We´ve gone from winter straight into summer here in Buenos Aires, with temperatures suddenly approaching 30 degrees Celsius (86 Farenheit!). It´s the annual preview to the Santa Rosa Storm, a meteorological event that seems to celebrate Santa Rosa´s religious holiday on August 30th. On Sunday, possibly Monday, we'll see southeastern winds pick up, perhaps some furious lightning displays, and a deluge of waters from the heavens above. Really made me wonder about this Saint Rose, who with such a pacific name is still able to command the elements such?
Apparently, Rosa was born in Lima, Peru and has an annual holiday in part because she was the first Catholic saint of the Americas. As a young lady, she fasted, disfigured herself when admired to ward off vanity, and took a vow of virginity - all this against her parents´wishes. Rosa became a champion for the hungry and homeless, supporting them with the sales of her handiwork and tending to them, before becoming a member of the Dominican order at the ripe age of 20, and finally passing away at 31.
Saintly, indeed.... Yet, in addition to this tranquil existence, Rose was known for her "intervals of ecstasy". (Today, this would describe her as any other club-hopping 20-something; at the time, one can only suppose that these intervals were totally "organic.") I can only imagine that her annual storm might be the manifestation of another such ecstatic episode!
In addition to being the patron saint of the Americas, she also represents florists and gardeners...and as August 30th marks the beginning of spring here in Argentina, she certainly has an apt following!
For those of you travelling to Argentina post-Santa Rosa, pack for spring! Temperate climes, sunny days, and the lovely lavender of blooming jacarandas will shortly be visiting beautiful Buenos Aires.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The First Inspira Insiders Contest! How to Enter...
We are thrilled to announce our first “Inspira Insiders” contest! From July 15 to September 15, 2009 Inspira Travel will be seeking the best insider tips on travel to Buenos Aires, our home base. Where to go…what to do…and most importantly, WHY the place/event/experience is so great! We know you love to travel as much as we do…and we’ve rounded up a selection of fabulous prizes to give away…all for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us and with fellow travellers.
How to Enter
- Email tips (in English or Spanish) to insiders@inspiratravel.com along with full name and email address.
- Up to three tips will be accepted, for as many chances to win some fabulous prizes (see Prizes blog entry!)
- Tips must be specifically regarding the city of Buenos Aires and/or day-trips from Buenos Aires.
- All entries must be received by midnight, September 15th, PST (Pacific Standard Time).
- Must be 21 years and older to enter.
- No purchase is necessary.
For complete contest rules and details, please see our blog post on "Complete Contest Rules".
Inspira Insiders Contest: Complete Contest Rules
Yes, yes, we do have to have rules.... They may look like a lot, but we assure you, they're quite straightforward!
Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
1. Enter the Inspira Insiders contest by sending an email with your insider tip on exploring Buenos Aires to insiders@inspiratravel.com. Your email should also include your full name. By providing your e-mail address, you grant Inspira Travel (Sponsor) the right to send you commercial messages, unless specified otherwise as indicated on the entry form. By providing your tip, you also grant Inspira Travel the right to use your tip in its commercial and promotional activities without compensation. We respect your privacy and will not share your information with any third parties.
2. Entries that are lost, late, misdirected, garbled, or incompletely received, for any reason, including by reason of hardware, software, browser, or network failure, malfunction, congestion, or incompatibility at Sponsor´s servers or elsewhere, will not be eligible. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Web site.
3. Up to three insider tips will be registered per entrant for the drawing. Contestants who have one registered insider tip at the end of the contest period (on or before September 15, 2009) will have one entry in the prize drawings; contestants providing a total of two insider tips will have two; and so on. The tips may be provided in one email or in separate emails. Tips must be provided in either Spanish or English.
In the event of a dispute as to any Submission, the authorized account holder, at time of entry, of the email address used to register for the Contest will be deemed to be the entrant and must comply with these Official Rules. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address.
4. Contest winners will be chosen, on or after the first day of the following month. The potential winner will be notified by phone or e-mail. If the potential winner cannot be contacted within 14 days of attempted notification, an alternate winner may be chosen. All decisions by the judges are final.
5. The Grand Prize winner will receive two nights at Casa Calma wellness hotel in Buenos Aires, for self and a companion. Breakfast and hotel taxes are included. Transportation, additional meals, in-room charges (e.g., minibar, movies), telephone calls, gratuities, incidentals, and all other expenses are not included. Prize elements subject to availability, certain restrictions, and blackout dates. Scheduling must be made through Inspira Travel, and is subject to availability and blackout dates. Accommodations are on a double-occupancy basis. Travel must be completed within 10 months of notification of the winner. No substitutions for the First Prize will be allowed except by Inspira Travel, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded. The retail value of the First Prize is approximately US$600, depending on exact travel dates. Invitation to the Fernet tasting will be for a set date, to be determined and communicated in advance by the organizers, and will take place in Buenos Aires. The Boutique Shopping Tour will be booked via Inspira Travel on available dates as noted by the tour organizer. Prizes are non-transferable.
6. Income and other taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winners. Prizes are not transferable.
7. The contest is open to all participants who are 21 years of age or older as of the date of entry, except for employees of Inspira Travel, participating promotional agencies, providers, and the families of any of the above.
8. Odds of winning depend on the number of correct entries received.
9. All entries become the sole property of Inspira Travel and will not be acknowledged or returned.
10. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use the winners' (and the Grand Prize traveling companion's) names and likenesses for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes without further compensation (except where prohibited).
