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I´m from Buenos Aires so i can tell you whatever you want about it. You have named Palermo and Recoleta, which are (along with Puerto Madero) the two most wealthiest neighbourhoods in the centre. You will find there plenty of options to go out, the level of crime is very low and its expensive as hell ( at least if you are a native. If you want to go to a big city here and you have the money those are the best choices for you. However, i wouldnt reccomendo them for tourism as i think that there are much more beatiful places to visit. But its a personal preference.
Of course the rest of the neighbouhoods (except Belgrano) arent as friendly and the insecurity is moderate to very high specially as you go south.
Talking about Uruguay i know that montevide is smaller and more peaciful than buenos aires, but i dont know Ciudad Vieja.
I will let you know...I'm posting this from a restaurant waiting for my bus to Montevideo after that I go to Buenos Aires. I am not going to Asuncion since Paraguay charges me $100 for the visa as a US citizen, screw that.
This is called a "reciprocity fee". The US rips off Paraguayans for a hundred bucks for them to get a visa to the USA, so they do the same to us. Perfectly fair. No visa at all required, if you're Canadian. Complain to your congressman. For Brazil, it's $140 and Bolivia, $135.
One big difference between Asuncion and BA or Montevideo is that Spanish is not the only main language of the city or country. In Argentina and Uruguay, few traces remain of the culture and language of the original inhabitants. In Asuncion and most parts of Paraguay, Guarani is the native language which is also an official language and is widely spoken and tought in schools.
In Paraguay, there will not be many occasions that you will think, gee, this looks like someplace in Europe. Paraguay is a mostly tropical place, and it has far more in common with the struggling nations of Central and South America than anyplace else.
In Paraguay, there will not be many occasions that you will think, gee, this looks like someplace in Europe. Paraguay is a mostly tropical place, and it has far more in common with the struggling nations of Central and South America than anyplace else.
Except that (at least when I lived there), Asuncion and the other larger towns in Paraguay have little or none of the visible poverty that would be conspicuous in Tegucigalpa or La Paz. There is rural poverty in Paraguay, but far off the beaten track.
Asuncion is perhaps unique in Latin America in that everyone appears to be pretty much the same color and the same socioeconomic standing. It has no outward appearance of wealth or opulence, but also no appearance of poverty, and everyone seems to be just like everyone else. And extremely comfortable with it. It is by far the most "laid back" capital in Latin America, and possibly the world.
Asuncion is perhaps unique in Latin America in that everyone appears to be pretty much the same color and the same socioeconomic standing. It has no outward appearance of wealth or opulence, but also no appearance of poverty, and everyone seems to be just like everyone else. And extremely comfortable with it. It is by far the most "laid back" capital in Latin America, and possibly the world.
Well, that certainly piques my interest! I can't believe I've been to Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls...and for whatever reason, I completely bypassed Uruguay and Paraguay, despite being right next to them. One of the irritating things about travel. The regrets of the places you were so close to, but didn't go, and unlikely to get back to again.
I tried to get into "Encarnacion Paraguay" 2 times during 1 week for a 1 day afternoon excursion, but the Paraguayan consulate in Posadas Argentina wanted to charge me and my three companions a $60 day fee (visa) just to cross the border and spend a few hours in "Encarnacion"
However, I was told by one of the workers at the hotel that if we wanted to cross the Parana in the evening and get in illegally, he knows a guy that runs a little "clandestine" ferry who would shuffle us across for $20 pesos a pop LOL. This was in 2008....needless to say, I didn't get in
I had a nice view of it from across the river, Encarnacion. Everyone here in Argentina has told me that Paraguay is an impoverished country. It's landlocked with very little infrastructure outside of a few major cities, griding poverty and not that much more affluent and prosperous than Bolivia to be honest....it's also FREAKIN HOT....to put it lightly LOL!
