Tango is a feeling

The origin of the word «tango». Tango music is a feeling and historic testimony of Buenos Aires' citizen's culture. Tango, that often heard and yet mysterious word. Tango's voice can be found in African, Hispanic, and colonial cultures.

Much has been studied about its origin, and although historians and investigators have researched and have entered in heated discussions, the mystery of its origin remains unrevealed.

The word TANGO 's etymological definition has contradictions, some say it comes from African dialects, for example, "Tang" would mean "touch, get close to..", among the Bantus, there are two dialects, one "Tanga" and the other "Tangui". In Spanish, the word Tango is similar to the African "Tang" in its definition of the old Spanish word "Tangir" ot "Tañir", and in Latin "Tangere", meaning "Touch".

The slaves brought it to the River Plate from the "black" continent called their percussion instruments "Tangó", accenting the last syllable.

The word Tango appears in the River Plate (Rio de la Plata) in the mid XVIIIth century, and was the name given to a House and Place of Tango, located on a lot belonging to the Concepción (neighborhood) Parish.

Read more on Buenos Aires Times.

Ski Centers in Argentina

Catedral Ski Center Cerro Catedral is located in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, surrounded by a unique landscape of lakes and mountains, and only a 19 Km paved route away from San Carlos de Bariloche, a city with lodging and food infrastructure at the most demanding international tourism level.

Chapelco Ski Center Chapelco is one of the most attractive places to enjoy the splendor of snow, with the incomparable Andes mountain range in the background, and panoramic views of lake Lácar and the volcano Lanín in all directions.

Las LeñasSki Center Valle de Las Leñas is located in the middle of the Andes mountain range, in the province of Mendoza, and 2,240 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by the mounts Torrecillas, El Collar, Ponce, Las Leñas, Entre Ríos, Martín and Los Fósiles. Read more about Ski Centers on Buenos Aires Times.

The Virgen Lujan Basilica. A Must!

Check out more videos on Youtube.

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN ARGENTINA (BUENOS AIRES)

5 STARS

Alvear Palace Hotel
1891 Avenida Alvear,
Recoleta,
Buenos Aires C1129AAA,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4808 2100
Fax: 54 11 4804 0034
Email: info@alvearpalace.com
Website: www.alvearpalace.com

Aspen Tower Hotel
857 Paraguay,
Buenos Aires C1057AAK,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4313 1919
Fax: 54 11 4313 2662
Email: sales@aspentowers.com.ar
Website: www.aspentowers.com.ar

Caesar Park Buenos Aires Hotel
1232 Posadas Street,
Capital Federal,
Buenos Aires 1011,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4819 1296
Fax: 54 11 4819 1121
Email: aaairoldi@ceasar.com.ar
Website: www.caesar-park.com

Claridge Hotel
535 Tucuman,
Buenos Aires C1049AAK,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4314-7700
Fax: 54 11 4314-8022
Email: inforeservas@claridge.com.ar
Website: www.claridge.com.ar

Emperador Hotel
420 Avenida Del Libertador,
Recoleta,
Buenos Aires C1001ABR,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4131 4000
Fax: 54 11 41313900
Email: info@hotel-emperador.com.ar
Website: www.hotel-emperador.com.ar

Faena Hotel Plus Universe
445 Martha Salotti Street,
San Telmo Quarter,
Buenos Aires C1107CMB,
Argentina
Phone: 30 6290 1111
Email: res@designhotels.com
Website: www.designhotels.com

Feirs Park Hotel
1366 Esmeralda,
Barrio Norte,
Buenos Aires C1007ABT,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4131 1900
Fax: 54 11 4131 1950
Website: www.feirspark.com.ar

Four Seasons Hotel
1086 Posadas,
La Recoleta,
Buenos Aires 1011,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4321-1200
Fax: 54 11 4321-1201
Website: www.fourseasons.com

Hilton Buenos Aires Hotel
351 Macacha Guemes,
Puerto Madero
Buenos Aires C1106,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 48910000
Fax: 54 11 48910001
Website: www.hilton.com

Nh Florida Hotel
839 San Martin Florida Street,
Buenos Aires C1004AAQ,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4321.9850
Fax: 54 11 4328 4855
Email: nhflorida@nh-hotels.com
Website: www.nh-hotels.com

Park Tower Hotel
1193 Avenida Leandro N. Alem,
Buenos Aires 1001,
Argentina
Phone: 54 11 4318 9100
Website: www.starwoodhotels.com

Read more on Allo' Expat Argentina.

