AFFORDABLE ARGENTINA

Budget beds abound in Buenos Aires

On this. visit to
Argentina, I stayed
with my friend Pablo
and his family in the
suburb of Monte
Grande. Marvellous!
Instead of living like a
tourist, I lived like an
Argentine - squeezing
tomatoes in the stalls
and hopping on the
local buses. I must have
blended into the back-
ground quite well - I
was asked twice for
directions - not by
other tourists but by
Argentines. In Spanish.
You should have seen
the looks when I
replied in English.

Just before I left home, a
reader called to tell me that
she was leaving for
Argentina just ahead of me.
What really bothered her
was that she had been
booked into a famous
downtown hotel for $120
American a day. That would
bother me a bit, too. I ad-
vised her to spend one night

only at ‘Rockefeller's
Retreat” and find an alter-

native the next day.
I spent half a day trudging
around to hotels in decent

trayel-
wise

y Barbara
McCreadie

areas of the city checking
rooms and prices. These
hotels aren't palaces but they
were clean, respectable and
each room had a private
bath. They had plenty of
vacancies, but remember -

January and February are
the big tourist months in
Argentina.

By mid-February, when |

checked, things were
beginning to slack off.
Reservations for non-
Spanish-speaking North

Americans can be chancey.
You can try writing a letter
but give yourself plenty of
time if you want a reply.
Quote the rates that ['m
giving you here - I've been
told that rates have a
mysterious way of increasing
for Canadians and
Americans.

The first hotel we looked
at was the BRISTOL (Cerrito
286). Cerrito is one of the
side avenues running
parallel to the famous Ninth
of July Avenue, near the
Obelisk. It’s an excellent
area of town and quite
central. The room I looked
at was spotless, had a large
private bath and air con-

ditioning. Forty dollars,
twin. (400,000 pesos).
Right up the street

(Cerrito 208) is the SALLES
HOTEL. It is the twin sister
of the Bristol, must have
been built by the same
builder as the rooms are
identical in all but price. The

Mystery tour for locals

Most people think tours
are only for tourists but Gray
Line of Vancouvers new
Mystery Tours have been
exclusively designed for the
local residents of Vancouver
so they may take advantage
of all the unique activities in
their own backyard. Their
new Mystery Tours will start
March 13.

The tour consists of at
least three mystery
destinations unknown to the
passenger, plus a varicty of

interesting and fun activities
which they enjoy at each
destination point. Also
included in the tour is lunch
or refreshments. Gray Line
of Vancouver has chosen the
destinations and activities
carefully, so passengers of
all ages will enjoy the
Mystery Tours.

To help passengers solve
their destination, clues will

be given on the bus so they
may try to solve the mystery

destination before the bus
arrives.

Approximately four hours
long, the tours will run every
Saturday and Sunday
through ovt the summer.
The destinations and ac-
tivities will change weekly.
Tickets will be on sale at all
Vancouver Ticket Centre
outlets, plus Gray Line
booths at the Hotel Van-
couver, Sheraton Landmark
Hotel and the Sheraton Villa
Hotel.

Rubik cube shortage hits China

PEKING (UPI) - The supply
can't meet the demand in
China for “Magic Cubes,”

the popular name _ for
Rubik's colorful cube
puzzles.

The official Xinhua news

Mexico

$299

Salles wants $57 for the same
room.

Oh, yes. At the Bristol,
specify that you don't want
television. It costs $4 a day
more and you won't under-
stand a word of it anyway.

Another good bet is the
CASTLEGAR HOTEL,
(Ave. de Mayo 1152). Here,
a clean twin room with bath
will cost you $27. The lobby
isn't much and the elevator is
interesting but since you
won't be sleeping in either,
why worry?

To give you an idea of the
difference in quality
available for the same price,
here are two selections at the
princely sum of $15:

HOTEL NOGARO (Pte.
Julio A Roca 562). I stayed
here nine years ago. on my
first visit to Buenos Aires.
The hotel is still extremely
respectable but it has sort of
gone to seed - I don't think
they've done any painting or
decorating since I was there
the last time. Please try to
overlook the fading paint
and give it a try. Your $15
includes breakfast.