Uruguay I know a little better. I've visited that country 3 different times. The first time was "Salto" Uruguay, I stayed there 3 days, visited one of the Termicas or "hot springs" there. The second time was to reknew my 90 day tourist stay in Argentina while I was waiting for my "Radicacion Argentina( argentine green card ) to be processed. We crossed at "Concepcion de Uruguay" and then visited Frey Bentos and Montivideo for a few days. The last time was "Colonia de Sacramento" for 2 days. We crossed from Buenos Aires on a ferry and stayed there. It's a very cool city, spanish colonial with an old Spanish fort. That's where I had "Chivito Uruguayo" kinda like a thin steak sandwich with Muzzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, oregano, sauce all on a big slab of "pan frances" or "pan arabe"
Uruguay is VERY similar to Argentina in that they speak "voseo" and their accent is undeniably "Rio-Platense" and not much difference from the accent of Buenos Aires or Buenos Aires Province. Uruguay is a bit "hillier" and the countryside "rolls" a bit more and is rockier than eastern Argentina, and in some places there are some pretty good size hills. Yet, you still see the tell tale "Eucalyptus groves and Ombu trees in Uruguay as well along with fields of grazing cattle and pastureland as well. It's kinda like a rolling, sleepier, more laid back version of Argentina. It's a very small country and very rural.
Uruguay has much more historic architecture than alot of Argentina, I don't know why? You see alot more of the old Colonial Spanish there. This is especially so in it's cities and towns and Montivideo is no exception. Montivideo is cool, but it's a very dreary and run down city in my opion. It gave me the impression it needs alot of maintenance and TLC. broken sidewalks, potholes, old house falling apart with old paint jobs. I don't know, it's just old and worn out. It DOES have some beautiful parks though. It has a nice beach area, with little rocky Islands off shore there. At night the city is VERY dark and creepy, it's not very well lit ( maybe because it has soo many HUGE Sycamore trees that line it streets. More so than BA, Montivideo gave me a feeling of "insecurity" and when we were leaving the bus terminal there we were warned by some local folks to be careful in Montivideo especially at night. I don't know, I felt uncomfortable in the city at night especially. However, I was only there a few days, but when locals tell me "how it is"...I wise up and take their advice. Our last day in Montivideo, my wife and I were so broke, we only had enough money for 2 sandwiches and a bottle of water from the local supermarket. We were recently married, times were tough!
I LOVE rural Uruguay, if I could convince my wife, I'd consider some of Uruguays smaller country towns, I like the vibe and speed of the folks
Buenos Aires? What can I say. I don't like big cities, but, Buenos Aires is one of the coolest. It has TONS of history, it's huge and has a zillion things to do and see. My wife and I have some very dear friends that live in "Villa Urquiza" in the North central, kinda west side of "Capital" or Buenos Aires. When we visit we always do the usualy, go to Puerto Madero, Calle Florida, Parque Recolleta, San Isidro and "El Tren de la Costa" etc etc....
We usually stay in "Villa Urquiza" with our friends
It's a cool city
Last edited by EricOldTime; 10-30-2014 at 01:27 PM..
Of course its TV so you cant make conclusions from it alone, but the recent Bourdain episode on CNN made Asuncion look extremely bland and unattractive. Not to mention all the shots of completely empty streets during daylight. It felt like the unspoken message was unless you have a good reason to be here, such as searching for long lost relatives, there is no real reason to visit.
I tried to get into "Encarnacion Paraguay" 2 times during 1 week for a 1 day afternoon excursion, but the Paraguayan consulate in Posadas Argentina wanted to charge me and my three companions a $60 day fee (visa) just to cross the border and spend a few hours in "Encarnacion"
However, I was told by one of the workers at the hotel that if we wanted to cross the Parana in the evening and get in illegally, he knows a guy that runs a little "clandestine" ferry who would shuffle us across for $20 pesos a pop LOL. This was in 2008....needless to say, I didn't get in
I had a nice view of it from across the river, Encarnacion. Everyone here in Argentina has told me that Paraguay is an impoverished country. It's landlocked with very little infrastructure outside of a few major cities, griding poverty and not that much more affluent and prosperous than Bolivia to be honest....it's also FREAKIN HOT....to put it lightly LOL!
