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Argentina
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Argentina--Buenos Aires
Perhaps what surprises most is the European flavor of the city. Argentina, like the USA is a "melting pot." Buenos Aires, the city of entry, has been especially influenced by the many Italians who immigrated to the area. La Boca Corrugated steel structures painted with
bold yellows, blues, While some say the area is just a tourist trap, I found it colorful and unique despite the criticism that it does not rightfully represent the history of the area. The pieced together homes are said to be reminiscent of the residences of the first immigrants from Italy (mainly Genoa). It was (and still is) a poor area of the city and the first settlers had to scrounge for building materials and paint--thus the many colored facades. They had to use discarded paint and supplies. At the corner of the street near the harbor, couples demonstrated the tango and worked the crowd for donations. Opposite them was a craft market where I got my first glimpse of mate, the tea Argentina claims as its national drink. I had seen cups (I learned later were gourds) rimmed with lacey silver designs and containing a silver stick with a strainer on the end. The stick turned out to be a straw and the strainer was necessary to keep the loose tea leaves from being sucked up the straw. One of the merchandisers offered to let me smell the tea in his cup. I looked in to see a thick, almost muddy concoction in the bottom that smelled like tobacco. "No, not tobacco. Is tea. Is our national drink," he insisted proudly. I thanked him and passed the cup back. While the tourist area by day seems very safe, I would not have the courage to venture out of those few blocks. As our bus passed a few alleys, you could see the rough neighborhood La Boca sits in. A half dozen dogs lay in the middle of a dirty street waiting for someone to toss them a bone. I wouldn't want to be the "bone." One other place of note in the La Boca area is the Boca Juniors Stadium and Museum. Time did not allow a stop but as our guide took us past it, you couldn't help but catch the excitement the game of soccer creates here. Florida Street (Calle Florida) This is a shopping mecca. It is a pedestrian street that extends from Plaza San Martín to Avenida Corrientes. There are leather shops featuring every conceivable leather product in every conceivable color for a variety of price (and quality--beware). Lots of souvenir shops, electronic stores, arcades, coffee shops, and, yes, McDonald's, which has a McCafe where you can get cappuccino and espresso. Note: During the day, we encountered children and some adults begging on the street--reminiscent of the gypsies we saw in Italy. The shops close between 8-9 p.m. and the area becomes a bit scary to walk through. Steak and Tango There are tons of places to go to see a tango show. Many are with dinner included. The tour company we were with (arranged by Orient Cruise Lines) offered a tango night with or without dinner. Many in our group said it was a great experience. We were sorry we missed it. My suggestion: check with the concierge at your hotel and be sure to check whether the price is pesos or US dollars.. Argentine steak is as good as its reputation purports. The claim is that the cattle that feed on pampas grass, are fed more organically and not injected with hormones. Steaks are huge and can serve two people. Surprisingly, the filet (Sirloin on the menu) is not the tender most flavorful piece we are used to at home. Instead, the T-bone or porterhouse cuts (Bife de Chorozo) were much tastier. and perhaps a bit more tender. Dinner is eaten late in the evening in Argentina--usually around 8 or 8:30 at the earliest. Luckily for us, across from our hotel (Sheraton Buenos Aires) was a restaurant, Las Nazarenas, that took pity on the American tourist and opened at 6:30 p.m.. You will enjoy it even more when you see how inexpensive a good steak is. Recoleta
El Centro The center of Buenos Aires is home to many of the major sights of the city that are symbols of Argentina--especially on the political front. Plaza de Mayo has been the gathering spot for all the major political and social events in Argentina's history. It sits in front of the Casa Rosada, the Pink Palace, from whose balcony major political speeches were given including the famous good-bye speech of Evita Peron just before she died. ("Don't cry for me, Argentina.") When we arrived at the Plaza de Mayo, the first thing I noticed was the fencing that had movable gates and an army of police patrolling the area--I do mean an army. Our guide explained that the police were there to control any demonstrations that could spontaneously occur at any moment. Our thirty minutes on the Plaza was quite serene, however. When you stand on the Plaza, you can see the government buildings and the obelisk where most demonstrations are organized before marching to the Plaza. Much More to Explore There was certainly more to explore in Buenos Aires than we were able to squeeze into our short time there. If you enjoy the nightlife of a big city, the shopping, the restaurant opportunities and, of course, the tango, plan on staying longer than two days.
©Karen Robbins 2006 All text and photos on this page are copyrighted in my name. Please obtain permission for use.
Page updated 08/24/2010 07:53 PM -0600
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Argentina--Iguazu Falls
Well marked and maintained trails and boardwalks give you a variety of panoramic and close up views of the falls. An early morning walk will also give you glimpses of fauna before the bulk of visitors arrive and traverse the trails. A train takes you out to a trail/boardwalk that extends to the top of the largest of the falls. An island in the middle of the river gets you up close and personal with the face of the largest of the falls. You can grab a boat from the Lower Trail and ferry across for the view. If you want to get even closer, you can sign up for a boat ride into the mist at the base of the falls. The debate rages on as to where the best view of the falls can be had--the Argentine side or the Brazilian side. Since it would have cost an extra $100 to get a visa to visit the Brazilian side for half a day, we elected to stay in Argentina. Those who went claimed it was spectacular leaving the debate to rage on.
Argentina--Ushuaia At the tip of Argentina is a city of (population) who declare they are the city at "the end of the world." Ushuaia (pronounced oo-soo-why-a or oo-shwhy-a, we heard it both ways) is at the southern end of Patagonia amidst the beautiful Andes mountain range.
Snow capped Andes mountains provide a backdrop for this friendly little city that sits on the water's edge. It is the perfect place to begin or end your Antarctic adventure.
For more visitor information visit these sites: http://www.welcomeargentina.com/ushuaia/index_i.html http://www.tolkeyenpatagonia.com/ (loads slowly and the English version doesn't always work but this is the tour company we used for the Beagle Channel) http://www.iguazuargentina.com/
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greens, and reds distinguishes this neighborhood from
the rest of Buenos Aires. Large crafted figures of famous Argentineans
lean over balconies to greet you as you walk down the Caminito, the
pedestrian street lined with artisans showing off their wares.
Recoleta is the luxurious upper class neighborhood of
Buenos Aires. It is there that you find the famous and unique cemetery of
La Recoleta where Evita Peron is buried. Even today there is a controversy
over how much this charismatic woman contributed to the good of Argentina.
Her body after being hidden in Spain for many years after her death was
returned to Buenos Aires and placed in the family (Duarte) mausoleum
when Juan Peron returned to power. The cemetery is entirely made up of
mausoleums/vaults. Some are very old and ornate and others are extremely
modern and streamlined. The endless variety of architecture is
fascinating.
Iguazu Falls (pronounced ee-goo-wa-soo as best we could tell) is
situated on the border between Argentina and Brazil. There are over 200
separate waterfalls combining to form a spectacular wonder of nature.
Ushuaia is the port of call for the ships going south to the Antarctic
Peninsula or around Cape Horn. It is situated in the Beagle Channel which
is home to an abundance of wild life including seals, sea lions, and
Magellan penguins.
