Argentina ……. Travel Talk by Travelscene Samford

Argentina is one of my favourite South American countries.  Firstly there’s the capital, Buenos Aires which is widely regarded as the Paris of South America.  It’s a very sexy city where people are very fashionably dressed, and they seem to be tangoing all over the place.  There’s the colourful la boca district where all the higglety-pigglety houses are painted brightly in different colours and where artists do lovely watercolour paintings which you can buy for a few dollours.  The main mall is lined with amazing shops and our dollar is very strong against their peso so the shopping for us is fantastic.  Great shoes, bags, clothes.  Everyone has a siesta in the afternoon so they don’t go out for dinner until at least 10pm.  They have a very diverse and lively night scene so be prepared for lots of dancing into the wee hours of the morning.

A city hour also takes in the main cemetary in Buenos Aires which is where Eva Peron was laid to rest.  As well as amazing cathedrals and squares and parliament.

Down south is wild and stunning landscapes of Patagonia.  This is where you will find glaciers such as the Perito Moreno Glacier where you watch ice the size of buildings break off and fall into the water.  There’s walks and Glacier trekking to suit all levels of fitness.  Further south but still in the Patagonia region is Tierra del Fuego, gateway to the Antartica peninsula and the exceptional marine life of Peninsula Valdes.  Ushuaia is where a lot of the Antarctica cruises depart from.  It is absolutely pristine here, quite breathtaking and pure.

North Argentina has everything from the magnificent Iguazu Falls in the sub tropical jungle (pictured) to the Indian villages of Quebrada de Humahuaca.  The mighty Iguaza Falls are an incredible sight and sound sensation., 3km wide and plunging 70m into the gorge dividing Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.  On the Argentinian side you see the more close-up detail of the falls, whereas the Brazilian side you see the wide-angle picture.

You can take a train journey on the Train to the Clouds, visit a wildlife lodge or indulge in the elegance and charm of life on a typical Argentine estancia.  You can really get off the beaten track here.  Life on an estancia conjures romantic images of legendary gauchos at work on the ranch, superb horsemen herding cattle across the wild grasslands of the Pampas and drinking ‘mate’.  For a unique experience you can visit and stay in old colonial homesteads set in tree-shaded parks and gardens, this is a chance to step back in time and immerse yourself in a traditional Argentine lifestyle.

Overall I think Argentina has something for everyone.  Another highlight of course is the food and wine.  Their red wine is cheap and quite lovely, their red meat is delicious.  They cook it “gaucho” (cowboy) style and it is mouth-watering and worth the trip for this alone!

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