3 comments about At Home in Buenos Aires.

1. As an argentinian expatriate, this book is a wonderful reminder of my beloved Buenos Aires. But if you were not born in Argentina, you will not find only a turistic guide, a political essay or a historical vision of the city, but all that and more.

   The description of the society is really accurate, and it is made with the objective point of view of a foreigner. And the research about the History of the city is precise as well. As an architect, I find the photographs excellent, and they show the reality and the contrasts of this wonderful city.

   So, if you are planning a trip to Buenos Aires or just want to know more about the city, this book will give you an excellent vision of what you will find there.




2. I found this book by chance on my last trip to NY.

   I am an argentinian living in Buenos Aires, and I love my city. I think the book shows it in a wonderful way, through the text and pictures, which I found really beautiful.

   It's good value for money too.




3. This pictorial review of Buenos Aires is a stunning display of photos of the city, its homes and its people. Coupled with a descriptive narrative, the photographs, all in color, trace the history of the city and describe modern day Buenos Aires. It is awesome to see the turn of the century architecture of the various buildings and at the same time to be allowed into the private homes of the city's residents. As an American visitor to Bs.As., I found that this book allowed me to see areas that otherwise would be unavailable to view. In later chapters of the book, the writer and photographer take the reader to the city's suburbs and then on to the world famous Argentine estancias (ranches).I would recommend this book to those who have traveled to the city who now wish to be reminded of its beauty as well as to the Argentines who may now live outside the country yet long for a reminder of what awaits their return. For those who have yet to visit Bs. As., this book is a fine substitute.

No comments about Facundo (COLECCION LETRAS HISPANICAS) (Letras Hispanicas).

1 comments about Waterproof Argentina Map by ITMB.

1. I bought this map to plan our Patagonia trip - it is missing many of the major destinations that we want to visit. I would like to send it back.

1 comments about South American Explorer: Visitor's Map of Southern Chile and Argentina Including the Chilean Fjords.

1. There are better maps of southern South America, but the map of the Chilean Fjords on the reverse side is great. One unexpected feature that I really like is the inclusion of numerous factoids about the geographic areas on the map, as well as many historical facts.

5 comments about The Rough Guide to Argentina 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

1. The Rough Guide to Argentina (2nd edition published in January of 2005) is the best guide available for the entire country. I phrased it this way because Time Out Buenos Aires (published July 2006) is by far and away the best guide for the city of Buenos Aires.
   
   If you are a little leery of purchasing a guidebook printed almost two years ago I would recommend purchasing Time Out Buenos Aires as well because it seemed that only in Buenos Aires have things changed so rapidly that a newer guide would be necessary.
   Having said that you certainly can get away with just having The Rough Guide (just know that prices have gone up - which happens with all guide books).
   
   When comparing The Rough Guide to Argentina to Lonely Planet Argentina (the only real competition since Fodors, Frommers, and Bradt just don't compete) I can easily recommend Rough guide over Lonely Planet. The Rough Guide simply has more information (it has 372 MORE pages than Lonely Planet has). A few times I found that I'd read about a very intriguing and little known attraction in the Rough Guide only to find it missing altogether in Lonely Planet. I know that most guides are striving to also highlight the off the beaten track activities as well as the major ones and The Rough Guide achieves this in a much better way than Lonely Planet.
   
   I don't fault Lonely Planet for this because they produce good travel guides (especially in Europe), but it seems that they made the decision to not go as in depth as The Rough Guide has in South America (since I also found the same to be true with the Chile and Peru guides).
   
   The maps are very easy to use and more intuitive than Lonely Planet's, but it would be nice for Rough Guide to copy LP in printing the elevation and population of cities and towns.
   
   All areas of the country are represented well in the guide. Some are a bit more heavily detailed but it does not come at the expense of others.
   
   The "Basics" section is very detailed in highlighting entry requirements, transportation, health and safety issues, etc. There is also a lengthy discussion on the history of Argentina, it's peoples, culture, political system, food, etc.
   
   You will definitely not be disappointed after purchasing this guidebook.



2. I agree with pretty much with what has been said in the reviews below. The Rough Guide is a better value from the Lonely Planet, if nothing else for the additional number of pages (a third) that allow the authors to get into more detail on the history, politics and minutiae of places to stay and see.
   
