When I asked my husband for three adjectives to describe Argentina he came up with: “wine sodden, welcoming and weirdly Welsh”.
Might seem like a strange collection of words, but it’s not far off the truth.
Let’s start with the Cambrian influence: A small community, descendants of Welsh settlers, who moved to Patagonia in 1865. They even still speak Welsh, or a nineteenth century version. You can visit and inspect how life has changed over the years, and compare with your knowledge of Cymru culture.
Might seem like a strange collection of words, but it’s not far off the truth.
Let’s start with the Cambrian influence: A small community, descendants of Welsh settlers, who moved to Patagonia in 1865. They even still speak Welsh, or a nineteenth century version. You can visit and inspect how life has changed over the years, and compare with your knowledge of Cymru culture.
Despite the odd miscellaneous community, Buenos Aires is a great city to start any trip and come to terms with the Spanish culture, in a continent of Aztec, Mayan and Inca lands. After you’ve absorbed the hospitality, atmosphere, and danced a tango, a trip to the wine region of Mendoza is a highlight.
The scenery of the snow-tipped Andes almost looks like a backdrop in a photographer’s studio, with lush green vines neatly standing to attention in the foreground. There are plenty of cellar doors, or bodegas, to visit, stopping for a hearty lunch of Argentinian steak and lingering on the beverages spawned from the soil around you. A space on the terrace at Siete Fuegos, in the Uco Valley, is a must do if your purse stretches that far.
Another trip that shouldn’t be missed is the Iguazu Falls, which borders Brazil. Each side boasts that it has the best of the falls, with statements such as: “We have the most thunderous fall” (Argentina) and “we have the best view of the falls” (Brazil). And they are breathtaking. With lots of interweaving paths leading to countless viewpoints you can get lost for the day, and still have an appetite to return the following day. It’s also worth taking a trip to the small town of Puerto Iguazu, not much in itself, except that it’s home to a vista of the junction where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina clash together.
Another eye opener is the Rafain Churrascaria Show, in Purana, Brazil. This melting pot of dance demonstration is pure tourist tat, but the bountiful buffet, colourful costumes and endless energy makes it a good night out.
It’s hard to do such a huge country justice in any article that isn’t the length of War and Peace – given the Falklands War (or Malvinas as they are know locally) war and peace is a subject of interest in itself. Here are a few pictures that may speak louder than words, hopefully leaving you wanting to know more, and thirsty to discover the wine for yourself.
The scenery of the snow-tipped Andes almost looks like a backdrop in a photographer’s studio, with lush green vines neatly standing to attention in the foreground. There are plenty of cellar doors, or bodegas, to visit, stopping for a hearty lunch of Argentinian steak and lingering on the beverages spawned from the soil around you. A space on the terrace at Siete Fuegos, in the Uco Valley, is a must do if your purse stretches that far.
Another trip that shouldn’t be missed is the Iguazu Falls, which borders Brazil. Each side boasts that it has the best of the falls, with statements such as: “We have the most thunderous fall” (Argentina) and “we have the best view of the falls” (Brazil). And they are breathtaking. With lots of interweaving paths leading to countless viewpoints you can get lost for the day, and still have an appetite to return the following day. It’s also worth taking a trip to the small town of Puerto Iguazu, not much in itself, except that it’s home to a vista of the junction where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina clash together.
Another eye opener is the Rafain Churrascaria Show, in Purana, Brazil. This melting pot of dance demonstration is pure tourist tat, but the bountiful buffet, colourful costumes and endless energy makes it a good night out.
It’s hard to do such a huge country justice in any article that isn’t the length of War and Peace – given the Falklands War (or Malvinas as they are know locally) war and peace is a subject of interest in itself. Here are a few pictures that may speak louder than words, hopefully leaving you wanting to know more, and thirsty to discover the wine for yourself.
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