Uruguay I know a little better. I've visited that country 3 different times. The first time was "Salto" Uruguay, I stayed there 3 days, visited one of the Termicas or "hot springs" there. The second time was to reknew my 90 day tourist stay in Argentina while I was waiting for my "Radicacion Argentina( argentine green card ) to be processed. We crossed at "Concepcion de Uruguay" and then visited Frey Bentos and Montivideo for a few days. The last time was "Colonia de Sacramento" for 2 days. We crossed from Buenos Aires on a ferry and stayed there. It's a very cool city, spanish colonial with an old Spanish fort. That's where I had "Chivito Uruguayo" kinda like a thin steak sandwich with Muzzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, oregano, sauce all on a big slab of "pan frances" or "pan arabe"
Uruguay is VERY similar to Argentina in that they speak "voseo" and their accent is undeniably "Rio-Platense" and not much difference from the accent of Buenos Aires or Buenos Aires Province. Uruguay is a bit "hillier" and the countryside "rolls" a bit more and is rockier than eastern Argentina, and in some places there are some pretty good size hills. Yet, you still see the tell tale "Eucalyptus groves and Ombu trees in Uruguay as well along with fields of grazing cattle and pastureland as well. It's kinda like a rolling, sleepier, more laid back version of Argentina. It's a very small country and very rural.
Uruguay has much more historic architecture than alot of Argentina, I don't know why? You see alot more of the old Colonial Spanish there. This is especially so in it's cities and towns and Montivideo is no exception. Montivideo is cool, but it's a very dreary and run down city in my opion. It gave me the impression it needs alot of maintenance and TLC. broken sidewalks, potholes, old house falling apart with old paint jobs. I don't know, it's just old and worn out. It DOES have some beautiful parks though. It has a nice beach area, with little rocky Islands off shore there. At night the city is VERY dark and creepy, it's not very well lit ( maybe because it has soo many HUGE Sycamore trees that line it streets. More so than BA, Montivideo gave me a feeling of "insecurity" and when we were leaving the bus terminal there we were warned by some local folks to be careful in Montivideo especially at night. I don't know, I felt uncomfortable in the city at night especially. However, I was only there a few days, but when locals tell me "how it is"...I wise up and take their advice. Our last day in Montivideo, my wife and I were so broke, we only had enough money for 2 sandwiches and a bottle of water from the local supermarket. We were recently married, times were tough!
I LOVE rural Uruguay, if I could convince my wife, I'd consider some of Uruguays smaller country towns, I like the vibe and speed of the folks
Buenos Aires? What can I say. I don't like big cities, but, Buenos Aires is one of the coolest. It has TONS of history, it's huge and has a zillion things to do and see. My wife and I have some very dear friends that live in "Villa Urquiza" in the North central, kinda west side of "Capital" or Buenos Aires. When we visit we always do the usualy, go to Puerto Madero, Calle Florida, Parque Recolleta, San Isidro and "El Tren de la Costa" etc etc....
We usually stay in "Villa Urquiza" with our friends
It's a cool city
That is not true at all. Uruguay has hillier grasslands, but overall, Buenos Aires province has much higher mountains. Example:
That's true, I know about "La Sierra de Tandilia and "La Sierra de la Ventana" I have visited both of those places, but those are 2 or 3 very small mountainous areas when compared to the whole of "La Provincia de Buenos Aires"
La Sierra de Tandilia is fairly narrow, quite long but fairly narrow and I wouldn't call most of the mountains, more like long flat topped ridges or "mesas". Tandil does have a few higher peaks around the city. However, La Sierra de La Ventana is much larger and more majestic... My in-laws just returned las weekend from a 3 day, weekend visit to "Tornquist" a small resort town in "La Sierra de La Ventana"
Most of BA province is quite flat, and prone to flooding.... Also Uruguay is a bit more forested, has more trees than alot of Buenos Aires province, which is largely untilled plains. If you notice, when you travel east from Parana to Concordia "Entre-Rios" the land there is more rolling and a bit hilly? Well, Uruguay is much like that....in many ways topographically, I think it's an extension of "Entre Rios" province.
What I WAS getting at is that "yes" as a whole, overall, Uruguay is hiller, and the land rolls and undulates more there, much more.
Here's a map of Buenos Aires Province that shows where the hills and low mountains are. I forgot to circle a small area of Sierra near the city of "Tres Arroyos":
Last edited by EricOldTime; 10-31-2014 at 08:19 AM..
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after that I go to Buenos Aires. I am not going to Asuncion since Paraguay charges me $100 for the visa as a US citizen, screw that.
