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hello i am phone
Nov 24, 2005
¿donde estoy?
Why not Paraguay?I don't know about the nightlife but it's definitely the most awesomely bizarre country in South America,

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a japanese pop icon
Mar 3, 2010

by Fistgrrl

hecko posted:

Why not Paraguay?I don't know about the nightlife but it's definitely the most awesomely bizarre country in South America,

Paraguay is depressing as gently caress though. It's also not particularly more bizarre than Colombia or Brazil or whatever. And as far as I know it's lacking in nightlife.

a japanese pop icon fucked around with this message at 00:38 on Oct 6, 2010

masterfly
Aug 8, 2006

DustingDuvet posted:

Colombia is personally my favorite country and Bogota is an excellent choice. Friendly people, decent nightlife, and lots of character. I have been there a ton of times and I know other Goons have also so let me know know if you have any questions. I'm actually going back in a few weeks to live there for the next 4 months :)

Have you planned on the week or the date that you'll be arriving into Bogota? I'm going to be heading into Colombia in about 2 - 3 weeks and spending time in Bogota for a while. I'll most likely stay there longer than I'm planning on paper just because of what I've heard from every single traveler that has been in the country. I could be there for 2 months pretty easily. Let me know what you have planned and we'll get a beer.

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

DustingDuvet posted:

The locals in La Paz and most of Bolivia are unattractive. Really unattractive. If you're a normal guy this should be a pretty big deal. I saw less than a handful of cute girls my entire time there.

Echoing this. Traveling from Colombia to Peru, I was convinced that Colombia simply exported all of their ugly women and women over 30 to Peru. Peru must export all of their ugliest women and women over 40 to Bolivia. That is just not a pretty part of the world for some reason.

R2ICustomerSupport
Dec 12, 2004

masterfly posted:

Have you planned on the week or the date that you'll be arriving into Bogota? I'm going to be heading into Colombia in about 2 - 3 weeks and spending time in Bogota for a while. I'll most likely stay there longer than I'm planning on paper just because of what I've heard from every single traveler that has been in the country. I could be there for 2 months pretty easily. Let me know what you have planned and we'll get a beer.

My bad I should have specified I am going to be in Medellin not Bogota. I haven't booked a flight or made any concrete plans but I am am pretty certain I will arrive in 2-3 weeks at the latest to rent an apartment month to month until my visa expires after 4 months. Send me an email to Support@ResumetoInterviews.com and we will figure something out.

Hadlock posted:

Echoing this. Traveling from Colombia to Peru, I was convinced that Colombia simply exported all of their ugly women and women over 30 to Peru. Peru must export all of their ugliest women and women over 40 to Bolivia. That is just not a pretty part of the world for some reason.

Haha that's a pretty good theory. Add in Ecuador and I think it's 100% correct. But after Bolivia it goes uphill from there.

a japanese pop icon
Mar 3, 2010

by Fistgrrl

Hadlock posted:

Echoing this. Traveling from Colombia to Peru, I was convinced that Colombia simply exported all of their ugly women and women over 30 to Peru. Peru must export all of their ugliest women and women over 40 to Bolivia. That is just not a pretty part of the world for some reason.

When you barely have money to eat looking good isn't as important. Well, except to misogynist foreigners!

Destroyenator
Dec 27, 2004

Don't ask me lady, I live in beer
I'm looking for ideas for things to see and do in Argentina. I'm flying in to BA on Tuesday and I've booked six nights in a hostel there (overcoming jetlag and have the weekend in the city) and after that I'm thinking of visiting Uruguay for a day or two. Head up to Iguazu for a few days (plus a couple of days of buses). I've also been told Cordoba is worth a visit for a few days.

I want to take the Navimag ferry from the southern tip of Chile (Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt) so I suspect I'll finish my Argentinian adventures at Tierra de Feugo.

I'd like to some (amateur level) hiking in the Lake district and/or Patagonia but I don't know where I'd look at visiting as a base in either of those. I'm traveling by myself but if I end up meeting people I'd be happy to go camping with I'd love to go exploring the wilderness.

