Gay Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th. It is a very important date for ALL the couples -straight and gay- and it is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“). Also people invite their couples to spend the day in a romantic city and have a special night in a expensive hotel. But if you want to make Valentine’s Day a very special day, you can buy a tour to Buenos Aires (three nights in wonderful Argentina) and spend a lovely weekend with your Half-Orange.

It is not expensive. The price per person in… double room: us$ 199,  single room: us$ 299, triple room: us$ 179. The tour to Buenos Aires package includes: Round trip transfers, Welcome kit, City Tour and a three nights accomodation with taxes and breakfast at Moonlight House.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t miss this opportunity to visit Buenos Aires with your couple and have an unforgettable Saint Valentine’s Day in South America.

We wish you a Happy Saint Valentine’s Day!

Vendimia 2010

Begin exploring the city of Mendoza, the foundation area, historic buildings, squares, the dazzling General San Martin Park and the Hill of Glory, where we will have a magnificent panoramic view of the capital of western Argentina.

The next day we go to watch the majestic Andes Mountains, where there will spend a day of adventure, we’ll get rafting, horseback riding, rapelling, tasting a delicious outdoor barbecue accompanied by very good wines, surrounded by a breathtaking landscape.

Also in this package to Vendimia 2010 we will go visit one of the most outstanding wineries worldwide, located 50 km from the city of Mendoza, Zuccardi family winery. There we have diverse and entertaining activities, knowing from the vineyard to the preparation and tasting of fine wines, we either will cook with very pleasant people who will teach us to make bread and empanadas that we can then enjoy a delicious barbecue or realize the activity or grape harvest among beautiful vineyards. There is also a very original option is to travel the globe to find incredible vineyards from above.

Grapes of Vendimia

At night the city lights up with the Via Blanca de las Reinas, a parade of carriages with departmental candidates to National Queen. Each one is designed to represent the people and the productive activities of each department, music and fun lights attached to them in Vendimia 2010.

On Saturday morning we will enjoy the Carrousel of the Queens. In the afternoon we prepare for attending the show of Vendimia 2010, the main event at the majestic ¨Anfiteatro¨ Frank Romero Day, to enjoy an amazing night with play of colors, lights, music and more than 500 artists on the setting. Finally the completion of this event, we will move to downtown to enjoy National Grape Harvest Festival Gay, an innovative and eclectic entertainment that ends with a giant electronic party.

New Year in Buenos Aires

The start of a new year is usually a time for resolutions to improve your life and health in the coming months. Try your best to stick to your goals. Go to Buenos Aires on holidays with your couple, friends or family to find the peaceful promised land you need to make 2010 the best year ever!

The Buenos Aires Gay Tourism staff wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

Sidra is the alcoholic drink of the Christmas in Argentina

There is the tradition of Nativity scene and Christmas tree, gift giving, banquets . It is a time of family and friends so much like our own. The Nativity scene is set up in the house, depicting the birth scene of Jesus. The tree is decorated with candles lights and ornaments. All the presents are placed under the tree and await the morning of Christmas. On the 24th much like other traditional Hispanic families, everyone waits until late at night to eat and the presents are opened at midnight. The devout Argentineans attend church services, which is a long standing and shared family tradition. On Christmas Eve, family and friends gather to share a dinner feast that usually includes great celebrating.

Christmas in Argentina is warm and summery. Many families plan picnics or Bar B Ques to take advantage of the fair weather. Sidra finds a familiar place at the celebration table at Christmas time in the Argentinian family. Another variation is that not just traditional Pine tree is used in the home of the Argentina Family. Any artificial or live tree may be decorated in celebration of the holiday. Champagne and fireworks are also used to celebrate this holiday that due cooler weather we would not be able to enjoy.

Like all the Hispanic Cultures by Tradition the Christmas is not just a holiday but a season of celebration that centers firstly on the faith of Jesus. As with most Hispanic families, the religion traditionally is Catholic. In the Catholic religion the Christmas season begins with Advent and ends with the Baptism of Jesus. It is a beautiful time to reflect and grow in tradition and culture, family and faith.

Do you want to spend Christmas in Buenos Aires? Come and see this beauty.

We wish you a Merry Christmas from Buenos Aires Gay Tourism staff!

