caribsailor

GO and enjoy it fully. Its beauty of beaches, foliage and luscious flowers. The history of the beginning of the new world, the wonderful music and the rhythm, the surfing and the snorkeling. BUT BEWARE going places without any local guide, and DO NOT WALK THE STREETS AT NIGHT without being careful: A lot of criminal elements roam sadly waiting to jump on the unsuspecting tourists. Also in bars and nightclubs beware the TEMPER of the locals, if you don’t want to find yourself in a dangerous brawl with some MACHO who has a chip on his shoulder. It is better to avoid places where you notice the male population has had a few drinks already.
Otherwise, it is a beautiful paradise waiting to be discovered.

tHE PEOPLE WERE SO WARM AND HELPFUL. I WILL NEVER FORGET IT. THEY EVEN INVITED ME TO STAY AT THEIR HOME FOR THE NIGHT IF I NEEDE TO! OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITAL CITY THE PEOPLE ARE SO INNOCENT AND HELPFUL IT IS HEARTWARMING.

IF YOU’VE BEEN IN NEW YORK, YOU’LL FEEL AT HOME IN B.A. EXCEPT THE ‘FLAVOR’ IS VERY PARISIAN OR ROMAN. THE PEOPLE IGNORE YOU IN THE HUSSLE AND BUSSLE. THE COLORFUL BUSES GO BACK AND FORTH LIKE BUMBLEBEES LOOKING FOR POLEN, AND THEY TAKE YOU LITERALLY EVERYWHERE. THE SUBWAY IS OK BUT YOU MISS OUT ON THE SCENERY ARCHITECTURE AND COLORS. THE RESTAURANTS ARE WONDERFUL AND THE WINE IS DELICIOUS. IF YOU KNOW HISTORY OF THE SPANISH COLONIES AND SUBSEQUENT LIBERATION WARS, YOU’LL TRULY ENJOY THE MUSEUMS AND SCULPTURES.
I LIVED HERE FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, AND MOSTLY I RECOMMEND IT AS THE ENTRY POINT TO MANY MORE WONDERFUL PLACES OF THE SOUTHAMERICAN GEOGRAPHY SUCH AS THE ANDES, IGUAZU, MONTEVIDEO, BARILOCHE,AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO.
ONE LAST THING: BE VERY VERY CAREFUL WITH YOUR PURSES, CAMERAS, WALLETS AND POCKETS!! SADLY BOTH BUENOS AIRES AND SANTIAGO IN CHILE ARE “CAPITALS OF THE PICKPOCKETS”. BUENOS AIRES IS BURSTING WITH THIEVES JUST WATCHING TO CATCH THE UNWARY TOURIST, AND AN OTHERWISE WONDERFUL TRIP COULD BE RUINED IF YOU DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. I REFER THE READER TO THE RECENT STORY IN THE NEWS OF PRESIDENT BUSH’S DAUGHTER GETTING HER PURSE AND CELL PHONE SNATCHED, WHILE VISITING BUENOS AIRES, EVEN WHILE UNDER GUARD BY HER FEDERAL AGENT BODYGUARDS!!

The cobblestoned little streets and the centuries old buildings as you walk make you suddenly be transported back into the era of DaVinci, or into a live play where any moment you will see the Capulets or the Montagues running in swordplay across the piazzas… it’s unforgettably european and much calmer than Rome.