My experience of an emergency visit to A&E at Stoke Royal hospital in November, did not deter me from undertaking an adventure in Argentina at the end of the year. The travel insurance company said I was covered, and no medical professional offered any objections…so off I went.
I left Manchester for Frankfurt on New Year’s Eve and arrived in Buenos Aires on New Year’s Day. Apart from a bit of a kerfuffle over taxis from the airport, I arrived at the Costa Rica hotel and was given access to my room straight away. The saloon bar style swing doors will be my lasting memory of this quirky but comfortable hotel in Palermo district.
Flights to El Calafate….my first choice to begin exploring…had to be ruled out on account of the prohibitive cost of airfares on the day I wanted to fly. The second choice, Bariloche in mid Patagonia, exceeded my expectations. Situated on the shores of the vast blue lake Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche is the gateway to the Patagonia Lake District. Without doubt, the highlight of my stay was the cable-car ride to the summit of Cerro Otto.
The views from the summit were breathtaking. White, snow-capped mountains, huge forests and vast blue lakes. There was an abundance of wildlife, especially birds…some I had never set eyes on before.
Back down in Bariloche, summer activities were in full swing. There was the Bariloche marathon race, who’s finishing line was in the Centro Civico. Next day there were street processions with marching bands and dancers…including tango dancers. It is so uplifting to find the main street throbbing with people and such a wide variety of shops. Not a single charity shop …not a single empty space. The thing that struck me most…and this was true of every place I visited…was the kindness and generosity of spirit. Everyone I spoke with…usually when I was lost…responded in a kind and friendly manner. If they didn’t know the answer to my question, they would find someone or an app on their phone that did.
Córdoba
Flying to Córdoba from Bariloche went smoothly…unlike some flights later in the trip. Aerolineas Argentinas turned out to be the most reliable and best run of all the airlines. The flight was on time and there were even free (unhealthy) snacks…I left mine behind. On landing at Córdoba airport, I was surprised there were no checks whatsoever. Took the first available taxi to Casi Guermes Hotel, which wasn’t too far and didn’t cost too much. Recalling the expense of the Buenos Aires taxi…I misread the taxi meter and tried to give him a similar amount. He kindly pointed out that the fare was 3,000 pesos not 30,000 and handed me back two 10K bills. At no time in my entire trip did anyone try to take advantage of my mistakes with currency.
The hotel was well located in Obispo Trejo street …close to the old city. However, beyond the imposing Colonial style front, stretched out a warren of dilapidated rooms and staircases – no lifts! Although my room contained everything listed on the booking form, it was dark, dingy and looked dirty because of the black paint everywhere. Grotty is perhaps the best word to describe it. It was only booked for two nights, thankfully, so I was able to move to a much better hotel for the remainder of my stay in the city. Its other redeeming feature was the kind, helpful workforce.
The second hotel, Amerian Executive, Cordoba, although only a few blocks away from the first, was in a different class altogether. There was space, excellent facilities including its own restaurant, a much better breakfast and again, really lovely staff. I got to know the geography of the city quite well. I found my visits to the cathedral, the Jesuit Manzana and the religious artefacts museum, housed in an old Carmelite convent, absolutely fascinating.
Cordoba is steeped in history – the Jesuit Block and Estancias have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. There is so much more to explore, that a return visit seems highly likely.
Rosario
It was the young couple in the shared gondola on the Bariloche cable car that brought me here, and I was so pleased I did. I travelled by long distance bus, which was far cheaper than by air and surprisingly comfortable. Rosario is the largest city in the central Argentine province of Santa Fe. The city is located 300 km northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River. It was the river that helped me feel relaxed and at ease. The waterfront stretches for miles but work on the riverside has turned it into a popular zone for both exercise and chilling out. Here, you can be sure of finding the fittest young men displaying their toned, muscled torsos jogging and working out. When I returned to Buenos on route to Iguazu, the taxi driver asked me where I had come from. As soon as I said Rosario, he almost exploded.
“Didn’t I realize it was the most dangerous city in the country will a murder every day? Didn’t I know that Rosario was the centre of the narcotics trade?”
The truth was, I was blissfully unaware…and in spite of its bad reputation, I had felt completely safe there at all times.
Buenos Aires 2
When I returned to Buenos on route to Iguazu, the taxi driver asked me where I had come from. As soon as I said Rosario, he almost exploded.
“Didn’t I realize it was the most dangerous city in the country will a murder every day? Didn’t I know that Rosario was the centre of the narcotics trade?”
The truth was, I was blissfully unaware…and in spite of its bad reputation, I had felt completely safe there at all times.
The Holiday Inn Express was located not far from the waterfront and in the opposite direction was the Galerias Pacifico, a magnificent building that occupies a complete block in the Commercial Centre of Buenos Aires. The wall and ceiling frescoes were created by well known post war Argentine artists. During the military junta 1967-1983, the building was used by the armed forces. Its cellars were used as a torture centre. In 1989, the building was given the status of a national monument. Perhaps the thriving, bustling crowds of shoppers…the place was always busy…provides an indicator of the state of the nation. Argentina may have many economic and social problems…but it also has a flourishing retail economy..
Iguazu
No trip to Argentina would be complete without a visit to the Iguazu Falls, one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, these falls are a series of massive waterfalls surrounded by lush rainforest. When I unpacked my rucksack in my palatial room at the Saint George Hotel, I realised I had left my iPad behind in the security screening tray at Buenos Aires. From this point onward, I was completely reliant on my mobile phone.
