New Years in Buenos Aires and Mendoza via American Airlines 772 Flagship First Class
#61
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YUL
Programs: Scotia Points, Aeroplan, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 178
Another great start to an SFO777 TR. Pleasantly surprised with your write-up and photos of
AA F. Looking forward as always to the rest. Enjoy the warmth and sun of South America...Meanwhile back in your hometown:
and that's without windchill, and today is going to be the "hottest" for the week!
AA F. Looking forward as always to the rest. Enjoy the warmth and sun of South America...Meanwhile back in your hometown:
and that's without windchill, and today is going to be the "hottest" for the week!
#62
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BTR/MSY
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,257
AA F food looks quite passable, despite the wine list. The only bummer is that the J menu is pretty much the same thing except for the soup and the customizable pasta dish, IIRC. So is it a pretty good business class offering or an ok first class offering?
Believe or not, I'm actually toying with the idea of flying AA F over CX F to avoid an extra connection in HKG on the way back to the US from PEK next summer. As always, I appreciate your advice and critiques, SFO777
Believe or not, I'm actually toying with the idea of flying AA F over CX F to avoid an extra connection in HKG on the way back to the US from PEK next summer. As always, I appreciate your advice and critiques, SFO777
#63
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,916
AA F food looks quite passable, despite the wine list. The only bummer is that the J menu is pretty much the same thing except for the soup and the customizable pasta dish, IIRC. So is it a pretty good business class offering or an ok first class offering?
Believe or not, I'm actually toying with the idea of flying AA F over CX F to avoid an extra connection in HKG on the way back to the US from PEK next summer. As always, I appreciate your advice and critiques, SFO777
Believe or not, I'm actually toying with the idea of flying AA F over CX F to avoid an extra connection in HKG on the way back to the US from PEK next summer. As always, I appreciate your advice and critiques, SFO777
If you want to expect good service, good wines, good catering, flexibility to get what you want when you want it, etc. AA is probably not the right choice. On CX F customers are treated with deference and as important customers; on AA the likelyhood is you get what you give from the crew.
#65
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Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
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#67
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Racine, WI/VCE
Programs: AA EXP, MR LT PPE, Arise Mucci des Hommes de Fer
Posts: 1,047
Happy New Year SFO777! Great trip report! We went to Santiago for the first time last year and really enjoyed the beef there. Looks like Buenos Aires has good beef also.
#68
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Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,556
We met our guide Anna at around 10AM and headed out into the heat and humidity for day 1 of our tour of Buenos Aires, starting with nearby
Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar (Our Lady of Pilar) apparently the first church in Buenos Aires.
Le Recoleta cemetery, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. The 15 acre site contains nearly 5,000 vaults with many elaborate marble mausoleums, decorated with statues, in a wide variety of architectural styles. The entire cemetery is laid out in sections like city blocks, with tree-lined "streets" filled with mausoleums.
Most have a basement where coffins and remains are stored if not on the main level.
Many famous Argentinians are bury here including Eva Peron. Today, all you need is cash as the mausoleums are bought and sold like real estate. The one next to the Duarte family mausoleum has a for sale sign... asking price US$500K.
On our way to Palermo.
Hipdromo de Palermo, elaborate horse racing track and buildings.
Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar (Our Lady of Pilar) apparently the first church in Buenos Aires.
Le Recoleta cemetery, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. The 15 acre site contains nearly 5,000 vaults with many elaborate marble mausoleums, decorated with statues, in a wide variety of architectural styles. The entire cemetery is laid out in sections like city blocks, with tree-lined "streets" filled with mausoleums.
Most have a basement where coffins and remains are stored if not on the main level.
Many famous Argentinians are bury here including Eva Peron. Today, all you need is cash as the mausoleums are bought and sold like real estate. The one next to the Duarte family mausoleum has a for sale sign... asking price US$500K.
On our way to Palermo.
Hipdromo de Palermo, elaborate horse racing track and buildings.
#69
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
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Posts: 21,556
To the tony Palermo residential neighborhood.
And a short distance away, lots of interesting shops, restaurants and bars.
And great people watching.
And a stop for coffee and pastry.
And a short distance away, lots of interesting shops, restaurants and bars.
And great people watching.
And a stop for coffee and pastry.
#70
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
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Posts: 21,556
El Ateneo, popular bookstore in an old, beautifully restored theatre.
And then a great lunch at Oviedo and two bottles of wonderful Rutini Chardonnay.