11. Contestants, by entering the Inspira Insiders contest, agree to be bound by the above rules and regulations.
Inspira Insiders Contest - Tips on Tips
Looking for a little more direction on your entry? Here are some "good to know"s that may just give you an edge.... Buena suerte!
- Judges will be looking for entries that are aligned with the Inspira Travel philosophy of engaging travellers with the people and places of the destinations that await them. Please feel free to check out our website to learn more about us!
- Tips can be on just about anything, and do not need to cost money. The more unique and engaging, the better. Some areas you may want to consider (though this is by no means a complete list) may include: romantic Buenos Aires, eco-friendly activities, eating out, family-friendly, free, cultural, day trips from Buenos Aires, active, getting around, and shopping.
- Don’t forget to let us know why you think the place/event/experience you are recommending is so fantastic. For example, if you think that La Bomba del Tiempo at the Ciudad Cultural Konex is, well, the bomb, let us know why – is it the low price, the multi-cultural crowd, the best drumbeats around, your favorite thing to do on Monday nights, all of the above? Be specific, incorporate your personal insight, and provide a vivid description.
Inspira Insiders Contest - Prizes!
The team at Inspira Travel is delighted to feature some of our top partners in Buenos Aires, and a menu of prizes intended to soothe, scintillate and even satiate the senses!
- Our Grand Prize winner will receive a two-night stay for self and a companion, including breakfast, at the renowned boutique hotel Casa Calma. This wellness hotel is Buenos Aires’s first, with each individual room conceived as a mini-spa center, featuring a Jacuzzi, Scottish shower, organic amenities, and more. Guests love the way that the rooms´ plasma TVs and iPod ports complement the natural surroundings with top technology, and rave about the hotel´s restaurant, featuring the freshest of natural ingredients.
- The First Prize is a Fashion Tour by Buenos Aires Boutique Tours, for winner and a guest. These customized tours through Palermo or Recoleta are tailored to match the traveller’s style and shopping interests. Handmade shoes, silverware, jewellery, textiles, leather goods, and more make Buenos Aires a shopping paradise…and the “in the know” retailers featured on these tours bring the best quality, service and design to participants. Every tour includes coffee, lunch, and a glass of wine as well as an exclusive shopping tote filled with an area map, VIP discount card, and more.
- Three entrants will each receive a bottle of the new Fernet 1882 , the first fernet made in Argentina (and 100% Cordobes, at that!) and an invitation to our exclusive Fernet tasting.
- 12 contest entrants will receive an exclusive invitation for self and a guest to an private tasting of Fernet 1882 with picada.
- Four participants will each receive a large jar of the dulce de leche La Salamandra – natural, delicious, and Argentine.
Entries will be reviewed by representatives of Inspira Travel. Judges´decisions are final. Visit our blog entry on “Contest Rules” for all contest rules and details.
Monday, June 22, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Let it Snow! Argentina ski season to open soon
The leaves are falling here in Buenos Aires, meaning the snow on the slopes just a ways south from here is not far behind. Last year, we saw "in the know" snow men and women arrive to Buenos Aires with their ski gear...yet, while Argentine slopes are well-established in South America, they are actually still quite unfamiliar to folks up North. This year, with the dollar, pound and euro holding quite strongly against the peso, we decided it was time to get word out. In-season skiing in the middle of the summer? And at these prices? We have a few friends who are already packing up..... So here's what we have on tap:
Package Overview: All of Inspira's Summer Slopes packages include 7 nights' lodging, free daily shuttle from hotel to lifts, ski lift tickets, breakfast daily, roundtrip airport transfers, and medical insurance. Rates are per person, based on double occupancy. Additional lodging options other than those noted below are available, though price may vary. Airfare, ski passes, and equipment are not included. Packages are offered from June 13 - September 26, 2009. Prices may vary according to availability.
Destinations:
Modeled after a European-style alpine village, framed by woods, lakes, and even a volcano, San Martin de los Andes attracts snow aficionados with its
ski resort Cerro Chapelco. Cerro Chapelco provides
27 runs for active travelers of all levels, including the U.S. national
snowboarding team who trained here as recently as last year. Travelers
seeking the tranquillity of an Andean mountain town can find it in this
Patagonian refuge. The Summer Slopes San Martin de los Andes seven-night
package starts from $479 per person, based on double occupancy at the Posta
del Cazador hotel.
27 runs for active travelers of all levels, including the U.S. national
snowboarding team who trained here as recently as last year. Travelers
seeking the tranquillity of an Andean mountain town can find it in this
Patagonian refuge. The Summer Slopes San Martin de los Andes seven-night
package starts from $479 per person, based on double occupancy at the Posta
del Cazador hotel.
The southernmost winter sports center in the world, Cerro Castor is also the newest in Argentina. Near Ushuaia's capital city of Tierra del Fuego, Cerro Castor features 19 runs of varying difficulty and one of the longest seasons in South America. The area is also popular with travelers who want to explore the "End of the World," as they may enjoy outdoor adventures such as boat rides to sea lion colonies and treks through the Tierra del Fuego national park. The Summer Slopes Ushuaia seven-night package starts from $499 per person, based on double occupancy at the Macondo House Inn.
With peaks resembling Gothic spires, Cerro Catedral is one of the best-known ski resorts in South America. Located about ten miles from the town of San Carlos de Bariloche, Cerro Catedral offers modern facilities with over 53 runs of various difficulties, overlooking the spectacular lakes and hills of Patagonia. At night, travelers can enjoy the sophisticated cuisine and glamorous nightlife that unfailingly accompany Bariloche in ski season. The Summer Slopes Bariloche seven-night package starts from $539 per person, based on double occupancy at the Tres Reyes Hotel.
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