Ceci & I launched a new phase of our Buenos Aires adventures today with the purchase of a house in Mar del Sud
We’re not totally abandoning the city life for a cottage by the sea…at least, not yet…and this blog will continue at its recent sporadic space…but future postings also will include an occasional mention of our new home out along the coast of Buenos Aires province.
If you’re not familiar with the charm of Mar del Sud (also known as Mar del Sur), then take a look at the fantastic photos of Mar del Sur by Max Gioffre. He has some really great photos.
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Congratulations on the purchase of your new home. It looks very charming! I live an hour south of Mar del Sur, in the city of Necochea. I visited Mar del Sur once during the off-season, and it was extremely quiet there. I imagine things get a bit busier during the summertime. Enjoy the beach!
June 24th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Thanks Katie. I’m familiar with your blog. It’s good to see accounts from outside of the city of Buenos Aires. Mar del Sur is extremely quiet most of the year and we’re looking forward to the serenity. It does get busier in the summer and we hear there’s even a Croatian restaurant there in the summertime. Lots to enjoy!
June 24th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Congratulations! That’s one mighty step! And looks like the best cottage in the village, original from 1920 or older, maybe,”¦ love to see more photos of the place and as you go refurbishing it,”¦.. I too enjoy a Cottage by the Sea, in Valera del Mar, a bit closer to BA than your choice,”¦.. For me, it’s fun to escape during the winter months when it’s quiet and peaceful, in summer it’s great to Rent the Cottage out,”¦ and travel to other parts of Argentina. Anyway, again let me say, well done, lovely choice and enjoy!
June 24th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Thanks for the kind words, Bob! It’s a great feeling to have a relaxing place on the coast.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Congratulations guys!
June 24th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
@Dan, Thanks!
June 25th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
A Croatian restaurant? Sounds interesting…I’ll have to check that out. 🙂
June 25th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Livin the dream! Congrats.
My own dream is have a cottage in the Delta, but then my dreams tend to be a little trashier than most.
That is the cutest little house!
June 30th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Congratulations.
I have been in Mar del Sud in Autumn some twenty years ago. Nice but odd place, a possible October Country in terms of Bradbury.
As for me, probably I found my place in Chacarita…
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
@Katie- The Croatian restaurant is a branch of Croat restaurant in Buenos Aires. Evidently they go to Mar del Sur for the summers.
@Rick – Living the dream is great. I like the Delta, too. There’s some cute houses up along those waterways.
@Daniel – Mar del Sud probably has changed a bit in 20 years but not much. I’m there now and I swear that only about 50 people live here year around. We’re seeing so few people. It is odd but that’s one of the likable aspects.
July 15th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Hello, I find to your site by searching some information about Borges in the web (I was trying to confirm that ‘Aprendiendo’ was *not* from Borges).
I am enjoying the site and your descriptions of Buenos Aires, its people and of course Borges (I have to go through all of the articles yet, but what I found so far is fascinating).
Congratulations for your excellent work!
July 17th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Hi Jorge, Thanks for your nice words about this site!
August 19th, 2009 at 8:23 am
[…] house in Mar del Sur is under renovation. We plan to move to the coast in December, right in time for the Argentine […]
August 28th, 2009 at 9:11 am
You lovely cottage recalls my eternal idea of moving to a log cabin in the mountains in some quiet place in Patagonia, among the lakes and pine trees.
I actually live in a nice house in a semi-rural area, but lately it became fashionable to come here and the place is being ruined by newcomers since most of them are the typical Argentine-middle-class-with-money-and-no-taste-at-all who tear down all trees because they only care for there expensive cars and swimming pools.
I hope nothing of that will happen to you when you move to Mar del Sud.
August 28th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Hi Ricky,
I know what you’re talking about. There is some new development in Mar del Sud it’s all crowded right next to the beach and on the cliff line. I think it will be about 10 yrs before it gets out to our section and by then we’ll probably be ready to move on anyway.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Jeff,
Since you are no doubt now an old Mar del Sud hand by now, I’m wondering if you could suggest a hotel in the area–quiet, cozy, and charming would be perfect. We’re going to be there for a day or two during the last week in November. Isn’t there a grand old hotel in the vicinity? Thanks for any suggestions.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Hi Don,
There is a grand, old hotel in Mar del Sud right by the beach. But it’s not been open in over 100 hundred years. 🙂 Actually, it never opened…fascinating story behind the place & open for tours.
Mar del Sud is mainly holiday homes for rent. There are a couple of small hotels in Mar del Sud, but I’m not sure if they’re yet open for the season. (I’m actually in Buenos Aires now, heading down to Mar del Sud next month for good; otherwise, I would swing by to check if these places were open.)
If you go to the Mar del Sud blog and look around in the comments to various posts, then you’ll send some contact info for people with home rentals. Here’s one web site that I know about with a place that looks nice: http://www.potrerillodelatigra.com.ar/. It’s quite a ways outside of the village of Mar del Sud but looks very relaxing.
In neighboring Miramar I can recommend the Hotel Danieli. It’s right in the middle of town, next to the plaza, but it’s a very comfortable hotel…probably the best in Miramar. We’ve stayed there several times while our house in Mar del Sud is under renovation.
Have a ncie stay. In late November I suspect Mar del Sud may still be almost empty. It’s amazing to be in a little town where you see practically no one.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Thanks very much for all the information, Jeff. Grand old hotels with strange histories are an interest of mine.
I’ll check the web site, also Hotel Danieli. Both look promising.
May I ask one more question? Is there a seafood restaurant you particularly like in the area?
Have I told you how much I’ve enjoyed your web site in the 3 1/2 years we’ve been living here? I always recommend it to newcomers.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Hi Don, you definitely then will have to check out the history of the old hotel in Mar del Sud. It actually never opened to the public. Bookstores in Miramar have a book about the history of Mar del Sud, which is quite interesting and features a lot of info about the hotel.
As for seafood…unfortunately I’ve not yet found one in that…a big disappointment so far. Even though it’s on the coast, neither Mar del Sud or Miramar are fishing towns, so not a lot of fresh fish to be found. There are some places in Miramar that have seafood on the menu, but I’ve not tried it. Looks like I’m going to have to venture into Mar del Plata for my seafood.
Thanks for the nice words about my website. I’m going to keep it up even after I move to the coast.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Thanks, Jeff. I guess we’ll check out the restaurants in Mar del Plata too. Glad to hear that you’ll be keeping up the web site.
February 25th, 2011 at 11:40 pm
Jeff, how did it go and new reforms, updates, photos,love to see the progress! Thanks, Bob Frassinetti
February 26th, 2011 at 1:01 am
Hi Bob, yes – my blog is long overdue for an update…renovation completed, extension finished…new posting on life in Mar del Sur coming soon. Thanks for asking!