La Plata - underrated city - 40kms / 25 miles from BA

[FuturoBA]

Cool looking city. I have a friend who's a hard core mason, Argentina seems to have a pretty good history of Mason influence. I remember the tour of the Palacio Barolo the guide mentioned a lot of masonic symbols there too. I'll have to show my buddy this thread and history here, been trying to get him to at least visit Argentina.

 

[Bill]

Yes, slow paced, simpler people, a bit monotonous though. There are nice cities nearby like City Bell and Gonnet with more greenery, big houses very upscale. Yes they filmed the TIbet scenes in Mendoza XD because they weren't allowed to film in China. Here're some of the scenes:
youtube

That is some fun trivia. I really liked 7 Years in Tibet. I had no idea it was partly filmed in Argentina.

 

[JonJLA]

Cool looking city. I have a friend who's a hard core mason, Argentina seems to have a pretty good history of Mason influence. I remember the tour of the Palacio Barolo the guide mentioned a lot of masonic symbols there too. I'll have to show my buddy this thread and history here, been trying to get him to at least visit Argentina.

I don't know anything at all about Masons. I will have to do some research. I haven't visited La Plata but would just based on this post. @FuturoBA how do you define hard core mason? Do they just travel around and visit unique cities or monuments that Masons built?

 

[LongIslander]

No, it's kind of unique in the world:

• It was designed by masons.
• The layout was created before the buildings where the main square is in the exact center of it and the foundational stone is buried in the center of the main square.
• Government buildings are alligned vertically to that main square, there are two main diagonal avenues pointing geographically to N/S W/E,
• Streets are numbered but they skipped the number 52 since it has a meaning for the masons, so you go from 51st street directly to 53rd.
• There are parks every 6 blocks, this idea was taken from a book written by Julio Verne. Also different streets have different type of trees, like orange trees and linden trees, this was designed for blind people so they can guide themselves with the smell of the trees.
• It was the very first city from South America with a public electric light network.

View attachment 6818

It does look unique indeed. I'm surprised we don't hear more about La Plata. The trees sound amazing there. Neat about the first city in South America with public light network! Quite an accomplishment. Makes me want to visit it. Thanks @enbits.

 

[FuturoBA]

I don't know anything at all about Masons. I will have to do some research. I haven't visited La Plata but would just based on this post. @FuturoBA how do you define hard core mason? Do they just travel around and visit unique cities or monuments that Masons built?

By masons I'm referring to the Freemasons, which admittedly I don't fully understand as there's a lot of secrecy and probably mythology of what they really entail. By hard core it means he's a 32nd degree master mason, who regularly attends local lodge meetings, and constantly brings up their tenets.

Bowtiedmara also did an article on the Freemasons in Argentina

Freemasons in Argentina

The secret society that spans over 3 centuries and 14+ presidents, with many symbols in Argentine architecture and urban planning.

www.bowtiedmara.io

 

[Vince]

By masons I'm referring to the Freemasons, which admittedly I don't fully understand as there's a lot of secrecy and probably mythology of what they really entail. By hard core it means he's a 32nd degree master mason, who regularly attends local lodge meetings, and constantly brings up their tenets.

Bowtiedmara also did an article on the Freemasons in Argentina

Freemasons in Argentina

The secret society that spans over 3 centuries and 14+ presidents, with many symbols in Argentine architecture and urban planning.

www.bowtiedmara.io

Very interesting. I didn't know much at all about Freemasons. Interesting read.

 

[Wally]

This was a delightful watch on La Plata.

 

[Spend Thrift]

I will have to take some time and visit. @enbits can you recommend any great restaurants there that you know of?

 

[FuturoBA]

Saw this posted. I know nothing about it, but looks like a nice house in the suburbs of La Plata for under 200k.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820936068369121688

ETA: "not in a gated community but in a normal suburban barrio .4 acres lot, 2700 sq ft house, 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, heated pool with led, automated sprinklers, the nice parrilla area, etc etc etc..."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820955788439089585

 

[Spend Thrift]

Saw this posted. I know nothing about it, but looks like a nice house in the suburbs of La Plata for under 200k.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820936068369121688

ETA: "not in a gated community but in a normal suburban barrio .4 acres lot, 2700 sq ft house, 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, heated pool with led, automated sprinklers, the nice parrilla area, etc etc etc..."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820955788439089585

That looks like a really nice property. The typical person probably doesn't need all that much space especially with birth rates dropping. Still, that's about the same price now for a small apartment in Palermo now.