HOTEL MADRID (Avenida
de Mayo 1137) Avoid this
place like the plague! The
lobby is filthy and the rooms
barely better. They too want
$15 a night but they'd have
to pay me twice that to
spend an hour there.

This last selection is not
for the average middle-aged
Canadian. I'd only stay here
if I was desperate. However,
if I were part of a group or
students travelling on a
shoestring — well, why not?
You can get a tiple room
with bath for $15 at:

C9 - Sunday, February 28, 1982 - North Shore News

THE RITZ HOTEL (!) (Av.
de Mayo 1111). It’s old -
reminiscent of those 1940's
movies, no lobby but has a
squeaky old elevator. The
proprietor is very nice and
will be happy to get letters
from Canadians reserving a
room. I don't expect him to
be flooded with business.

Buenos Aires has hun-
dreds of hotels. It isn't
necessary to pay more than
one night in advance (if
that!) so if you don’t like
where you're staying, spend
an hour or so checking out
alternates and move with
speed. Before you register,
check the room. Nobody
minds if you ask to see the
facilities.

Take along a Spanish
phrase book and make them
write down the price so
there's no mistake.

Vuod VY¥OE

Theatre.

reserve your seat

>
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steele’s travel presents

WHAT'S CLUB MED?

Everything you wanted to know but
were afraid to ask!

Find out March 3 at 8 p.m. at the
West Van Secondary Schoo]

926-6871 or 987-2214

WAIKIKI

Air Onty

WAIKIKI $469

8 Days, 7 Nights, Air & Hotel

WAIKIKI $539

14 Days, Am & Hote:

LAS VEGAS *289

5 Days, 4 Nights, Air & Hotel

RENO $199

5 Days, 4 Nights. Air & Hotei

TORONTO %269
MAPLE LEAF
TRAVEL

736-3555

Rog. Agent 157-3

GIVE BLOOD.
aie Give Ure:

The Canadian Red Cross Society

$369

BUCCANEER'S CREEK

Great Door Prizes!
cai Steele’s Travel

MOOREA

COPPER MOUNTAIN CANCUN PLAYA BLANCA

- still has

agency said Peking’s 8&8
milhon people have so far
purchased 300,000 Rubik
Cubes and the demand sull is
gotng strong

Rtn Ai Fare onty

Leave Mar 5 Vancouver to

AND at

Guaymas Mexico P WA Direct
charter La Flesta Hotel $399 OO
one week $499 00 two weeks

The New China Chiidren's

Shop, the biggest in the |F? LAWSON TRAVEL 50) years

capital, has sold ore than

000 cubes since Price from anda person includes
December and the manager Park R I-North Mall

declares “Supply stl telly Qe airfare, tax arrangements in
short of demand ”

Buena Par

. Special
children’s

roseway travel

THE MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE Call:
BARGAIN FOR 1982
Inside Cabins from USS$2 586 ° x
Outside cabins from US$2 7B2 -*

° per person

Aouble OCCUPANCY ON COUIS@S C Onnnnernie tig
May !4 of 74

A
YV~B?
Thrersser parte erty anve Wades

1) PAdegtuarry cnc taaces Doerfwearns Vere oven aed U cotederns

7) 14 my" Corse con tha doverly
from Gerathaaengoton to Atenas «
Me ghat ins Cees

Sera Petr ass (EAC) Utter

movie es vere San ww IEP) an Pisa ese

Ellle Hender, CTC
Manager

cotter eee thon

‘North Vancouver

at: 986-1941

for full details and reservations

$7) All meats and eotectainmeant on beard) ssbap,

4) The optton to extend your holiday tn tb ngytand

FOR FULL DETAILS AND BROCHURES
CALL 926-8616
#106 100 Park Royal West Vancouver