Trip Reports A Month in Buenos Aires: Arrival and New Year's Celebration

[Braitonj]

December 29 to January 1: Arrival and New Year's
EZE ARRIVAL: Smooth and efficient, a stark contrast to the chaotic experience at JFK. Immigration took only 15 minutes, baggage claim 10, and customs another 10. A taxi kiosk inside the terminal, while potentially pricier than curbside options, offered convenience and a professional driver (25,000 ARS cash, $27,500 credit).

PALERMO PACIFICO: An unofficial term for the quieter northern part of Palermo Hollywood. While NYC has its invented neighborhoods, the tranquility of via Guatemala makes this designation fitting. No disturbance from nearby establishments, yet all the vibrant attractions are within easy walking distance.

DOLLAR EXCHANGE: Opted for Berlin Cambio in Alto Palermo, where 100 USD yielded 93,000 ARS. While Florida might offer better rates, the leisurely walk and open-air terrace at the nearby food court made it a suitable choice for weary travelers.

JUMBO SUPERMARKET: The one on Santa Fe proves convenient for groceries; the larger Portal Palermo Jumbo isn't worth the extra walk. Viggiano stands out for cold cuts, and the search continues for favorite local butcher, baker, fruit vendor, and wine merchant.

CREDIT CARDS: Chase Sapphire, providing the blue dollar rate, usually requires no documentation. However, at Jumbo and Coto supermarkets, documentation was necessary.

NEW YEAR'S: Unlike the US, New Year's in Buenos Aires is primarily a family affair. Most places close by 18:00, with reservations required for those staying open. Walking to a bar down the block isn't common, though strolling through a nearly deserted Palermo at 21:00 is surreal and delightful. New Year's Day is also tranquil, with many places closed until the evening.

BUSES: A colorful and pleasant mode of transportation. Purchased a SUBE card at the Subte station for $880 cash, receiving the card and $120 credit. Multiple people can use one card. Inform the bus driver of your destination, adjust the fare accordingly, then hold the card to the reader until it beeps. Porteños on the buses have consistently been polite and friendly.


This is a great map for the bus system: https://www.omnilineas.com/argentina/buenos-aires/city-bus/be-3ma-bt6-42p-b8w-3wk-bmp


MOSQUITOS: Abundant and persistent. Coils for the terrace help, but skin repellent is elusive. A summer visit to BA demands bringing your preferred mosquito repellent.

FAVORITE NIBBLE: Bellas Artes Panadería Artesanal on Charcas offers exceptional empanadas, tortas, and alfajores, making it a delightful culinary discovery.

 

[Sylvie]

The mosquitos seem worse this year. Am I imagining things?

 

[EmusA]

Mosquito repellents are readily available in the numerous pharmacies scattered on almost every street corner. Finding suitable protection against these persistent insects is conveniently accessible.

Caution Regarding Subte, A heads-up for subway commuters—Linea D is set to close for a significant period, lasting over a month, starting next week. Be sure to plan alternative routes or transportation during this temporary disruption.

 

[GraceH]

Thank you for the report.

You're correct about repellent being unavailable since the mosquito invasion began about 10 days ago.

This is definitely an important tip for those who are planning to visit soon

 

[Traveler]

Thanks, this is a great help.

When you mention 'documents,' are you referring to any form of photo identification?

 

[GraceH]

He means the Passport or ID card.

 

[peace]

Sorry about the repellent, my daughter mentioned she purchased some last week from a pharmacy in Palermo Chico where she resides. Perhaps she got the last ones.

 

[GlasgowJohn]

The mosquitos seem worse this year. Am I imagining things?

Without a doubt its very bad this year

We are out in the country and have to put repppelent on every day at the beginning of the day. In previous years it was just at nightfall.

Yip , there seems to be a shortage of OFF , the market leader in repellents. Buy it when you see it!

 

[Bob]

Without a doubt its very bad this year

We are out in the country and have to put repppelent on every day at the beginning of the day. In previous years it was just at nightfall.

Yip , there seems to be a shortage of OFF , the market leader in repellents. Buy it when you see it!

Yes my friends all comment how bad the mosquitos are this year. How horrible as mosquitos love me and I'm heading down soon.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

100 USD yielded 93,000 ARS

this is important for newcomers to know; you might be able to get a cueva to give you more Pesos at times, but are you an expert on spotting fake ones? do you trust the insides of these buildings and the people they hire to shout 'cambio, cambio!" outside?

29Dec the MEP real-world rate was 882, and it just went up after the holiday season was done:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1740903346498863606

so spending a credit card (and getting the added bonus of the cash-back or whatever perks your card has) would only give 4,800 Pesos less, which was only $5.44 USD less per $100 bill or obviously 5.44%, no worry about fakes and no time spent at Cuevas, and you get the 2% cash-back or credit-card spend. i haven't been to a currency exchange in the 6 weeks i've been in BsAs.

if you like a deal, the Blue Dollar was good, but if you check my latest @ArgentinaMEP posting, the MEP is actually higher than DolarBlue, and i'm hoping that today's spend makes the real-world number higher than the cuevas....it would be a game-changer!