 

[CraigM]

Saw this posted. I know nothing about it, but looks like a nice house in the suburbs of La Plata for under 200k.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820936068369121688

ETA: "not in a gated community but in a normal suburban barrio .4 acres lot, 2700 sq ft house, 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, heated pool with led, automated sprinklers, the nice parrilla area, etc etc etc..."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820955788439089585

Good lord that is cheap, hard to believe

 

[James Bond]

Good lord that is cheap, hard to believe

Yes they have affordable properties the further you go outside of the city. If you have children it is an option but most people want to be close to Buenos Aires. You also need to see how the house is constructed. My girlfriend has some family out there. Some houses are nicer than others. If you look at the photos this is a nothing special house. It is decent size but it isn't too expensive to construct a house compared to other countries. Labor is cheap here

 

[Digital Nomad]

Saw this posted. I know nothing about it, but looks like a nice house in the suburbs of La Plata for under 200k.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820936068369121688

ETA: "not in a gated community but in a normal suburban barrio .4 acres lot, 2700 sq ft house, 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, heated pool with led, automated sprinklers, the nice parrilla area, etc etc etc..."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820955788439089585

I wonder what the security is like or what crime is like on a property like this. @enbits is there much of an issue on crime in La Plata? My girlfriend's family has some properties in the Northern suburbs but they are all in gated communities with security.

 

[CraigM]

Yes they have affordable properties the further you go outside of the city. If you have children it is an option but most people want to be close to Buenos Aires. You also need to see how the house is constructed. My girlfriend has some family out there. Some houses are nicer than others. If you look at the photos this is a nothing special house. It is decent size but it isn't too expensive to construct a house compared to other countries. Labor is cheap here

Perhaps but all that land and a pool. It costs $80-100k to build a pool in Austin these days.

 

[Vince]

Perhaps but all that land and a pool. It costs $80-100k to build a pool in Austin these days.

Very true. My brother just spent $125,000 on his pool in California.

 

[enbits]

I wonder what the security is like or what crime is like on a property like this. @enbits is there much of an issue on crime in La Plata? My girlfriend's family has some properties in the Northern suburbs but they are all in gated communities with security.

For me BA it always felt more insecure than La Plata. The 'core' of the city is the most safe area:



Regarding the outskirts of the city where you can find houses like the one on twitter there are two: 'City Bell' and 'Gonnet' located North West. There are upscale neighbourhoods there (not gated communities); the city has rugby, tennis and golf courts so I don't know if you can get a house for that price. My sister lives there, never been robbed but you need to have a good alarm.

 

[enbits]

I will have to take some time and visit. @enbits can you recommend any great restaurants there that you know of?

Yes, just go directly to 'Baxar Mercado' is a smaller and modern version of 'Mercado de San Telmo' you have 'La Cabrera' there if you want good steaks, a wine bar, sushi, NY style burgers, etc.

Baxar Mercado

Mercado gastronómico, un espacio de encuentro para comer, beber y aprender.

baxar.com.ar

 

[Finance Prof]

Yes, just go directly to 'Baxar Mercado' is a smaller and modern version of 'Mercado de San Telmo' you have 'La Cabrera' there if you want good steaks, a wine bar, sushi, NY style burgers, etc.

Baxar Mercado

Mercado gastronómico, un espacio de encuentro para comer, beber y aprender.

baxar.com.ar

Thanks. Going to plan a weekend trip out there. Easy little getaway trip.

 

[oil rush]

Yes, just go directly to 'Baxar Mercado' is a smaller and modern version of 'Mercado de San Telmo' you have 'La Cabrera' there if you want good steaks, a wine bar, sushi, NY style burgers, etc.

Baxar Mercado

Mercado gastronómico, un espacio de encuentro para comer, beber y aprender.

baxar.com.ar

Baxar Mercado is fun. I very much enjoyed my last trip to La Plata. Lots of university students there. It is where my friend graduated and she has fond memories there.

 

[earlyretirement]

Thanks @enbits about posting about La Plata. I haven't ever been there. Several friends and girls that I was dating when I first moved to Argentina invited me to go out there but for one reason or another I never made it out there. But the lay out of the city looks beautiful. I'll make some time to go visit it. Looks like a great city. I had no idea it was the first city in South America with electric street lights. That in and of itself makes me want to go visit it.