Chanel Features Buenos Aires

After all the buzz here in Buenos Aires last October about Claudia Schiffer being in town with Karl Lagerfeld to shoot the Spring 2010 Chanel campaign, we've finally seen the results! Well, partial results.... This March's Elle magazine features two new double-page spreads shot here in BA, sans Senora Schiffer - guess those ads are still to come. Supposedly influenced by Argentine gaucho culture, we also see strong hints of Mexican boleros and Spanish matadors.

The ads (at least the ones featured in Elle) were shot in the barrio of San Telmo, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods and home to the popular weekend fair. Specifically, the Chanel shot featuring "El Patio del Arbol" was taken in the picturesque "Pasaje de la Defensa," located at Defensa 1179. Here a 19th century residence now is home to galleries of antique dealers and souvenir stands, lining three ample patios - the "Patio del Tiempo" (Patio of Time), "Patio de los Ezeiza" (Patio of the Ezeiza, after the home's original owners) and, of course, the "Patio del Arbol" (Patio of the Tree).

Argentina Reciprocity Fee to Start December 20th

Breaking News -- We've just confirmed with the US Embassy that, as of December 20th, US citizens will be charged a reciprocity fee upon entering Argentina. The US$131 fee will be charged only on entries via Buenos Aires´s Ezeiza Airport, will be good for multiple entries, and valid for 10 years.

Argentina is not technically calling this a "visa fee" as there is no visa paperwork or application process to go through...though this is the same amount that the US charges Argentines for its visa process.

Australians will be charged US$100 for the 10-year, multiple entry pass, while Canadians receive just a one-time entry for US$70.

Forms of Payment: Travellers may pay by Argentine pesos, US dollars, credit cards, or travellers´cheques. If paying in pesos, the local exchange rate for US$131 will be used.

Please note that, for now, travellers will have NO access to ATMs or currency exchange desks before having to pay their reciprocity fee. Make sure that you have a way to pay!

The fee represents the implementation of a law passed back in 2008, but which had not been put into practice until now. Click here for the Argentine government announcement, released just this week.

Buenos Aires Jazz Festival, December 3-8

The Buenos Aires Jazz Festival opens tomorrow, December 3rd, showcasing more than 150 local and international artists. From big names to new talents, the music fest offers jazz in all its variations - instrumental, vanguardist, Latin American, European, tango jazz, and much more. Clinics, midnight jam sessions, Classic venues such as the Sarmiento Theater are complemented by open-air shows at the Centro Cultural Recoleta and the Buenos Aires Zoo, and speakeasy basement venues like the renowned La Trastienda.

We love the fact that ticket prices remain so accessible, costing between 10 to 40 pesos depending on the show. That's roughly US $3 to $12 to see top musicians perform!

For more information, contact the City of Buenos Aires or give us a ring here at Inspira.

Family Travel Tip, Buenos Aires

We've had the pleasure of arranging travel for various families recently, many with kids between the ages of 2 and 10. One of the parents' first questions is, what to do in a big city like Buenos Aires? Since the question must be foremost on travelling parents' minds, we thought we'd share some of our insider tips. Look for an upcoming "Top 10" list...but in the meantime, check out this video we recently posted on YouTube highlighting one of our fave places...the Museo de los Niños, or Children's Museum, in Buenos Aires. Hands down one of the best children's museums we've seen....

A brief guide to tango music for beginners

This week, we are delighted to have a posting from Inspira´s new tango expert and guide, Camille Cusumano. In addition to being a formidable dancer, Camille recently penned "TANGO, an Argentine love story," based on her personal experiences. She now also leads Inspira´s tango tours, for anyone interested in an insider´s take on tango dancing, where to buy tango shoes, proper tango etiquette, and more. Contact us for additional information or to arrange "una tarde de tango" (an afternoon of tango). Below, from Camille:

Tango music is something the most unschooled among us recognizes when we hear it. Even if we don’t know what a bandoneon is, we know that concertina-like sound, blending with violins and perhaps some piano music. We recognize the beat, technically called “two-by-four,” even if we know nothing about music. And above all, we know the emotions of the tango sound, the varying mix of lament, woe, romance, passion, and every nuance in-between.

Once you start going to milongas, where tango music is played for dancers, you quickly learn that tango can be broadly divided into three categories---pure tango (the dos por quarto or two by four), tango vals or waltz (similar to American waltz), and tango milonga, a word also used to describe the rhythmic music whose roots go back to the African slaves. Tango milonga invites lots of syncopation, called traspies, in the dance steps.

