Buenos Aires Gay Pride - Saturday 25th November

The march for Gay Pride 2006 takes place in Buenos Aires on Saturday 25th November. Participants can gather in the Plaza de Mayo (in front of The Pink House) from 3 p.m. onwards and the march commences at 6 p.m. towards Plaza de Congreso. The official web site (in Spanish) is Marcha del Orgullo LGTB where there is a list of events taking place throughout the week prior to that. You can use Google Language Tool to assist you translate part or all of the web pages.

For up-to-date information on gay places in Buenos Aires, Argentina visit Guide to Gay Buenos Aires

American stabbed and robbed by taxi boy

According to a police report, a man was attacked with a knife last Sunday around 2 a.m. in a building in Recoleta by a 22-year-old taxi boy, who arrested the young man shortly afterwards. The victim was admitted to Hospital Fernandez. The man of 48 years and a U.S.A. national suffered knife wounds after being assaulted in his apartment by the delinquent who tied his hands and stole a portable computer, a cellular telephone and other objects of value, said informed police sources. According to the sources, the taxi boy was caught shortly after the assault, in possesion of the articles he had stolen.

Translated and summarised from the original story in the website of Channel 26.

What a pity the victim didn't see my earlier bLOG entry about the Albergue Transitorio or see the warning on my web site Guide to Gay Buenos Aires

No-smoking law in Buenos Aires comes into effect

With effect from 1st October 2006 Buenos Aires has introduced no-smoking legislation affecting all public places (government offices already have a total ban).

"BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The smoky bars and cafes of Argentina's capital, where tango lyrics celebrate the "sensual pleasure" of a cigarette, may never be the same now that a tough smoking ban has taken effect.

In a country where about a third of people smoke, the new ban prohibits lighting up in public spaces smaller than 100 square meters (1,100 sq feet), with cafe owners facing fines of up to 2,000 pesos ($640) if they allow customers to flout the law.

Under the new rules, which follow similar bans in other Argentine cities, bigger establishments will have to provide a separate, contained area for smoking customers."

Many establishments have instituted a total ban regardless of size. There is already a legal challenge to the ban on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. Time will tell how determined the government is to enforce this law, or if it will go the way of earlier laws like the wearing of seat belts in cars and the wearing of crash helmets for motorcyclists - i.e. ignored.

For up-to-date information on gay places in Buenos Aires, Argentina visit Guide to Gay Buenos Aires