General Information about Argentina, followed by shots of Andes mountain resort towns

ARGENTINA. POPULATION: 37 MILLION


AREA:Continental 2,791,810 km2-among the world's largest

TOTAL incl. islands & claimed Antarctic land: 3,761,274 km2

LANGUAGE: SPANISH..........RELIGION: ROMAN CATHOLIC
CAPITAL: BUENOS AIRES...Average p/capita Income US$ 8,030
----------------------------------------------------------
LAS LEÑAS


SAN MARTÍN DE LOS ANDES Y CHAPELCO




VISTAS DEL LAGO LÁCAR - S.MARTIN DE LOS ANDES





VILLA LA ANGOSTURA (ENTRE BARILOCHE & S.MARTIN)

SKI MAP - ARGENTINA

-------------------------------------------------------------

Bariloche fascina pela variedade de paisagens, as atividades de inverno e de verão nos lagos, e na infra-estrutura turística e desenvolvimento da cidade que se aperfeiçoa há décadas. Tudo isso provoca prazer no contato dos visitantes com o clima inóspito dos picos gelados, que se dão a conhecer por meio de teleféricos, trenós, pistas de esqui, motos e calçados especiais para caminhadas.

Para turistas brasileiros, a cidade fundada por imigrantes europeus em 1902 pode ser o caminho mais próximo rumo às paisagens de neve farta, cujo acúmulo se prolonga por meses. Em San Carlos de Bariloche, as temperaturas abaixo de 10 graus Celsius se iniciam ainda em abril, e a temporada para esportes na neve segue até setembro ou outubro. Com os termômetros marcando entre 5 graus positivos e 10 graus negativos, o branco das montanhas custa a derreter. Mesmo no verão as noites são frias, com a vantagem da luz solar até 22h.

A face invernal é apenas a mais divulgada, não a única. Na primavera e verão a natureza vai trocando de cor aos poucos: se impõem o azul do céu e o verde das árvores, refletidos em águas cristalinas, em contraste com picos ainda brancos de neve. Caminhadas nos parques, na comprida avenida Bustillo e expedições de barco ficam mais aprazíveis. O rafting nas corredeiras do Rio Manso permite o choque térmico do mergulho em água gelada sob o sol fortíssimo, em meio a paredões de verde profundo.

No Natal, a decoração da lareira, as vestes de veludo vermelho de Papai Noel e o sonho das renas chegando de trenó fazem sentido... A temperatura média no verão é de 18 graus Celsius, com mínimas de 9 graus, ou seja, há frio suficiente para pedir fondue. Longe de Buenos Aires, mais de 1.600 km ao sul da capital, Bariloche é também ponto de partida para cenários ainda mais selvagens e singulares, como a isolada Península Valdez, a leste, no Oceano Atlântico, com suas colônias de pingüins, elefantes-marinhos e lobos marinhos, ou as geleiras de Perito Moreno, no extremo-sul do país.

ARGENTINA'S RIVIERA: MAR DEL PLATA & BEACHES FROM PINAMAR TO NECOCHEA

MAR DEL PLATA'S CENTER IN BACKGROUND


THE NEW SHERATON HOTEL-MY LAST STAY



AT THE SPA:

Mar del Plata - Argentina's Princess of the Sea/Princesa do Mar

OS COMENTÁRIOS APARECEM SÓ EM INGLÊS, MAS VEJA AS FOTOS. SE NÃO ABRIREM, CLIQUEM NO "REFRESH/ATUALIZAR" OU CLIQUEM 2X NA AREA DA FOTO NÃO EXIBIDA.

Mar del Plata was Argentina's first seaside resort, originally for the wealthy only. The Central Square with its elegant "Belle Époque" style Hotel and the Casino next to it in similar architecture attest to Mar del Plata's origins. In the early 20th Century -the time the resort was envisioned and built as a planned city, Argentina was one of the world's 4th or 5th richest countries.

As the Peronists came to power, Mar del Plata gained middle class and working class areas. Since the economy was so good, the middle class could afford elaborate summer apartments and beautiful beach chalets there, while the unions and syndicates built resorts for their workers' summer holidays there. At that time, actually up to the 1970s, the working class had a full month paid vacation with a beach apartment in Mar del Plata either in January or February also thrown in.

To the south, more middle class seaside towns like Necochea sprang up, and to the north, very exclusive "Hamptons" style communities were built, like Pinamar - still THE place for the richest Argentinians. Pinamar boasts summer palaces as sumptious as any place in the world. And it remains the premier spot for "Beverly Hills" type villas, unless the Argentinian family opts for Punta del Este- which is Uruguay, but practically part of Argentina.

Nevertheless, Mar del Plata remained in the middle of this resort area and is Argentina's Princess of the Sea. Many families that no longer would have the means of having the luxury of a beach home or apartment for two months out of the year, still have apartments and homes there.

