Argentine Adventures

Argentina is where potatoes comes from and they love their soccer and their meat. From the rainforests of the north to the glaciers to the south Argentina is a very large country. One of the most famous is the Igauzu falls and they are almost a mile wide. They separate argentina from brazil and are a rich source of legend for the local indian tribes. You can take a jetboat under the falls and feel the spray and the power of nature. Sometimes the boat can go all the way in. Three hours south of Igauzu is the Mission where the jesuits made colonies and tried to convert the local indian tribes. Flying is the easiest way to get around Argentina.

The Andean north west of Argentina was the first place to be colonised by the Spanish. Many of the buildings last from the colonial days and the people survive mainly on tourist dollars. Goat toenails rattles are popular and Argentina can be expensive. When the spanish arrived, the indians thought that the only way that they could survive would be to turn themselves into cactus. Cactus products for tourists are a big thing in the north west of Argentina. Buses are a good way to get around in the north west andean regions. Drinking mate is a common ritual and you will probably be offered some. It is like a tea that you sip and hand it on.

Salta was founded centuries ago and the myth is that you can never forget the city. The people of Salta are very friendly and they spend hours in the cafes. They do everything in the cafes of Argentina. There is a train to the clouds between april and october that goes into the mountains in a single day. It rises to just over fifteen thousand feet. You have to chew coca leaves so that you do not get altitude sickness. It is a long journey with lots of tunnels and bridges on the way to the Andes and the Chilean border.

Estancias are large cattle ranches and sometimes they take on tourists that can stay at the ranch. Rooms at the ranch are rented out for about $150 pre night and you will get a luxury stay. The gauchos of Argentina are true romantic cowboys and this is what they really do every day. You can go for a ride with the gauchos and learn how to throw a rope and brand cattle. Every week the gauchos slaughter a cow and leave it up for a few days before they eat it. Meat is the heart of the economy and the diet. On the ranch you might even get to feed the alligators.

Further south in Catamarca there is a festival in honour of the virgin of the valley. The only place to sleep is outside in the park or a school room. Pilgrims walk for days to the festival in the hope that our lady will work miracles for them. A statue was found in a cave and they honour it at the festival.

Buenos Aires is home to half the population of Argentina and is the capital of the country. The city prides itself on its European sophistication and has the widest boulevard in the world. The people are friendly and hostels cost about ten dollars a night or you could get a hotel room for about twenty dollars. Buenos Aires is a cosmopolitan city and is very like any European city. There are so many dogs in Buenos Aires that you can make a career out of walking them. Make sure that you go to see a game of soccer when you are in Buenos Aires. The presidential palace is where the mothers of the disappeared demonstrate every week.

Ice cream in Argentina is made from milk and sugar and is very sweet. The night life in Buenos Aires lasts all night and is the home of the tango, the sexiest dance in the world. In tango the man leads, it is part of the macho part of the dance. Try a tango lesson to find out what it is like. There has been an enormous growth in tango dancing.

Places to visit in Argentina:
Igauzu
Jujuy
Salta
Catamara
Buenos Aires

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