Are there sites to see on the Atlantic coast? Mar del Plata? Is there anything worth the time to see in the north west and how difficult would it be to visit from Chile? Can I do Mendoza from Santiago?

I'm looking at spending five or six weeks in Argentina although I have no hard limit. My biggest concern is booking the Navimag cruise so I have proof of onward journey for immigration when I fly in, but it'll set my time limit before I get a chance to see Argentina.

Adnar
Jul 11, 2002

Mendoza is only about 8 hours from Santiago and if you like good food and wine it's a must. In terms of sights I'd recommend Salta over Cordoba (although Cordoba is a nice place.

For camping / hiking Calafate is spectacular. Hiking too and around glaciers is unbeatable.

I've entered Argentina 4-5 times and I've never been asked for proof of onward travel.



Re: Colombia, I've recently left after 10 months there (8 living in Bogota) and I got the impression that english teaching was changing really rapidly (for the better) in terms of becoming a lot more professional and a lot more accredited (i.e CELTA) whilst before it was very easy to get work without certs.

If you have any specific questions about Bogota let me know.

Re: Paraguay, I hung out with a guy in Argentina who had just done 2 years in the peace corps in Paraguay and he said it was pretty much a shithole without a lot of redeeming features. Really dangerous, poor and dirty throughout and in a lot of places you can't even get by with just Spanish (Guarani)

Astian
Jun 16, 2001

a japanese pop icon posted:

Almost all of south america is gonna have similar purchasing power for an English teacher as far as I know, so you might as well go to the nicer countries where the "cheap" things are nicer! Ie: Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile. Maybe Ecuador? It has great food!

I honestly do not recommend Bolivia or Peru, I've never met anyone who actually wanted to live there. Lima is a grey shithole and Bolivia in general is a shithole.

What are your qualifications, by the way? If you've got a post-grad degree you could probably try for international schools, which pay super well and will create connections for working abroad.
I've got a BA in English, a TEFL from one of the more respected schools, and several years teaching experience, including some ESL in the States. In short, enough to get a decent job in most of the developing world, but not at a real international school. I work at a university that also has an "international school" branch here in Cambodia, but it really isn't one.

Ideally I'd like to travel around S. America first, and then decide on where I'd like to live, but it probably won't be financially feasible to hop around the continent before I get a job, which is why I'm at a bit at the whims of my own fancy and the opinions of others right now.

Spoke with some S. vets in person tonight; they all seemed to love Bolivia but they were there for less than a month, and some of them had a negative view of the people there. This is really the main thing that is turning me away from Bolivia, as I honestly don't mind "shitholes" as long as they're interesting and the people are nice. Anyone else care to weigh in with your perception of the Bolivian populous?

Mortley
Jan 18, 2005

aux tep unt rep uni ovi
Which TEFL school?

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

a japanese pop icon posted:

When you barely have money to eat looking good isn't as important. Well, except to misogynist foreigners!

Depends on your standard of beauty! Everyone I encountered seemed healthy and strong, (if a little short, usually signs of malnutrition during childhood). It's just the short and round bodytype, along with incan facial features (big nose, very round, indigenous/mongoloid face) that really throw you for a loop. They were all mostly dressed well and fashionably for their region/social status.... just not (nor trying to) subscribed to western standards. If you were from rural Guatemala you probably wouldn't notice as much. The chinese/vietmanese/khazakstanian/moldovian cultures all are equally as poor and have equal malnutrition issues but are on the whole considered average to slightly above average looking by western standards.

I mean you can definitely label me as a chauvinist for stereotyping women, and I'd probably agree with you, but general consensus seems to be with me on this one.

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

Destroyenator posted:

I'm flying in to BA on Tuesday and I've booked six nights in a hostel there (overcoming jetlag and have the weekend in the city) and after that I'm thinking of visiting Uruguay for a day or two. Head up to Iguazu for a few days (plus a couple of days of buses). I've also been told Cordoba is worth a visit for a few days.