   There are a few problems or personal recommendations I would make, or emphasize. The Guide is absolutely on target by recommending not to bring travellers checks. Not only are the banks loth to take them (only a minority actually do, the maximum is $100 per day) but there is an extraordinary amount of paperwork and they charge enormous fees. I brought most of the checks back home. There is a problem with Argentinian ATMs not listed in the Guide. Most ATMs use a 4 letter code and do not recognize 4+ codes from the USA or European debit/credit cards. You will quickly recognize and love the small minority that do (such as the Columbia Bank).
   
   The maps were very helpful to me.
   
   Some of the places described in the book were apparently never visited by the Guide's researchers, who must have relied on second-hand info from tour operators or Information agencies. A case in point is the Baritu National Park and its launching pad, the village Los Toldos, which are described from a standpoint of someone who has never been there.
   
   In general, I would say that the country is best experienced if one avoids organized tours. Argentines are a warm, interesting and interested people. It is one thing to sit in the bus with a bunch of Europeans and gringos and another to sit together with the locals... indigenous ladies returning from the market, old men in old hats, groups of seductive young women... you will see more of the land and experience more of the people. If you visit Iruya (which I thoroughly recommend), don't just stay for a couple of hours before returning to Humahuaca; i suggest renting a room in the village (for ridiculously low proces) and staying for a couple of days.
   
   There is very little about other countries and potential issues involved in crossing the borders. This goes for Brasil, Bolivia and Chile.
   
   Still, this is the guide to get. Enjoy the travels.



3. book arrived much earlier than other I'd ordered at same time, great condition, but extra box packaging is not necessary. Books like that only need padded envelopes.



4. I liked this better than the Frommer's guides, but I think the Lonely Planet guide does a better job. As a traveler on a student's budget, I didn't find this particular guide to be that useful or user-friendly. It IS informative and can be useful (language section, brief culture/history section, health section, etc.) but as I said, it wasn't right for me.
   
   I suggest the Lonely Planet guide to Argentina.



5. Three things:
   1. I have not yet been to Argentina so I have not verified my conclusion.
   2. I have not seen other Argentina guide books.
   3. I have a shelf full of other guide books for other countries and this is quite simply the best and most comprehensive travel guide I have ever seen. In the future I will consider Rough Guides first above all others, then evaluate.

1 comments about Argentina: The Bradt Travel Guide.

1. I went to Argentina in Nov 2006 and this book was very accurate and up to date. Well written and easy to use. My only complaint is that the maps could be better, but once I got to a city, the hotel usually had a better map I could use for free.

5 comments about Crying with Cockroaches: Argentina to New York with Two Horses.

1. What struck me most about this book was the sheer fortitude, ingenuity, perserverance and luck that Marianne evoked. Her initial lack of knowledge about horses makes it even more remarkable that she completed the journey at all, much less with such grace and aplomb. The way she tackles her dream trip is an inspiration indeed. A unique read that is sure to keep you turning the pages and leave you wanting to hear more. What will she do next?



2. Crying with Cockroaches is a great read, and unbelievable in its scope of what one person (with a little help along the way) can accomplish. My husband and I had the good fortune of meeting Marianne during her trip, which only enriched the reading of her story. It's entertaining and compelling, a must read for those inspired by tales of triumph over adversity.



3. When you meet Marianne Du Toit she doesn't look crazy. She seems like a perfectly normal, charming and inteligent young woman. And then she starts telling you stories about her trip, and you start to wonder...
   
   Then you read her compelling narative and you have to wonder how this woman summoned the courage to take on such an incredible journey. She claims she had no idea how tough it would be and that seems as good an explanation as any. Thankfully, nobody suggested she climb Mt. Everest on roller skates.
   
   Her book is a wonderful tale of what the human spirit can accomplish with a healthy dose of determination and a little grass roots help along the way. Du Toit uses her equine adventure to enthrall and enlighten.