Embassies List in BA

ALEMANIA

Consulado: Villanueva 1055
Horario de atención: Lunes a viernes de 8.30 a 11 hs
4778-2500
Fax: 4778-2550

AUSTRALIA

Cancillería: Villanueva 1400
(1426) Cap. Fed.
4777-6580 al 85
Fax: 4772-3349

SUECIA

Cancillería: Tacuarí 147 Piso 6
(1071) Cap. Fed.
4342-1422
Fax: 4342-1697

SUIZA

Cancillería: Santa Fe 846 Piso 10
(1059) Cap. Fed.
4311-6491 al 95
Fax: 4313-2998

UNION EUROPEA

Cancillería: Ayacucho 1537
(1112) Cap. Fed.
4805-3759
Fax: 4801-1594

URUGUAY

Cancillería: Av. Las Heras 1097
(1127) Cap. Fed.
4807-3041/40/60/61
Fax: 4807-3050

VENEZUELA

Cancillería: Virrey Loreto 2035
(1428) Cap. Fed.
4785-2226
Fax: 4784-4311

ESTADOS UNIDOS

Cancillería: Av. Colombia 4300
(1425) Cap. Fed.
4777-4533/34/46/40/05

FRANCIA

Cancillería: Cerrito 1399 (1010) Cap. Fed.
4819-2930
Fax: 4393-1235

Find out where your embassy is on Buenos Aires Times.

HEALTHCARE IN ARGENTINA

In 2000 the total population in Argentina was estimated at 37 million. Argentina is divided into 23 provinces and a federal district, Buenos Aires, the Capital Federal.

Resources for Health services in Argentina were US$ 22.700 million in 1999 of which US$ 5,400 million were for public hospitals, US$ 8,300 million for Obras Sociales and Pami, US$ 2,300 in Pre-paid services, US$ 6,700 direct payment for beneficiaries.

Health expenditures as percentage of GDP were 7.4% in 1997 and 9.7% in 1999.

The public sector has an annual budget of US$ 13.012 million, representing 1,9% of GDP. The GDP per capita is US$ 8,514. Health expenditures per capita amounted to US$ 675 in 1997 and US$ 826 in 1999.

The compulsory portion of health care has two components: the government-administered component is financed through tax revenue (on a pay-as-you-go basis) and guarantees a standard minimum benefit according to principles of redistribution and insurance; the private component is geared toward savings and security, and takes the form of individual member-capitalized savings plans or company-managed plans that are funded by joint employee and employer contributions, fully and individually capitalised and regulated by the government (i.e., fully funded plans).

The voluntary plans are identical in all respects to the fully funded plans with the exception that they are capitalised exclusively by the beneficiary.

The health services system is composed of four main sub sectors: the public Hospital sub-sector (i.e., government-provided financing and services), the Obras Sociales (employee-benefit plans formerly run by unions and now organized by professional category), the private sub-sector (Pre-Paid voluntary insurance plans based on actuarial risk) and Insurance companies which cover a marginal sector of the economy. There is a strong bias toward curative care, with emphasis on hospital services. Although national, provincial, and municipal policies all define primary health care as their basic strategy, most of the jurisdictions that have adopted this strategy approach it in the form of "programme's" to be carried out at the primary care level.

The Obras Sociales plans are a system of compulsory social insurance that includes other benefits in addition to health care. Their financing comes from employer (5% monthly of salary) and employee (3% monthly) contributions. The Government is expediting deregulation of the sector in order to foster competition between the Obras Sociales plans and private (pre-paid) health insurance companies, encouraging beneficiaries to take an active role in choosing their Obras Sociales plan, and guaranteeing that all plans afford the basic benefits package of main services, diagnoses, and treatments for subscriber and dependants (PMO) as required by law. Benefits for primary and secondary care have a small co-payment (US$ 5 or US$10 for doctor's visits) but in-patient care and complex surgery/ procedures are free of charge. There is a 50% cover for drugs.