And then, within these three categories, there are numerous interpretations depending on the composer. Too, too numerous to describe here – but here’s a good book to pick up and learn more: Tango, Let's dance to the music! By Joaquin Amenabar.

So, the more I dance tango and learn about the music through the way it affects my dance, the more difficult it is for me to answer that FAQ: Who are your favorite composers?

Yet, I will try here: Carlos di Sarli (The RCA years) is a favorite – he is my tops for romantic tango music. Di Sarli has songs in all three types of tango music, too. You can’t go wrong with anything by him.

Ah, Pugliese – Osvaldo Pugliese. He is probably considered the most romantic for many tangueros. And I do love to listen to his wildly creative interpretations. Who could not love La Yumba, Mala Junta, and Mariposa?—to name just a few of his eternal themes. Here’s a little secret about Pugliese I just learned from Joaquin Amenabar: The milonga DJs play his 1950s radically passionate stuff – but it’s not danceable. Well, that explains why unlike most milonga attendees I always want to sit out that tanda and just watch the dancers wrap themselves as one to his music. BUT, get hold of Pugliese’s 1940s music – and you’ll hear it’s much more tempo-friendly for dancing. You can find a CD of his 1940s music anywhere here in Buenos Aires – just ask the clerk. Also, look for a composer, lesser known, but equally passionate to Pugliese, Alfredo Gobbi. You’ll be amazed how similar they sound. Gobbi died too young to achieve the fame of Pugliese, who made it to his nineties.

Let me drop a few more names that you might want in your collection: Francisco Canaro–make sure you get La Poema (romantic tango); Juan D’Arienzo, the King of Rhythm; Rodolfo Biaggi (very rhythmic –too much so for some dancers); Anibal Troilo (rhythmic is a softer way) – anything by these Golden Era composers is great.

Start with the above Composers. When you’re ready to add more styles to your collection, look for any tangos by De Angelis, Tanturi, Laurens, DeCaro, Calo . . . and I’ll stop there for now. Not all tangos have lyrics but when they do, here are the great voices to look for: Francisco Fiorentino, Alberto Castillo, Julio Sosa, Raul Beron, Angel Vargas, and of course, the immortal Carlos Gardel.

That’s enough name-dropping for now to keep you busy.

Women´s Soccer Team, a Goal unto Itself

Yesterday, the Inspira Travel staff met up with Ginger from San Telmo Productions. She and her Argentine husband Gabriel are currently making a documentary about a female futbol (soccer) team in Villa 31 and just finished months of shooting. For those not familiar with the term, a villa is essentially a shantytown, similar to the Brazilian favela and often on occupied government land . As with most major South American cities, Buenos Aires has its fair share of villas and must deal with both the stereotypes and stringent realities faced by these communities.

In other countries, where women´s team sports are popular and plentiful, the notion of a female soccer team might not be of any interest. Yet in South America, where futbol reigns supreme, there are few female teams, not to mention a complete lack of any women´s professional league. The benefits that come with practicing a team sport - among them, sportsmanship, discipline, support, physical well-being - are many, though the challenges that these young women face make such benefits hard won. While I won´t enumerate them all here (leaving that to San Telmo Productions and other journalists who have committed significant energy to this story), just making it to daily practice can sometimes seem a futile task given the responsibilities and situations that are oft encountered.

For travellers interested in learning more about the Villa 31 girls´ futbol team, please don´t hesitate to contact us. In the meantime, you can read more about these young ladies here and about the documentary filming here.

Green Travel Tips Buenos Aires

With Earth Day tomorrow (April 22), we thought we´d post some travel tips about greener travel in Buenos Aires. For more information on Buenos Aires festivities for the second annual Earth Day here in this grand metropolis, see bottom of post.

“Verde, que te quiero verde” (“Green, how I love you green”), could be the tag of today’s green travel movement. According to a recent TripAdvisor survey, green travel has been steadily growing – in 2009, 34% of U.S. travelers have intentions to visit an environmentally-friendly resort or hotel while 32% said that their travel decisions would be more environmentally conscious, up significantly from 30% and 26% respectively the previous year.

How, though, to be eco-amenable when travel plans lead to big cities instead of rural landscapes?

• Stay in hotels with environmentally-conscious cultures. New boutique hotel Casa Calma, which features organic room amenities in refillable bottles, low-consumption lighting, biodegradable cleaning supplies, and even a vertical garden to help maintain year-round temperature equilibrium.

• Get around green. Built in 1913, the Buenos Aires subway is the oldest in Latin America and the 13th oldest in the world. Carriage cars on the Linea A (the first line built in the city) still retain much of their original features, including wooden side panels, leather straps, and ceiling lamps. At about US$0.40 entry fee, a ride on Linea A is not only an eco-friendlier means of city travel but an inexpensive, first-hand experience of what was once transportation’s grandest innovation.

