January 2018 – Two days in Buenos Aires is certainly not enough to enjoy this beautiful city. We were taken completely by surprise by the “Continental” flavor of this South American city. Downtown is alive and vibrant, and the architecture is surprisingly European, with lovely old mansions built by European immigrants years ago. A city tour took us to the brightly painted bohemian community of La Boca, the Plaza de Mayo at the city’s heart, and to the Presidential Palace where Eva Peron gave her famous “You Must Love Me” speech.
A visit to Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires’s grand opera house, was a feast for the eyes. Here such opera greats as Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti have performed to lavishly dressed crowds.
Perhaps one of our most interesting tours was of the life and death of Eva Peron. A visit to the Eva Peron museum, and then her mausoleum at the La Recoleta Cemetery, gave us a unique insight into this beloved daughter of Argentina. Some thought her a saint, others thought her evil, but unquestionably she was intriguing.
We concluded our 2-day visit of Buenos Aires with a delicious dinner of local dishes and then performances of tango dances in a restored colonial building that has hosted tango performances for decades.
Of course, no trip to a South American city is complete without visiting some of its beautiful local churches.
Iguazu Falls
A 3-hour flight from Buenos Aires took us to the Iguazu Falls. These magnificent falls are the natural border between northeastern Argentina and Brazil (80% in Argentina and 20% in Brazil), and they make up the largest waterfall system in the world. The falls span 1.7 miles in width and features 275 individual waterfalls, with heights ranging from 196 – 270 ft. Even Eleanor Roosevelt, upon seeing them, exclaimed “Poor Niagara”. As one looks upon them from the highest viewing platform, it seems there is no end to waterfall after waterfall after waterfall.
Bird watching is always a treat, especially in the tropical locals. This lovely toucan was one of many who posed for us on our morning walk.
Ushuaia
After several hours’ flight over Patagonia, we landed in Ushuaia, a resort town in Argentina. It is on the southernmost tip of South America and is nicknamed the “End of the World” as it is the southernmost city in the world. It is also the southern end of the Pan-American Highway. This windswept town, perched on a steep hill, is surrounded by the Martial Mountains and the Beagle Channel. It is the gateway to Antarctica cruises and tours to nearby Isla Yecapasela, known as “Penguin Island” for its penguin colonies.
This lovely toucan was one of many who posed for us on our morning walk.