These Obras Sociales used to be linked to economic activities. Therefore each industry had its own OS as they vary in their level of quality of service and their services depend on salary scales and contributions. Nowadays members can choose any OS if they deem it to provide better care. By law, OS are not allowed to impose waiting periods, pre-existing conditions or exclusions. There are approximately 260 Obras Sociales providing care to 16 million members.

There are also Obras Sociales not associated to trade unions which offer care to middle and senior management who earn over US$2,000 monthly. These OS are financed like regular OS. The difference lies in the quality of service due to higher revenues. There are 24 institutions of this type in Argentina covering approximately 950,000 members. They have the same obligations as the trade union OS.

Except for those included under special programmes, the public sub-sector does not cover drugs for out-patient care. The public sub-sector of Obras Sociales plans defray a percentage of members' drug costs and fully subsidise all the uncommon, high-cost drugs included in the PMO (Plan Medico Obligatorio).

Pre-paid medicine companies also cover 50% of beneficiaries' drug costs. It is estimated that 8% of the population covered by the OS would also contribute to Pre-paid (PP) medicine. Pre-paid companies amount to 2,200.000 beneficiaries and operate very much any company providing private health insurance.

The only institution, which provides health care for the retired/elderly, is PAMIs, which are privately owned but managed by the government. The level of care and financing is inadequate. Pamis cover approximately 4,500.000 people.
In 1992 there was an average of only one physician for every 367 residents, and a ratio of 1 nurse for every 4 physicians and 5.4 nurses per 10,000 of the population, levels in this category were also considered insufficient. In 1999 there were 24.9 physicians for 10,000 of the population.

The number of available beds was 1,55.749 in 1995, with 54% in the public sub-sector, 2.8% in the Obras Sociales sub-sector, 43% in the private sub-sector. In 1996 there were 824 self'- managing public hospitals, offering a total of 62,402 beds (almost 75.3% of the country's public beds). In 1999 there were 44.8 hospital beds per 1,000 of the population.

In the private sub-sector, the two main subgroups are: professionals who provide independent care services to members of Obras Sociales or private, pre-paid plans; and health care facilities that are contracted by Obras Sociales plans.

Argentina health is not administered as insurance, as is the case with most foreign countries.

Pre-paid medical insurance originated as cover for independent workers. The popular perception is that pre-paid medicine rates very highly, as everybody would like to afford a particular plan. Pre-paid cover has a higher rate of usage than Obras Sociales and the Pre-paid client demands good service and is not willing to pay co-payments. PPs do not need sanction from any government body to operate; they exist to satisfy supply and demand.

Regarding outside cover, there is an international network only for emergencies providing free-of- charge care for accidents and for not pre-existing conditions for up to 180 days abroad. It includes repatriation of mortal remains due to accidental death. There are various plans on offer.

Expatriates are not covered unless they choose one of the pre-paid institutions. The level of care and quality is similar to that in their home countries.

DIRECTORY OF HOSPITALS & CLINICS

Clinica Bessone
Paunero 1648/86
San Miguel
Argentina
Tel: + 54 381 4667 2040

Clinica Del Sol
Av Coronel Diaz 2211
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Tel: + 54 11 4821 1000

Hospital Aleman
Av. Pueyrredon 1640
Buenos Aires
1118
Argentina
Tel: + 54 11 4821 1700
Fax: + 54 11 4805 6087
Email: mterrera@hospitalaleman.com
Website: www.hospitalaleman.com

Read the whole list of hospitals on Allo' Expat Argentina.

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team is the national football team of Argentina and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Argentina has won most international titles by any national team - 19, a record shared with Uruguay.

Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams in the world, and is currently eighth in the FIFA world rankings. The team has twice won the FIFA World Cup, in 1978 and 1986. Argentina has won the Copa América 14 times, a record shared with Uruguay, won the Confederations Cup in 1992 and the Olympic Football Tournament in 2004 and 2008.

Argentina and France are the only national teams which have won the three most important men's titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympic tournament. They have both also won their respective continental championship (Copa América for Argentina, and UEFA European Football Championship for France).

Keep reading about Argentina's football league on Wikipedia.

Eating is a daily pleasure

By Dereck Foster

Eating is a daily act of necessity that we all practice — well, almost all, unfortunately — to a greater or lesser degree. In the main, we try to make our meals a pleasurable affair, and one of the aims of this column — which has been going uninterruptedly for almost 37 years — has been to make eating out as enjoyable an experience as possible.

