Archive for Guest Posts
Travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina – The Wanderer’s Take on Latin America
Posted by: | CommentsAdventurer Steve Barrymore is a frequent voyager and expert on travel to South and Central America and the Caribbean. Steve blogs regularly as The Wanderer and has generously agreed to tell us a little about his favorite destinations in Latin America. Today’s post on Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the first in a series covering Steve’s top five travel cities.
Thanks for reading. -Charlie
Everyone has their favorite part of the world. Mine happens to be Latin America, which includes Mexico, Central and South America. I realize that certain cities have characteristics that may be appealing to me, but not to others. Since this is a list of MY top 5 Latin Cities, I will point out what I like about each one, and hope some of those things may appeal to you as well. – Steve Barrymore
Buenos Aires, Argentina: “BA” has many times been referred to as the “Paris of Latin America” which we certainly found to be true. There is a definite European influence in this city.
There are plenty of things to do; from trying to dodge traffic on the 12-lane Avenida 9 de Julio, to just hanging out in the sidewalk cafes while watching the people of BA hurry by. While it is a large city, it is also great walking city. On the streets you get a sense of that “flirty, romantic” Latin flair. I suppose the influence of the Tango may have something to do with that feeling.
BA has plenty of chic shopping areas such as Avenida Florida and the Recoleta neighborhood. It also enjoys a “Broadway connection” because of the famous story of Eva Peron in “Evita.” Her grave in Recoleta Cemetery happens to be a very popular tourist site.
BA has great restaurants. If you enjoy beef, then this is the place for you. If you enjoy any other type of food, then this is still the place for you.
If you want to escape the hustle-bustle of the city, the sleepy little town of Colonia, Uruguay, is just an hour or so boat ride across the Rio de la Plata.
If you want Europe without the time difference then Buenos Aires may very well be a great place for you to visit.
Galway Gab: House Hotel Highly Heralded
Posted by: | CommentsFriends and fellow travelers Jeff and Lee Lavender recently returned from a travel trip to the Emerald Isle. They raved about a little accommodation, The House Hotel, in Galway, Ireland, and have kindly agreed to share the details of their find. Jeff’s review is below:
The House Hotel in Galway was a breath of fresh air. As soon as we walked through the front door, we were greeted by the concierge who called us by name and made us comfortable as she checked us in. As the concierge visited with Lee about Galway’s tourist highlights, I noticed a whimsical decor and an interesting cat motif. A sign pointing to the room was decorated with a picture of a sleeping cat. The restaurant’s sign had an eating cat and you can only imagine what the cat on the bathroom sign was doing.
Our “mack daddy” suite was large, nicely furnished and included internet access on a large flat screen TV. The suite’s bathroom was fully equipped and very nice.
Although the rooms and common areas were very nice, the true gem of this hotel was the attention to service. The staff were always willing to act as travel guide and help us plan our day, often taking it upon themselves to make our travel arrangements personally. To top it off, they absolutely refused my attempts to slip them some green for their special attention. They would not accept a thing.
Needless to say, we highly recommend the House Hotel and will stay here the next time we travel to Galway.
Frequent voyagers, Jeff and Lee travel to destinations both far and near. Expect to hear from them often.
