A New Year’s Eve To (try and) Remember!

It is nearly New Year’s Eve and you want to enjoy it like an Argentinean in Buenos Aires. We are here to help and to make sure everyone is having a great time...Argentinean style!

One, Two, Three….Floor:
Begin the New Year as you mean to go on! Here is a guide to the most popular drinks in Argentina. Remember to buy your alcohol before Saturday as many shops will be closed on New Year’s Eve.

• Champagne & Speed: This combination still amazes us…mixing a nice bottle of champagne with a can of Speed (energy drink) is an Argentine tradition seen in clubs throughout Buenos Aires. Give it a try though before you turn your nose up at it, the combination somehow works and will leave you buzzing and ready to party your way into the New Year.

•  Fernet & Cola: An acquired taste but one you must try nonetheless. The drink originates from Milan but has become part of the Argentine culture and trying the drink will transform you into an honorary Argentinean. When you first try the dark, thick drink it has an interesting flavour to say the least. The flavour of Fernet can be described as a mix of cough medicine, crushed plants, tobacco and bitter mud. However, the drink is transformed once mixed with Cola which gets rid of the bitterness and makes this into a drink you can actually enjoy. In general, it is also one of the cheaper drinks in the clubs and there are usually offers on a Fernet & Cola.

•  Quilmes: The one litre bottles cost around AR$6 from a supermarket and the beer is a national symbol. Quilmes is light and refreshing and is perfect to enjoy on a warm summer’s evening. Don’t forget to keep your empty bottles which you can take back to the shops and exchange them for money off another bottle of beer!

•  Malbec Wine: As much as part of the Argentine culture as tango or football, wine in Argentina is taken very seriously and Malbec wine is the pride of Argentina. Most of the wine is produced in Mendoza, but enjoy the best of Argentina with its smooth and pleasurable taste in Buenos Aires. Turn it up, I love this one!

Whilst in Buenos Aires, you will notice that the music in the club suddenly changes to Argentinean and Latin American music at around 2.30 – 3am. If you seem lost, don’t worry, here are a few songs for you to familiarise yourself with in order to enjoy some of the Latin beats of cumbia US and Reggaeton:

    •    Grupo Play - Llora, me llama
    •    Tito el Bambino - Mi cama huele a ti
    •    Gusttavo Lima - Balada Boa
    •    Chino y Nacho - Mi niña bonita letra
    •    Daddy Yankee - La Despedida
    •    Don Omar - Danza Kuduro
    •    Michael Telo - Ai se eu te pego (Summer Hit in South America)

Have a great and safe New Year’s Eve and remember to drink responsibly so that you can take full advantage of the quietness and beautiful weather on New Year’s Day in Buenos Aires!

If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

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Where to dance and what to drink: Buenos Aires New Year's 2012

As the Porteños move to the coast from Buenos Aires for their summer holidays, the city becomes calm and free to explore. Here’s a helping hand to aid your New Year’s Eve celebrations.

A to B isn’t as easy as the ABC
If you are travelling from the airport to Buenos Aires, the best option available is to take a transfer. However, the price is likely to be double the normal transfer rate when travelling on the 31st December and the 1st January. The same price increases apply to taxis which are extremely hard to find between 8pm and 2am on New Year’s Eve so, make sure you book your taxi or any private transfer the day before.  Ask for help from your hotel, or, if you have the Spanish, call one of the city’s Radio taxi services such as, Taxi Alo ((Tel: (+54) 4857 1111)). Alternatively, pack some comfortable shoes and take a nice stroll from your New Year’s Eve celebrations to your accommodation.

Receive New Year’s with the rhythm of the 2x4
 Welcome in 2012 by going to see a special New Year’s tango show at a tango house of your choice. If you buy a tango show with BsAs4u you will get a FREE classic city tour and a transfer from the Ezeiza International Airport or the Aeroparque to your accommodation. Continuing on the festive spirit, customers will be entered into a raffle to win an exclusive helicopter ride in Buenos Aires. 

Start as you mean to go on

Party like a Porteño would if he/she were in the city. Some clubs are open on New Year’s Eve with two of the biggest parties at Niceto Club and CroBar. The clubs will not be open until about 1am so, head to one of the plazas or to Puerto Madero (http://www.bsas4u.com/top10buenosairesplacestovisitandhotspots.php) for your previa (pre-party) so that you can see the fireworks go off around the city at midnight.