4. "Crying with Cockroaches" provides an interesting insight into an extraordinary journey of both personal and geographical achievements. Du Toit documents her trek with two horses in an honestly written account. The beautiful pictures help bring the story and the terrain of the Americas to life. Animal welfare is a predominant point and seems even more relevant as the relationship and co-dependency between Du Toit and her two Criollos develops. The story also uncovers the good and bad of human behaviour in a trip so unpredictable and dependent on the offerings of others. The most appealing aspect of this book however is in my opinion, the determination and perseverance of the writer who was focused in the pursuit of her dream. This is inspirational in view to the challenges she faced in a seemingly impossible journey. These messages will no doubt, be encouraging and motivational to any reader of this book. A highly recommended read to any adventure seeker or those in face of a challenge!



5. A friend suggested I get this book and I was sceptical at first as I have read only a very few, true-adventure stories that excited me. Crying with Cockroaches however had me mesmerized from the very start. I purchased the book in January and have read it cover to cover, twice already.
   
   The voice of the author is so clear and her honesty, humour and optimism transparent on every page. All I can say is get this book. It is an easy read, well-written, great photographs and an excellent example of what we all can accomplish with determination and a strong will. The author is truly likeable and also humble, despite having undertaken this magnificent journey on her own but for two equine companions. She did not even know much about riding but her love for horses and really all animals and her perseverance to make this happen, made her triumph at the end. You'll laugh and cry, be exhilarated and moved as you are swept through the Americas on this epic adventure.
   
   It's not a "horsey book" but just really a five-star read to be enjoyed by all ages.
   
   HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

No comments about Chile & Argentina, 5th: The Bradt Trekking Guide.

2 comments about Che Boludo: A Gringo's Guide to understanding the Argentines.

1. This may well be the best book ever written. Believe me, I have read them all and this one blows them away.
   Truly amazing. I would love to meet the genius behind it.



2. Finally a really useful guidebook, ¡Che Boludo! will allow you to find the trouble you have been looking for. Este guía es la posta! Este chábon no es un zoquete.

2 comments about Voyaging: Southward from the Strait of Magellan.

1. Armchair adventurers who love sailing, roughing it through forests, bogs and mountains in strange lands, and meeting new people in brief encounters will love "Voyaging," by Rockwell Kent. The book begins with a shocking confession in the Introduction, and carries the reader through 184 pages of high excitement and magnificent descriptions of one of the most desolate and forsaken places in the world -- the area about Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.
   
   The book's main characters are (1) Kent, about 40; (2) his mate, a Norwegian of 26 years who started his life by shipping to sea under his father when 14, who after a few months of beatings jumped ship, cursing as he went, apparently never to see his father again; (3) a lifeboat, which Kent bought for $20 and named Kathleen, and with a group of tradesmen modified to include cabin, mast and rigging for sails; (4) the West Wind, which whistled ceaselessly and tossed the little boat about dangerously, and (5) a menagerie of people along the way who extended hospitality, most with loving kindness, a few with malice.
   
   A touching moment came on Bailey Island when Kent asked 20-year-old Margarita García, the name of her three-month-old suckling daughter. The baby has no name because she has not been baptized, Margarita replied. There in that inhospitable land Kent converted a dirty hovel into a cathedral and "baptized" the child, giving her his wife's name Kathleen Kent García. Kent writes that Father García, a murderer who earlier was released from a nearby prison after serving time, said "the ceremony had pleased him particularly as it was in truth the baptism of his child."
   
   Characteristically, Kent illustrates the book well with black-and-white drawings of the stark landscape, and a few portraits of his new acquaintances. He also includes several maps by which the reader may follow the men's attempt to sail around Cape Horn -- an adventure that did not always go according to plan, as the reader will discover. -- Allen Long, Arlington, VA.



2. Although Rockwell Kent is mainly known as an artist and illustrator he also deserves a fine reputation as a travel/adventure writer. This book describes his months of small boat sailing and trekking in the islands and channels of Tierra del Fuego at the very southern tip of South America.
   This was in the 1920's, a time well before ecotourism became a business. Going off on an adventure had a very different meaning: no reliable maps, no aerial photos, no GPS, no satellite phone to let you bail out when it got a little tough - it was actually dangerous out there. The book lets you in on an experience probably unobtainable in the modern world.
   The wonderful illustrations by Kent are a bonus, but the style is more grandiloquent than his classic "N by E".