When you mention 'documents,' are you referring to any form of photo identification?

yes, some supermarkets and Chinas will require your passport when using a credit card. i bring a copy along, and the 2x they have denied me, i laugh that they have to put back all my sh*t. some franchises/locations/surcusales are just weird, so i stop going to them. i have an expired US driver license, a color copy of my passport in my wallet, and a photo of my passport on my phone. i refuse to bring my actual passport anywhere, so they can pound sand if they think it's required for credit cards (it isn't at 98% of places)

MOSQUITOS are horrible Jan/Feb. started on Christmas day, and they are on every piece of vegetation until late. a couple nights ago at 21:00 they weren't at the park and my dog was so happy. good write-up! i see people online acting like the mosquitos are new/worse, but all the archived stuff i'm reading, and local employees i ask, just say January and February are filled with mosquitos so only the crazy smokers dare to eat on patios. fun fact, though: the transients sleeping in the parks seem to have found the perfect amount of drugs to do, so that the bugs won't bite them while they are passed-out during the day. maybe try finding some Meth if OFF isn't around?

 

[pennyless]

this is important for newcomers to know; you might be able to get a cueva to give you more Pesos at times, but are you an expert on spotting fake ones? do you trust the insides of these buildings and the people they hire to shout 'cambio, cambio!" outside?

29Dec the MEP real-world rate was 882, and it just went up after the holiday season was done:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1740903346498863606

so spending a credit card (and getting the added bonus of the cash-back or whatever perks your card has) would only give 4,800 Pesos less, which was only $5.44 USD less per $100 bill or obviously 5.44%, no worry about fakes and no time spent at Cuevas, and you get the 2% cash-back or credit-card spend. i haven't been to a currency exchange in the 6 weeks i've been in BsAs.

if you like a deal, the Blue Dollar was good, but if you check my latest @ArgentinaMEP posting, the MEP is actually higher than DolarBlue, and i'm hoping that today's spend makes the real-world number higher than the cuevas....it would be a game-changer!



yes, some supermarkets and Chinas will require your passport when using a credit card. i bring a copy along, and the 2x they have denied me, i laugh that they have to put back all my sh*t. some franchises/locations/surcusales are just weird, so i stop going to them. i have an expired US driver license, a color copy of my passport in my wallet, and a photo of my passport on my phone. i refuse to bring my actual passport anywhere, so they can pound sand if they think it's required for credit cards (it isn't at 98% of places)

MOSQUITOS are horrible Jan/Feb. started on Christmas day, and they are on every piece of vegetation until late. a couple nights ago at 21:00 they weren't at the park and my dog was so happy. good write-up! i see people online acting like the mosquitos are new/worse, but all the archived stuff i'm reading, and local employees i ask, just say January and February are filled with mosquitos so only the crazy smokers dare to eat on patios. fun fact, though: the transients sleeping in the parks seem to have found the perfect amount of drugs to do, so that the bugs won't bite them while they are passed-out during the day. maybe try finding some Meth if OFF isn't around?

Yes mosquitos are very bad this year. I come a few times a year but this year seems really bad and worse yet no bug spray at a lot of places.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

no bug spray at a lot of places.

true, and i have to go to organic health food stores to get peanut butter and loose-leaf tea. dark times, and the Carrefour Market a couple days ago had zero beef in it. sucks how much Socialism drains the very life out of a country

the climate-change commies want to convince us that things are getting worse (i'm sure today's rain was something-something-glacier-death), but no one has told me in-person that mosquitos are unusually bad right now. compare to:

1. 2011 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...os-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
2. 2013 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...es-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
3. 2016 https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/18/...-of-dengue-as-mosquito-population-swells.html
4. 2018 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...os-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
5. 2012 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...nos-Aires-shocked-giant-swarm-MOSQUITOES.html
6. same https://www.outlookindia.com/websit...n-the-shape-of-tornado-in-buenos-aires/375616

 

[Avocado]

true, and i have to go to organic health food stores to get peanut butter and loose-leaf tea. dark times, and the Carrefour Market a couple days ago had zero beef in it. sucks how much Socialism drains the very life out of a country

the climate-change commies want to convince us that things are getting worse (i'm sure today's rain was something-something-glacier-death), but no one has told me in-person that mosquitos are unusually bad right now. compare to:

1. 2011 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...os-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
2. 2013 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...es-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
3. 2016 https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/18/...-of-dengue-as-mosquito-population-swells.html
4. 2018 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...os-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
5. 2012 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...nos-Aires-shocked-giant-swarm-MOSQUITOES.html
6. same https://www.outlookindia.com/websit...n-the-shape-of-tornado-in-buenos-aires/375616

Socialism doesn't suck life out of a country. That is Mr. Milei. We had plenty of beef in stock before. Expect more dark times ahead.