Weekend in BA - schedule your travel day for Sunday unless you have something very specific happening that day. The city (continent!) basically shuts down on sundays and any interesting shops you were planning on checking out will be closed.

Bussing to Iguazu - just fly. Seriously. It's only ~$100 and is really worth your money in the long run. I took the bus from Rosario to Iguazu (about 4 hours shorter distance) and really wish I could have spent that day (22 hrs!! wasted!!) doing something productive. Otherwise, if you're convinced a bus is the best way, get a prescription for some vallium (it's OTC at most non-chain drug stores (LEGAL there, not :2bong:)) which is only about $3 and a pint of rum which will make the rather miserable bus ride go by a lot more quickly. I was leery of doing this but some people who had come the other way gave me some of theirs. Bus stop pharmacies stock it as well but require a prescription there. I am extremely thankful to those kind souls, I was able to sleep through over half the ride. I'll always fly next time I go there.

To describe the bus ride from BA to Iguazu, imagine being stuck on a tour bus, going across the states of new mexico, arizona and nevada, but skipping all the major cities and interesting sights. That's about what the ride boils down to. Sand and scrub brush for 20 hrs. It's Yerba mate farms the entire ride up. This is a Yerba Mate farm in northern Argentina:



OR -- you could explore a whole city for a day, and then hop on a plane in the evening to Iguazu. Your choice.

drumwolf
Apr 18, 2007

Courage, and Jett rock'n'roll.
Just curious - how are non-white Americans perceived/treated in South America? Any minority Americans have experiences to share? I'm Asian, and I have a buddy who is of Mexican/Native American descent who's also talked about taking a trip down there too.

Adnar
Jul 11, 2002

drumwolf posted:

Just curious - how are non-white Americans perceived/treated in South America? Any minority Americans have experiences to share? I'm Asian, and I have a buddy who is of Mexican/Native American descent who's also talked about taking a trip down there too.
(I'm not American but a lot of locals assumed I was)

In my experience it depends where. In Colombia in places with some tourists it was mostly fine but people did have a preconception of Americans so if you acted a prick you'd probably be on a shorter fuse to get into trouble.

In some places with less foreigners (Cali was one) there was outright hostility.


The one thing I'd say you need to be prepared for being of Asian decent is you will really really stand out. This isn't a bad thing but even as white guy in Colombia I stood out because I didn't look "Colombian" There's obviously white/black and everything in between in Colombia but they all still look "Colombian" in whatever colour they are. This can be annoying when you are always approached everywhere or random people yelling out to me and my Mrs. "MONA, MONO" <laughter>. The only Asians I encountered in Colombia were 4 at a Pai Gow poker table in the VIP room of a Casino :D

a japanese pop icon
Mar 3, 2010

by Fistgrrl

drumwolf posted:

Just curious - how are non-white Americans perceived/treated in South America? Any minority Americans have experiences to share? I'm Asian, and I have a buddy who is of Mexican/Native American descent who's also talked about taking a trip down there too.

Here's the biggest negatives about south america: it's sexist and racist. Depending on WHERE in south america, you'll get everything from very mild racism (brazil) to people yelling slurs at you on the street. On the whole, you will be seen as alien and probably inferior, and you will be stereotyped.


Hadlock posted:

Depends on your standard of beauty! Everyone I encountered seemed healthy and strong, (if a little short, usually signs of malnutrition during childhood). It's just the short and round bodytype, along with incan facial features (big nose, very round, indigenous/mongoloid face) that really throw you for a loop. They were all mostly dressed well and fashionably for their region/social status.... just not (nor trying to) subscribed to western standards. If you were from rural Guatemala you probably wouldn't notice as much. The chinese/vietmanese/khazakstanian/moldovian cultures all are equally as poor and have equal malnutrition issues but are on the whole considered average to slightly above average looking by western standards.

I mean you can definitely label me as a chauvinist for stereotyping women, and I'd probably agree with you, but general consensus seems to be with me on this one.


This post is extremely "noble savage" by the way. South american culture -is- western culture, except for more isolated villages. Even south americans will find the average poor and stocky girl ugly.

