Off-the-beaten-path / South America / Wandering
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 31, 2018 · Last modified January 28, 2018
Buenos Aires may be the largest city in Argentina and the most European in all of the Americas, but Argentina is a huge country and there is a whole lot more to it than just Buenos Aires. I can’t claim to have seen much of Argentina outside its principle city....
Modes of Transport / Sedate / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 30, 2018 · Last modified January 28, 2018
Travel by bus is quite common throughout South America. While I’m sure some have visions in mind of a “chicken bus”, the reality is the polar opposite. There are dozens of bus lines and most of them are quite luxurious. Far more so than in the US. I took a...
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 29, 2018 · Last modified January 28, 2018
I don’t know what Buenos Aires is like in winter. I’m told it gets down to freezing but usually not lower. I don’t especially care to find out. What I do know is that it’s positively delightful in summer. Argentines live their lives outdoors. There are enough open air and...
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 28, 2018 · Last modified January 21, 2018
This is Buenos Aires as well. Over by the waterfront is Buenos Aires’ business district. While the gleaming, modern chrome-and-glass skyscrapers don’t have the same charm as the old-world European architecture of the more residential areas, this district is very clean. It has wide, tree-lined boulevards. Every part I saw...
The Buenos Aires Theater District is a bit like a classier version of New York’s Times Square and Hollywood’s Walk of Fame both rolled into one. At the end of Avenida 9 de Julio (9th of July Avenue), there is an obelisk that looks an awful lot like a ½ height...
Dining / History / Logistics / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 24, 2018 · Last modified January 20, 2018
The first image in this set is the street I stayed on while I was in Buenos Aires. Throughout many of the neighborhoods of “old” Buenos Aires, the main arterial roads are all standard asphalt. But nearly all of the side streets are narrow cobblestone. Everywhere you look, there are...
Active / Activities / Bucket List / History / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 22, 2018 · Last modified January 20, 2018
I’ve read that dance is a conversation between body and soul. Sometimes that conversation comes in whispers, other times in shouts. Tango is like those passionate cries that make the neighbors blush. Tango is very much a conversation… and a sexy one, at that. The entire conversation takes place strictly with body...
Adventure / Bucket List / History / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published June 14, 2016 · Last modified June 15, 2016
Having actually been to Machu Picchu before, I won’t simply help you book your trip. I’ll give you all the tips and insider knowledge that will make the trip smooth and unforgettable! This itinerary can be customized to your preferences and activity level but here is a sample that would...
Flying into Bogota Colombia for the first time I passed over beautiful farmland and dramatic mountains on the outskirts of the city. As we approached the edge of the city I saw clusters of buildings that I assume must have been greenhouses. At least that’s what they looked like from...
I noted in my first article on super cheap trips how I arrived at my choice to visit Bogota, Colombia in part because round trip flights to there were so ridiculously cheap. Having now completed that trip, it isn’t just the flights that are ridiculously cheap. Everything there is so...