Patagonia 2004

Discovering Patagonia and Pampa

 

1st day. We depart (after months of pleasant planning)

I always remained in the lead of Argentina, since, baby, I passed with my mother, in Corso Buenos Aires to Genoa. Maybe it was for the name itself: different but understandable. Course "Bones", as my grandmother. There, after all, in its grandeur, the equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano, whose horse, all black, which, seen from my eyes then, I felt immense, almost afraid to
In summer I wore in the countryside inland. In some villages, the sight of abandoned houses and falling, told me that they were owned by people who had emigrated to South America, many, many years before. Most of it was lost memory.
Companions of the summer games told me they had procugini there, without knowing how to specify where. At school, the teacher of elementary, we explained that in the pampas was a grass so high to hide a man on horseback.
I have waited fifty years, but in the end ce l'ho fatta!
Where to start? With my wife we talked to a friend who had been the year before. We were given sufficient information to get an idea of how to plan your vacation. Especially for the period of the year in which to go.
Initially we had doubts about domestic travel-all in the air. Many years have passed since, along with friends from Genoa, we went to North Cape in three Fiat 500. At the time, or nearly, when Armstrong went down on the moon, we were eating filet fisk in a kiosk in the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. I have twenty more years, and also health is a bit away.
Then, during the planning, we have included a car in parentheses. We wanted to be a little 'more in touch with the country, visit the three provinces in the north-west of Buenos Aires.
Having a lot of time, I contacted, via e-mail, some thirty travel agencies in Buenos Aires.
One of the first to answer was the one where a guy who works has the age of my daughter and an Italian surname. He speaks and writes our language in any significant way. I sent a general and he immediately understood what we wanted. For everything sent to me the choice of three options: hotels, tours, Tango shows, etc..
With much surprise, and consequent disappointment of my Genoese, I quickly found that the Argentine tourism has several prices, by geographic area: Argentina, Rest of South America, North America, Europe. Of course, for us, prices are higher. This distinction applies also in the entrance tickets of the National Parks.
As planned vacation, we expand on the journey. The last, in addition to the classic air tour of Patagonia, Iguazu Falls and stop in Buenos Aires, we have extended, by car, in the provinces of Santa Fe, Corrientes and Entre Rios, to visit hunting and fishing. Another nice trip.
It was not easy to combine the schedules of air, hotel bookings, excursions, rental cars and everything else. For my part there was the determination to succeed, by my "agent to Baires" the will to carry out a job.
We start. The package includes the flight Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Buenos Aires. For us it would have been more convenient flight Nice-Madrid since the airport on the French Riviera is just 35 minutes by car. It accompanies my daughter and our future son: when we greet give recommendations that are given to schoolchildren, along with the snack, before entering class.

2nd day. Arrival in Buenos Aires. Downtown. Dinner and tango show.