• Seek out low impact tours. Bike tours of Buenos Aires rank among our travelers’ favorite Buenos Aires experiences. A great way to cover a lot of ground with little impact, these excursions are also ideal for first-time visitors seeking a respite from jet lag, or return guests interested in seeing the city in a different way.

• Give green. With the city’s reputation for avant garde fashion and design, recycled and second-hand gifts are far from second-rate. Vacavaliente, sells playful home and office accessories made from recycled leather at specialized stores throughout the city. In addition to the popular San Telmo Sunday market, Inspira Travel also recommends browsing the lesser-known Dorrego flea market for vintage home furnishings and accessories (a recent find included an art deco silver-plated teapot for US$25).

• Eat locally. For visitors intrigued by South American cuisine, Inspira Travel secures reservations at Casa Felix. Open just three days a week, the restaurant incorporates tastes such as plantains, manioc, fennel, and blue corn. Ingredients are sourced locally and organically. Part of the city’s hip “puertas cerradas” (or “closed doors”) dining trend, this underground locale combines eco-friendly with in-the-know gourmet.

This year, Earth Day in Buenos Aires will be celebrated on April 25th at the Plaza Naciones Unidas, complete with live music and other performing arts, stands for organizations, sale of organic products, and more.

Tango Turns and Milonga Mannerisms

The "city of," "world capital of," "birthplace of"....  When travelers think of Buenos Aires, tango is inevitably one of their first associations.  And for good reason - the passion, late-night glamour, and  alternately strong or plaintive chords of the tango are characteristics equally alive in and intertwined with the soul of this oft enigmatic place.  

As an addition to any Buenos Aires itinerary, a professional tango show truly impacts one's sight and sound.  Live musicians, powerful singers, and  impeccably timed choreography (not to mention the sparkle of those exquisite tango shoes!) envelop and enthrall.  At Inspira, two of our favorite shows, Cafe de los Angelitos and El Viejo Almacen, take place in refurbished historical venues.

A dinner show, however, simply does not do full justice to this intricate art form.  For this, our Inspira Travel consultants recommend visiting a milonga, a tango dancehall where the "real people" dance...dancers of all skill levels, locals and expats alike.  The beauty of attending a milonga is the people-watching.  Older gentlemen in suits, hip-hoppers in baggy jeans, glittering ladies in backless dresses - a parade of personalities.   Spectators would also be best served by a basic understanding of milonga etiquette, with its subtle nuances and unstated rules.  Inspira offers milonga guides who accompany visitors, explaining dance's customs while providing an historical overview of the tango.  

For travelers looking to get a head-start on milonga mannerisms, we were delighted to see a recent article by travel writer Ian Mount on accepted protocol.  

For further information on tango shows, milonga outings, and insider travel advice on Argentina, please contact info@inspiratravel.com.

Hoping all your travels are inspirational....

A Passion for Polo

Known as the "Game of Kings," polo was first played in Persia as training for royal cavalry units. Today, Argentina dominates the world's polo scene - with more top-ranked players than any other country. While playing on a professional team still demands elite access to a stable of horses, Inspira Travel now offers polo outings to all visitors - royalty or no - interested in exploring the adventure and rich history of this sport.

Inspira Travel's most popular day package, "King or Queen for a Day," is set among the grassy plains and country airs of the Argentine pampas, just an hour from Buenos Aires. In this rural setting, recognized polo professionals offer first-hand instruction for all skill levels. One of our insider instructors includes Marcial Socas, a 4-goal handicap player who is also brother of the world's top-ranked and ten-goal handicap Adolfo Cambiaso. The instructors' and grooms' keen affection for the countryside, horses, and the game emerges over a shared mate with guests. The smell of leather, swing of the stick, and tossing of the equine mane place our guests front and center in this lesson of a lifetime.

While major polo championships have recently wrapped up in Buenos Aires, tournaments continue through April. As passion for polo flares through Europe, Inspira Travel has recently partnered with POLOSTAGE Germany to bring private and premium packages to Deutschland aficionados. We offer visitors the best of Buenos Aires - classic city elegance - complemented by the tradition of polo in the countryside with workshops, games, and access to private clubs.

Most polo aficionados will only have the opportunity to observe this sport from the bleachers. Now, Inspira Travel makes this equestrian experience available to all skill levels, and all the more engaging with guides and instructors passionate about polo.

Hoping all your travels are inspirational.....