Niceto Club (Niceto Vega 5510) – Tickets cost AR$60 and can be bought in advance on Ticketek. For more information email: fiesta@pisocompartido.com.ar

CroBar (Marcelo Freyre, Paseo de la Infanta) – There will be a special performance by Sander van Doorn. Tickets are selling out quickly however, they can still be bought by calling: (+54)47781500; emailing: info@crobar.com.ar or on the Ticketek website.

Eat and drink your way into 2012
Make sure you book in advance otherwise you will not get a table at any of the restaurants. Check the local Restaurants Guide, GuiaOleo, to find the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful cuisine of Buenos Aires whilst celebrating the New Year. Search by price, location, cuisine and many other factors.

We hope you all have a Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you in Buenos Aires in 2012!

If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

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The Summer of BsAs from a Nordic Point of View

(Weather this week)

Summer in Argentina started this week (21st December 2011) meaning the start of holidays; ice-cream; sunbathing and beaches! Having immersed myself in the culture and traditions of Buenos Aires from partying at La Bomba to relaxing in Bosques de Palermo with mate, to finding those hidden treasures in Buenos Aires, my first 2 months in Buenos Aires have been unforgettable.

The summer has an average temperature of 76°F (23°C) which is reasonable however, between January and February the temperature has been known to reach 110°F (40°C), though this is apparently and I hope, rare. The killer factor is the humidity which, during the summer varies between 75% and 90%!

One of the ‘highlights’ of Buenos Aires for any traveller has got to be the ‘Subte Experience’. You need to endure at least one journey on a hot day during rush hour. The carriages are crammed full to the point that a tin of sardines have more room to move! An insider’s tip is to make sure you get under the air conditioning between the two rows of seats, this is the less cramped area and it offers ‘’fresh’’ air. Another piece of advice, if you are not in a rush to get to downtown during rush hour (in Buenos Aires it begins at 8am and ends at 10am); it is probably best to wait for a less crowded time when using public transportation.
 

During the summer, there are few days of high humidity that are usually preceded by days of storms. If you see the sky getting dark on consecutive days, start preparing your raincoats because an umbrella won’t be enough for a day or two of non-stop rain.

1/ Ateneo 2/Tigre full day Tour 3/ Mar del Plata

To escape the Buenos Aires humidity between December and March by taking refuge in some of the best places Buenos Aires has to offer:

 • Museums fill the city but I would recommend visiting, the Museum of Latin American Art (MALBA) where you can easily spend a day admiring the largest collection of modern Latin American art in the region.

• Bookstores are not usually on traveller’s must see list; however, not all bookstores are like the Ateneo Grand Splendid. Sit and relax with a drink on the old theatre stage or sit in one of the old theatre booths and read a book in one of the most jaw-dropping and beautiful building in the world.

• Shopping and fashion are highly regarded in Buenos Aires with Abasto and Alto Palermo shopping centres housing many of the big brands. Enjoy the cool air conditioning in one of the shopping centres and grab a Freddo ice-cream whilst there.

• Buenos Aires Playa: As you can see also in our previous post from last summer in Buenos Aires, on the 8th of January, the government opens artificial beaches with free access for the general public, similar to the one in the main capitals of Europe.  For more info and how to find the beaches, click here.

Floralis Genérica / Recoleta

However, if you are brave enough to venture outdoors with more clothes than a bikini, you can visit Tigre and explore the magical waterways of the delta, you can also enjoy a day on a Tigre island and practice some kayaking or take a refreshing swim in the river. Stay away from the coastal region of Mar del Plata as it becomes overrun with Porteños on their holidays. However, if you are looking for a much needed coastal breeze, visit Puerto Madero and take a walk besides the docks and then enter the Ecological Reserve and walk towards the Rio de la Plata coast.

If you are not used to high temperatures and you get heat stroke, in any public or private hospital you will receive free assistance and if you need special exams, the prices will be relatively low. However, remember your sun cream, bring a hat and drink a lot of water if you want to enjoy exploring this beautiful city and to fall in love with it as much as we have!