Gay spa in Buenos Aires

My trip to Buenos Aires… When I arrived after my long overnight flight I was in desperate need of some pampering and so I went straight to a spa. What a shock I had to find out that an hour long massage would cost only $15, a manicure and pedicure $12 total. You can even get your hair washed, dried and styled and pay less than $10 for it. Now, please don’t expect a glass of wine and aromatherapy at this price, you are truly getting just the service. But I did it all, and did everything I could the entire time I was there, and I recommend you do the same. The best thing to do is look for signs for these services as you walk around town, walk in and make an appointment, and most of the time they will take care of you on the spot. Also you will find great gay spa in Buenos Aires just for more fun

Then I realized that this service bonanza extended to other types of services as well. Because one of my trips to Buenos Aires was a month long stay in an apartment, I needed housecleaners and laundering services as well. Well maybe I didn’t need them, but after I heard the prices I just couldn’t deny myself. I was shocked to find that the launderers would come to my house to pick up my items, wash, dry and fold them in the same day and then hand deliver them back to me at the cost of about $3 a load. And the cleaners came once a week and cleaned the apartment top to bottom for $5. I actually felt guilty paying so little and quite often bumped up the price, but of course this was unnecessary. They were happy to have the work. That’s why I say, while you are in Buenos Aires, live like a king. Have a massage and get your hair done every day, and get a manicure/pedicure at least once a week. And don’t be afraid to send out laundry, or have cleaners come to your apartment everyday if you want. It’s well worth it and it helps the local economy too.

In order to get around to all of your appointments, shops and restaurants you will need to take taxis in Buenos Aires. There is a great metro system (el subte) but for the small price difference you can’t beat the convenience of a taxi. Taxis are always easy to find, and cheap, but you will rarely find a driver that speaks much English. Brush up on at least a few words of Spanish and you may find it easier to get your point across.

Get a trip to Buenos Aires now! take this cheap services and relax as much as you can.

Buenos Aires Gay Pride Parade

Something of a gay Mecca, by Latin America standards at least, Buenos Aires hosts a thriving gay and lesbian community with many gay clubs, bars and social venues. The main Pride Parade is held in the streets of downtown Buenos Aires on the first Saturday of November, to celebrate the formation of the first-ever gay group in Buenos Aires in 1969. Thousands of gays and non-gays from many different organisations join this popular, flamboyant event. Buenos Aires Gay Pride Parade is the most important annual gay event.

Where? Streets of downtown Buenos Aires. Includes May Square, facing Cathedral and Presidential Palace.

This year Buenos Aires Gay Pride Parade will be held on November 7 at six o’clock in the Plaza de Mayo.

For More Information:
- Argentine National Tourist Information Centre: Av. Santa Fe 883
Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone 00 54 11 4312 2232.
- Gay travel agency: BAGayTravel
www.bagaytravel.com

Take a look of the last Buenos Aires Gay Pride Parade at this video:

Aerial view of Obelisk of Buenos Aires and Avenue 9 de Julio at night, Argentina

Buenos Aires is currently on the top of the list for most world travelers mainly due to the devaluation of the Argentine peso. An American traveling in Argentina will find the American dollar will go a very long way, and at a point in time when the dollar isn’t even going very far at home.

What you should know before you go to Buenos Aires? My recommendation is to enjoy the shopping, dining/nightlife, and to partake of the inexpensive services that Buenos Aires is currently offering. And with this bit of insider information you can have a spectacular time here.

Buenos Aires is a city that never sleeps and if you go here to visit, I suggest you don’t sleep either. Even if you can only make it until 2 am, you’ll see what I’m talking about. If you’re getting in your cab at that time, you’ll feel like you’re leaving the party early. The streets will still be filled with people, most of the restaurants and bars will still be open, and it just won’t seem late. I’ve been drinking after dinner at a restaurant in this city to suddenly discover that it’s 5 am. Several bottles of wine were involved, but no matter, that would never happen to me in Denver because we would have been asked to leave the restaurant several hours earlier so that they could close. In Buenos Aires, when we left the restaurant was still half-full even though the sun was coming up.

Couple at milonga, dancing tango

One very touristy thing to do is to go to a tango show, and if you truly want to do this, then by all means do so. But many of these shows are really overpriced ($100 and up) and even though they usually include dinner, it’s usually not a bargain by Argentine standards. There are tanquerias, the most famous of which is La Confiteria Ideal, that allow regular people to come and dance with partners of their choice. The best part is watching the others dance because this is where you’ll see the real show. Some of the characters in these places will stick with you for the rest of your life. For instance the 80 year old man in plaid pants belted up to his chest that came in with his 60 year old “arm candy” in a tight red dress and jet black wig. They cut a rug across La Confiteria Ideal that was unmatched by any professional I saw in shows, on the street, or anywhere. I was mesmerized not by their superb ability they actually were pretty good but by their showmanship. And it felt real, which is something I never got in the fancy shows.

