My first hotel in Buenos Aires is on a pedestrian walkway full of restaurants and shops. It is also full of people offering, “cambio”. As you walk down the street, that is all you hear. From the tour guide, I found out that they are offering to exchange your U.S. dollars for Argentinian Pesos at a better rate than you can get from the bank. Because you can’t get U.S. dollars from the bank, this active trade goes on in the tourist areas to 1. get U.S. dollars and 2. offer them to Argentinians to invest in because their currency is losing value. Despite the attractive exchange rate (you get about 7 pesos for each $1 you withdraw at the bank vs. about 11 or 12 pesos from the cambios), you could end up with counterfeit bills or be scammed in other ways. Some people have good slight of hand skills.
Today I saw Evita’s balcony at the Pink House, homeless people washing their clothes in a fountain, experienced Argentinian steak which was inferior to good steak from Canada, and walked many more miles including a couple with a tours for tips group (BA Tours, I think) and had lunch with people from The Netherlands, Russia, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, and New York.
 |
| The balcony where Evita stood is shown with a red box. |