If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

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Festival of Lights in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires was founded and built on its rich mix of immigrant communities. Argentinean legislation encourages cultural diversity which is prevalent with their traditions; religion; language in the history and the development of this great nation. 

Argentineans are very often related with Italians and Spanish descendants mostly Catholics – and a few Muslims – but it is also well known that the Jewish immigration to Argentina played an important role in the arts, the economy and the politics of the country.  The Jewish inheritance of Buenos Aires can be clearly seen in the districts of Once and Barrio Norte, where upon visiting these districts, you will find the heart of the old and new Jewish life in Buenos Aires with many kosher restaurants; Jewish schools; kosher supermarkets and Synagogues.
 

According to the cultural freedom of worship and the anti-discrimination law of Argentina, the Jewish community in Buenos Aires is getting ready to celebrate right before Christmas. The Chanukah holiday  or Festival of Lights which this year runs from the 20th – 28th December 2011 includes many cultural events taking place across the city.

Chanukah or Januca in Spanish, aims to spread the word about the Jewish tradition, to integrate the community with the festival atmosphere of the city but also to claim Jewish rights after the tragic terrorist attacks which occurred in the past at the Israeli Embassy and AMIA a few years ago.

If you are looking to celebrate Chanukah in Buenos Aires or want to experience a Jewish festival in Buenos Aires, visit some of the top celebrations taking place across the city during Chanukah.

 • The lighting of the largest Chanukiah (Janukiah) in Buenos Aires, organised by Chabad  (Jabad), will take place on Wednesday 21st December 2011 at 20.00 in Recoleta at the Plaza Republica Oriental del Uruguay (Av. Libertador y Austria in front of the Channel 7 building). Some of the entertainment will include a performance by the Kef Orchestra and a fireworks display all of which will be shown on large screens. The event promises to be a great night and a great way to celebrate or experience the festival of Chanukah in Buenos Aires.

• Januca Urbano is a cultural festival which celebrates the major Jewish festivals and is put on by YOK, an all-inclusive Jewish organisation in Buenos Aires. During Januca Urbano you will be able to browse the Jewish artefacts on sale or taste traditional Middle-Eastern and Jewish food. The event is taking place in Plaza Palermo Viejo  on Costa Rica and Armenia.

• Want somewhere to party during Chanukah? YOK are providing a celebration of Chanukah and the festive season with an Electro party with a DJ set at Niceto Club on Saturday 24th December. It starts at 01.30 and entry will be ARS$50. The agenda of events can be seen by clicking here.

• AMIA along with the musical group, Hasambá will be providing a Chanukah celebration in AMIA’s Plaza Seca (Pasteur 633) on the 27th December at 20.00. The event will mark the lighting of the 8th and final light on the Chanukiah. Entry to the event is open and free and gives you the opportunity to celebrate with the Jewish community of Buenos Aires.

If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

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Crash course in Lunfardo

 If you have studied Spanish before or experienced other Spanish speaking cultures, you will probably notice many differences in the way Argentineans speak. In Buenos Aires, the Porteños dialect is far different from others in Argentina. 

Each area in Argentina has its own dialect and accent, but the main difference is that the residents of Buenos Aires have a slang called, lunfardo, a street language that was also adopted by other Rio de la Plata cities such as, Montevideo in Uruguay.

Lunfardo was first used by thieves as their street language; it was spoken in jails and adopted by the lower working class, alongside tango. Nowadays, it is very common to hear many of these words from people in all social circles (but not in every situation of course!). The roots of many of the words are in Italian due to the high percentage of Italian immigrants that arrived in the city during the 1800s and influenced the development of neighbourhoods such as, La Boca where most of the immigrants settled.

Ilustración Pablo Basberg

The dialect throws up many words you will never have heard of or seen before and if you want to read some tango lyrics in your spare time, it is important to grasp the art of lunfardo! Here are some useful words to help you on your way to becoming an honorary Porteño. Be careful...before you go around showing off your lunfardo skills, only use it if you know the person quite well as lunfardo can be taken to be quite rude or vulgar!