The plane was full. The eleven and a half hours of jumping the Atlantic have been very long. We slept very little. Impeccable service aboard the staff of the Spanish national airline.
We arrive at 7.30. From inside the airport we see that the sky is leaden, perhaps it is raining. We note that the luggage trolleys also accept euros. Will be updated as fast!
The international airport of Ezeiza, the first impact, we are favorably impressed. While I am waiting for your luggage, Tina, my wife goes to see if there is anyone to expect. Back with a weary smile: saw our names in the forest of people with the cards in his hand waiting passengers.
As we exit, a man in plainclothes, with a jacket and tie, with no distinctive recognition, it seems to me that we ask if we have nothing to declare. Draft law, I have nothing to declare.
The driver who came to take us is young and friendly. As soon as we put ourselves in the car, will, with a laptop, his company has accepted and we are going to Baires. We enter sull'autopista and the first thing that jumps to the eyes is that the fleet is old. Even that of trucks.
At journey that separates us from Avenida Corrientes, the hotel where we speak of the Argentine economic situation and the alarming news that they felt a couple of years ago about malnutrition in some provinces.
Leave the motorway and we are now in the city. Puerto Madero is on our right. I leave the driver a tip of a dollar, as I had, by good genovese, studied before leaving.
The question I had studied tipping well. A euro coin to be on time, the right impression. Five dollars for tips normal to me seemed too many. I bought a new tow hundred dollars in bills of a: was the perfect solution. My Genovese vanishes fair!
Go to the NH Jousten. The facade of the hotel, Art Nouveau, it's like we had a view of the site: we like. On receiving the staff is all young and friendly. The room on the fifth floor, is our complete satisfaction.
I had been told that in South America, in the classification of hotels, will take a little wider than us, so in general, the stars awarded are almost always a plus. In our case I think that the four stars if the gain is all.
Marcelo call, our travel agent to tell him that we have arrived, that all goes well and confirm the appointment at our hotel for your dinner.
Having given new vitality and efficiency to our physical weak and weary, we are thrown in the city.
Made a few hundred meters, we found in Florida, one of two pedestrian streets and shopping center. We hear the cries and sounds, as trumpets dark. In our direction are coming with signs of protesters. There are about a hundred men and women. They stop in front of the headquarters of a bank, that time seems to be closed.
Thrown against the door bottles, eggs and more. On land, in front of the sluice lowered, posano newspapers that then fire damage. Behind the demonstrators, there are three policemen, two in blue overalls with Basque in the head and shoulders on an apparatus with which we are from the vineyard to Verderame. Throw water spray in the newspapers and turned them off. The third, divided into normal, about 55 years, seems to be the counterpart of our Marshal.
Demonstrators rekindle other newspapers, polziotti them rispengono with a seraphic do not need to receive orders from Marshal. Us away quickly, we do not know what can happen. There are other police officers. We comment that we would be at least fifty between police and carabinieri, for such a public service.
All of a sudden we come in a square and on our left we see the house Rosada. FAMOR then we are on the Plaza de Mayo, where the mothers of the disappeared to be manifest, since the military dictatorship.
E 'lunchtime and we enter a restaurant nearby, apparently very large and clean. The style has something of the thirties. The patrons, all in the tie, at the employees seem to break. Tina, who is always lucky in ordering menus that do not know, asks the dark, a "bife de lomo con papas fritas." Guess. E 'un bisteccone grilled with fried potatoes, cut lengthwise and very crisp. The meat quality is excellent, I say. Prices are abbordabilissimi. I leave a tip that the waiter who welcomed us with great sympathy followed.
The long, long journey indeed, there is. Our regenerated apparent vitality is extinguished. Changing the time zone begins to weaken. Let us return to the hotel for a dip in the cot where we remain until late afternoon. We get up just in time for the appointment with Marcelo in the hall.
Descend and he is already there to expect, alone. After we presented, the wife arrives. Comes directly from the work: she works in a travel agency.
There racconatiamo some of us, Italy, Argentina, their Italian grandparents. To him the province of Potenza and her province of Brescia. We realize that time is running away and unfortunately the car had come to take does not arrive. Some calls for saperer that the machine will not be: there was a mistake. We go out on the street and take a taxi, one of hundreds that cross, continually, as the Avenidas large seas.
I realize that taxis are very cheap: spend seven pesos for the trip, including tip. A little more than tremilacinquecento of our old lire.
Dinner with tango show I had the choice in the local "Esquina de Carlos Gardel" (www.esquinacarlosgardel.com.ar), at the suggestion of Marcelo that I wanted to invite, along with his wife, for the courtesy and patience sotrattutto he had used in my comparison in all these months. The restaurant is located in the barrio Abastro district that apparently is not really a rectory.
He looks like a theater, and our table is in a good position. This shows that Marcelo took us to make a good figure. ll service personnel, as well as being warm, demonstrates a strong professionalism. Everyone, men and women, dressed in impeccable order.
The Italian in Argentina discovered the scrolling menu. The dishes with Italian names are by far the most. And so will the rest of the holiday. I would not have believed.
I ordered, inter alia, a vitel tuna. The sauce in the mouth leaving a slight hint of anchovy brine, just as it was my grandmother. Wine, including the menu and will not excel, but it is a good above average. Draws my attention to the Mediterranean "ensalada de los Tanos" bocconcini mozzarella, black olives, olive oil and basil.
Marcelo informed me that the word "Tanos" comes from "neapoletanos" and is extended, in general, in addition to all Argentines of Italian origin, even the Italians themselves. Stereotypes remain. However, it is said in the vezzeggiata. We like Italian, much appreciated.
We are still hay to dine that the show begins. Two hours of dancing masterfully interpreted by artists. A escursus on the history of tango and milonga. The scenes are filled with rich costumes.
Although the specific I do not feel up to be able to judge, on the whole I liked the evening. Much. Impressive orchestra that rises from the stage and remains suspended for the duration of the show.