 

[Avocado]

true, and i have to go to organic health food stores to get peanut butter and loose-leaf tea. dark times, and the Carrefour Market a couple days ago had zero beef in it. sucks how much Socialism drains the very life out of a country

the climate-change commies want to convince us that things are getting worse (i'm sure today's rain was something-something-glacier-death), but no one has told me in-person that mosquitos are unusually bad right now. compare to:

1. 2011 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...os-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
2. 2013 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...es-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
3. 2016 https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/18/...-of-dengue-as-mosquito-population-swells.html
4. 2018 https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...os-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html
5. 2012 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...nos-Aires-shocked-giant-swarm-MOSQUITOES.html
6. same https://www.outlookindia.com/websit...n-the-shape-of-tornado-in-buenos-aires/375616

As usual you don't listen. Those of us that have lived here many years are saying it's worse than usual and for some reason you have only been here a few weeks on first trip and trying to tell us you know better than us.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

That is Mr. Milei. We had plenty of beef in stock before

NPC comment as always - 'everything bad i don't like is Milei's fault, and i'll ignore every aspect of my shithole economy that i can't pin to him in 29 days of his presidency'

one Carrefour Market didn't have beef. they also had issues previously. every butcher shop around has a ton of beef, and the prices have gone down in the past 10 days. you are quite the tribal ideologue, but if no one else will swat you away like the annoying commie you are, i will continue to un-mute you to read your stupid and predictable 'my guy good, your guy evil!!!' silliness

As usual you don't listen. Those of us that have lived here many years are saying it's worse than usual and for some reason you have only been here a few weeks on first trip and trying to tell us you know better than us.

no, here's how a dialogue actually works for adults. are you still reading Che Guevara writings? your low intellect is showing. PS - he wasn't a physician, since you didn't acknowledge you were posting wrong stuff on the other thread a month ago

1. someone: mosquitos seem worse!
2. me: they are bad. but everyone i asked, about 10 local people the past week, say they are always horrible Jan/Feb.
3. me: here are some links showing they were horrible for the past 13 years of BsAs history.
4. Dumb-o-cado: YOU DON'T LISTEN AND YOU HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW WEEKS SO YOU DON'T KNOW BETTER

i literally said that the claims are demonstrably false, then showed you, and then you argued for the entire premise of my argument. can you not read, or is this your little fetish?

 

[earlyretirement]

I have been going to Buenos Aires since 2002 and lived there for 9 years. I always tried to leave for the summer as the weather is so hot and humid in January and February. But I did stay some months and some years the mosquitos would be worse than other years. Much depended on if it rained a lot during those summer months. If it did, then mosquitos typically are worse because pools of water would be around. The really dry summers they wouldn't be as bad.

I HATE mosquitos as they love me. I can be in a room with 100 people and I am the one they will attack first. I guess I'll see how bad they are. I'm heading there in a few days.

 

[Larry]

NPC comment as always - 'everything bad i don't like is Milei's fault, and i'll ignore every aspect of my shithole economy that i can't pin to him in 29 days of his presidency'

one Carrefour Market didn't have beef. they also had issues previously. every butcher shop around has a ton of beef, and the prices have gone down in the past 10 days. you are quite the tribal ideologue, but if no one else will swat you away like the annoying commie you are, i will continue to un-mute you to read your stupid and predictable 'my guy good, your guy evil!!!' silliness


no, here's how a dialogue actually works for adults. are you still reading Che Guevara writings? your low intellect is showing. PS - he wasn't a physician, since you didn't acknowledge you were posting wrong stuff on the other thread a month ago

1. someone: mosquitos seem worse!
2. me: they are bad. but everyone i asked, about 10 local people the past week, say they are always horrible Jan/Feb.
3. me: here are some links showing they were horrible for the past 13 years of BsAs history.
4. Dumb-o-cado: YOU DON'T LISTEN AND YOU HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW WEEKS SO YOU DON'T KNOW BETTER

i literally said that the claims are demonstrably false, then showed you, and then you argued for the entire premise of my argument. can you not read, or is this your little fetish?

Actually @StatusNomadicus this year IS worse.

The government needs to take action NOW, Argentina has a serious dengue epidemic, and we need to do a lot to stop mosquitoes from spreading it. Spraying is an easy way to fix this. In 2024, it's way worse than ever, and that's why there's hardly any mosquito repellent in pharmacies. The city and federal governments need to step in quickly to protect everyone's health.

