Travel & Tours in Argentina, in Buenos Aires & Beyond
On the last day of Carnival Buenos Aires 2016, a resourceful kid protects his eyes by wearing his dad’s motorcycle helmet, enabling him to attack with his canister of foam unfettered.
A Buenos Aires Carnival tradition is for children to spray chemical ‘snow’ sold in canisters at each other. For some reason the tradition continues even though the carnival play often results in tears, as the snow stings slightly when it lands in the eyes.
A young boy squeals in delight as he gets sprayed in the face with canned foam during San Telmo‘s Carnival celebrations. Only a second later, he realizes it tastes horrible and contemplates crying for a split second before running from his young attacker. Carnival celebrations 2013 will continue until March 2. Check on this link for this year’s Buenos Aires Carnival information.
Friends in downtown Bariloche is a festive eatery that serves up decent, if slightly greasy, Argentine food 24 hours a day. Here you’ll find the classics — pasta, pizza, hamburgers and some European fare such as goulash and spatzle at reasonable prices. The thick-crust pizza is a filling diversion from the normal Argentine thin-crusted pie.
Friends has a bright and cheery atmosphere with random ‘Americana’ antique ornaments and curiosities hanging from the ceiling. This is the first place to go in Bariloche with kids — not just because of the visuals but because of the basic, kid-friendly menu.
Although Friends seems a bit gimmicky and gets a mention in every guidebook, locals go here too — especially when they are in search of a meal in the middle of the night. The service here is hit-and-miss, and apparently the waitstaff have offended someone sufficiently enough to prompt them to open a Facebook group calling for a boycott of the eatery.
Friends shouldn’t be blacklisted though, since it’s one of the few places in Bariloche to have a meal after the bars close and other odd hours.
Friends Restaurant
Mitre 302
Downtown Bariloche
Tel: (02944) 423 700
• Open 24 hours
The Children’s Museum of Abasto is a not-to-missed Buenos Aires attraction for the under-12 crowd.
Here parents might observe the first spark of their child’s future career through experiential exhibits that allow them to play at being grown-ups. Interactive displays allow kids to act as a broadcast journalist, dentist, TV cameraperson, construction worker and supermarket clerk among others.
There is also a pint-sized city with a Casa Rosada, Congress building and National Bank. The brightly colored exhibits are all in Spanish but language isn’t a barrier here.
The museum has various official city endorsements including from the Education Minister, and the culture departments of Argentina and the City of Buenos Aires. The Children’s Museum is a non-profit designed with the Declaration of the Rights of a Child in mind. Unfortunately that doesn’t preclude corporate-sponsored exhibits such as a McDonald’s and YPF ‘station’ to ensure early brand recognition, and that is the museum’s biggest drawback.
In the auditorium there are puppet shows, movie projections, storytelling and other events, listed daily by the entrance to the museum. There are two rooms dedicated to toddlers and babies for those who have a multi-age brood in tow.
For expat parents, this is the perfect place to host a birthday party for the under-10 that is sure to be a hit. Parents will be happy to find that there are spots for them to rest — or better yet send them with the grandparents, who get in free.
If a few hours at the museum doesn’t wear them out there is also the unfortunately named Neverland Theme Park right next door.
Museo de los niños
Av. Corrientes 3247, 2nd floor
Abasto Shopping
Tel: 4861-2325
• Hours: Tue- Sun& holidays 1:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
• Cost: AR$ children
—AR$ adults
• ½ off from 7:00 p.m.
• Seniors, students and kids under 2 free
Cumaná is down-to-earth, very affordable, and offers a great variety of real Argentinean food, despite being situated in swanky Recoleta. This restaurant allows visitors to see that there’s more to authentic Argentinean food than imports from Italy such as pizza and pasta, red meat cut in a lot of different ways and the often bland tortillas, tartas and milanesas found in dining establishments across the city.
Traditional provincial food is bursting with flavor and variety, but it is more often found in private homes than the city’s restaurants.
Cumaná serves up a myriad of traditional dishes in a rustic atmosphere. Examples include locros and guisos (vegetable and meaty stews) for cold winter days, big roasted potatoes stuffed with cheese and various other fillings, stir fried rice with mushrooms, and a wide selection of country-style empanadas. There are also salads and the obligatory pizzas, both of which aren’t up to the standards of the rest of the menu, so stick to the specialties.
Tables are very close together here, which can be boisterous and fun, or noisy and disconcerting, depending on your mood. They are covered with butcher paper tablecloths and come with a basket full of colorful crayons to play with, which is great for those with kids in tow. Diners are a mix of young Argentine couples, groups of university students, and tourists of all ages.
Be aware of your possessions — in all the bustle it’s easy for someone to snatch a phone off a table or a wallet from a jacket pocket. And as is the case with most restaurants that offer really good value, expect a long wait for a table if you arrive any time after 8:30 p.m.
— Dan Colasimone
Cumaná— $$
Rodriguez Peña 1149 (Corner of Santa Fe)
Recoleta
Tel: 4813-9207
• Credit Cards accepted
• Hours: 12:00 p.m. until approx. 1:00 a.m.
→ To try Andean food in San Telmo, try La Carretería