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New Years in Buenos Aires and Mendoza via American Airlines 772 Flagship First Class

New Years in Buenos Aires and Mendoza via American Airlines 772 Flagship First Class

Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:22 am
  #61  
 
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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!
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 10:33 am
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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
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 10:55 am
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Originally Posted by dat4life
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
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 likelyhood is you get what you give from the crew.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 11:13 am
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Originally Posted by SFO777

Back to the hotel for a nightcap.





]
King Louis XIII?

Last edited by Tony3021990; Jan 1, 2014 at 9:42 am
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 11:51 am
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Originally Posted by Tony3021990
King Loius XIII?
We certainly know this wasn't on the plane, where an FA will often ask if you want ice with your cone-yak. (Ah, the old days of even UA F, where they'd make sure the XO was in a glass at proper temp.)
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 2:09 pm
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Great writeup about AA First class!
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 8:01 am
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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.
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 1:58 pm
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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.





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Old Jan 1, 2014, 1:59 pm
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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.



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Old Jan 1, 2014, 2:00 pm
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El Ateneo, popular bookstore in an old, beautifully restored theatre.



And then a great lunch at Oviedo and two bottles of wonderful Rutini Chardonnay.











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Old Jan 1, 2014, 2:01 pm
  #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.





















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Old Jan 1, 2014, 2:08 pm
  #72  
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I am thanking you in advance for insuring that the temperature will be lower tomorrow in anticipation of my arrival.
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 3:38 pm
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Originally Posted by stevie
Just to clarify BA is nowhere near LH/LX and is more a J+ than F. So delusion has not set in despite the excesses of the festive period. My main point is that AA F class looks inferior to BA NF.
stevie, sorry if I misunderstood. Sounds like we are in agreement that neither AA or BA are in same category as Asian, Gulf and LH/LX.

Originally Posted by jfkeze
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
Thanks jfkeze! Mercifully, Tuesday was finally bearable.
Yeah, no argument from me on Eva.

Originally Posted by jv66
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!
Thank you jv66, but OMG on those temps. Hoping that it warms up by January 15th when I have to be in YUL.

Originally Posted by dat4life
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
OK, but are you mad??
That would be easy one for me... unless I really needed to get home fast, I would connect in HKG every time.

Originally Posted by elitetraveler
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.
Dunno. Fortunately, I've never been on that tight a schedule that I couldn't take a few extra hours to make a connection for a far better, consistent 5* experience.

Originally Posted by Tony3021990
King Louis XIII?
Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
We certainly know this wasn't on the plane, where an FA will often ask if you want ice with your cone-yak. (Ah, the old days of even UA F, where they'd make sure the XO was in a glass at proper temp.)
Yup. The bar at the Alvear Palace.

Originally Posted by hamburglar
Great writeup about AA First class!
Thanks hamburglar.

Originally Posted by TheAAdmiral
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.
Thank you TheAAdmiral. Happy New Year to you as well. Beef in Buenos Aires was fabulous. Looking forward to our short day in Santiago.

Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
I am thanking you in advance for insuring that the temperature will be lower tomorrow in anticipation of my arrival.
Taking one for the team as always.
The unbearable heat has passed and it was 15 degrees F cooler yesterday and today. Enjoy your visit.
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 4:42 pm
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Originally Posted by SFO777
OK, but are you mad??
Well that would really depend on who you asked

Originally Posted by SFO777
That would be easy one for me... unless I really needed to get home fast, I would connect in HKG every time.
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.
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 4:50 pm
  #75  
 
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Once again I'm so hungry after reading your trip-report... I'm also longing for warm weather, even though that 39 Celsius is a little too much.
Thanks for creating this trip report once again.
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