As is fairly obvious, pleasure comes with a few conditions attached, such as novelty, quality, price and convenience, among others. This inclines the choice of who to feature and who not rather in favour of the more expensive and sophisticated sites to the almost exclusion of the more modest, less expensive eateries. Not entirely, because looking back through my files I have noted that a number — not many, I will admit — of modest restaurants unlikely to ever receive a star rating have cropped up with a certain frequency. Indeed, one choice of mine, a truly down to earth, basic neighbourhood recommendation of mine was the cause of my becoming acquainted with whom is now my friend Harry.

Harry and then Herald editor Bob Cox visited La Cancha (in La Boca) and Harry declared it one of the worst experiences he had ever suffered. Bob Cox, however, published the column without comment — and against Harry’s will — demonstrating what a great editor he was (and how Harry can sometimes miss the mark).

Sometimes, I meet with people who tell me they read my column for pleasure (I appreciate that very much), but that I write about places too expensive for them to visit.

I tend to agree up to a certain point, and I must confess that there are in BA a number of simple, no-frills places that also offer better than expected meals. Today, I will scrape up a few which I think fit this description, hoping that some hungry readers maydiscover somethingmore inline with their concept of price and pleasure.

Read more on Buenos Aires Herald.

Keeping Fit in Buenos Aires!

How to eat right, fit exercise into your day and avoid the foreigner 15

Arriving in Buenos Aires can be like arriving as a freshman to college. Promises of big parties, all night affairs and schmorgasborg-style eating that seem too good to be true eventually become reality. It’s all fun and games until somebody puts on 25 pounds. Here are a few ideas to help you enjoy Buenos Aires without needing to buy overpriced new jeans because you popped the zipper on your old ones.

How to eat cow and not look like one!
Buenos Aires cuisine is delicious, but really fattening. From steak with all the juicy fat attached to plump empanadas to salads made of mayonnaise and potatoes, it’s hard to stay trim while enjoying the local delicacies.

Here are 10 tips on how to eat and enjoy in Buenos Aires:

1. Order lean cuts of meat, such as bife de lomo, and avoid too much choripan (chorizo sandwiches). Yes, those are chunks of fat if you were trying to convince yourself otherwise.
2. When invited to an asado, bring vegetables that are tasty when grilled, such as pumpkin, corn, sweet potato and bell peppers.
3. When invited to an asado, bring a big salad with a homemade dressing.
4. Shop at organic markets to support small organic businesses and eat healthy! My favorite is the Galpon Organico located by the Subte B Federico Lacroze at 4171 Federico Lacroze Ave. (and Corrientes Ave.) Be sure to plan ahead, though, they’re open Wed. 9am-1pm and Sat. 9am-3pm
5. Don’t order pizza or empanadas to your house – just don’t make it an option. Don’t keep the magnets on your fridge, no matter how cute the delivery boy is. If you’re craving empanadas go to Cumaná, El Sanjuanino or 1810 Cocina Regional and make it worth it!
6. Share entrees when eating out. Buenos Aires restaurants are (in)famous for their big serving sizes.
7. When you need monedas (coins) to catch the bus, go to a fruit stand and buy a few apples or bananas instead of buying an alfajor cookie at a kiosko.
8. Drink mate! Enjoy this traditional tea drink that’s also a great digestivo!
9. Remember what dulce de leche is made of.
10. Order a café or cortado instead of café con leche (most cafes don’t have reduced fat milk)

Exercising porteño Style!

Porteños love to look good and stay fit. This is proven by a phenomenon I call “that hot chick turned around and she had the face of a 70-year-old.” You’ll be walking down the street and spot a trendy looking young girl from behind. She’s trim and has all the right accessories. She looks like she was born on a Stairmaster and has beautiful shiny hair. All of a sudden, girlfriend turns around. The combination of wrinkles and botox is shocking, but damn! She takes good care of her body. She fills me with hope for the future and a desire to work out.

The men and women of Buenos Aires are very concerned with their appearance, take pride in their bodies and thanks to them, Buenos Aires is full of gyms.