R2ICustomerSupport
Dec 12, 2004

Adnar posted:

Re: Colombia, I've recently left after 10 months there...

What kind of visa did you get that allowed you to stay that long?

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

Adnar posted:

The one thing I'd say you need to be prepared for being of Asian decent is you will really really stand out.

Heh, I ran in to exactly one asian person the entire month I was down there (when not visiting a major tourist spot like Iguazu). I walked right up to her and started talking in english, gave her directions to the obelisk in BA; it wasn't even a question that she might not have been born and raised there.

a japanese pop icon
Mar 3, 2010

by Fistgrrl

Hadlock posted:

Heh, I ran in to exactly one asian person the entire month I was down there (when not visiting a major tourist spot like Iguazu). I walked right up to her and started talking in english, gave her directions to the obelisk in BA; it wasn't even a question that she might not have been born and raised there.

There's actually quite a few south american born asians though, never assume.

Adnar
Jul 11, 2002

DustingDuvet posted:

What kind of visa did you get that allowed you to stay that long?

first 50 odd days tourist, went to Venezuela for a couple of weeks and got a 90day tourist on re-entry then got a 1 year student visa.

smackfu
Jun 7, 2004

Hadlock posted:

A lot of countries are going to ask to see your vaccination records before they let you in to their country if they see any other s.american passport stamps in your passport. So if you don't plan on going to any other countries on that trip, you should be fine.

TBH I got my yellow fever vacc. and nobody ever asked to see my records.

So this was a while ago but what exactly does a vaccination record look like? I got some vaccines before I went to Thailand (Hep A, Typhoid, etc.) but it was for my own sake, not because of gov't requirements, and I didn't really get any paperwork. Should I try to get some?

Tomato Soup
Jan 16, 2006

smackfu posted:

So this was a while ago but what exactly does a vaccination record look like? I got some vaccines before I went to Thailand (Hep A, Typhoid, etc.) but it was for my own sake, not because of gov't requirements, and I didn't really get any paperwork. Should I try to get some?

If you got the yellow fever vaccine and a yellow card, they should be listed on your yellow card. If not, bring records of your vaccinations to your doctor and have them add to it.

If you haven't had a yellow fever vaccine, go get it and your yellow card :) Bring records like I said above so they can put it down for you.

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

smackfu posted:

So this was a while ago but what exactly does a vaccination record look like? I got some vaccines before I went to Thailand (Hep A, Typhoid, etc.) but it was for my own sake, not because of gov't requirements, and I didn't really get any paperwork. Should I try to get some?

Mine is a yellow piece of paper about 4x4" folded, and 4x11" unfolded. I got mine from the place I got my vacc at.

R2ICustomerSupport
Dec 12, 2004

smackfu posted:

So this was a while ago but what exactly does a vaccination record look like? I got some vaccines before I went to Thailand (Hep A, Typhoid, etc.) but it was for my own sake, not because of gov't requirements, and I didn't really get any paperwork. Should I try to get some?

I suppose i'll be the third one to chime in on this. It should look like this

smackfu
Jun 7, 2004

Thanks, I guess I will need to pay them a visit.

Howard Phillips
May 4, 2008

His smile; it shines in the darkest of depths. There is hope yet.
Have you guys been to Ushuaia? What can you tell me about this "uttermost part of the world?"

What is the best way to arrange domestic flights once inside Argentina? How much am I possibly looking at for a flight to Ushuaia?

I am traveling to Argentina in late December to early January. I am going with one friend. So far we know we will be in BA, a day trip to Colonia in Uruguay, and definitely going to visit Ushuaia.

Tambreet
Nov 28, 2006

Ninja Platypus
Muldoon
The girlfriend and I are looking to head somewhere in Central America for 4-5 days in early November. I've been to Costa Rica and had a blast in the forests and national parks, so we're trying to avoid that. Our first choice was northern Guatemala, but the state department warnings, particularly with regard to the border area between Belize and Guatemala, are giving us second thoughts.

