PTSOTL is a travel guide now. Samanta Torres Herrera is a journalist who lives in Argentina. She was nice enough to explain a little bit about her country to us, which, up until this point, the only things I ever really knew about were that it was home to my homeboy Jorge Luis Borges, one of the greatest authors in any language, never mind just Spanish, the fact that they love their Fernet, go batshit over soccer, and, I'm just guessing here, are absolutely up to their tits in babes.
(Check out previous entries on what it's like to live in Colombia, Canada, Qatar, New Jersey, Illinois, and suburban Mass). Live some place weird and/or not weird and want to tell us about it?
You may have heard about Argentina when someone mentions Tango or Maradona, but it is way more than just that. Argentineans are famous for being very chatty and Mr. know-it-all type people, but the truth is we aren’t like that (well at least not all of us, I could name a bunch of know-it-alls around here), we are just more open at meeting new people. The most probable situation to happen to a foreigner when he gets to know an Argentinean is that he or she invites you ‘a tomar unos mates y charlar’ that means ‘drink mates and have some talk’.
The mate is a typical Argentinian beverage that is made out of dry leaves of yerba mate and hot water. Very important to remember: make sure to know the difference between hot and boiled! Mate experts get mad when they see the kettle hissing, because that ‘will burn the leaves!' The whole thing is such a science. At the beginning everybody thinks it’s kinda disgusting to share the same ‘bombilla’ (it's like a metal straw that works as a filter so you can drink without choking with the yerba mate) but then everybody gets used to it because it’s like a bond-maker ritual. Here it's usual to have many friend groups get together on Sundays to eat asado with the family (it’s like bbq but way much much much better, trust me on that one -- if you like meat you’re gonna love it) or have some drinks near the shore or some park.
Let me now tell you about Rosario, one of the most populated cities in the country after its capital Buenos Aires, of course, and the place where the national flag was invented.
Let me now tell you about Rosario, one of the most populated cities in the country after its capital Buenos Aires, of course, and the place where the national flag was invented.
Many people come live here so they can go to the University. They prefer Rosario over Buenos Aires because it's quieter here but you can still rock the night. From Thursday to Saturdays discos and bars are open until dawn (+1 for Rosario because in Buenos Aires discos closes at 5:30 a.m due to some new law). Here in town it is usual to go first to a bar or a house or somewhere, have some drinks (or a lot maybe) and then head to the disco till your feets get dizzy or the rejection score gets too high.
There is a very famous statue dedicated to one of the most important humorists of Argentina, Alberto Olmedo. Due to being next to two discos, it has to deal with a bunch of drunk’s incoherent chit chat, or share the bench with some of them when they decide to just lay there until the alcohol effects leave.
The number of skyscrapers and malls increased over the last few years in Rosario. In that way the city is becoming more like Buenos Aires. Girls can’t be happier watching big brands coming to town though, and neither can the Credit Cards companies.
Rosario is also very interested in arts, there are a lot of bars that offer local music bands shows for a very low price ticket so the artists can easily spread their music (and get some chicks, or groupies if they’re hot enough for the ladies). The same happen with actors, actresses and small theatre companies.
At summer, the city is a huge oven, where feeling cool wind blowing is like finding a pink unicorn doing groceries, and where mosquitoes are like the birds in the Hitchcock movie. That’s why most people often end up staying at home with the air conditioner on all day long and the ones who are too hyperactive to be at home just chilling prefer to go to the river shore to fry themselves a little bit.
One way or another, Argentina is a very geographically varied country. At the west there’s the Cordillera de los Andes (that long mountain chain that goes all over the west of South America and ends in Venezuela). On the northeast of the country there’s the Iguazú’s waterfall that we share with Brazil, and right next to it the Misionera jungle.
One way or another, Argentina is a very geographically varied country. At the west there’s the Cordillera de los Andes (that long mountain chain that goes all over the west of South America and ends in Venezuela). On the northeast of the country there’s the Iguazú’s waterfall that we share with Brazil, and right next to it the Misionera jungle.
Going south, the number of population decreases as does the temperature. There tourists go watch the glaciers, the penguins, the whales; it’s a very peaceful area of the country, and the best place to get the most yummy chocolate. Anyway, that’s the place the students choose to make their last-year-of-highschool trip.
They head to Bariloche, where there are a lot of discos and hotels suited for overexcited teens, so they can drink the hell out of themselves and end up waking up the next day half naked in some strange hotel corridor with the face full of Post-Its and some shaving cream decorating his head.
They head to Bariloche, where there are a lot of discos and hotels suited for overexcited teens, so they can drink the hell out of themselves and end up waking up the next day half naked in some strange hotel corridor with the face full of Post-Its and some shaving cream decorating his head.
Leaving the cool temperatures, the east offers nice beaches to enjoy the sea, the summer and the best nightlife too (with less chances of ending up decorated as a milkshake). You can stay all day long chilling out at the beach and also enjoy the free music shows that awesome bands used to play (some beaches have their own DJ’s!). So, what are you waiting for? Come to visit Argentina… and you can also bring your pet! Doors are always open.
--Samanta Torres Herrera
--Samanta Torres Herrera
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8 comments:
How about Nazis? Are there all sorts of Nazis, because there's a stereotype I've heard of.
What about the drugs? What's the story with that over there?
I want to know if they really have Fernet flowing from the taps.
As an Argentinean I guess I can answer those questions too. In advance, sorry for the bad eng.
Well, about the nazis, with the Nuremberg judgment, some nazis got small punishments for their crimes, and managed to escape from Germany. It's said that some of them ended up in South America, and due to their wide knowledge, governments 'hired' them in secret (during that time Argentina's president was Domingo Perón). Bergius, Tank, Ritcher are some of those who worked for the gorvernmet. Mengele came to Argentina too and lived a peaceful decade here until Germany discovered his location and asked for him to get arrested, but, of course he managed to escape again.
About the drugs, idk, it's not a big deal, I guess it's the same as in other countries. Well maybe in other countries Paco doesn't exist. Paco it's a drug made of the 'garbage' that is left after selecting, cleaning and stocking the marihuana in 'bricks', therefore is very cheap and highly healthfucker. Anyway it's not so popular nowadays as it was a few years ago.
And about the Fernet flowing from the taps, we sadly don't have that, or at least, I've never seen one! I suspect it may be found somewhere in Córdoba hahaha.
Well I liked the post, I had a laugh reading the overexited teens part. I've been there too, but luckily I didn't get my face full of post it!!!
Hey thanks for sharing, I appreciate the insight.
My 2 favorite words from Argentina, Cecilia Galliano.
A very good article ! Im French and after read that I wanna come ..
Thank you for explaining so nicely your country !
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