So if you are going to Buenos Aires, be prepared to forget your own path. Shopping, eating and going out at night should be the basis of your agenda when planning a trip here. There’s just one more thing that I can’t fail to mention and that you can’t fail to miss: the cheap services

To be continued…

See you soon in the next post

Civil Rights Organizations of Argentina

There are several civil rights organizations that offer information and counsel. The most notable are as follows:

- Homosexual Community of Argentina (CHA)
The first and leading homosexual organization in Argentina. It actively lobbied the City Government of Buenos Aires to legally recognize the civil union of same-sex couples. The legal arm of CHA (juridico@cha.org.ar) offers free council to gays, lesbians and transvestites, and receives many requests for information from foreigners planning to visit Buenos Aires.
1080 Tomás Liberti, Neighborhood: La Boca.

- Argentine Society for Gay and Lesbian Integration (SIGLA)
Provides legal help and health information. Organizes workshops and recre ational activities for gays and lesbians.
949 Pasaje del Progreso, Neighborhood: Parque Chacabuco.

- La Fulana
One of the most consulted gay and lesbian organizations.
3410 Avenida Rivadavia, Neighborhood: Almagro.

Travel Agency to visit Buenos Aires Gay

- Buenos Aires gay travel agency (BAGayTravel)
They offer you a wide selection of tourist packages to visit Buenos Aires and all Argentina, from the point of view of a travel agent’s that is made up of people who are part of the gay community and that are willing to offer you a solution to all your tourist needs through their packages or putting together tailor-made trips.
3383 PB “A” Díaz Vélez, Neighborhood: Almagro.

Gay couple dancing tango

Sometimes is better to show what you mean than to describe it. So I invite you to see this films that contain scenes of tango show, such as:

1. Madonna featured choreography inspired by the argentine tango styles for the Die Another Day section of her 2004 Re-Invention Tour. Segments of the 2005 documentary I’m Going To Tell You A Secret show this choreography in use.
2. Shall We Dance (2004), starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon, directed by Peter Chelsom.
3. Frida (2002), Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd dance a tango to the Lila Downs performed song Cuartito Azul.
4. Chicago (2002), starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere, directed by Rob Marshall includes a song titled “The Cell Block Tango” and is accompanied with a dance.
5. Moulin Rouge! (2001), featuring Ewan McGregor and “El Tango de Roxanne”
6. Evita (1996), Madonna and Antonio Banderas dance a ballroom tango (see the scene above).
7. True Lies (1994), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, directed by James Cameron.
8. Schindler’s List (1993), starring Liam Neeson.
9. Never Say Never Again (1983), starring Sean Connery and Kim Basinger, directed by Irvin Kershner.
10. Last Tango in Paris (1972), starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.

Now that you understand what tango means, why don’t you learn tango in Buenos Aires? This argentinian city is the best place to dance tango because it was born there.

I hope you enjoy it. See you!

Habitación del Axel Hotel Buenos Aires

Axel Hotel Buenos Aires is the first hotel chain focused on the gay community. It is a 4-star hotel that offers a unique atmosphere of modern and luxurious design in the lovely San Telmo district, near 9 de Julio Avenue, Dorrego Square and Casa Rosada.

With winds of tango, design and comfort, Axel Hotel Buenos Aires seduces with its play of lights and transparencies, the sound of water.

This luxury hotel features sound proofed rooms well equipped with a king-size bed, free wireless LAN, flat-screen TV and other amenities. Upgraded rooms include a bathtub as well. The furniture is by Charles & Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe and Eileen Gray.

Piscina del Axel Hotel Buenos Aires

The luxurious facilities of Axel Hotel Buenos Aires include both a refreshing indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a spa and a fully-equipped gym.

In the morning, guests can discover another hotel highlight by enjoying a hearty and delicious breakfast inside the Axel Kitchen or atop the vibrant garden terrace. During other times, delighting in the restaurant’s Argentinean wines and specialties are a must.

If you want to get a trip to Buenos Aires, Axel Hotel Buenos Aires is your choice to stay at a gay hotel!