. We stayed in an apartment in Recoleta which worked well as it was in a residential area but close enough to walk to some of the sights.
I remember at the Sheraton at Iguaza we got confused with the exchange rate - which in those days was about 4 to the $US; somehow we got it into our heads it was 2 so thought things were very expensive :shock:

 

[drron]

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Lots of police visible.

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[drron]

One for Tony Hancock-

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Some new buildings have style,many don't-

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The old soccer stadium-

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[drron]

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That tower is the English Tower.The main BA memorial to the Malvinas war is in front of it.I guess they didn't think of the symbolism that the English are looking down on them.

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I did like this public art.

 

[drron]

We got of the bus and walked past Police HQ-

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and over the road to the Japanese Gardens.An entrance fee-95 pesos,$US6.Worth it.

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The gardens turned 50 the day we were there.

 

[drron]

There is a Japanese restaurant in the gardens but lunch service finishes at 1600 and we arrived there at 1601.Well back to the gardens-

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[drron]

For whom the bell tolls-

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Didn't feel like having the fast food-

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And an Australian just had to get into the act-

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[drron]

The last pics of the day whilst waiting for the bus back to the hotel-

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About an hour after arriving back at the hotel mrsdrron began her 36 hours of torture.Fortunately we had the appropriate medications.
The next day it was forecast to rain all day but the morning was pleasant.Not knowing the assault stories I set off on foot for Recoleta cemetery.A great walk with lots of interesting buildings and parks.

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The Plaza hotel-

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[drron]

The San Martin Plaza.lots of green space in BA-

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But also a fair bit of this-

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A magnificent ficus-

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[drron]

The Foreign Office-

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Popped into a supermarket.Veggies not all that fresh.Wine prices reasonable-

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[drron]

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One thing I liked is that quite often the Architects are acknowledged-

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Then I had to cross 9 de Julio avenue named for Argentina's Independence day in 1816.

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The last section was a little confusing-

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This building looks a little French-

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Well it is the French Embassy-

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[drron]

Now in the Recoleta area.Many French style chateaux were built between the late 1890s and 1920 but since 1960 many have been demolished often for modern monstrosities to be built.

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The Vatican's Embassy-

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It was the Fernandez Anchorena Palace and Cardinal Pacelli (pope Pius X11) stayed there in 1934.It was given to the Vatican after WW2.

 

[drron]

Just down the road is a place anyone can stay if they have enough readies-

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Next to the Park Hyatt is a run down old building -

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[drron]

The Alvear Palace Hotel,then ficus trees planted in 1791-

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There was a market on.Mostly rubbish-

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The Church of Nuestra Senora del Pilar-

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A christening was being performed-

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[drron]

Quite ornate inside-

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I paid my 20 pesos and went up stairs-

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[drron]

The last of the church-

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And in olden times you could go next door,but then it was an orchard-

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So out of the church and a step to the right and you can do the time warp again-

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This cemetery is just amazing-

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