Sarah and I are wrapping up our time in Argentina this morning. Our flight to Brazil is delayed but that gave me the perfect opportunity to share our top takeaways while we wait.
Argentina's National Congress building (and fountain).
1. If you ever travel to Argentina you should bring US Dollars ($100s if possible) and exchange them on Florida Street. Yes, it is sketchy - I ended up locked in a room-sized safe negotiating the rate - but the guys were very nice and as professional as they could be, given the situation. We got 12.5 / 1 when the official rate was around 8.5 / 1. Psych yourself up and do it! Tourists do it every day and it makes your money go a lot further.
2. La Boca is safe. We'd read so many cautionary tales about this neighborhood that we were practically expecting a war zone when we arrived. It is no worse than any heavily populated area in NYC. That said, all the people catering to tourists made it feel more like Times Square than we were expecting - it's worth seeing if you are ever here but it wasn't a highlight for us.
3. Argentina is cheap (based on our New York standards). We were surprised how cheaply we could get high quality food and drinks - even our "splurge" meal at La Cabrera only cost us around $100.
4. Malbec is great and we've under-appreciated it so far. The wine tastings in Mendoza really opened our eyes to how good Malbec can be - next time you're having a steak consider a Malbec (or Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend) instead of a Pinot Noir. You won't regret it.
5. Personal space courtesies / etiquette that we're used to in New York do not exist in the same way down here. It's much more "Every man for himself." For example: the plane has landed, the seatbelt sign is now off - time to let those seated in rows ahead of you get off, right? Wrong. Time to bum-rush the aisle and jockey for position to exit the aircraft. Sarah and I had to fight just to stand up (multiple times)!
6. B&Bs are a good way to save money on lodging (versus a hotel) but they really are hit-or-miss. We've had good ones and bad ones (but even the good ones have something I would change about them - usually cats roaming around, bothering my allergies). It's worked out fine, just be prepared to deal with some sort of incremental inconvenience at a B&B.
7. Iguazu Falls is awesome! Puerto Iguazu (the town on the Argentinian side) is not. The only industry is tourism and the town is just tolerable enough for tourists to visit the Falls for a few days and leave. Poverty is pretty bad too - homeless children asked us for money at every meal (even when seated inside). We had an incredible time at the Falls and definitely recommend it to others, but be prepared to be underwhelmed by the town itself.
8. Argentina has a very well developed long-haul bus system. It was fun to try it out, but next time we'd prefer to fly. The cost of the "suite" class bus ticket to Mendoza was only marginally cheaper than a flight. We did save the cost of a hotel night each way, but Sarah caught a cold on the bus there and we didn't feel well rested after either overnight trip. We're glad we tried it though!
9. Medialunas = delicious, sweetly glazed croissants. They were available at pretty much every coffee shop (including Starbucks), restaurant and hotel we stayed at. The traditional Argentinian order is "Café con lechce y tres medialunas" but who needs three sticky croissants with each cup of coffee? We usually settled for one to share and that was enough to satisfy our sweet tooths (teeth?).
10. Messi is everywhere. For those of you who don't know Lionel Messi, he is an Argentinian soccer player who plays for FC Barcelona but is also beloved at home for his role on the Argentinian national team. His image can be seen advertising chips, drinks, cell phone plans, clothing, etc. If you didn't know his face before you visit Argentina, you will know it when you leave!
Peak: The views of Iguazu Falls
Pit: Cold, cloudy weather in Buenos Aires (not every day, fortunately)
Next Stop: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil