Buenos Aires, Argentina

 Buenos Aires has been on my bucket list forever. It’s a place that often comes up when I ask backpackers I meet from all over the world, if there was any city they have been to that they could see themselves living in. I now get it. It’s vibrant, architecturally significant, sometimes called the Paris of South America, the food is cheap and varied, the cultural offerings seem deep and the cost of living is way less than comparable world cities.

It was an interesting time to be there. There is a run-off election today for President and everyone was talking about it. Of course I love that. People say Argentinians always like to protest and complain about their economy. Right now their currency is in a terrible inflation spiral, which sure justifies their angst and while it’s bad for them, it was great for someone traveling with US dollars.

I’m sad I didn’t get to see a futbol game, but loved seeing all the Messi and Maradona fervor. I felt a little extra interest in Catholicism since this is where Pope Francis is from. Mostly I loved the chance to find a new city’s heartbeat.

As always, I feel lucky to experience a place in person. Each stop makes the world a little smaller. Thank you Buenos Aires!

Photos from Argentina

Click HERE to See My Photos from Argentina

This includes Buenos Aires and San Antonio de Areco

 

Dia de la Tradicion Gaucho Festival - San Antonio de Areco

 

These days when I travel I often try to find a more local event to dig into to try to get a better feeling of life in the place. So when Rhea asked me if I wanted to travel around now, I googled festivals in early November and out popped Dia de la Tradicion in San Antonio de Areco, Argentina, out in the farm and ranch lands outside Buenos Aires. This annual festival is the largest gaucho festival in the country, where they come and participate in a huge horse parade that weaves through the center of the little town, enjoy evenings of music and dance and participate in rodeo competitions. We met a large group of gauchos who came on horseback traveling for 5 days to get there. Although I have no hard numbers we estimated well over a 1000 horses groomed and glowing with gauchos riding and leading them, dressed in their traditional dress with elaborate belt buckles and their ornate gaucho knives, many passed down through generations, tucked into their belts. The whole experience was quite awe inspiring.

For instance seeing the parents riding side by side with their young children dressed almost the same, passing down traditions as their parents and grandparents did. Or being in the local downtown park and seeing groups of horses moving in every direction.

Celebrating Dia de la Tradicion

 I really enjoyed the traditional music and dances. Difference musicians performed all night and the locals were happy to join the dances. Dia de La Tradicion, celebrating gauchos in San Antonio de Areco, Argentina.