Argentina

Larry Grupp

It is definitely not true that Argentine law requires every able-bodied citizen to consume at least the equivalent of one beef cow annually. It is true that we canceled 1/2 of our broiled-steak order in a top Buenos Aires restaurant: a chorizo in Argentine Spanish (literally translated as "sausage"), but what we refer to as tenderloin steaks. At 22 ounces, the single huge, sizzling delight was more than two of us could handle. Add a bottle of nice, local red wine, a giant ensalada mixta and plate of delightfully aromatic freshly baked bread and the bill almost made it to 30 Argentine pesos- just a bit over $10 U.S. Just hours after landing in Buenos Aires, we were already starting to appreciate the vast, rich, deep and diverse cultural base of this wonderful place. Argentines jokingly claim one is never more than a mile from a cow standing knee deep in lush, green pasture. Do you enjoy watching authentic working cowboys astride their horses? Virtually anywhere throughout the land are thousands such cowboys, along with teeming fields of cotton, wheat, peanuts, sorghum, corn and soybeans. Some of these fields are up to three miles on a side. The nation's exports to the U.S. are expected to reach a record-setting $15 billion + this year, which accounts for 58% of all Argentine exports.

Argentina is 1/3 the size of the contiguous U.S. A green-and-white mileage sign on the main highway outside the centrally located resort city of Puerto Madryn lets the traveler know that Buenos Aires is 1,456 km north. That's right: 905 miles north, and we're still 1,400 km (870 miles) from Ushuaia on Argentina's southern tip, where Antarctic-type penguins frolic as close to the South Pole as most North Americans will ever hope to get. Argentina has its fair share of world-class attractions, including museums, whale watching, mountain ranges, cathedrals, archaeological sites, jungle rivers, vineyards, ancient military forts, ski slopes, waterfalls and beautiful beaches.

Iguazú Falls in the northeast corner, is deemed by many to be the finest, most colorfully dramatic waterfall in the world. More than 275 separate falls plunge 230 feet; visitors can take breathtaking catwalks. Either take Highway 12 north out of Buenos Aires or a short flight to Puerto Iguazú from the convenient Buenos Aires domestic airport.

Any kid even halfway interested in dinosaurs would virtually have a runaway at the incredible Museo Paleontológico Egido Feruglio in Trelew. Reconstruction, high-tech environmental background simulations, lighting and supporting displays are amongst the best in the world. No expenditure of time and money has been spared collecting and displaying the many dinosaur fossils. Kid or adult alike, who is not fascinated by the fossil remains of a three-foot spider or a 120-foot-long, 100-ton dinosaur?

The Peninsula Valdés, about 64 miles north of Puerto Madryn, is one of the world's easiest places to observe southern right whales. Numerous small boats depart from Puerto Piramides. From these uncrowded vessels, visitors see whales breeding, nursing, jumping and generally enjoying interacting with curious visitors on the calm seas of the vast bay.

East of Mendoza, visitors can drive up into the Andes mountains straddling the border with Chile. The rivers, the slopes and snows, the smells and beautiful valleys: it is easy to get carried away with it all.

On the way, consider stopping at Córdoba. There, visitors see students at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, established in 1621 by Jesuits. Today, Argentine students continue activities for which students worldwide are notorious-arguing, postulating, flirting and, yes, even studying and attending class on occasion. Do not miss any of the glorious churches in Córdoba, including the La Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus, as they date as far back as 1640.

Do not let Argentina's size discourage your exploration of this land, even though the distances seem daunting. Iguazú Falls, for instance, lies 907 miles north of Buenos Aires. Trelew and its dinosaur-fossil display are 982 miles south of the capital. Experiencing the Andes requires a two-day journey west, about 700 miles to Mendoza. Rest assured that Argentine roads are very good by any standards. They define straight and wide, off into the infinite future. Speed limits range between 65 and 75mph. Signage throughout the country is very clear, and there is plenty for drivers to observe between all the major attractions.

On the plus side, travelers from the East Coast of the U.S. head just one time zone east, so jet lag is not an issue. And today's favorable exchange rate has made a trip to Argentina a bargain (in January 2002, the Argentine peso fell from a one-to-one to a three-to-one exchange on the U.S. dollar and is still about 2.9). At the same time, residents claim there has been little inflation. Argentina has transformed from a place with few bargains to one that now teems with great deals.

There are still a few minor inconveniences. Argentina's toll roads remain a mystery. It isn't their 40 cent to $1.00 fees that mystify; rather, it is the capricious locations of toll booths. Drivers could theoretically drive endlessly at national speed limits, but the presence of police and military checkpoints en route will invariably slow down your trip. One young captain decided to practice his English rather than waving us straight through. Those behind obviously did not share our interest in his cut on local color and politics. Other by than some younger, more educated citizens, English is not all that commonly spoken in Argentina. In a few places, German or Italian is of more use because of the country's European history. Argentines are so completely friendly, basically honest and anxiously helpful that language is seldom a problem anyway.

One of the pleasures of travel is enjoying the local cuisine. And one great bargain is Argentine wine, which retails for between 35 cents to $15 U.S. per bottle. The cheaper variety is still pretty good. Viejo Toro, a common house wine in restaurants, retails for a mere 60 cents U.S. a bottle. While it costs more, visitors humorously claim that it is well worth the additional cost. After two glasses of Viejo Toro, most visitors notice a dramatic improvement in their Spanish, too.

Other than a few easily avoided odd offerings of foods, such as pickled beef tongue and stuffed sheep intestines, Argentine cuisine is traditional and recognizable by North American standards. Most visitors especially like the pure-beef double cheeseburgers or the fresh vegetable, thin-crust beef pizzas. Argentines get much practice cooking beef, so they do it well.

While some restaurants, bars and supermarkets prefer cash, credit cards are frequently accepted. More than finding acceptable means of payment, North American visitors outside traditional tourist areas are sometimes exasperated by the late opening hours of restaurants: dinner first available at 9pm is often the case. Argentina is a diverse land waiting to be discovered.

Freelancer Larry Grupp lives in Idaho.