Tango & not so much Cash
Trip Start
Oct 13, 2007
1
11
14
Trip End
Jan 10, 2008
Puerto Iguazu,
Argentina
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
After a long drive and free camp beside a lonely bar, we raced into the seaside town of Puerto Madryn, itīs Welsh influence only really apparent in the numerous rugby apparel stores.
The prime reason for visiting Puerto Madryn is the wildlife of the Valdez Peninsula, and on the second day, we set off early, stopping first at a very small tourist village on the ocean, the site of īguaranteedī whale-watching.
But as we set out on a speedboat into the bay, skeptics were quickly silenced, when just 100m or so from the shore, a mid-sized southern right whale effortlessly glided past our vessel, slowly circling and investigating, diving just under the boat, as we rushed from side to side to get a glimpse of this magnificent creature.
Content with its investigation, the huge mammal moved off into the Atlantic Ocean, guiding its nose through the parting waters beneath the surface.
Equally content with our close-up view, we sallied forth out of the bay around the coastline and not long after, our guide spotted several more, a mother and calf, and a third whale en route to the south pole.
The smaller calf approached the boat, creating a smooth path through the waves around and under the frantically clicking cameras, the flash of paparazzi to which they were surely accustomed, but which seemed an unusual and fascinating discovery.
Although lasting just 90 minutes, seeing such massive animals swim beside us was as humbling an experience as the Grand Canyon or Machu Picchu.
From here, we continued along the Valdez Peninsula, stopping off to see hundreds of Elephant Seals lazing on the beach shedding their skin, struggling onto the sand like giant slugs, but laughing loudly at their ability to dive to depths no other mammal can (1.5km below the surface!).
Further along, populations of Magellan penguins scattered themselves amongst the rising cliffs, military lines standing to attention, contemplating the serene view as the spouses protected the eggs nestled under small shrubs very close to our curious cameras.
And so, we were to move up the coast as we returned to the civilisation and latitude to which we were accustomed: Buenos Aires.
We drove up the attractive tree-lined boulevard (8 lanes each way), Avenida 9 Julio, passing innumerable futbol pitches on the way through the famous La Boca region in the south of the city.
Our first night was spent enjoying a fabulous tango dinner show, a theatrical demonstration of the famous sensual dance, a major influence on the culture of BA, particularly the working class southern suburbs of La Boca and San Telmo.
Equally important is Futbol, particularly in La Boca once again (Argentiniansī passion for the game is noticeably more deep than Chile, Peru, or Bolivia), where the Boca Juniors (for whom Maradona played) Stadium rises up from the dirty streets, surrounded by many souvenir stores peddling every type of Boca or Argentinan merchandise you could ever think of.
A few blocks from the stadium is the equally famous and colourful Caminito area whence the tango originated. Two storey flats of bright primary colours line the cobbled streets filled with artists vending their similarly colourful paintings, couples demonstrating the tango (usually for some profit) and yet more souvenir stores. Although very touristy, this whole area has so much life, vibrancy, and colour that it is hard not to love.
The surrounding area is not so touristy however, and evidently quite poor, and it was reinforced to us several times not to venture too far off the tourist trail. Nonetheless, early on Sunday morning, a few of the guys headed down to La Boca in search of a bar to watch the World Club Championship final with Boca versus AC Milan, played in Japan, and we found a nice cafe with a big īscreenī (9 small TVīs put together creating black lines crossing the screen like a noughts and crosses board). The atmosphere was great for the first half until AC Milan took control in the second half.
Another of many sides to BA is the more upper class, European cafe and dining scene, and the wealthier northern suburbs of Recoleta and Palermo: Quiet leafy streets, beautiful parks and gardens and numerous panaderias and outdoor cafes lining the footpaths. One amazing upmarket cafe, surprisingly sheltered from the twelve lane avenue it fronted, served up the most delicious chocolate desserts and chocolate bomboms and truffles for just $2.50 and $0.60 respectively, a sixth of the price in Australia. Another ice-cream shop, Persicco (www.persicco.com), hidden amongst the small parks and towering trees had some of the best ever ice-cream.
Parts of the centre also pulsate until early morning, with the main shopping strip, Avenida Florida, and theatre, tango shows, bars and clubs only filling by 3am.
One cheap but delicious pizza place I frequented near our hotel had huge crowds bursting in late at night for dinner: one elderly lady was climbing the stairs to find a spare table amongst the bustle with her family at 11:30pm!
I also managed to finally see a film at the cinema, although not a Village one, paying just $5 to see the Assasination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford, one of my highly anticipated films*, a very satisfying end to my Buenos Aires experience.
Alas, our time in BA was never going to be long enough and early Monday morning, we were off again, entering the subtropical North-East of Argentina on the way to Puerto Iguazu, the Argentinian town on the three-way border that divides the Iguazu Falls between Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina.
*Trademark 2007 SW