    •    Bacán – a wealthy man who looks after a woman
    •    Boliche (www.bsas4u.com/buenos-aires-crawl-p-510.html) – a disco or bar
    •    Bondi – bus
    •    Boludo – stupid (vulgar)
    •    Che – hey dude/friend
    •    Che boludo – hey stupid/hey dude (use only with friends!)
    •    Copado/a – someone or something cool
    •    Gil – Stupid/silly (pronounced as ‘hill’)
    •    Guita – money
    •    Laburar – to work (laburo is a job)
    •    Mina – woman, girl
    •    Morfar – to eat
    •    Pibe – kid, guy
    •    Pucho – cigarette
    •    Quilombo – a mess/disaster/chaotic
    •    Zafar – to barely get by

¡Che!... give it a try and build up some lunfardo sentences to find a mina or bacán in the boliche, but be careful not to get into a quilombo or to come across as gil!
Click here to see more lunfardo words.

If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

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Tips to enjoy Christmas and New Year in Buenos Aires (PART II)

Continuing on from last week’s blog on what to do in Buenos Aires for New Year’s Eve and Christmas, here are some tips on surviving and enjoying the festivities in Buenos Aires.

• As Christmas is a family celebration in Buenos Aires, the Porteños who stay in the city have dinner with their closest family and friends. Therefore, many restaurants close during Christmas’ Eve, the few that are open, only accept reservations in advance with special Christmas set menus.

 • Restaurants, bars and other travel services will either be closed or will charge you double the normal price. Therefore, make sure you have all your plans sorted before you get to Buenos Aires. Check the local Restaurants Guide, GuiaOleo to find out where to go or take advantage of the great tango show packages for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

 • Being prepared includes …transportation. Taxis are scarce between 8pm and 2am on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve so, make sure you book your taxi or any private transfer the day before.  Ask for help from your hotel’s concierge, your travel agency or, if you speak some Spanish, call one of the city’s Radio taxi services such as, Taxi Alo (Tel: 4857 1111). 

• After spending Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve with their families, the youngsters go to the night clubs or boliches which will be open later than usual. A nice option for expats and travellers is to join the Christmas and New Year’s party put on by the Buenos Aires Pub Crawl where you can party the night away!

• Booking A New Year's Tango Show with BsAs4U you will receive a Classic City Tour and a Transfer IN from the Buenos Aires Airport (Ezeiza or Aeroparque) FOR FREE

As a special new year's gift all customers will be entered into a raffle for a Helicopter tour for 2 persons that will overfly the natural beauty of Tigre at the Buenos Aires' delta of the Rio de la Plata

• Swap your thick Santa Claus outfit and beard for shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops...temperatures last year passed the 95F mark. If you plan to go out on Christmas or New Year’s night, it is recommended to leave your fashion conscious mind behind and wear comfortable shoes as you’ll probably have to walk long distances to find transportation.

• Fireworks are everywhere! In Argentina it is still legal that anyone can set off fireworks, so you can either try setting your own off or, find the best spot in your neighbourhood to see the amazing fireworks party at midnight... just make sure you watch your head!
 

• Get ready to eat a lot of Panetón, sweet bread with raisins and other dried fruits, and to drink bottles of sidra (cider) or, make sure you buy one for your Porteño friends. 
 

•  Another tradition for New Year’s in Argentina is wearing pink pants to bring you good luck for the coming year, so hurry up and get yours or give a funny/sexy present to your friends or couple.
 

• It is very common to go on a day tour the day after the parties on the 25th or the 1st. Keep the party going whilst enjoying the sunshine elsewhere on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day by taking a day trip to an estancia or spend the day in Tigre.
 
If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

Follow us on twitter @BsAs4U to know about the latest activities in Buenos Aires!

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Buenos Aires is "Empty" to Explore!

Mar del Plata

When arriving into Buenos Aires, you would normally hear the taxis horns honking as they weave in and out of the traffic and you would normally see hundreds of people rushing around the Microcentro on their way to work. This Thursday and Friday is a little different.

The 8th December is a Catholic National Holiday called the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. As this festival is non-movable, this year it falls on a Thursday meaning, the Friday is also made into a holiday known as, the National Tourists Day. The Porteños migrate to the beaches of Uruguay or the coastal region of Mar del Plata, leaving the city free for you to explore and enjoy. Here are some ideas of things to do over the extended weekend.