 

[Avocado]

I have been going to Buenos Aires since 2002 and lived there for 9 years. I always tried to leave for the summer as the weather is so hot and humid in January and February. But I did stay some months and some years the mosquitos would be worse than other years. Much depended on if it rained a lot during those summer months. If it did, then mosquitos typically are worse because pools of water would be around. The really dry summers they wouldn't be as bad.

I HATE mosquitos as they love me. I can be in a room with 100 people and I am the one they will attack first. I guess I'll see how bad they are. I'm heading there in a few days.

Yes this year it rain alot. That does not help with the mosquitos.

Actually @StatusNomadicus this year IS worse.

The government needs to take action NOW, Argentina has a serious dengue epidemic, and we need to do a lot to stop mosquitoes from spreading it. Spraying is an easy way to fix this. In 2024, it's way worse than ever, and that's why there's hardly any mosquito repellent in pharmacies. The city and federal governments need to step in quickly to protect everyone's health.

That correct! No mosquito spray anywhere. It become a problem. We must spray like past years. It much worse. You right Larry. This guy never listen.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

The government needs to take action

you lost me there. the gov't can't even pick-up tree branches from a storm 2 weeks ago. hellllll no i am not going to want to breathe-in chemicals, and have my dog step in condensation, of some cancerous sh*t that some young kid mixed in a batch while some city/provincial government bureaucrat sleeps on the job. noooooooope https://www.cbsnews.com/news/argentines-link-health-problems-to-agrochemicals/

This guy never listen.

see above post, and every post replying to you, that you ignore. they say you become an average of your peers, and i feel i am getting dumber reading your idiotic ramblings. at least make ONE reply in response to all my rejections of your stupid claims. just try to act like you're not a bot, with one single little itty bitty response?

also, word on the street is that the Off! spray in Argentina isn't quite as effective as international mixings, for what it's worth. i haven't tried it; not a fan of those types of chemicals

I am the one they will attack first

okay then i DO want to meet-up, and use you as a bug shield! ahahhaa. i'm usually that guy. they're pretty bad right now, clinging on any type of vegetation, and making patio-sitting impossible. on my 9th-floor balcony, i don't see them very often, and i get some sun almost daily up there.

rumor is mosquitos seek-out darker-colored clothing. and they are around 5a-7a, and 5a-5p for the biting females to get blood for breeding. but i've seen them all day most days since Xmas. especially in the park, in the shade. you take a step and there will be 40 of them swarming your legs. i pick-up my dog's poop while doing a funny dance

also, you might be using floral bodywash/deodorant/lotion. i'm going to try to hunt-down some Coconut bodywash from a hippie store and try it. i don't remember if you saw @BowTiedMara mention this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1741255855520071723

 

[earlyretirement]

you lost me there. the gov't can't even pick-up tree branches from a storm 2 weeks ago. hellllll no i am not going to want to breathe-in chemicals, and have my dog step in condensation, of some cancerous sh*t that some young kid mixed in a batch while some city/provincial government bureaucrat sleeps on the job. noooooooope https://www.cbsnews.com/news/argentines-link-health-problems-to-agrochemicals/


see above post, and every post replying to you, that you ignore. they say you become an average of your peers, and i feel i am getting dumber reading your idiotic ramblings. at least make ONE reply in response to all my rejections of your stupid claims. just try to act like you're not a bot, with one single little itty bitty response?

also, word on the street is that the Off! spray in Argentina isn't quite as effective as international mixings, for what it's worth. i haven't tried it; not a fan of those types of chemicals


okay then i DO want to meet-up, and use you as a bug shield! ahahhaa. i'm usually that guy. they're pretty bad right now, clinging on any type of vegetation, and making patio-sitting impossible. on my 9th-floor balcony, i don't see them very often, and i get some sun almost daily up there.

rumor is mosquitos seek-out darker-colored clothing. and they are around 5a-7a, and 5a-5p for the biting females to get blood for breeding. but i've seen them all day most days since Xmas. especially in the park, in the shade. you take a step and there will be 40 of them swarming your legs. i pick-up my dog's poop while doing a funny dance

also, you might be using floral bodywash/deodorant/lotion. i'm going to try to hunt-down some Coconut bodywash from a hippie store and try it. i don't remember if you saw @BowTiedMara mention this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1741255855520071723

Ha! Sure we can meet up and eat indoors. I don't think it's any soap or cologne. I've been getting bit my entire life since a kid and now my kids are the same. When we are in the same room they will go after them and not me. But that's about the only ones. It will be horrible for them as they will sometimes get bit on the face and they have almost an allergic reaction to them sometimes. Mosquitos are disgusting little creatures.

I'm not looking forward to the mosquitos. I was supposed to leave today for EZE but my flight was so delayed that I just decided to grab a flight tomorrow instead. Hopefully there aren't issues with that one.