Mi Argentina y Uruguay Side Trip was Excepcional!
Argentina and Uruguay were on my radar from the moment I considered this year long journey, and they didn’t disappoint. I arrived in Buenos Aires last Thursday to sunny, clear blue skies and a mild 75º. Within a couple of hours of walking the streets, I had fallen in love with the ‘Fair Winds’ city. Once again, landing and parking myself in a city center seems to be the right move.
The eye-catching neoclassical, art nouveau and art deco architecture are intermixed throughout this sprawling and most beautiful megalopolis.
And as you sift your way through broad, oversized plazas, you’re awakened by the vibrant sounds of a fast-paced society. The only exception to that were the long lines of people patiently waiting their turn to board the endless stream of buses pulling in and out of ‘stop & depart’ points on main thoroughfares.
The Obelisk of Buenos Aires, which was erected in 1936 to commemorate the quadricentennial of the city’s founding, and Avenida de Mayo, were my markers that faithfully guided me back to my hotel at the end of each day. For the most part, the city center is on a grid, making it very easy to navigate. A subway, multiple bus lines and an embarrassingly large number of taxis provide more than ample transportation for tourists and the locals.
Saturday morning, I boarded a ferry in Buenos Aires and crossed the Rio de la Plata to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay for a one day trip. The river is arguably the widest in the world, however, we crossed at the narrowest points between the two countries. The boat ride lasted a little over an hour. Once there, I went on a guided tour and had approximately six hours on my own to walk the city streets. This is a Portuguese settlement founded in 1680. It was a short, pleasant and informative trip. I must come back and take more time to visit Montevideo, the capital city.
TRAVEL TIPS
Just one of the hazards of being on the upper deck of a Hop On Hop Off Bus. As this couple found out, there is no guarantee you won’t be ‘tree slapped’ along the way.
Normally, I would start out my first day in a foreign land by streetwalking for hours… and for miles. On day one, I was compelled to change that strategy since I only had four days to cover two countries.
When time is limited, a ‘Hop On Hop Off’ bus is a good option. $26 U.S. got me a 24 hour pass. On this day, I rode for eight hours to catch some highlights of Buenos Aires. The three HO-HO bus lines (green, blue, red) that run through this city, intersect at some point, making it relatively easy to transfer to the parts of town the bus company lines cover in a day.
If you have more time than I did, and you want to visit a museum or spend an afternoon in a specific location, then purchase the 48 or 72 hour option. You usually get a nice break on the per day cost. If the buses are running on time, you won’t have to wait more than 20 minutes for one to come by at any designated stop.
Whenever a large number of people depart the bus at a specific stop, I’ll join them to see what all the fuss is about. I wasn’t disappointed when I landed in one of Buenos Aires’ most coveted parts of town, Caminito! I spent more than an hour watching and recording tango dancers, looking over the vendors’ goods and gawking at the vibrant, colorful buildings. After getting my fill of freshly squeezed juice, I hopped on the next bus.
BY THE WAY…
I spent $450 U.S. on this four day adventure, and it was worth every penny… peso (when converted)! $168 U.S. for airfare, $130 for a three night stay. Yes, that’s right… and in a nice hotel two blocks from one of the main arteries. $150 covered the cost of all transportation and food, which included two NY cut steak dinners with potatoes, zucchini, bread and a Stella Artois for under $13 each. That didn’t include the tip. Ridiculously cheap! Incredibly tasty! I will be back!
