We only saw a few places in Argentina but some of them were definitely highlights of our travel and the buses that took us from one place to the other were among the best we have used so far, also better than buses in Europe. Thus, travelling in this country of 'long-distances-only' was not too tiresome but you had to be careful at the bus stations because pickpockets were often heard to be among the passengers and eventually we almost became victims ourselves. Fortunately, I saw the person stealing my bag and my shouting made other people turn round so that the thief dropped my bag and disappeared among the crowd. However, this experience was completely different from how Argentinians normally approached us. We felt they were relaxed and friendly, especially when you are Italian like most of their ancestors! Argentinians were helpful and surprisingly quickly welcomed us to their homes. In Mendoza I asked a woman for the closest supermarket and she felt so sorry to tell me they had already closed that she took me to her house and sold me a package of spaghetti from her kitchen. In San Luis we met a couple who - only after exchanging a few words - invited us to a trip on their sailingboat and a delicious meal with their family at their home.
We really enjoyed our stay in Argentina, also because things were so well-organized and reliable. Buses left and arrived on time, the tour to Perito Moreno was great and the way they presented Iguazu Falls made the visit unforgettable.
The places mentioned are already some of the highlights I referred to at the beginning. Never before had we seen a glacier so overwhelming and active as Perito Moreno in the far South and never before had we seen such spectacular waterfalls - which you can feel and hear from quite a distance - like the Iguazu Falls in the far North. But we also liked the surroundings of Mendoza, the canyon near San Luis and the atmosphere in Buenos Aires in the centre of the country.
The capital was also the place where we met with some cultural aspects of life in Argentina. Everyone seemed to be relaxed and happy but every day there were demonstrations against one law or the other and - also due to the strong presence of police - you could feel a certain tension. Totally tender were the tasty and cheap steaks but Italian food seemed to be equally popular. Drinking maté, a herb tea, was a real addiction like Argentinian soccer. A real tourist attraciton are the tango shows everywhere in town while Portenos, who can afford it, prefer leaving the city at weekends and spend their freetime on the Rio de la Plata where they get a tan while the meat is sizzling on the grill.
Argentina is an enjoyable place. Just don't forget that toilet paper should be placed in the bin, then you won't have any nasty problems.
Michi
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