Exploring the San Telmo Sunday Market in Buenos Aires
I'll be completely honest -- I love clothes. I adore coordinating outfits, accessories, shoes, make-up -- if it's pretty, I'm in. It's taken several years and an informal 12-step program instituted by my ever-so-patient boyfriend to admit this without shame -- but hey -- I'm a shopoholic! And where in South American should any savvy shopper go? Buenos Aires! The San Telmo Sunday market provides over 3 miles of artisan crafts, leather bags, hand tailored dresses, shoes, and antique jewelry. The entire Avenue Defensa is closed to car traffic, and with the dozens of chic shops that line the street itself, it creates a fashionista's paradise. Having read several guide books and the Adventure Life destination guide, I packed a wardrobe ready for fashion-conscious Buenos Aires. What I did not expect, though, was the results of a true "food and wine" tour. Which leads me to a bit of advice.
What NOT to wear in Argentina:
1. Anything involving a waist belt or similarly constricting device around the waist or stomach area.
Remember the bit about 4 hour lunches? Well, take it from me -- by the third course all I wanted was a terry cloth leisure suit. Pack for comfort as much as style.
2. Heels.
While you may feel under-dressed next to the throngs of Latinas effortlessly wearing 5-inch heels through cobblestone streets, grocery stores, and even the airport, you do not want to be stuck in uncomfortable footwear. I'd like to think our hours, upon hours, upon hours of walking counteracted some of the empanadas and dulce de leche.
3. Money belt that fits inside of your pants.
Oh wait -- John has worn one of these gems for the duration of our Argentina trip. While I get admittedly embarrassed while he fishes it out at the cash register, it is an excellent way to carry cash and avoid worrying about pickpockets. Ah, high fashion here we come!
A parade of Caribbean drummers makes their way through the crowds at the San Telmo Sunday Market
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
2 days ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
2 days ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
1 week ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.