Guest writer PJJ, Staten Island NY: Last year we took a cruise that started in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires. There was no Evita there singing, “Don’t cry for me, Argentina.” The only time we cried was with happy tears when we found a little mom and pop café just a few blocks from our hotel in a residential area.

The specialty dish of arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) was delicious. The price was very reasonable, because it wasn’t in a downtown tourist area. In Buenos Aires and any other city, visitors should look for well-recommended, unpretentious restaurants where locals go. My spouse speaks fluent Spanish, so in Buenos Aires we could pass for natives as long as I didn’t try to speak Spanish. I was OK when I confined myself to "Buen da" in the morning, "Buenas tardes" in the afternoon and "Buenas noches" after dark.

After a long flight from JFK, we checked into our hotel at noon, fell into exhausted sleep, woke up hungry at midnight. We decided to try to find an all-night burger joint, so we walked to the business area.

We were greeted by blazing lights, and wide-open clubs and cafés. People were dining at sidewalk tables, drinking, laughing and strolling. Argentinians consider midnight the dinner hour. The food was good, especially the beef specialties. Argentine beef is just about the best in the world.

While in Buenos Aires, you must see a tango show. There are many clubs and cafés that specialize in big productions, including Seor Tango and El Viejo Almacen. Look for neighborhood locales where tango students practice on sidewalks and in the park.

Buenos Aires is one of the most hospitable cities we’ve ever visited. My Spanish-speaking spouse and I found the friendly and helpful people among the many enjoyable features of our visit.