More on Caseron Porteno

Caseron Porteno, where I have stayed these first three days in Buenos Aires is really lovely. The staff is truly wonderful in taking care of you. Maria is the "house-mother" who prepares the breakfast and she is very attentive. She always wants to make sure you have everything you need. She is around all the time, you even encounter her wandering around the house at night taking care of little things. She lives on sight and is a most reassuring presence. She does not really speak English, but she is able to communicate with you through her little bit of English and my little bit of Spanish. Lucia, who works in the office and handles administrative matters, is more helpful with restaurant recommendations, information about the city and tango, arranging transportation, etc. She has been a jewel, very helpful. The house has at least two cats who live in the garden. It is very warm and cozy and the guests I have met are most friendly and very interesting. There are two couples here together from New Zealand who have been very friendly. They are Tango aficionados and have been in Buenos Aires for 2 weeks. They have shared some interesting stories about their adventures in town at Breakfast. I met a young woman named Ruth, from Scotland, who is traveling the world on a form of 'sabbatical' from her job as she changes posts and her employer is holding her new position for her for one year. She has already been in China, Australia, Santiago, Chile, Cordoba and now Buenos Aires. I chatted with her for about 30 minutes today hearing about her adventures and her take on Cordoba and on the prices in Argentina. We both agreed that we do not find it as economical as we had been led to believe it would be. I have not found it "cheap" at all and I am wondering if I will be able to survive here on my budget. I am very grateful that I have room and board paid for the next 6 weeks and I may not be eating out as much as I thought I might. It is not that it is all that expensive compared to home, but it does not seem the "bargain" that I thought it would be. I will survive, I know that, but it just has not been what I expected. Perhaps I will receive an orientation at the school and discover the 'bargains'! Anyway, Caseron Porteno has been a bargain, I stayed here for three nights in a simple, but nice room, with private bathroom (though it is outside my room it is all my own) with free WiFi Internet access and lovely breakfasts for $108. That is total, not per night. It is not the Sheraton, but it is very nice, clean, and I would stay here anytime I came to Buenos Aires if it were my nickel. In addition to the pictures above, if you want to see a few more pictures of Caseron Porteno, use the following link to go to my Kodak Gallery album: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=6d2p4u6.2g4jna7u&x=0&y=-wglxt7&localeid=en_US