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bUEnOs AIREs
mORE THAn JUsT fAIR wInd
a
By Vani Saraswathi
week is not enough. And I sincerely doubt if even a month would do, to take in all that Argentina has to offer. After the first few days there, you begin to wonder if the whole country is on something illegal – how can just about every person you meet be upbeat, funny (if a bit self-deprecatory), good-looking and well-groomed? Then just to ensure that you didn't doubt their reality, you run into creepy cabbies. (Which begs the question, are there cabbies anywhere in the world who are not a. annoying; b. creepy; c. rude?) We are told that some perfect-looking creatures may have had a little help from Dr Scalpel and Nurse Botox. But my pedestrian observation is that much of the attitude, the poise and flair for good clothing are all thanks to the rich gene pool created over centuries of foreign influences. Entertainment, sports, good food and a nice group of people to hang out with – if only it were not so far from much of the world and not so expensive to get there, Argentina would be overrun with tourists. Now it attracts just about two million tourists annually, a majority of whom are from the US. For the eighth-largest nation in the world with the kind of attractions it has to offer, that's a few million too few. In 2009, Argentina received almost two million foreign tourists (14% fewer than in 2008) who spent an estimated $2.7 billion. On the other hand, five million Argentines travelled overseas and spent $4.4 billion, which is a billion dollars higher than what incoming tourism left in the country, according to official Argentine statistics.
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A view of the palace side of Park Hyatt
Where to stay
Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires Located in the fashionable Recoleta shopping and residential district, it combines a restored Palace with the new Posadas building. The Palacio Duhau was built in 1934 by French architect Leon Dourge, and is one of the few remaining palaces representing the city's traditional and exclusive Portena aristocracy. www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com
The mothers of missing people staging their weekly march
Estancia VillaMaria, Equestrian & Golf Estates Resort Located only 15 minutes from Ezeiza International Airport, the 624 hectare estancia would serve well as a weekend getaway. While there you can take in some polo lessons, or just spend you day at the golf course. Email: info@estanciavillamaria. com Alvear Palace Hotel www.alvearpalace.com
Getting There
Qatar Airways flies daily to Buenos Aires via Sao Paulo. So if you have time on your hands, covering both countries would be a good move. The airline hosted journalists from the region and the Far East to fly to the two destinations on its inaugural flight. With these two, Qatar Airways international network is up to 92 destinations across six continents.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker with government and airport officials at an airline-hosted reception at Buenos Aires International Airport.
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The bustling San Telmo area
Getting there is no doubt an expensive, tiring and time-consuming exercise. Unless you are a journalist on an all-expenses paid business class passage in a five-star airline (more of that later).If geared-up right, the almost-18-hour-long flight from this part of the world need not necessarily be torturous. But then, the first thing that will hit you, as it did the bedraggled bunch of us on arrival at Buenos Aires is the display of skinny jeans tucked into glamorous boots. A knee-length leather extravaganza smartens up any outfit, it seems. All we wanted to do was escape into the confines of a hotel room, and
emerge in something a little more elegant than flip-flops, tracks and tees. Of course, we didn't realise that before we could find solace in our rooms, we had to get past the imposing corridors of the Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, an erstwhile palace, still resplendent and reeking of history.
History on show
For those of us coming from the land of sparkling new, largest, tallest and shiniest, Buenos Aires is refreshingly well-aged – that's the difference; but it is extrava-
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Old mausoleums in the famous Recoleta CemeteryOld mausoleums in the famous Recoleta Cemetery At the Carlos Gardel Tango Show
Takes two to...
Typical Argentinian artwork called fileteado
An Argentine staple -- a brew of Yerba Mate which is served in a calabash made of gourd, wood or leather. The metal or bamboo straw is called bombillas
Sometimes, not. Ask the average Argentine if he or she tangos, and the answer is likely to be ‘no’. The older generation did and still do tango, but the younger lot bred on discotheque culture look at it as an art that only some learn to perform. It's not the dance of the masses, it seems. While tango performers can be seen in many squares and streets like La Boca, it would be a good idea to go for a proper tango show. We went to the Carlos Gardel Tango show, where the split-level stage houses a live band above and the tango dancers below.
The crypt outside which Eva Peron is buried. The crypt belongs to her sister-in-law's family
gant and ostentatious too, and that's the similarity. Even regular buildings boast of exaggerated domes and intricate pillars. And nowhere else is the need for that show more visible than in the La Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Peron finally found a resting place. A guided tour of the cemetery is akin to a brief course on the sometimes bloody and often disruptive history of the nation. The details of that history are to be found in how the northern and southern parts of the town are laid out (one catering to more recent immigrants and the other to
the elite), in the Spanish architecture rubbing shoulders with French and English influences, and from sculpted memorials at crossroads. Spanish invasion, the hope of mountains of silver (giving the country its name), military coups, exiles, civil unrests, an attempt to first disassociate from the Spanish past and then to embrace it, the cult of Juan Peron and now an active democracy... some say Argentina has achieved a lot despite its troubles, while the naysayers claim that despite its achievements it flirts with trouble all the time.
