It is starting to look like deja vu for Argentina. The country came out of a terrible financial crisis only a few years ago. The 2001 slide seems like a distant memory for residents of Buenos Aires, who crowd into restaurants and spend their money freely. The government has been busy spending too. They are in debt after revamping the country with new schools and other civic projects.
And, unlike neighboring countries, Argentina did not build up its financial reserves for a rainy day. Now, with inflation at nearly 25% according to economists (the government says its only 10%), there are storm clouds on the country’s horizon. Could there be a repeat of 2001, when the economy came crashing down and tourists became targets of kidnappers seeking ransoms? It’s possible. The US and the IMF, who basically bailed out Argentina in ’01 might hesitate before doing it again. But the chaos of ’01 has not yet hit again. But, with uncertainty in the air, travelers might want to opt for a bit of Southern Hemisphere sun in Brazil, rather than B.A.
Welcome to The Sounds of Travel, music that reminds of you travel, the places you’ve been and the things that you’ve seen. We’ve all got that favorite road trip song or mix tape that brings us back to the open road, to the hills of Patagonia or to the rolling waves of the Mediterranean. Listening to these pieces back at home brings us vividly back to that same spot, years later, daydreaming about the beauty of travel, the wonderful landscapes and the luster of freedom.
Here at Gadling we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite sounds from the road and giving you a sample of each — maybe you’ll find the same inspiration that we did, but at the very least, hopefully you’ll think that they’re good songs.
Week One: Great Lake Swimmers — Backstage with the Modern Dancers
Great Lake Swimmers’ third album, Ongiara, had just been released the week before I touched down in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a week long trip with a few close friends. On the bus from the airport into the city, I happened to meet a young Canadian woman en route to her hostel. Knowing that we had a large apartment already booked I invited her to join us and with little deliberation she ended up staying with us for the entire week.
Architecture in Buenos Aires is shockingly beautiful, with narrow cobble stone streets lined with tall ceilinged, ornate buildings on either side. Apart from the exquisite ironwork and stained glass featured on many structures, you could pick up many blocks from Paris, drop them in Buenos Aires and not know the difference.
Our apartment was no exception. With tall ceilings, a broad front room that opened out into the street, an entire wall of stained glass and three bedrooms, the unit was not only one of the best but also one of the least expensive properties that I have ever stayed in.
Throughout my visit I began to explore the depths of Ongiara. At times when the others were napping, out finding groceries or buying antiques, the haunting voice of Tony Dekker filled the tall corners of the rooms, echoing through the hallways and shimmering through the bedrooms.
Now, when I hear Backstage with the Moden Dancers I’m taken back to Buenos Aires, to the young woman I met on the bus and to perching out over the apartment ironwork, peering onto the street as the fall rain blanketed around us. I see the yellows and blues of the stained glass windows, feel the black fabric on her shirt and taste the Malbec that I drank every night for dinner.
“And all of these things I don’t think they should be — released” — Tony Dekker, Great Lake Swimmers.
United just posted a secret sale to Buenos Aires, Argentina last night that has lasted well into today, slurpee day (7/11), from several corners from the country.
From departure points such as Los Angeles, Washington DC (Dulles), and New York City you can get to Buenos Aires LATER THIS MONTH for only about 600$ total. For high tourist season in the United States, that’s a downright steal. So if you haven’t got plans for the kids’ summer vacation, now is the time to strike.
Check your local airport to see if there are similar deals or cheap connections to a target city.
And don’t forget — it’s winter down in Argentina right now, so you might want to consider a trip over to the Andes for some skiing or maybe some time down in Patagonia watching some glaciers fight. You also might want to pick up a couple kilos of some of that delicious Mendozan wine and that Argentine steak while you’re down there.
If you’re worried about visas, American’s don’t need any pre-departure paperwork for immigration.
To book the ticket, use a flex search on Kayak over the next few weeks to find availability. You shouldn’t have a problem finding seats for flights later this month.
With apologies, I’m a day behind on this fare alert because I didn’t have access to Blogsmith over the weekend. I was surprised to find the fare still in tact when I returned from traveling though, so thought I would pass around the good news.
United is having a crazy sale to Buenos Aires that went into effect yesterday. From destinations all over the country including the Washington DC area, Los Angeles, New York City and even Detroit, travelers can book round trip tickets into Argentina for well under 650$, with some tickets as low as 599$. Travel dates appear to be valid through the end of June, with even some availability over the Fourth of July.
Book an extra long weekend over the Fourth and take some time to visit Mendoza, Argentina’s famous wine country, Patagonia, the huge nature preserve after which the outdoor clothing company is named or Montevideo, Uruguay’s Capital city that’s only a short boat ride away. I’m already jealous.
Mind you, it is winter time in Buenos Aires, so you’ll be experiencing weather in the mid 50’s while you’re down there. But the country is beautiful, the dollar is strong and the culture is rich. You can handle it.
Use Kayak’s flexible three day search around your target dates to find availbility. As of 2230 EST on June 15th, I’m still finding plenty of availability.
Whenever I travel, I always come back with a few door pictures. I don’t know what it is about doors that I find so fascinating. I would get into some metaphysical thing about spaces behind closed doors, but I will spare you.
This is a photo by tysonwilliams, taken in Buenos Aires. I like the kitschy yellow job on the door. I never know how these things are done. Do you first make the photo black & white, then color the door yellow? Or, do you start with a color photo and make everything–but for the door–black & white?
***To have your photo considered for the Gadling Photo of the Day, go over to the Gadling Flickr site and post it.***