After a period of decline, accompanying Argentina's decline as a country, Mar del Plata came back strong in the 1990s during the eleven year parity of the Peso to the US Dollar. Beautiful new villas, hotels, like the stunning SHERATON (above) with its wonderful golf course, were built, and infrastructure improved greatly - though the airport had already been redone for the 1978 Soccer World Cup held in Argentina, with Mar del Plata as one of the host cities. I recommend it for the European character of the place - a resort which resembles a North Sea Beach Resort with cool if not right ouit cold temperatures even in summer. January and February - the only two months of beach activity enjoy high temperatures rarely above 26C or 78F, and evenings average 12c or 48-50 Fahrenheit.

So, it's a cold summer beach resort in "usually tropical" South America. A very interesting place any time of year now, as non-beach activities have been added, a new Congress and Convention Center too; in fact, it has hosted important international summits lately. MDP is 400km (248 miles) South of Buenos Aires, and remains Argentina's most popular beach resort. It is a sleepy coastal town until mid-December when Porteños flock here (see above shot) through March for their summer vacation

Although not as luxurious as Uruguay's Punta del Este -- the beach favorite of many jet-setting Argentines -- Mar del Plata is closer to Buenos Aires and far cheaper to stay in. Its long, windy coastline offers crowded, tan-bodied beaches and quieter seaside coves as well as beautiful landscapes farther inland leading to the edge of the grassy Pampas. Within Mar del Plata, a number of high-rise developments, products of the Perón era, have sadly replaced much of the city's earlier charm.

However, some of the magnificent Frenchstyle residences, which housed Argentina's summer elites in the early 20th century, have been meticulously preserved as museums. Mar del Plata offers excellent nightlife in summer, when independent theater companies from Buenos Aires travel to this seaside resort and nightclubs open their doors to passionate Latin partygoers.

The months of December, January, and February are the most crowded, wild, and expensive for visiting. In March families with children and retired couples on vacation make up the bulk of visitors, taking advantage of a more relaxed atmosphere as well as a slight reduction in prices.

Many hotels and restaurants remain open year-round and though the weather is chillier, you will find people vacationing here on weekends and especially all through - since all sort of activities are planned for Argentina's Winter Vacation month of July, including children's activities, adult club parties, and fre shows as the one featuring Gloria Gaynor & top Argentine bands presented by soccer-star Maradona my last time in Mar del Plata.

BELOW ARE THE SHERATON'S RESTAURANTS

POPULAR WITH FAMILIES EVEN IN WINTER

Buenos Aires -S.America's Big Apple

Buenos Aires -S.America's Big Apple Nota em português com explicação da situação atual da Argentina

PARA ENTENDER A ARGENTINA

Um colega brasileiro me perguntou como um país com fartura de terras, petróleo, gás e alimentos, com uma população educada, ganhador de cinco prêmios Nobel, que em 1930 era a sexta maior economia do planeta, pôde nos últimos cinqüenta anos dilapidar sua riqueza. Para explicar, tomarei emprestado um exemplo: coloque vários ratos numa gaiola ampla e confortável, dê a eles alimento em excesso durante algum tempo e então, progressivamente, vá reduzindo o tamanho da gaiola e a quantidade de alimento. Não vai demorar para que demonstrem irritação e comecem a agredir uns aos outros, ainda que a comida seja suficiente para todos.

Avenida 9 de julio ........Hotel Savoy


Na primeira metade do século XX, enquanto o Hemisfério Norte consumia sua energia em guerras, a riqueza argentina foi enorme e inesgotável. A Europa exportava para a Argentina trabalhadores saudáveis, bem alimentados e treinados e, ao mesmo tempo, importava os alimentos que esses trabalhadores produziam. Quando as guerras terminaram no Hemisfério Norte e a Europa começou a produzir o próprio alimento, os argentinos não se preocuparam. Acreditavam que, ao contrário do petróleo, as exportações de alimentos nunca teriam fim.

Ocorreu o inverso: graças ao aumento da produtividade trazido pela tecnologia, somado à baixa da taxa de natalidade, a produção mundial de alimentos per capita aumentou, reduzindo o preço desse produto de maneira constante.A fonte do rápido empobrecimento foi o rápido enriquecimento anterior: os ratos argentinos tinham tantos recursos disponíveis que não tentaram encontrar alternativas.Outro paradoxo: o desenvolvimento capitalista das nações é diretamente proporcional ao desenvolvimento educativo de sua população.

A Argentina deveria ter crescido, portanto, mais que o Brasil e qualquer outro país emergente. Por que isso não ocorreu?Nesse caso, a ordem dos fatores altera o produto. Ou seja, o desenvolvimento educacional é uma conseqüência natural do econômico (os países ricos podem investir mais em educação). Mas o desenvolvimento educacional não garante o econômico.A Argentina tem uma população bem-educada por ter sido um país rico no passado.

Essa gente, superqualificada para o diminuto papel que hoje a Argentina tem no comércio internacional, deixou de ser uma vantagem: são milhões de frustrados, que esperam mais do que o país pode oferecer. A escola pública, criada quando a Argentina era a sexta potência global, ensinou a seus alunos que o país era uma potência mundial da qual se podiam esperar os melhores frutos.