Has anyone spent any time in Central America? We're considering just doing Belize, but I think of Belize as a scuba diving/ocean local, and we're more into forests, hiking, etc. than diving. Airfares also look reasonable to Panama City, San Salvador, and Honduras, but I don't know much about their safety or what they have to offer in terms of tourism. Also neither of us speak much Spanish, so an area where one can get by in English would be nice (but not required). Some place with cool hikes/ruins/national parks would be great.

Destroyenator
Dec 27, 2004

Don't ask me lady, I live in beer

Hadlock posted:

Weekend in BA - schedule your travel day for Sunday unless you have something very specific happening that day. The city (continent!) basically shuts down on sundays and any interesting shops you were planning on checking out will be closed.

Bussing to Iguazu - just fly.
Cheers for the advice but unfortunately it looks like I'm busing. Flights are 380US return and I have more time than money on this trip. I'm going to spend a night or two in Rosario and am looking for other stops that might break it up. I've done long bus rides before and should be able to handle it.

For those who are interested I flew into BA from Sydney with an Aussie passport and no return flight and they needed a quick call to seniors at the Aerolineas check in in Sydney but let me on the flight almost immediately and the Argentinian customs didn't even ask. Just thought I'd add my experience because there are a lot of conflicting reports online. You can also pay the EZE entry fee with a credit card.

Anyone with ideas of interesting experiences in anywhere in South America have any recommendations? I'm booked to take the Navimag cruise in Chile in a few weeks and I've emailed the Senada Verde volunteering in Boliva someone mentioned earlier and will hopefully spend some time there. Looking for other significant or different things to do beyond the usual 'see machu pichu' sort of stuff.

Adnar
Jul 11, 2002

^^ I think that's mainly Aussie airports are really anal about that because US / Europe fine them for not having return tickets.



Mongolian Squid posted:

Have you guys been to Ushuaia? What can you tell me about this "uttermost part of the world?"

What is the best way to arrange domestic flights once inside Argentina? How much am I possibly looking at for a flight to Ushuaia?

I am traveling to Argentina in late December to early January. I am going with one friend. So far we know we will be in BA, a day trip to Colonia in Uruguay, and definitely going to visit Ushuaia.

Tierra del Fuego is ace. I unfortunately went there in an in between season but it was still great.

Here are my photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46348707@N05/sets/72157624018624696/ The first 2 are a view from the most scenic hostel I've ever stayed in.

I really wanted to go Husky sledding but was too early in the season.

In terms of flights check out Aerolineas Argentinas site. You can't get around the foreign prices but they don't usually go up if you book it later. I booked a flight from BA->Ushuaia for ~$150 and about the same for Ushuaia-Calafete. You really need to fly both ways unless you want to spend painful days on buses.

You can usually make a reservation online and go into an AA office which are everywhere and pay in cash. Otherwise LAN chile do the routes too I think.

TheLizard
Oct 27, 2004

I am the Lizard Queen!

Undeclared Eggplant posted:

The girlfriend and I are looking to head somewhere in Central America for 4-5 days in early November. I've been to Costa Rica and had a blast in the forests and national parks, so we're trying to avoid that. Our first choice was northern Guatemala, but the state department warnings, particularly with regard to the border area between Belize and Guatemala, are giving us second thoughts.

Guatemala is great. I assume when you say "northern Guatemala" you mean the Petén? It's got Tikal, which is incredible, but other than there's not too much to do. If you want to avoid the jungle, I would recommend making Antigua your base of operations (it's beautiful, safe and tourist friendly) and going to Lake Atitlan for a few days.

Tambreet
Nov 28, 2006

Ninja Platypus
Muldoon

TheLizard posted:

Guatemala is great. I assume when you say "northern Guatemala" you mean the Petén? It's got Tikal, which is incredible, but other than there's not too much to do. If you want to avoid the jungle, I would recommend making Antigua your base of operations (it's beautiful, safe and tourist friendly) and going to Lake Atitlan for a few days.

