Preparation
Trip Start
Apr 29, 2005
1
10
Trip End
May 08, 2005
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Miami Springs,
Florida,
United States
Friday, April 29, 2005
I now start searching the net to find accommodations. We plan to visit Buenos Aires, Bariloche in the southern Andes and to stay on an estancia (cattle farm) in the pampas.
There are a multitude of Bed and Breakfast hotels in Buenos Aires, mostly in the Palermo residential district. I had selected a promising number, but Miryam's friend recommends we stay at the hotel he always used, the Hotel Frossard. We find it on the Internet, and it looks promising, small, inexpensive and very centrally located, just half a block from the pedestrian shopping street of Florida in central B.A. I send an e-mail, and two rooms were confirmed at US$ 38.00 each per night, including tax and breakfast. Not a bad deal at all, less than half the price of similar hotels in Lisbon.
In consulting the weather channel, it looks like the climate in Bariloche in early May will be cool and wet. I look further north and see that Mendoza, the heart of the Argentinean wine district would have perfect weather at this time. Mendoza is 1000 kms from Buenos Aires, so it seems the only option is to fly. Unfortunately for us, there is little competition with air services in Argentina. According to the web site, the fares are around US$ 500.00, which is quite unacceptable.
The estancia was easier. Having just seen the Argentinean film "Camila", we are enamoured by the country house many of the period scenes had been filmed in. While searching on the WWW, I am thrilled to find the same place, called Estancia La Bamba offering accommodation. I contact them, and after a little haggling, agree on two rooms with three meals, all beverages, as well as horseback riding included for US$ 65.00 each.
We decide to leave all other arrangements for arrival in Buenos Aires.
At this time our estimate of total expenses is US$ 1,500.00 each.