From mega-fashion Megatlon to the rinky-dink Average Joe’s style gym, everyone can find one that fits their style. My style was the overpriced Sport Club (190 pesos per month) until I decided I’d never achieve the buns of the girl with the steal tush implants, so now I’m heading to the dive gym on the corner (65 pesos a month). Most gyms that have a pool are slightly more expensive. Just splurge during summer months. Don’t pay for the pool access during winter, you won’t use it. Those looking JUST to use the pool can also sign up for exclusive pool use at many gyms.

Tip: Many big gyms have “promotional plans” where if you pay with a debit or credit card you have a reduced price. Any special like this has a catch, so always read your contract carefully. I learned this lesson when I signed up at Sport Club a few months ago. Instead of the regular 350 peso a month membership I signed up for the 190 peso a month deal. Soon I realized it wasn’t for me and when I went to quit, the manager said that my contact was for 12 months and to quit I’d have to pay 2-months worth of membership. Turns out, if you drag it out enough, use the word abogado (lawyer) and one other reasonable excuse they’ll waive the fee. This isn’t a country where taking someone to court is a solution, so don’t give up all your money at first. Quitting the gym shouldn’t be an express kidnapping.

Finish reading this usefull article on LandingPad BA.

J'apprends l'espagnol !

Ça suffit les folies. Je me mets sérieusement à l’étude de l’espagnol. Depuis le temps que je reporte ce projet aux calendes grecques !

Il faut dire que je m’obstinais à vouloir d’abord maîtriser le chinois (OK, « maîtriser » est peut-être un peu ambitieux… lol). Mais même après un an et demi d’immersion et environ trois mois de leçons intensives, je n’arrive toujours pas à soutenir une conversation dans la langue de Mao (par contre, si vous voyagez un jour avec moi en Chine, je pourrai vous éviter l'humiliation de devoir mimer une poule ou un poisson au resto pour vous nourrir !).

Comme j’ai besoin d’un coup de pied au bon endroit pour entreprendre un projet personnel de cette envergure, je m’en suis auto-infligé un en m’organisant un voyage éclair (cinq grosses journées !) à Buenos Aires. Je pars samedi. J’ai trouvé ce qui me semble être la meilleure manière de me faire entrer quelques notions de base dans le crâne : Bueno, entonces…

Ces 30 leçons d’espagnol peuvent être visionnées à l’aide d’un ordinateur, d’un Blackberry, d’un iPod ou d’un iPod Touch (c’est ce dernier que j’utilise – j’ai acheté les premiers épisodes sur iTunes à 2,99$ chacun plutôt que d’acheter le cours en entier). Des DVD sont également en vente.

La publicité présente Bueno, entonces... comme « the Grand Theft Auto of Spanish Classes ». Plus proche de la série pour ados que du cours magistral, on me promet même quelques gros mots ! Le ton des extraits visionnés me rappelle vaguement celui de L'Auberge espagnole (probablement à cause du personnage masculin, un Anglais qui a une certaine parenté avec William, incarné par Kevin Bishop). Les cours se déroulent toutefois dans la capitale de l'Argentine.

Je n'aurai probablement pas beaucoup de temps pour « étudier » avant mon départ, mais tant pis : les 17 h passées dans l'avion et à l'aéroport de Toronto seront bien rentabilisées ! Pas le choix : les travaux pratiques débuteront dès mon arrivée. Je vous en reparle…

P.S. : Au cas où mon cerveau afficherait les mêmes messages que mon ordinateur en ce moment (« mémoire pleine » !), j’ai aussi téléchargé deux applications de traduction… ;-)

Read more reviews about Bueno, entonces... on En Transit.

Glaciar Perito Moreno, Argentina falling down. It's awesome!

Watch more of these videos on Youtube.

Argentinian Traditional Food

El asado (The Barbecue)

Without doubt, what characterizes us is what we call “asado” (Barbecue). It can be cooked in different ways:Grilled: it uses vegetal charcoal for its baking. Cooking time is around one hour and a half or two. Generally, small cuts to medium are preferred and it is possible to eat it along with achuras (offals) and other cuts like chicken, pig, etc.

A Barbecue can be made al “asador”. In this case a fire is made on the ground or in a fire pit and surrounded by metal crosses of around 1, 30 mts (asadores) that hold the entire carcass of an animal splayed open to receive the heat from the fire. Generally this style is used for cuts of meat of about 10 kg and its baking is made with wood since the metal crosses are placed at 45 degrees on the fire and is the heat of the flame which cooks it. Cooking time is of 5 hours approximately. It is begun to cook on the side of the bones for three hours and a half, after this, it is turned over, to cook the fat side.