Yeah, that's the area I meant. The problem seems to be getting there. We were going to fly into Belize Int'l airport and rent a car and drive, but found a lot of information saying that's unsafe, and that rental car drivers around the border area are being targeted. We found one place that would arrange bus transport for $350/person, but that seems expensive. Flights to Flores from Belize also appear to be a few hundred bucks per person. We were hoping to have our own car in the area since tour packages look a bit pricey, but maybe we should just bite the bullet and pay for it, to avoid the danger of driving on our own.

TheLizard
Oct 27, 2004

I am the Lizard Queen!

Undeclared Eggplant posted:

Yeah, that's the area I meant. The problem seems to be getting there. We were going to fly into Belize Int'l airport and rent a car and drive, but found a lot of information saying that's unsafe, and that rental car drivers around the border area are being targeted. We found one place that would arrange bus transport for $350/person, but that seems expensive. Flights to Flores from Belize also appear to be a few hundred bucks per person. We were hoping to have our own car in the area since tour packages look a bit pricey, but maybe we should just bite the bullet and pay for it, to avoid the danger of driving on our own.

Guatemalan drivers are insane. Even without the threat of drug runners ambushing you (which is, sadly, a real if very small possibility) I would not drive there. It's honestly the only country I've been to where I actually felt like my life was in danger in a car. Also, if you want to avoid jungles and national parks then the Petén is probably not the right place for you since it's basically all jungle.

It's remote, which is why it's so expensive to get to. Even flights from Guatemala City to Flores are pricey; we actually ended up taking an overnight bus from Guatemala City to Santa Elana (right outside of Flores) and then a taxi into Tikal itself.

Don't get me wrong; Tikal ranks in the top 5 places I've been, but it just sounded like you were more interested in towns and civilization this time around. Guatemala is a great place for that, but in the southern highlands and not as much in the Petén.

Howard Phillips
May 4, 2008

His smile; it shines in the darkest of depths. There is hope yet.

Adnar posted:

^^ I think that's mainly Aussie airports are really anal about that because US / Europe fine them for not having return tickets.


Tierra del Fuego is ace. I unfortunately went there in an in between season but it was still great.

Here are my photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46348707@N05/sets/72157624018624696/ The first 2 are a view from the most scenic hostel I've ever stayed in.

I really wanted to go Husky sledding but was too early in the season.

In terms of flights check out Aerolineas Argentinas site. You can't get around the foreign prices but they don't usually go up if you book it later. I booked a flight from BA->Ushuaia for ~$150 and about the same for Ushuaia-Calafete. You really need to fly both ways unless you want to spend painful days on buses.

You can usually make a reservation online and go into an AA office which are everywhere and pay in cash. Otherwise LAN chile do the routes too I think.

Thanks for sharing the pics! and they are great. How many days is enough for Ushuaia? Better to spend New Year's in BA or Ushuaia? (This may seem like a dumb question)

Tambreet
Nov 28, 2006

Ninja Platypus
Muldoon

TheLizard posted:

Also, if you want to avoid jungles and national parks then the Petén is probably not the right place for you since it's basically all jungle.

It's remote, which is why it's so expensive to get to. Even flights from Guatemala City to Flores are pricey; we actually ended up taking an overnight bus from Guatemala City to Santa Elana (right outside of Flores) and then a taxi into Tikal itself.

Don't get me wrong; Tikal ranks in the top 5 places I've been, but it just sounded like you were more interested in towns and civilization this time around. Guatemala is a great place for that, but in the southern highlands and not as much in the Petén.

Nah, we like jungles and national parks - it's the beaches and diving we want to avoid. I picked up a book on Belize and it looks much more like what we're looking for on this trip, so I think we're going to do that. We'll probably hang out in the Cayo district most of the time. I'm trying to decide if it's worth taking 2 of the 5 days to go with a tour to Tikal or if we should just safe that for a different trip.

TheLizard
Oct 27, 2004

I am the Lizard Queen!

