Post 1: Argentina...

But first, Miami...we landed to a locked down airport. An abandoned car in the passenger pick up area. The hotel driver had waited in the traffic jam outside the airport but went back to the hotel. Without us. When we called he wanted us to take a taxi...2-1/2 hours later we made it to our hotel. Don't think we'll go back to Miami...

We made it to BsAs. Whew. We are sitting in a bar in Palermo Viejo district at the moment. BsAs is a wonderful city--a cross between Manhattan & Paris, circa 1940. Slightly run down, but a great cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Here are our pics so far.

B&B in the Palermo barrio, Buenos Aires: DomusBA.com. Great place. The owner, a linguistics professor at the university, lives in the back part of the house.

Built in the 1911, it was gutted and remodeled. Most homes like this were either derelict or gutted and remodeled on the inside.

The neighborhood is very bohemian. Rich and poor are all mixed in. Lots of small old grocery shops, no fast food. Long distance telephone and computer/internet available at the neighborhood 'locutorio' for roughly 1 peso per 1/2 hour (about $0.30 US). Good system except that they allow smoking. Cough choke. Although surprisingly most public places don't allow indoor smoking (incl restaurants) which was great.

Our door to the patio...




...in our room stairs to loft with tourist in foreground...


...loft space...




...front doorknob and keys...

these types of keys are used everywhere in Argentina.