3rd day. Tour of the city. Departure for Trelew. Arrival in Puerto Madryn.

At 09:00 we are already waiting in front of the bus that takes us to make the tour of the city. We had chosen the option in Spanish. We note that on board there are also British.
The guide, a young man about 25 years of trying to have all to talk in two languages: Castilian and English. It is noted that there is a big push to try to do well and give a good impression of the country, highlighting the positive things and ignoring negative ones.
The first stop is at the Cattedale in Plaza de Mayo. The facade is a twelve columns, one for each apostle. Inside is the tomb of General José de San Martín, "El Libertador" and that of the Unknown Soldier Argentine. Mount guard, to a great standard, two soldiers of the "Regimiento Granaderos a caballo de General San Martin." That if we are a bit like our Carabiner Guard of the President of the Republic, known as "Corazzieri".
Indeed honor play services and representation. We are facing the Casa Rosada, seat of the Presidency of the Republic, the palace is also located on the Plaza de Mayo. A note that the barriers are stone, iron, placed in front of the building.
Yes they have the function of preserving, however, to spoil the aesthetic part of the square, giving the impression of siege to the palace itself. The police guard outside are cordial. Many have imprinted on the face, somatic data indium.
Opposite the building there is a huge flag that I want to photograph them from below. I have to approach an armored sentry-box, placed beyond the barriers. I say out loud that is an Italian tourist. Exits from a sergeant and mighty mole tells me that his stepfather is a "Tano". Let me take pictures with the flag and then, briefly, let us go to bars on politicians, both Argentine and Italian. Present and past. It seems that we always know. Sin, I have not even asked for the name and, indeed, I told him mine.
We continue the tour towards the barrio of La Boca.
The "Republica de la Boca," as residents call the neighborhood. To be precise, the present is the third edition of the Republic of Boca. In the second half the nineteenth barrio remained detached from the city, at the mouth of the Riachuelo river, from where it takes its name. It was about twenty thousand Italians who lived there, with a predominant majority of the Genoese. They lived in houses with thick walls and roofs of corrugated sheet metal, these remained. Neighborhood of poor people has remained such.
It is said that the first "edition" of the Republica de la Boca was born in mid-nineteenth century, when, as a result of strong workers' protests had been raised the Genoese flag - red cross on a white field - and made the request for annexation to 'then the Kingdom of Sardinia. The next and timely intervention of President Roca has done an end to the protest and people have also dedicated a road. There is unanimous opinion that this is, over time, become a legend because, apparently, the fact is not supported by data.
The stadium district is called "La Bombonera" by supporters of the "Boca Junior" which we take to say, are 40 percent of the Swiss Argentine football. They are called the "Xeneizes" in memory of Genoa del barrio, even though the word has acquired its full Argentines since, in Genoa, writing: "Zeneixi".
Ritoniamo at the hotel to prepare: In the afternoon we leave for Trelew, Chubut Province, the first town south of Rio Colorado, given the boundary with the Patagonia.
In the landing phase will see the extensive Patagonian steppe, pale brown, at first sight, from the impression of a deserted land. The airport is in the middle of the plain. The formalities are slow exit from two ladies with white shirts that are put to all the luggage on the benches and ask us if we have food with us to inspect it. Fortunately we did not, so we quickly away in search of our driver that we must lead in Puerto Madryn.