Undeclared Eggplant posted:

Nah, we like jungles and national parks - it's the beaches and diving we want to avoid. I picked up a book on Belize and it looks much more like what we're looking for on this trip, so I think we're going to do that. We'll probably hang out in the Cayo district most of the time. I'm trying to decide if it's worth taking 2 of the 5 days to go with a tour to Tikal or if we should just safe that for a different trip.

Save it for a different trip; you'll end up cramming too much in. We spend two full days there and I could've easily done a third. The complex is huge.

Howard Phillips
May 4, 2008

His smile; it shines in the darkest of depths. There is hope yet.
Tickets to Ushuaia are almost a 1000 US dollars. I think we would rather go to a nice B&B or little resort out in the Pampas. Do you guys have any recommendations? I am willing to go 1 or 2 hours south of BA.

vanDeet
Oct 23, 2008

by Fistgrrl
Any recommendations for some kind of "wilderness lodge" in Costa Rica? Basically I'm just looking for something that has direct access to large variety of wildlife, where I would just have a nice place to stay for 2-4 nights and go for walks, either on my own or if I feel like joining some kind of group.

Also for Costa Rica, if someone happens to have a recommendation for a beach location that's vaguely put "not too touristy, but is full of life during the night as well". Something nice and pretty, the usual.

I'm going there in early December and I'll put some effort looking into these on my own, but first-hand experiences are nice to hear :)

TheLizard
Oct 27, 2004

I am the Lizard Queen!
http://www.junglelodgecostarica.com/

Pale Fire
Apr 5, 2007
I was the shadow of the waxwing slain by the false azure of the windowpane
I'm gonna be in Buenos Aires for a week before heading to Iguazu, is it worth taking the ferry to Colonia, Uruguay as a day trip or should I just plan on staying in Argentina since I won't have a huge amount of time there? Also any recommendations to see/do in Buenos Aires are certainly welcome.

Hadlock
Nov 9, 2004

Pale Fire posted:

I'm gonna be in Buenos Aires for a week before heading to Iguazu, is it worth taking the ferry to Colonia, Uruguay as a day trip or should I just plan on staying in Argentina since I won't have a huge amount of time there? Also any recommendations to see/do in Buenos Aires are certainly welcome.

Rosario is a 4 hr bus ride (think Dallas to Austin, TX) from BA with a great place to stay (http://www.chepampas.com/) for the night. I left my hostel on foot around 10am after a leisurely morning a block from the obelisk and was at the hostel in Rosario by 3pm. Tons of night life and 4-5 universities worth of college age girls all in walking distance*. Bus back the next morning to BA, or stay a while. I wish I'd stayed another 2-3 nights.

Else, stop off in Rosario before heading to Iguazu.

In BA: Head to Palmero first, and the park district between it and the water. I wish I'd visited there first. The area around the obelisk looks the same for 10 blocks in every direction (I should know, I spent 3 days exploring it on foot before discovering Palmero).

Definitely check out the clubs in BA. Ignore the hostel staff when they say it's nothing worth writing home about.

I wasn't terribly impressed with Montevideo after walking around BA for a week. Just looked like more of the same (I might retire there, though). Never visited Colonia though.

*Re: our chavanist discussion about smokin' hot chicks according to western tastes

edit: be sure and familiarize yourself with maps of BA with the water at the bottom of the map. I'd memorized everything in it's regular N-S orientation in google maps; none of the maps, particularly the tourist and subway maps, are oriented that way.

Hadlock fucked around with this message at 05:13 on Oct 20, 2010

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Pale Fire
Apr 5, 2007
I was the shadow of the waxwing slain by the false azure of the windowpane

Hadlock posted:


edit: be sure and familiarize yourself with maps of BA with the water at the bottom of the map. I'd memorized everything in it's regular N-S orientation in google maps; none of the maps, particularly the tourist and subway maps, are oriented that way.

Haha, yeah I noticed that too on a few maps I found online and it seemed strange, good to know that's what I should be expecting because I was doing it the same way as you were off of Google. Thanks for the info on Rosario too, definitely something I hadn't thought of.

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