Changes in Latitude » Argentina

S. America is Huge & other important lessons

Mango Steve — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:23:00 +0000

This is my first post of criticism from a travel client. It is constructive criticism and it arrives on the first anniversary of Changes In Latitude (after 11 years touring Latin America solely with produce executives, friends & family). While I would like to claim that I have created universally stellar experiences for all my travel clients this year, there is a first time for everything. I was reminded of three valuable lessons from clients recently returned from Peru, Chile & Argentina.

1. S. America is Huge

I was not assertive enough to dissuade these world travelers from biting off more than they could chew in S. America. I cautioned when I should have insisted they reconsider their long list of desired destinations. It is natural, especially when we travel very far, to want to see as much as possible of the region we’re visiting. On the surface, more appears better. But with travel, it is often true that “less is more”. I am reminded that trying to see too much can diminish the overall quality of any travel experience. I will insist on small bites because distances are great enough to be daunting for even the most seasoned travelers.

2. Even triple references do not ensure satisfaction.

It has been a rare occasion when clients have wanted to visit someplace I haven’t been in Latin America. On this recent S. America trip, however, the clients wanted to visit the Peruvian Amazon. Having never been there, I called an old friend in Lima about the best Amazon Lodge. He replied, “there are only three good ones; Tahuayo Lodge is the best”. I did some research and learned the owner had published a book about the Amazon. In addition, this lodge was named “One of the ten best wilderness lodges in the world” by Outside Magazine … and this was only one of a dozen such accolades. With such positives, client satisfaction was virtually guaranteed, right? Wrong. An Amazon wilderness lodge is not for everyone. I’ll use a more formal client questionnaire to better match people with places from now on.

3. Guide books are like casino bets

These particular clients did something I have never tried, and we can all learn from this one. They relied on Frommer’s advice in S America in determining some of their desired destinations and restuarants. They were not satisfied with the results. Guide book advice can never be “all things to all people”. Changes In Latitude serves upscale travelers, not “all people” In this case, Frommer’s advice disappointed my clients. Travelers, think about the nature of guide books – they are highly subjective. You’ll win some and lose some.

I was lucky to have local produce growers show me and my travel companions around Latin America for more than a decade. My goal is to provide that type of guidance to my clients. Today I was reminded that this goal will be a journey in itself.

Travel Visas & Entry Fees

Mango Steve — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:23:00 +0000

At present, U.S. tourists enjoy Argentina without paying an entry fee or applying for a visa. That is about to change.

Argentina is implementing new fees and visa application rules for foreign visitors for the New Year. The Interior Minister is responding to a perceived act of injustice since his countrymen pay $134 to enter the USA. Florencio Randazzo said the new fee applies to visitors from 22 countries charging fees to Argentines, adding “This is an act of justice. The fee is reciprocal; it is not restrictive in nature, not at all”.

The new fees will generate $40 million annually. Austrialia, Canada, the UK and many EU countries are being targeted. Randazzo said “the world is showing an increasingly negative attitude toward migration”. Brazil, Bolivia and Chile have implemented such policies. $134 USD is a much greater expense for Argentines than it is for citizens of more westernized economies.

It’s as if the world’s citizens have been playing a game of ‘musical chairs’ for many centuries. Now, the music is about to stop. Hurry up, sit down. Fight for the last chair. Left out? You lose the game.

This blogger is nomadic. Many people are, by nature, nomadic. There must be coooperation among neighboring countries to drop the fees and the travel visa bureacracy. Immigration rules must be reformed to make the process more transparent and expedient.

Mendoza, Argentina Field Notes

Mango Steve — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:47:00 +0000

Wine lovers visiting Mendoza leave with a new appreciation for Malbec. This grape came to Argentina from Bordeaux, where it is cultivated for blending. In the Mendoza wine province, at the base of the Andes, the growing season is much longer than in Bordeaux region of France. The soil is still rich after 150 years hosting these grapes and Malbec is cultivated by many vineyards as a single-grape wine.

The result is that Malbec from Argentina is a sweeter, softer bodied wine which ages better than French Malbec. Mendoza’s extra sunshine contributes to these improved characteristics by allowing more time on the vine – even after the sugar levels peak. Most of Argentina’s top wines come from Mendoza where amazing Malbecs are priced around $12-$15. Pair these with local dishes such as Patagonian grass-fed beef, goat, local trout, or young pork slow cooked outdoors.

My favorite downtown restaurant/wine bar was Bistro M at the Park Hyatt Hotel. Downtown you’ll find many excellent bistros filled with students from every continent staying in Mendoza to study Spanish at the language school COINED.

For dining at a winery, 1884 is also very good and the bar is as gorgeous as the Portenos who come to Mendoza just to dine with Francis Mallman. Find it at Bodega Escorihuela, http://www.escorihuela.com.ar/ There are too many vineyards to mention here, but I work with a very knowledgeable local guide who can show you the best of the “Ruta de los Vinos”. Another guide prefers adventure in the picturesque Andes Mountains, which is a good antidote to sulfite overload. Exploring on your own is not too difficult with modest Spanish fluency.

I recommend staying at La Posada Robles de Besares, a beautiful private home in a peaceful setting at Chacras de Coria, in the heart of Mendoza. The wine cellar is excellent for relaxing in the evening. Breakfast is served in a charming garden. There are tennis courts, a gym and Jacuzzi. Reiki treatments are also available onsite. For details visit http://www.roblesdebesares.com.ar/

The local Syrah’s are also very good, as are whites from many provinces in Argentina, but I’ll save these for another post.