Argentina

Why Argentina?  I have relatives that emigrated to Argentina in the early 1900's.  Two years ago, my daughter studied abroad in Buenos Aires and absolutely loved it.  While I have never been there, I have always wanted to visit, so until I do, I live vicariously through her. 

A Brief History:

Argentina, situated in South America, is home of the Gauchos, tango, cafes, and asado (BBQ).    Argentina enjoys a varied landscape with the Andes Mountains to the west, and Patagonia to the south. Although Spanish is the spoken language, it also has a strong Italian influence. It is a country with a tumultuous history. In the early twentieth century is was the wealthiest country in Latin America and comparable to Europe. Its exportation of wheat and beef accounted for its strong economy.  At the beginning of World War II, Juan Peron was in power and reshaped Argentina’s borders.  Perone’s second wife, the infamous Eva Perone, or more commonly known as Evita (made popular by the Tim Rice musical), served as his chief assistant and died in 1952.  Under the rule of his third wife, Isabel, the country suffered economic strife and political unrest.  In the 1970‘s, Argentina was under a military dictatorship which caused violent repression among its people.   Eventually, Argentina returned to democracy, but still struggles with its economy and its past.  It is a country that has always prided itself in its European roots, but as of late, it is looking inward to define its own cultural identity.

To look up additional facts on Argentina, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina 
and http://erwin.bernhardt.net.nz/america/argentinafacts.html

 Map of Argentina taken from Google Images

Andes Mountains on the border of Argentina and Chile

Patagonia, Argentina

Another view of Patagonia, Argentina

San Telmo, Buenos Aires

San Telmo is an old-world neighborhood inhabited by a mix of socio-economic classes.  It's authentic feel attracts many tourists.  It boasts many cafes where you can sit, have a cafe con leche and a sweet, more commonly known in Argentina as fracturas, while being unrushed and undaunted. It is not unusual to see a couple dancing tango in the street or to hear tango music coming out of the windows of people's homes.   

Posted from Youtube

The Feria in San Telmo on Sundays

Does sipping red wine while watching the most beautiful dance show sound like an appealing way to spend your Sunday afternoon?  If so, The Feria is a place that offers artisan wares, as well as street food and live entertainment.  The San Telmo Market is a mix between a local garage sale and a middle-eastern bazaar.  My daughter lived in the San Telmo neighborhood in Buenos Aires while studying abroad,  and often commented that "The Feria is a great place to score some vintage clothing and offbeat antiques." During the day it is the street fair, but at night it turns into an outdoor milanga, a tango dance gathering. 

San Telmo Street Performers

Another picture of The Feria at San Telmo

-San Telmo Street Fair (its every Sunday on calle Defensa and at night Plaza Dorrego turns into an outdoor milonga)

Gauchos

     If you are traveling to Argentina, the Gauchos in the Pampas (Grasslands) are a must see.  The Gauchos are the equivalent of the North American cowboy.  Their diet consists primarily of meat and yerba mate', a brewed beverage that is drunk with a straw, a bombilla, from a gourd or wooden cup.  The pictures below were taken from a show performed by gauchos at a ranch.  To learn more about the gauchos, click here.

Traditional gaucho garb

El Mercado

El Mercado is open during the week, but it is at its busiest on Sundays when the feria comes through San Telmo.  There are shops that sell antiques and vintage clothes and bags.  Its open all week but it is super busy on Sundays when the feria comes through san telmo.  In the middle of these shops, venders sell fresh fruits and vegetables, and there is a counter where you can buy food such as choripan (chorizo and bread), sandwiches, empanadas, ravioli and pasta, and milanesa.

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Tango and Futbol

Two areas Argentines are passionate about--tango and futbol.

Tango
 Dance:  Originated in the late 1800s.  It derived from the Argentine-African candomble (a dance that they still dance in Brazil at Carnival).  Itoriginated in the neighborhood of La Boca.  It started as a dance that males would do with each other as they waited to see prostitutes in the brothels; then, tango signers/dancers from Buenos Aires tried to popularize it.  The dance did not become popular in Argentina until it became popular in France.  Then the Argentine upper and middle classes started dancing the dance, and eventually it became the national dance of Argentina.

Futbol

Leonel Messi is the most famous member of the Argentine National team.  A former member of the Argentine National team, Diego Maradona, became the coach of the National team  in the 2000s.  In Argentina, there is a church of Maradona and they pray to D10S (Dios was the number 10--because that was his number).  Messi also wears the number 10.  Maradona is like a cult figure.  People write songs about him (Manu Chau’s La Vida es Una Tombola) and my daughter said “People are just generally obsessed with him because he is a great futbol player and a crazy, loose cannon who was always getting in trouble with the press.”

There are two futbol teams (local) in Buenos Aires--Riverplate and Boca Juniors.  Locals say River or Boca.  Boca fans are mostly lower/working class, while River fans are upper class and are referred to as los milionarios.  When I asked my daughter how people react to futbol in Buenos Aires she replied, “People are OBSESSED with futbol.  When the game is one (especially when it’s a national team), every single cafe’ and television in the streets had the game on.”




Bar El Federal

     Bar El Federal is a cafe with a relaxed atmosphere.  It is a place you can visit to experience a mix of different people, from the portenos (locals) to the tourists.

Café Tortoni

Inside the Cafe'

Cafe Tortoni opened in the late 1800s.  Late night tango and jazz shows add to the ambiance.  Although the waiters are in formal attire, the food and coffee is reasonably priced.  My daughter said she loved to go there on a rainy day “and get churros con chocolate (which are cinnamon covered churros you can dip in hot chocolate), or a submarine--they give you a mug of hot milk and a long piece of chocolate—you stir the chocolate in the milk and it melts into a warm chocolately drink-yummmm.”

Many famous people have visited the cafe, Carlos Gardel and Hillary Clinton (when she visited Buenos Aires).  There is a wax figure of Gardel in the cafe.  In addition, some famous Argentine writers from the early 1900s spent time writing in this cafe, among them are Jorge Luis Borges and Alfonsina Storni.

Carlos Gardel is considered the King of Tango in Argentina.  This clip is a montage of photos of his life.

Recoleta and The Recoleta Fair (also on Sundays)

This is right by the cemetery. Good place to watch street tango.  Click here to find more information on the Recoleta Fair.   Recoleta is a wealthy, upscale neighborhood north of the city (equivalent to the Upper East Side in New York City).   There is one street in Recoleta that has such stores as Cartier, Louis Vuitton,  and Chanel.

Recoleta Cemetary

Many well known influential people lay to rest in Recoleta Cemetary, some of which include Eva Perone and many ex-presidents.  Mostly marble mausoleum and statues with almost no headstones.  Brass plates on the mausoleums indicate who is buried there.  Navigating through the cemetary is very confusing.  My daughter said she and her friend searched for Eva Perone’s gravesite for two hours but were unable to find it. To learn more about Recoleta Cemetary click here.

Recoleta Cemetary

Eva Perone's grave