Learn more about te Argentine Asado on visitargentina-arg.blogspot

Estancia Tour - Gaucho Party

Our trip steers outside the city.
As we are going, the landscape stars changing.
The plain and plateau gain an important place. We are in the PAMPEAN region.
During the trip, our tourist guides will give you the most important details about the Gaucho life until we arrive to the Ranch.
The gauchos will receive us with a warm and polite welcome to their RANCH.
Following the arrival they will give us empanadas (a typical Argentine meal) juices and local wines.
You can ride horses and enjoy a ride in a colonial carriage.
At midday we will have a delicious lunch based on “RANCH TRADITIONAL BARBECUE” with a wide variety of salads.
The lunch includes sodas, water, beer and wine for free. During the meal, a folkloric show with the most attractive dances of the region will take place.
During the afternoon, you will see spectacular demonstrations: ring races and troop rides.
To conclude this trip they will invite us with a typical afternoon meal based on pies and mate.
AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY TO ENJOY THE GAUCHO LIFE !!!

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Gaucho Tipical dance

Read more on Buenos Aires Times.

GeoCulture - Argentina video

See more videos on Youtube.

Bueno, entonces... Spanish Class 9

More videos of Bueno, entonces... on Youtube.

Nightlife Etiquette in Buenos Aires

A night on the town in Buenos Aires is reliably fun-filled. But before heading out for your first night, here are a few guidelines to ensure that you enjoy the night as thoroughly as possible:

Don’t plan on arriving to a club before 2am. Although this is typically when bars and clubs close for the night in other countries, dance clubs typically don’t begin to get busy before this time in Buenos Aires.

Don’t balk at having to pay a cover charge (entrada) at major bars and clubs here in Buenos Aires. Often these charges will come with a free drink or two (consumisión).

Don’t hesitate to immediately hop onto the dance floor and start shakin’ that thang! Most visitors to dance clubs are there to dance (not just to drink). So get out there and enjoy yourself!

Tipping the bartender more than a peso or two is not standard practice in Buenos Aires. An exception to this rule, however, is a request for a stiff drink (bien fuerte or bien cargado). In these cases, be sure to be a bit more generous with your tipping.

Be aware of the fact that it is considered poor form to drink too much, especially in fancy night clubs. Sloppy drunkenness and scrappy bar fights are frowned upon entirely, and almost never occur.

Single women should be prepared to meet a myriad of interested suitors who seemingly won’t take no for an answer. Women should never hesitate to frankly tell an unwelcome on-comer to buzz off. Don’t worry, it won’t be perceived as rude.

Finish reading about it on LandingPad BA.

Music to help you Learn Spanish - El Rey (José Alfredo Jiménez)

This is the General Linguistics method to teach foreign languages in action! You'll see the lyrics of the song El Rey by Mexican singer-songwriter Joseé Alfredo Jiménez in the "Pizarra Mágica" or Magic Whiteboard and will be able to sing along.




Check out more videos to learn Spanish on Youtube.

Places you can't miss in Cordoba

1. Capilla Doméstica

The Capilla Doméstica, completed in 1644, sits directly behind the church on Caseros. Its ornate ceiling was made with cowhide stretched over a skeleton of thick taguaro cane and painted with pigments composed partially of boiled bones. Guided visits leave from inside the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.

2. Colegio Nacional de Monserrat

Next door to the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, the Colegio Nacional de Monserrat dates from 1782, though the college itself was founded in 1687 and transferred after the Jesuit expulsion. Though the interior cloisters are original, the exterior was considerably modified in 1927 by restoring architect Jaime Roca, who gave the building its present baroque flare.

3. Cripta Jesuítica

The Jesuits, at the beginning of the 18th century, built the Cripta Jesuítica. It was originally designed as a novitiate and later converted to a crypt and crematorium. Abandoned after the Jesuit expulsion, it was demolished and buried around 1829 when the city, while expanding Av Colón, knocked the roof into the subterranean naves and built over the entire structure. It remained all but forgotten until Telecom, while laying underground telephone cable in 1989, accidentally ran into it.