#71
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Tonight we are off to dinner and a tango show back in the trendy Puerto Madera area.
And one of many protests that seem to be a regular activity here.
Rojo Tango at the chic Philippe Stark designed Faena Hotel in Puerto Madera.
Dinner was delicious.
And the tango show wonderful.
And one of many protests that seem to be a regular activity here.
Rojo Tango at the chic Philippe Stark designed Faena Hotel in Puerto Madera.
Dinner was delicious.
And the tango show wonderful.
#73
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,556
Bienvenidos a Buenos Aires, exchange rates are all over the place...
Under no circumstance should you use your card because you get the official rate, but even in the blue market the peso is all over the place 8.50, 8.80 on Xoom.com ( a great site to transfer pesos) or yesterday 9.5 at on of the bigger arbolitos/ illegal exchange spots on Corrientes...
temperature went down a bit, but this December is the hottest december in 43+ years...
ahh and Evita, it's either or here, no middle ground... and I'm a big hehe
Under no circumstance should you use your card because you get the official rate, but even in the blue market the peso is all over the place 8.50, 8.80 on Xoom.com ( a great site to transfer pesos) or yesterday 9.5 at on of the bigger arbolitos/ illegal exchange spots on Corrientes...
temperature went down a bit, but this December is the hottest december in 43+ years...
ahh and Evita, it's either or here, no middle ground... and I'm a big hehe
Yeah, no argument from me on Eva.
Another great start to an SFO777 TR. Pleasantly surprised with your write-up and photos of
AA F. Looking forward as always to the rest. Enjoy the warmth and sun of South America...Meanwhile back in your hometown:
and that's without windchill, and today is going to be the "hottest" for the week!
AA F. Looking forward as always to the rest. Enjoy the warmth and sun of South America...Meanwhile back in your hometown:
and that's without windchill, and today is going to be the "hottest" for the week!
AA F food looks quite passable, despite the wine list. The only bummer is that the J menu is pretty much the same thing except for the soup and the customizable pasta dish, IIRC. So is it a pretty good business class offering or an ok first class offering?
Believe or not, I'm actually toying with the idea of flying AA F over CX F to avoid an extra connection in HKG on the way back to the US from PEK next summer. As always, I appreciate your advice and critiques, SFO777
Believe or not, I'm actually toying with the idea of flying AA F over CX F to avoid an extra connection in HKG on the way back to the US from PEK next summer. As always, I appreciate your advice and critiques, SFO777
That would be easy one for me... unless I really needed to get home fast, I would connect in HKG every time.
AA F Is totally fine if you want to get on the plane, have a seat with great space and crash. The negatives are lack of privacy/noise and sometimes light in the cabin. If one just wants to do minimal grazing, drink bottled water and wake up where they are going in decent shape AA accomplishes this. And probably that's great for most people.
If you want to expect good service, good wines, good catering, flexibility to get what you want when you want it, etc. AA is probably not the right choice. On CX F customers are treated with deference and as important customers; on AA the likelihood is you get what you give from the crew.
If you want to expect good service, good wines, good catering, flexibility to get what you want when you want it, etc. AA is probably not the right choice. On CX F customers are treated with deference and as important customers; on AA the likelihood is you get what you give from the crew.
Thanks hamburglar.
The unbearable heat has passed and it was 15 degrees F cooler yesterday and today. Enjoy your visit.
#74
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BTR/MSY
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,257
Well that would really depend on who you asked
The problem is given current availibility, I would have to fly PEK-HKG-SFO-DFW or LAX-IAH if I want CX F. If I fly AA F, it's a simple PEK-ORD-IAH. To be honest, after 2.5 weeks touring Asia and Australia the one connection is a little more tempting. Besides, I already locked in CX F on the outbound, as well as TG F and QF F on the A380 in between.
Also, I'll have a plus one to consider as well. Because of this travel companion, my planned LH F award tickets to HKG a couple of weeks ago turned into a UA J ticket, because " I'm the only idiot in the world who would fly to Germany to get to HKG from the US." Clearly she needs to spend more time on FT.
Anyhow, I certainly enjoyed your update on Buenos Aires. Looking forward to the rest.
Also, I'll have a plus one to consider as well. Because of this travel companion, my planned LH F award tickets to HKG a couple of weeks ago turned into a UA J ticket, because " I'm the only idiot in the world who would fly to Germany to get to HKG from the US." Clearly she needs to spend more time on FT.
Anyhow, I certainly enjoyed your update on Buenos Aires. Looking forward to the rest.