Tango on the streets, where service staff double as entertainers
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Beware! Just as you would be anywhere else. We were given a flyer by the hotel that listed ‘suggestions’ when walking around Buenos Aires. Not something you should give faint-hearted guests visiting the country for the first time. “If you are attacked, do not resist,” “Be attentive when using public transport” and “do not accept help from strangers for supposed ‘stains’ on clothing, etc.” the flyer warned. A good set of rules to follow wherever you may travel. But I guess what distinguishes the Argentine thief is his brand consciousness: “Thieves can come by on motorcycles to grab watches (mostly Rolex) and purses.” Finally a reason to feel good that I don't own a Rolex.
The daily rounds
Career option Earning pocket money? Extra income? Maybe a career choice? Dog walking seems to be a popular vocation. Everywhere – no exaggeration – you turn, you will find backpack toting dog-walkers with fists tightly around at least half a dozen leashes. Buenos Aires breathes through its sprawling green expanses of parks, meant for both man and his best friend. It takes a little getting used to, all those well-disciplined fellas walking around, and not showing any inclination to nip at their walk buddies.
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The Casa Rosada, presidential palace
Madres de Plaza de Mayo
The May Square, the main square downtown, is where much of that ‘trouble’ or political movement finds a voice. Since the revolution in May 1810, Plaza de Mayo continues to be the main site for political demonstrations and gatherings. To date, weekly, mothers and grandmothers of those who disappeared during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983 (the Dirty War) march in the square. While hopes of reuniting with their abducted children have all but vanished, they continue to march seeking recognition of the losses and demanding an apology. Many children born in prison were given away in adoption. Now, a campaign calls for those who doubt their parentage to submit to DNA testing, to be reunited with their biological families. The Madres movement stands for more that what it started out to be. It is one of the strongest human rights movements in the world.
A complete fest – food, shopping and entertainment
While all that contributes to a thrilling historical tour of the city, the experience is incomplete without the Argentine staples – food (steaks, empanadas and dolce de leche), tango, polo, ranches, matte (a local tea), football (including
Maradona look-alikes and wannabes). The one place where you can savour most of those is at La Boca, where an afternoon must be dedicated to the colourful, festive cobble-stoned streets that fan out in a triangular formation. Touristy souvenirs, bargains, tango on the pavements, thirst quenchers, crispy empanadas, street performers and artists all conspire in setting apart La Boca from what lies in the neighbourhood surrounding it.When a crabby cabbie off-loaded the bunch of us in an alley abutting La Boca (because we enquired about receipt for the fare), we saw firsthand what we'd rather have not. Eerily deserted streets, decrepit buildings, and ‘get-out-of-herequick’ vibe in the air. San Telmo, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city, is a must visit as well. There, in quaint courtyards and boutiques can be found antique furniture and curios. In the squares, pretty and inexpensive jewellery handcrafted by the indigenous people can be had at a bargain. While we are on shopping, get your hands on some leather. Factory outlets are cheaper, but you need an insider to get you to a good one. It is slightly preposterous to attempt a travelogue after only a sniff of the goods, so treat it as a sampler n
gLobe TroT Iguazu
A DAy WiTh ThE RAinBOWS
area. to the mmon o c e r sa Quati
The Great Adventure speed boat ride into the falls
Rapelling in the national park area
A eco train rid e through the
national park
A majestic view of one of the many cataratas
Argentina is a long sprawling country, with terrains and attractions in every province. We flew north on Austral (the national airline) to the Brazilian border for a break from the city. The Iguazu National Park and Waterfalls is one of the contenders for the new seven natural wonders contest. Straddling three countries – Brazil, Argentina, Paruguay – the national park covering an area of 67,620 hectares, boasts of over 2000 varieties of native flora species, 450 bird species, 80 species of mammals and 275 waterfalls. The waterfalls however only cover Brazil and Argentina. Standing at the majestic and aptly named Devil's Throat – the highest and biggest of the group of waterfalls – one can have a view of Brazil
through the mist of water. Iguazu is the right fix for those seeking adventure. In the national park, canopying and rappelling can be tried. And at the falls, long hiking trails, rafting and a rather scary speedboat ride into the curtain of water are not to be missed. Keep your camera handy, because you never know when a rainbow will present itself. We landed in Iguazu on the day Argentina took on Mexico in the pre-quarterfinal match. And the guide who took us around the national park made it amply clear what a huge sacrifice he had made by choosing to be with a bunch of awestruck tourists, instead of watching his national team get to the semi-finals. I for one am glad that I was nowhere in Argentina or near an Argentine during the quarterfinals.
Iguazu Grand Resort Spa & Casino
WhERE TO STAy Iguazu Grand Resort Spa & Casino The hotel is a mere 10 minutes from the Puerto Iguazu airport and 15 minutes from the National Park. It has a Casino, Cafe Magic – French-style theatre featuring evening shows, spa and play areas, that makes it ideal for a family vacation Email: reservations@iguazugrand.com
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