4. Iglesia Catedral

The construction of Córdoba's cathedral began in 1577 and dragged on for more than two centuries under several architects, including Jesuits and Franciscans, and though it lacks any sense of architectural unity, it's a beautiful structure. Crowned by a Romanesque dome, it overlooks Plaza San Martín, at Independencia and 27 de Abril. The lavish interior was painted by renowned cordobés (Córdoban) painter Emilio Caraffa.

5. Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

Designed by the Flemish Padre Philippe Lemaire, the Manzana Jesuítica Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús dates from 1645 but was not completed until 1671, with the successful execution of Lemaire's plan for a cedar roof in the form of an inverted ship's hull. Lemaire was once, unsurprisingly, a boat builder. Inside, the church's baroque altarpiece is made from carved Paraguayan cedar from Misiones province.

For more, go to Lonely Planet.

18: To the North, to the Jungle: Part 2

I got up at 7:45, before my alarm. I left my dorm and went to the hostel lounge and ate breakfast. There was no one else there. I took a couple of trips to the buffet and filled up on sweet bread and coffee.

I packed up and left and walked to the plaza to take a bus north to Puerto Iguazu. There were parents walking their kids to school, carrying their miniature backpacks for them, holding their hands.

I got to the plaza and saw the same kid as the day before. He was sipping a mate. He waved to me and raised his head. I waved back.

I sat in front of the souvenir stand and waited with some locals for the bus. I saw a man greet an old lady and give her two kisses, one on each cheek. I’d never seen that before in Argentina.

They didn’t show any movies on the four-hour ride. It was quiet and bumpy and relaxing. We drove through rolling, green countryside. We passed yerba mate factories and pine tree farms. Misiones used to be famous for its jungle. It’s got a subtropical climate. Now, most of the forests near the highway have been clear-cut, scorched.

We got into Puerto Iguazu, where the ground was orange clay, like in Georgia.

I got off the bus and walked around a few blocks looking for a hostel.

It was too late in the day to try to go to a national park and see Iguazu Falls, so I walked down through town to the river, to the Paraná. It was overcast and humid.

Down at the port of the river there’s boats that go downstream to Paraguay. Across the river is Brazil.

I walked past the port, across a creek, to a grassy corner near the bank. There was a picnic table under a tin shelter. There was a big boat rusting, grown-over, in the weeds.

Read more of this story on Dispatches from the Provinces of Argentina.

MENDOZA, The Wonderful World of Wine video

Check out more videos on Youtube.

Bueno, entonces review on Facebook

Bueno, entonces... is the best Spanish language class I've ever taken. It's engaging, lighthearted and cleverly witty style captured my attention and didn't let go.

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Disabled Travellers

Argentina is developing an industry of accesible tourism industry. There has been disabled rights legislation here since 1982, in 2002, began to implement and to improve tourist facilities for travelers with disabilities, this facilities are concentrated in big cities. Public buildings and main tourist centres access ramps or lifts, but in damage of this, some sidewalks in the city are crumbling. Only four - and five - stars hotels, offers rooms designed for disabled travelers. Hotels are renovating their structures, this is a sign that tourism for travellers with special needs is becoming a priority.

Disables travellers should visit the elegant neighbourhood of Recoleta, the fine Arts Museum, the Centro of Buenos Aires, in certain hours, some streets become crowded, and is a little difficult to pass. Fortunately, several people are ready to help.

The Famous Iguazu waterfalls are one of the national parks of maximum accessibility for disabled visitors, has access ramps in all the buildings in the complex, accessible footbridges. Tourist could take the Green Train to the Jungle which has recently been made weelchair-accessible.

In adventure, there are also adapted skiing programs for people with disabilities, with specialized instructors and equipment hire available, at Bariloche and in the mountain village of San Martín de los Andes; a city that always is optimizing its accessibility conditions and with people very hospitable. Destinations as Arrayanes, Los Glaciares, Peninsula Valdes, Tierra del Fuego and other national parks are improving their accessibility.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Miusa Mobility International USA
Telephone: (541) 343-1284 (Tel/TTY)
Fax: (541) 343-6812

MossRehab Hospital
Provides assistance of accessible-travel resources online
Telephone: (215) 456-9603
Email: staff1@mossresourcenet.org

SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality
Offers travel resources (destinations, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, access guides, and more) for people with disabilities.
Telephone: (212) 447-7284
Fax: (212) 725-8253
Email: info@sath.org

AFB American Foundation for the Blind
Offers resources for the blind or visually impaired, includes information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.
Telephone: (800) AFB-LINE or (800) 232-5463
Email: afbinfo@afb.net


SPECIALIST TRAVEL COMPANIES

Decthird
Telephone: (54) 911 4182 - 5469
Email: marcelo@decthird.com

Amapi Expeditions
Telephone: +56 9 9179365;
Email: organisation@amapiexpeditions.com

Transpdisc "Transporting People with Disabilities since 1996"
Telephone: (15) 4446-9883 (Local calls)
Telephone: (54 - 9 - 11) 4446-9883 (International calls)
E-Mail info@transpdisc.com.ar

Your Planet Ambassador Program

Description: The YouPlanet Ambassador program enables you to earn money while traveling. As a YouPlanet ambassador, you will approach hotels, restaurants and experience providers and offer them the opportunity to become partners which will enable them to reach travelers worldwide. The Partner pays a yearly fee of which you as an ambassador get a large share, transferred directly to your online e-wallet account.

By being a YouPlanet ambassador, you can travel to places around the world earning instead of spending money. With only a few sign-ups every week you will earn more than enough money to explore the world.

Highlights: We want three things with YouPlanet:

- Enable our users to earn money while they are out traveling

- Our users to have access to a great travel community where they, among other things, will be able to find updated information from smaller hotels, hostels, restaurants and experience providers

- Let these smaller hotels, hostels, restaurants, and experienced providers get online with tools they manage themselves and reach an international base of travelers that has not been accessible before.

Therefore we have created the YouPlanet ambassador program. You will get the chance to finance your trip - while you are on the road!

Qualifications: Social, English language skills

Job Types :

Marketing, Ad, PR Sales Tourism

Salary / Pay: Provision based salary - up to 60 euros per sale!

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel Independently.

For more info, visit Jobs Abroad.

Currency Converter

Use this currency converter to calculate how much your currency is valued at in any other country of the world. In some countries of South America the currency fluctuates continually (based on the value of the U.S. dollar) and residents become accustomed to using a currency converter (or checking the newspaper) daily to view the exchange rate for a particular day. In other countries the currency is more stable.

Use the currency converter at Go South Expat

Book Review: ‘Che Boludo: A Gringo’s Guide to Understanding the Argentines’

By James Bracken, Ediciones Continente, 30 pesos, 61 pages Reviewed by Stephen Page

On a recent sunny spring day, while wandering the streets of Buenos Aires, searching for a café where I could sit outside at a table and sip an espresso while looking at the passers-by (a popular Argentine custom), I detoured into a bookstore.

On the very first shelf I came to, I found a pocket-sized book titled Che Boludo, with the subtitle: A Gringo’s Guide to Understanding the Argentines.

I opened the book and discovered it was a dictionary of sorts, filled with words I had never read before. The words were contemporary Argentine slang, and the definitions were in English. “What a great find,” I thought.

After a decade of living in Argentina, I have been missing some of the slang while talking with friends, or at Sunday family get-togethers (they don’t teach Argentine slang at US universities, or in most of the Castellano classes offered in Buenos Aires). I was growing tired of repeatedly asking, “What? What does that mean?”

The title of the book translates to, “Hey Idiot!” or “Hey Buddy!” or “Hey Friend!”—depending on to whom you’re talking and your tone of voice. “Boludo” literally means “one with big testicles,’which does not mean “ballsy” or “brave,” but instead denotes a lack of cerebral functions. In Argentina, the young as well as the old use slang. You might hear an elderly man with a cane standing on the street corner waiting for the green crossing light mutter “¡miercoles!”—which translates to “shit” or “Goddamnit” or “hell”; you might hear a sophisticated woman in a fur coat call her husband’s new secretary a “puta” (whore) or a “babosa” (horny woman) even if she knows bystanders are listening to her; you might hear a teenager say to his brother, “No me hinchés las pelotas,” which means, connotatively, “don’t be a pain”—but denotatively means, well . . . you’ll have to read the book to know that one.

The book also contains drawings of the more popular hand gestures Porteños use—gestures that have risqué yet non-offensive meanings.

To read more go to The Argentine Post

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