Sightsee around the beautiful city:
Start off at the Teatro Colón and walk down the widest avenue in the world, 9 de Julio and stop off at the impressive Obelisk. Head over to Plaza de Mayo to see the Houses of Parliament (Pink House) and end up at the graceful ‘Woman’s Bridge’ in the trendiest and most modern area of Buenos Aires, Puerto Madero. Here you can sit back and relax next to the beautiful docks. It would roughly take 40minutes to an hour to do this walking tour of the must see landmarks in Buenos Aires. Click here to see a route of your walking tour.

Things To Do over the extended weekend.1. Mar del Plata 2. Bosques de Palermo 3. MALBA

Top up that all important tan:
If you want to relax, Buenos Aires on a National Holiday is the perfect place to do this. Go to one of the many beautiful parks in Palermo such as, Bosques de Palermo or the Botanical Gardens and sit back, relax and soak up the rays. If you are going to one of the parks, make sure you don’t forget your sun cream, water and of course, to ensure you look the part, your mate.

Visit one of the many public swimming pools in the city such as, Parque President Sarmiento. Alternatively, go to one of the quieter private swimming pools such as, Parque Norte (http://www.parquenorte.com/). Make sure you are careful with your belongings when in the pool and get there early to claim your patch of grass with your towel as it will be busy!

El Ateneo Library

It’s too hot to do anything:
That’s where you are wrong. Head to one of the many air-conditioned museums in Buenos Aires and see why Buenos Aires is known as the capital of culture in Latin America. All the museums are free on National Holidays, so take advantage and go to the Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires (MALBA) or the Faena Arts Centre in Puerto Madero. Grab a book and sit down on the chairs provided or at the cafe in the most impressive and beautiful library, El Ateneo Gran Splendid.

Otherwise, get those last few Christmas presents at one of the modern shopping centres in Buenos Aires such as, Alto Palermo or Abasto Shopping Centre which have many of the famous brands as well as having fantastic food on offer.

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy the weather in a calmer Buenos Aires and start exploring this amazing city!

Follow us on twitter @BsAs4U to know about the latest activities in Buenos Aires!

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What to do for Christmas and New Year in Buenos Aires (PART I)

Buenos Aires is a hot charming destination for Christmas, even though you won’t find huge Christmas trees or fancy lights with Santa Claus and Christmas decorations the city is perfect if you are running away from the cold winter in the northern hemisphere. During the months of December, January and February, Buenos Aires is a perfect relaxing urban destination as many of its inhabitants run away to enjoy the beautiful beaches of Uruguay or the villages of the Partido de la Costa around Mar del Plata, so the city becomes a great free of smoke, traffic and stress place to stay.

If you are planning to spend your Christmas and New Year's holiday in Buenos Aires, then you have to take advantage of it to do outdoor activities such as a bike tour; a sightseeing walking tour; a boat tour across the Rio de la Plata or a day tour of the Tigre islands where you can swim in the natural streams and rivers of the Parana Delta or just sunbathe in any of the many parks and plazas of the city that will invite you to put on your bathing suit and spend a relaxing mate afternoon.

For Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, BsAs4u has a great deal for you. If you are visiting Buenos Aires, you need to go to a professional tango show. Spend your special Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve celebrations in a tango house of your choice and enjoy a classy and fun tango celebration with the tango house staff. The Christmas and New Year’s tango events includes a reception; 3 course meal; tango show and a DJ so that you can dance your night away until the early hours. The Christmas and New Year’s shows also include transfers to and from the tango houses which mean you will avoid the inflated holiday prices. If you plan to spend your Christmas Eve at a professional tango show, the prices are not that different from a regular day in the tango houses (prices range between USD$160 to USD$250)

For New Year’s Eve, BsAs4u has built a spectacular promotion where customers who book the special New Year’s Tango Show Special will receive a FREE city tour and a transfer from the Ezeiza International Airport or the Aeroparque. Customers will also be entered into a raffle to win an exclusive helicopter ride over the magnificent natural landscape of the Parana Tigre Delta, just north of Buenos Aires. 

 
If you are looking for tours and activities in Buenos Aires during the month of December, visit our official website www.bsas4u.com.

Follow us on twitter @BsAs4U to know about the latest activities in Buenos Aires!

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