Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Some travelers may find bidets a novelty; they are those strange shallow ceramic bowls
with knobs and a drain, often accompanying toilets in hotel bathrooms. They are meant
for between-shower cleanings of nether regions. Turn knobs slowly, or you may end up
spraying yourself or the ceiling.
Tourist Information
Argentina's national tourist board is the SecretarÃa de Turismo de la Nación
(
www.turismo.gov.ar
); its main office is in Buenos Aires. Almost every destination city or
town has a tourist office, usually on or near the main plaza or at the bus terminal. Each
Argentine province also has its own representation in Buenos Aires. Most of these are
well organized, often offering a computerized database of tourist information, and can be
worth a visit before heading for the provinces.
Travelers with Disabilities
Negotiating Argentina as a disabled traveler is not the easiest of tasks. Those in wheel-
chairs in particular will quickly realize that many cities' narrow, busy and uneven side-
walks are difficult to negotiate. Crossing streets is also a problem, since not every corner
has ramps (which, if provided, are often in need of repair) and traffic can be ruthless when
it comes to pedestrians and wheelchair-users. A few buses do have
piso bajo
- they
'kneel' and have extra-large spaces - but the Subte (subway) in Buenos Aires does not
cater to the mobility-impaired.
International hotel chains often have wheelchair-accessible rooms, as do other less
fancy hotels. Some restaurants, tourist sights and public buildings have ramps, but bath-
rooms are not always wheelchair-accessible (in bigger cities, shopping malls are a good
bet for these). In Buenos Aires,
QRV Transportes Especiales
( 011-15-6863-9555,
011-4306-6635;
www.qrvtransportes.com.ar
)
offers private transport, and city tours in
vans fully equipped for wheelchair users.
Other than the use of Braille on ATMs, little effort has been made to improving access-
ibility for the vision impaired. Stoplights are rarely equipped with sound alerts. The
Bibli-
oteca Argentina Para Ciegos
(Argentine Library for the Blind, BAC; 011-4981-0137;
www.bac.org.ar
; Lezica 3909) in Buenos Aires maintains a Braille collection of books in
Spanish, as well as other resources.
Also check out the following organizations:
Accessible Journeys
(
www.disabilitytravel.com
)
Flying Wheels Travel
(
www.flyingwheelstravel.com
)
Mobility International USA
(
www.miusa.org
)
