domingo, 5 de agosto de 2007

Tigre. Delta del Parana

Tigre is a city in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in the north of Greater Buenos Aires, 28 km north of Buenos Aires city. Tigre lies on the Paraná Delta and is an important tourist and weekend attraction, easily reached by bus and train services, including the scenic Tren de la Costa. It is the principle town of the Tigre Partido.

The city sits on an island created by several small streams and rivers and was founded in 1820, after floods had destroyed other settlements in the area, then known as the Las Conchas Partido.

The area's name derives from the “tigres” or jaguars that were hunted there, on occasions, in its early years. The area was first settled by Europeans who came to farm the land, and the port developed to serve the Delta and to bring fruit and wood from the Delta and ports upstream on the Paraná river. Tigre is still an important timber processing port. The “Puerto de Frutos” (fruit port) is now a crafts fair located in the old fruit market by the riverside. The Naval Museum is also nearby.


Antiques shops, riverside restaurants and pubs, the casino and Parque de la Costa, an amusement park and its renowned natural beauty make Tigre a popular tourist destination throughout the year.

Tigre is also the starting point for a visit to the magnificent Paraná Delta. For locals and tourists alike, vintage mahogany commuter launches are the favourite way to travel through its web of inter-connecting rivers and streams. English-style rowing clubs, countless marinas, humble dwellings and elegant mansions from the “Belle Époque”, such as the Tigre Club, are to be seen, as well as modest hotels, restaurants, teahouses and simple picnic sites.

Tigre has, in recent years, seen an inlux of people relocating to the city from other parts of Greater Buenos Aires.







La Bombonera

The Estadio Alberto J. Armando (formerly the Estadio Camilo Cichero) is a stadium located in the La Boca district of Buenos Aires. Affectionately known as La Bombonera (the Chocolate Box) due to its rectangular shape, it is home to Boca Juniors, one of Argentina's most famous football clubs.

The stadium was first used for a friendly match between Boca and San Lorenzo on May 25, 1940. (Archrivals River Plate also inaugurated their stadium on 25 May, but two years earlier, on 1938).

It underwent a major renovation in 1995-96, raising its capacity to 57,395, and was given its current official name on 27 December 2000. The stadium is named after a former club president who promised a major renovation of La Bombonera upon his election in 1975, but his plans were delayed by the country's political and economic situation.

Visiting teams are said to be intimidated by the stadium's acoustics. This was noted by Estudiantes de La Plata, which hosted its major Copa Libertadores matches there.

Of its 57,395 capacity, there are 37,538 seats, 2780 boxes and the other 17,077 are standing room only. Both its interior and exterior are lined with many murals painted by artist Pérez Célis depicting many of the club's legendary players and many aspects of the district's culture. The stadium also contains a museum celebrating the club's history, opened in 2001.







San Telmo

San Telmo ("St. Pedro González Telmo") is one of the oldest barrios (neighborhoods) of Buenos Aires, Argentina and also one of the best preserved areas of that constantly changing Argentine metropolis, with a number of colonial houses and streets still paved with the original cobblestones (adoquines).

San Telmo's many attractions include many old churches (e.g. San Pedro Telmo), museums, antique stores and a semi-permanent antique fair (Feria de Antiguedades) in the main public square, Plaza Dorrego. Tango-related activities for both locals and tourists also abound in the area.

A similar barrio (neighborhood) is Pichincha, in Rosario city (300 km north of Buenos Aires), with its own antiques fair: "Mercado de Antiguedades Feria Retro La Huella".










Buenos Aires Downtown

Downtown - Buenos Aires

The area of the city referred to as “Downtown” or “Centro” is composed of portions of the Monserrat, San Nicolás and Balvanera neighborhoods. This section of the city is essentially a financial and commercial district, with a large concentration of banks, offices, businesses, and hotels. This large zone of the city includes a wide variety of activities to entertain all tastes.

Compared with the daytime bustle, there is much less nightlife, but nonetheless, the neighborhood has plenty of bars, restaurants, movie theaters, and other entertainment facilities which remain open practically all night long, primarily located on Lavalle Street and Corrientes Avenue. Among many other attractions, visitors will find places of tourist interest such as the city hall known as the “Cabildo,” the government house (Casa Rosada), the Plaza de Mayo, the cathedral, the “Manzana de las Luces”, the Colón theater, the obelisk, and the national congress. The main streets in the area are the famous 9 de Julio Avenue, Corrientes Avenue, Avenida de Mayo, and the pedestrian streets, Florida and Lavalle.

We recommend visiting:

Plaza de Mayo
Surrounded by the streets Balarce, H. Yrigoyen, San Martín, and Bolivar, this is where the city was born, and where the most important historical events have taken place since the revolution of May, 1810 until the present days. In the center of the plaza visitors will find the Pyramid of Mayo and the monument to Manuel Belgrano.

Government House “Casa Rosada”

Balcarce 50. Tel.: 4344-3600. Guided tours Monday through Friday at 5:00pm (Fridays in English). If interested, visitors should present identification and sign up beforehand in the Museum of the Casa Rosada at Hipólito Yrigoyen 219. Tel.: 4344-3804. Monday through Friday 10:00am to 6:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm to 6:00pm. Guided tours of the museum Monday through Friday 11:00am and 4:00pm, Sunday 3:00pm and 4:30pm.

Florida and Lavalle pedestrian streets:

During the weekdays on Florida St., visitors can immerse themselves in the rhythm of the “porteña” city. With numerous street artists, banks, shopping galleries, cafes, and shops, this pedestrian street bustles with life throughout the entire day. The perpendicular Lavalle St. is a traditional pedestrian mall lined with historic movie theaters, a bingo hall, several restaurants, and arcades.

Manzana de las Luces (Block of Lights)
Perú 272 Tel.: 4331-9534 Guided tours:
1. Who built the Block of Lights, and how was it constructed? In this tour, the different construction methods used between the 17th and 20th centuries are shown. Friday and Sunday at 4:00pm. Meets at Perú 272. Cost: $3.50 2. Primitive look of the University of Buenos Aires, National College of Buenos Aires, and Tunnels from the 18th century. Saturday at 3:00pm. Meets at Perú 272. Cost: $3.50. 3. Casa de Rentas of the era of the Vice-roy Vértiz and visit to the tunnels of the 18th century. Sunday at 3:00pm. Meets at Perú 272. Cost: $3.50. 4. Church and Cloister of San Ignacio, Procuracy of the Jesuit Missions, and visit to the tunnels of the 18th century. Sunday at 5:00pm. Meets at Perú 272. Cost: $3.50. 5. Free Guided Tours. Thirty to forty minutes, visiting the tunnels of the 18th century, the Patio of Procuratorship, and the “Mercado de las Luces” (antique and artisan market). Tuesday at 4:30pm and Friday at 1:30pm. Meets at Perú and Alsina.

Teatro Colón
Libertad 621 Tel.: 4378-7100 Guided tours from Monday to Friday every hour between 10:00am and 5:00pm. Meets at Toscanini 1180 (Toscanini and Viamonte). Tel.: 4378-7133. Cost: $5.00