After a hearty breakfast, I caught the local bus that goes to the waterfall park and stops at every street corner on the way. However, the leisurely journey allowed me the privilege of mixing with local people going about their daily lives, In spite of the frequent stops, the journey from the town to the entrance to the park took less than half an hour.
The falls are miles away from the station, thankfully, there is a train that takes you to the trail leading to the Devil’s Throat Falls. Even so, it is quite a long trek on the elevated pathway to the platform on the edge of the Devil’s Throat, where the water plunges down with frightening force. The platform was small for the high volume of sightseers…I failed to get single still shot…but the video, astonishingly. is quite good. The surrounding jungle teems with wildlife, from colourful butterflies…I spotted yellow ones as big as bats… to curious coatis who seemed to have latched on to the easy free food from tourists…whole families of the cute little creatures wandered around the station.
On my last day I took a trip on the rivers Iguazu and Parana. I sat back and had an enjoyable, relaxing sail that took the boat to the borders of three countries: Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Magical.
Cancelled flights have always seemed a nightmare that happened only to the most unfortunate travelers. No longer. There was a very long queue for the two evening Flybondi flights to Buenos Aires. After separating passengers for the later flight from the earlier one on which I was booked. The wait continued. I offered to see if I could find out what was happening from the Airport Information Desk. My fellow travelers kept my place in the queue whilst I trotted over to the desk. The helpful assistant was guarded in what she said…but said Flybondi staff would be an announcement sooner. When I returned to the queue, I relayed the information…adding that I suspected the announcement would be that the flight was cancelled. It was all done very discretely and the contingency effected with such efficiency…I guessed (correctly) that this had happened more than once before.
In small groups we were quietly assigned drivers who took us to the Orquideas Hotel, where the management seemed not in the least surprised to have a sudden influx of guests. Jose, our driver ensured the four of us had his number. He would contact us via WhatsApp if the flight was delayed and the pickup time needed to be changed from 5.20am. At 9.00pm, I didn’t feel like eating, so passed on the offer of an evening meal in the hotel restaurant, I just need to get to bed. Needless to say, whilst I was asleep, Jose sent a message putting back the pickup time to 6.00am. Other drivers were less sympathetic…and I watched as minibuses and cars arrived to pick up their designated passengers. Jose eventually turned up at 6.30am.
When we arrived at the airport, I spotted several people who had been picked up before us at the front of the check-in queue. Jose’s thoughtfulness had allowed our little group (except me) an extra hour in bed instead of an hour standing in line at the airport. Of course the flight was further delayed. Even when we had cleared check-in, there was a separate line for the Flybondi flight at Airport Security. Whilst other passengers passed through quickly, we had to stand at one side to let them through. One of the Security Guards with a kind face approached me and whispered that we would be let through in ten minutes. He was spot on.
Because of the cancelled evening flight and then the long delays to the early morning replacement…I was worried that I wouldn’t have time to check-in at my hotel in San Telmo and get to the Methodist Church on Avenido Corrientes for 1.30pm when I had arranged to meet Rafael to hear and play the organ.
Buenos Aires 3
I was late for my appointment with Rafael…but he just seemed delighted to see me. He demonstrated the Forster & Andrews instrument built in England in 1882 before being transported and installed in Buenos Aires. Last century, the two manual organ was enlarged with the edition of a Choir manual. Unfortunately, the rebuild was abandoned leaving a three manual instrument of which only two of them function. Rafael was chiefly responsible for returning the organ into a playable state after years of neglect. It has some beautiful stops.
Buenos Aires 4
My final move was from San Telmo to Palermo Viejo another district in Buenos Aires. I was so pleased I made this last change of location because just a few blocks from the hotel was the Maricafe. The name is a play on the word ‘maricón’, the Spanish equivalent of queer or faggot. Like the word ‘queer’ in English, it has a negative history of usage as a pejorative label for LGBT+ people. This LGBT+ owned and run cafe and community centre has embraced and transformed an insulting word into the name of an LGBT+ welcoming place to eat or just to meet up for a coffee. The menu has dishes named after famous drag artists. Everyone squealed with the delight when I told them that I knew Divina de Campo who headed the breakfast menu.
Meeting the Locals
Throughout my travels, the warmth and hospitality of the Argentine people was remarkable. Wherever I went, I was always greeted with friendly smiles and interesting conversations. The locals are proud of their country but have no hesitation in slamming politicians for the state of the economy and the levels of corruption within the government. It was encouraging to be told by taxi drivers and local people that I spoke Spanish well. For me… for me…I was more aware of my shortcomings. I was consequently surprised when I was taken for as one of the gang in a shared predicament I guess this finally convinced me that I had made progress. I was able to listen, understand and talk with the group around me when we found out our flight was cancelled.
Something else that surprised and made me feel humble, was being thanked for taking time to converse with people whether in English or in Spanish. One lovely lady insisted on giving me a hug, a kiss and taking a selfie of the two of us to record our chance encounter. She was the most extreme example, but I found similar, if less effusive, expressions of appreciation for just spending a few moments chatting with people.
Conclusion
I greatly enjoyed my Argentine adventure – I didn’t want to come home – and I do want to go back.
Oh…in case you are wondering. I was reunited with my iPad at Ezeiza Airport so this story has a happy ending.
Maurice Greenham 
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