A autopercepção dos argentinos não é a de viverem em um país subdesenvolvido, mas a de que são cidadãos do Primeiro Mundo, aspiração que não se ajusta à realidade. A solução é aceitar que aquela Argentina pré-1950 não existe mais. A conversão de 1 peso em 1 dólar não foi só uma ferramenta econômica. Representou também um símbolo emocional de igualdade com os países mais poderosos – e nisso residia sua enorme popularidade.

O abandono da paridade foi a abdicação desse sonho e o começo de uma Argentina mais realista, mais humilde e, talvez, no futuro, até mais bem-sucedida. O presidente Duhalde, quando disse aos empresários argentinos "vocês todos estão quebrados, o país está quebrado", provavelmente tinha lido a recomendação de Confúcio de como servir com lealdade ao soberano (o povo): "Diga-lhe a verdade! Ainda que se ofenda".

PUERTO MADERO acima; e também visto do ar:

Atrium:Hotel Hilton-Puerto Madero

Is it the Paris of the South, or is Paris the Buenos Aires of the north?

The National Congress

------------------------------------------------
Avenida Nueve de Julio

SOUTH AMERICA'S BIG APPLE!

One of the Western World's greatest cities along with New York, Paris, London & perhaps a few others, Buenos Aires remains the queen of cities in the Americas. New York is still king to most people, of course. But Buenos Aires is really unique, and more European than New York City. It combines European style elegance with the positive chaotic character of a Latin metropolis, adding North American ammenities and conveniences.

Since 2002, it is one of the cheapest of the world's great capitals to visit, and the quality doesn't suffer, nor is it lacking. The food is excellent, and not just the beef they are famous for, nor the Italian food which competes with beef as the main cuisine. And eating, or drinking coffee, or tea at the sophisticated "confiterías" is one of the "Porteños" (residents of BA) favorite pastimes. As far as transportation, Buenos Aires has one of the oldest subway systems in the world, opened in the early 1910s. Also from that period is another one of BA's architectural masterpieces: the TEATRO COLÓN (below).

I don't recommend driving there unless you know your way around. Traffic is hectic, and driving there is an art all on to itself, with its own rules. However, a ride in a taxi may be one of your memorable expriences from B.A., especially if you speak Spanish. They are usually quite chatty, and share their varied, sometimes outrageous views and philosophy of life if asked. The ride itself is also quite a thrill.


The architecture is magnificent, even though much of the incredible buildings built in the "Rich as an Argentine Days" were torn down for apartment and office buildings. At least, most of these mid rises are also attractive, if modern. And the truly high skyscrapers are concentrated in one area (the Catalinas Sur/Puerto Madero area), which is also a highly recommendable entertainment and dining area.

THE PUERTO MADERO AREA

Tourists mostly concentrate in the so-called Micro Centro (criscrossed by the pedestrian only streets Florida and La Valle). But I prefer to stay on the other side of Nueve de Julio - in the quadrant between that grand boulevard and Callao or even Pueyrredón on one side, and between the Riverfront Boulevard and Corrientes, or even Avenida de Mayo (the Government District) on the other. The "Casa Rosada appears below:

THE BARRIO NORTE, which includes part of Retiro, Palermo Chico and Recoleta, is roughly the area between Avenida Santa Fé and the Riverside Boulevard - Além or del Libertador (its name changes 2 or 3 times). This is where the upper middle classes and upper classes live, and where you can experience their everyday life, and not the touristy and financial areas in the Micro Centro.

Besides Puerto Madero, Retiro, Recoleta, and Palermo Chico, don't miss Palermo Viejo (a/k/a Palermo SoHo), Palermo Hollywood(on the other side of the commuter train tracks; its name derived from the concentration of TV stations and film studios there), San Telmo (the tango neighborhood with its famous Sunday market). Palermo Park and adjacent rises appear below:

The evening an dining hotspot of the moment is "Las Cañitas" - at the end of Palermo sandwiched in by horsetracks and polo fields, roughly between Córdoba and Santa Fé Avenues. This has become since the late 90s THE place to eat, having replaced "Recoleta" as the major gastronomic point. ... Below you'll see shots (the terrace, living & dining areas & bedroom) of an apartment I've rented on a weekly & bi-weekly basis in RECOLETA, on Pacheco de Melo Street between Junín and Uriburu:




Night life is fantastic. The city is really a 24 hour metropolis. People eat late, up to 1 AM. No club or dance bar opens before 1 AM in the morning, sometimes 2 AM, but only get going until 3 AM. For that reason, Porteños usually take a nap between 7 and 10 PM before they go out on Friday and Saturday nights. The late sunrises in Buenos Aires (in winter, it can be pitch black at 830AM) help stretch pout the night even more. It's an unbelievable destination, an incredibly vibrant city, which no world traveler can miss!

"El Ateneo" Bookstore above & Florida Street below:

June 2005 & July/August 2007