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Planning for casino trip to Argentina and Uruguay
| August 29th, 2011 at 1:43:14 PM permalink | |
| Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 14, 2009 Threads: 313 Posts: 6783 | I'm very likely to go to Buenos Aires sometime during the summer season south of the equator (Nov-Jan). I received a lot of compliments about my material and stories I came back with from Panama so a major reason for the trip will be to report on the gambling scene in Argentina and neighboring Uruguay. Unlike say Las Vegas or Monte Carlo, Argentina doesn't have a dedicated gambling city, but all major cities will generally have a casino or two. Kind of like Australia. At this point I'm trying to come up with a rough itinerary for about 10-14 day trip. Here is some cities I'm thinking of hitting. My source of most information is the World Casino Directory. By way of comparison on the table game counts, the MGM Grand has 178. Buenos Aires I'm going here for sure. According to the World Casino Directory BA has two casinos: Puerto Madera (wood port). 117 table games. Managed by Cirsa Gaming Trilenium Casino. This is actually in the city of Tigre, which seems to be on the northern outskirts of the larger BA area. 74 table games. I don't know who runs it. Mar del Plata (Sea of Silver/Money) In Spanish plata can mean silver or money, I'm not sure which the name refers to. The city is a major seaside resort. I hear it is very crowded in the summer and a bit run down. My Lonely Planet book seems to think it is too touristy and didn't seem to say much nice about it. It is about 400 km south of Buenos Aires and lots of buses run there from BA. I hear the long-distance buses in Argentina are quite nice. Casino Mar del Plata: I hear this is the largest casino in South America, and was the largest in the world at one time. 138 Table Games. Managed by: ? Casino Hermitage. 5 Table Games. Managed by: ? Iguazu Falls This is a city near the largest waterfalls in South America, which I hear put Niagara Falls to shame. In Moonraker, James Bond flew over them in a hang glider. It will require a flight from BA as they are located in northern Argentina. They are located at the intersection of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, so I can at least claim to have set foot in two more countries, and another province on the Risk board. There is only one casino I'm aware of, in the Argentine city of Iguazu Falls, the Iguazu Grand. The web site says is has 34 table games. I don't know who runs it. Punta del Este, Uruguay I've heard this is a nice, yet expensive, beach city. It should be a short flight form BA, or a long bus/train trip. It has two casinos: Conrad. 74 table games. This one is operated by Harrah's (Caesars Entertainment). I'm not sure how much that will matter. For what it is worth, the Wynn and MGM Grand in Macau have almost nothing to do with their counterparts in Vegas, for purposes of the guest visiting. Comps do not carry over, and they are almost entirely separately managed. Casino Nogaro: 10 table games. What is the point of this post? I guess to fish for advice for anyone who has been to the area. If I can't visit both Mar del Plata and Iguazu Falls, which should I eliminate? Any city I should add to the list? Non-gambling things to do in any of the cities mentioned? Keep in mind this is a short trip and I don't want to spread myself too thin. It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet. |
| August 29th, 2011 at 3:04:34 PM permalink | |
| FleaStiff Member since: Oct 19, 2009 Threads: 75 Posts: 4822 | Sorry, I ain't well traveled at all. However I do think you might want to allow some extra time for that Harah's luxury casino, Conrad. Take particular note of the security situation at the hotel and as I understand it, you will find the deck of playing cards to have small Aarabic numerals in the corner designating their value and graphic designs that are well known there but probably not well known in the USA. If you attempt Blackjack with those cards you may have an adventure at first. For instance a "10" will have a very small and faint Arabic 10 in the corner, but it will not have ten pips on it, indeed it will not have any pips on it at all. It will have the figure of some woman with a spear or something. Good Luck... or should I say Buena Suerte? In my day, a hotel manager would come running out if a tourist was seen attempting to leave the hotel wearing a wrist watch since Buenos Aires was riddled with two man teams on motor scooters. The man in front drove, the man in back wielded a machete and took the watch off the severed wrist. Fortunately, I've heard things are quite different now. I do so hope I've heard correctly. |
| August 29th, 2011 at 3:13:14 PM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Nov 11, 2009 Threads: 218 Posts: 7281 | I'll repeat some advice I gave you on another occasion: 1) Do not ever utter the word "Falklands" 2) Do not insult God, or as He is known in Argentina, Diego Maradona. Oh, and "puertO" means port, as in a palce where ships loand and unload cargo and passengers. "PuertA" on the other hand, means door. Mar de Plata is the name of a region within Argentina. I've no idea what it refers to, or whether any mining took place there. This space is closed for remodeling |
| August 29th, 2011 at 3:21:13 PM permalink | |
| SOOPOO Member since: Aug 8, 2010 Threads: 49 Posts: 1324 | I am likely going to Argentina in March, mostly for a conference in Buenos Aires. I think if I have time for one excursion, all have told me it should be the Falls. I will be awaiting your report. |
| August 29th, 2011 at 3:37:57 PM permalink | |
| FleaStiff Member since: Oct 19, 2009 Threads: 75 Posts: 4822 | Malvinas, I believe. |
| August 29th, 2011 at 4:24:24 PM permalink | |
| heather Member since: Jun 12, 2011 Threads: 4 Posts: 252 |
The baraja deck. Amusingly, I have two such decks within easy grasp of where I'm sitting right now. Has absolutely nothing to do with the "Spanish deck" used in Spanish 21, a game which is totally unheard of in Latin America as far as I'm aware. Baraja decks are used for a number of games, but the one that immediately comes to mind for me is Briscas, which is similar to Casino War. Very very easy to pick up even if you've never played it before. |
| August 29th, 2011 at 4:27:38 PM permalink | |
| pacomartin Member since: Jan 14, 2010 Threads: 547 Posts: 6206 |
Punta del Este was one of the most exclusive vacation destinations in the world at one time. I think it has come down a peg or two, but it still has very expensive traps. I suspect the girls will be much more shark like than in Panama City. You will be going to "La Boca" I assume.  Wine loved I deeply, dice dearly -Edgar, betrayed son of Gloucester in King Lear |
| August 29th, 2011 at 6:15:06 PM permalink | |
| EvenBob Member since: Jul 18, 2010 Threads: 231 Posts: 6402 | The casino in Mar del Plata is called Central Casino and is huge. Its worth the trip just to see it.   One casino owner to another: "It would be so much easier if we could just hit them over the head, steal their money, and throw their bodies in the creek." Al Swearengen, Deadwood |
| September 4th, 2011 at 4:04:43 PM permalink | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 14, 2009 Threads: 313 Posts: 6783 |
I think the hotel portion of the building is huge, but the casino portion is much smaller than the two casinos in Buenos Aires. Here is another good site on Argentina casinos. Here are some facts of those casinos under consideration.
Based on this, I am probably going to chop Mar del Plata from my itinerary. I was spreading myself too thin anyway. It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 4th, 2011 at 5:00:07 PM permalink | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| pacomartin Member since: Jan 14, 2010 Threads: 547 Posts: 6206 |
Good choice. You wouldn't want to cut out the waterfall. As it is about 15 hours overland, I must assume you are flying up there.  Wine loved I deeply, dice dearly -Edgar, betrayed son of Gloucester in King Lear | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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