BudgetTravel

And there is Home, which is where the Bush twins stayed on their visit to Buenos Aires too. It's got a great bar, large rooms and this backyard area where you can relax, which is of course why they call it Home!

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Richardson, Tex.: How gay-friendly is Buenos Aires?

Michael Luongo: Buenos Aires is a very gay friendly city with a huge amount of gay infrastructure, government support for gay tourism, a few gay hotels, including the new Axel Hotel and many others, like the original gay hotel El Lugar Gay. The Gay pride parade is in November. That said, not all Argentines are comfortable being out, but you'll have tremendous fun as a tourist. There is a concentration of gay activity in San Telmo, in Barrio Norte, and really, throughout the city. It's not an issue, especially in the tourism sector.

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San Diego, Calif.: We (husband, daughter, & myself) are interested in traveling to BA in the last couple of weeks of June. What is the best approach as far as planning this trip? Do you recommend going through a travel agent, or do you think we can plan it on our own and still get a decent deal? Do you think we should try to find a package where we can also see another city/country (Santiago, Montevideo)? Thanks!

Michael Luongo: San Diego, this is a great question...are you ski buffs? it'll be winter down there so maybe you can plan some winter activities. I really think a travel agent will be very helpful, one who knows Buenos Aires and the surroundings. Some companies like Borello Travel or Limitless Argentina can be of help. If you are spending a few weeks, you do have time for more countries like Chile or Uruguay. You can even do things like fly via LAN to Santiago, hope to Buenos Aires, then do Uruguay by boat, fly home via Buenos Aires. You have a lot of options, and the luxury of time.

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Chicago, Ill.: Michael: After seeing the movie "Assasination Tango" with Robert Duval, I've been most interested in visiting one of the tango salons (or milongos) like the one I saw in the film. Do you have any suggestions for such places frequented more by the locals than tourists? Once there, are there any rules of etiquette or local custom I should be aware of?

Michael Luongo: Ah, well you know tango is what made Duvall fall in love with Argentina! This is a tricky question to ask an expert, and I will tell you why. Tango is a fragile thing, and if the world knew the best most secret tango places, they wouldn't be secret tango places anymore. What I can tell you is this—go to the more popular ones like El Nino Bien, or one I highly recommend, Bien Pulenta. Get to know the places, and acting like Duvall himself, stake them out, get the low down, ask people their recommendations. The suburbs surrounding Buenos Aires do have amazing tango places no tourist goes to...but you have to sleuth a bit and get to know some tango people...that's your mission!

Yes, there are rules—the specila way to look at the opposite sex (I don't know if you're a man or woman in the question). It's all in the eyes, the glances, the hand gestures and the nods. Remember when people talk about eyes meeting across a crowded dance floor, that's Buenos Aires...enjoy this!

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