Meanderings through Argentina

Treasure Map

This is a map that was painstakingly hand-drawn by my host at a BnB in the little town of Merlo. Edouardo took so much time telling me in great detail of all the places I should stop along the way.

The past 10 days have been at a lot slower pace than normal and without needing to travel any great distances it has given me time to ride small mountain roads south and west or Cordoba and explore a little off the beaten track. People in this region have been so helpful and willing to offer advice of where to go and what to see.

Another very friendly local who decided to guard me and my tent at the campsite in Trapiche, near San Luis. She restored my faith in dogs after the incident in Mexico where the campsite guard dog bit me first and then asked questions about my right to be on its turf.

El Refugio

Cavalry Lances

The campsite was on the property of an old estancia dating back to the early 1800s with the inside of the house looking like a hunting lodge where I was invited to supper my the proprietor. ( who also drove me 80km to get an aluminum bracket welded and refused payment). Thanks Mario!!

Cactus photo better than my condor photo

In search of condors at this national park I hiked about 10 km to a canyon where these magnificent birds were nesting. I did see three of these jumbo jets of the bird world that have a wingspan of up to 3.5 meters ( that is about 10 ft )  The result of my poor photographic skills was that these behemoths looked like sparrows so I will have to wait until I find one sitting on a rock by the side of the road.

Breakfast stop

Cabracito -- goat for supper

On the theme of people being friendly and helpful I have twice ordered the regular Argentinian breakfast of coffee, orange juice and croissants but when requesting eggs to go with that have been informed that that is not available. However when the food has been delivered to the table by the restaurant owner there are the scrambled eggs in pride of place on the tray.

Here is an assortment of photos from my mountain sorties.

Old Citroen still going strong

Fun to ride mountain passes

This road took a little more work - tiring 3 hours ride

Stone walled sheep pastures

Now on the Mendoza to drink a little wine

Starting a Revolution

Don't start a revolution without one  - Norton 500

This is the motorcycle that Che Guevara rode around Argentina on and which was portrayed in the movie Motorcycle Diaries. Actually earlier than this vaunted trip, Che ( or Ernesto as he was still known at that time) made a solo trip in Argentina on this not so illustrious machine.

It was during these two journeys that Che formed his opinions on inequality, social justice and the exploitation of the working people that lead him to believe that armed revolution was the only way to help the downtrodden masses - and thus Ernesto became that revolutionary leader Che.

Ernesto becomes Che

Ernesto Guevara grew up in this modest house in the town of Alta Garcia, a little south of the Argentinian town of Cordoba

Che museum Alta Gracia, Argentina

The westward ride from Buenos Aries to the city of Cordoba was across country that makes Iowa seem like the High Andes. This flat plain is incredibly fertile and corn (maize ), wheat, soy and cattle farming occupy every inch.

The town of Cordoba was as hot as hell and not that interesting although the run-down zoo had two magnificent white lions. This genetic anomaly is found mainly in lions from the Timbavati region of South Africa so I felt like they welcomed me to this far outpost of their realm.

White lion - Cordoba Zoo

Passing through Che’s hometown and on to Villa General Belgrano, a town that would seem as if it were in Bavaria rather than western Argentina.

Villa General Belgrano

I had spent some time talking to a local motorcycle rider in Cordoba and he made some suggestions for riding in this region. The best of these was the ride up to the Cerro Champaqui, on a dirt road through some stunning mountain scenery

Road to Cerro Champaqui

One lane bridge

Lunch

On my way to the town of La Cambracita I took a detour on the spur of the moment and ended up in the mountainous village of Villa Alpina where day hiking and longer guided tours start from. It seems like the horses and donkeys were going to be doing all the hard work on these expeditions with the humans taking it rather easy.

There was a free campsite next to a river so this is where I decided to spend a very pleasant two nights

Campsite at Villa Alpina

River crossing next to campsite

A very rickety pedestrian bridge

A short ride from Villa Alpina brought me to another German style town of La Cumbracita

Hotel La Cumbracita

La Cumbracita

Buenos Aires Argentina

Changing of the guard at the Cathedral - Buenos Aires

The founding fathers set out to create a city with the grandeur of a Paris or London showing that even in this far flung corner of the world ( far flung only in the sense that it is a hell of a long way from Europe ) there was culture and sophistication to rival anything back in the old countries. I think they certainly achieved this goal and more.

The parks are endless with sculptures and memorials at every turn

A modest home - now a government building

Rodin's  "The Thinker"

A copy of this famous sculpture was purchased from Rodin and made from the original cast.

Another hero of a forgotten conflict

A memorial to the Malvinas / Falklands war

Casa Rosada -- Presidential Palace

It was from the balcony of this building that Evita Peron made her last speech to adoring masses before dying of uterine cancer at the age of only 33

Protest is alive and well

Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. These woman still actively protest about their children and family members who were "disappeared" during the military dictatorship of the years 1976 to 1983

This city loves its dogs

 The city might love it's dogs but alas the owners must be distracted whenever their little pooches leave a steaming pile on the sidewalk because I have had to be very nimble of foot to keep my shoes poop - free.

The colorful neighborhoods such as La Boca tell their own stories of newly arrived immigrants and the toils of making a new life in a country so unlike the motherland

La Boca neighborhood

This incredible mural painted in just 3 days

Painting by native son Benito Quinquela Martín

San Telmo - my neighborhood

San Telmo

Local characters

The wealthy families buried their dead in grand style in the La Recoleta cemetery

Recoleta Cemetery

Evita is found here 

Just outside the city is the very fun town of Tigre with it’s waterways jammed with pleasure craft and enthusiastic rowers, all taking in the sights of this colorful part of the Parana River delta.

All wood launches

Rowing boats

Grand style of a bygone era

I have loved my time here in Buenos Aires and the little Hotel Bolivar is a place where I have met many fellow travelers and made great friends from all over the world. I sometimes forget that most of these people are more that 25 years younger than me but still I have been included in so many fun activities ( like beer drinking) - thank you Julio and Fagner for being so welcoming.

A week without touching my motorbike so I am looking forward to getting back on the road headed west towards Cordoba.

A Week of Uruguay

Road Warrior

 I thought the whimsical nature of this sculpture seen in a playground in a town on the Uruguayan coast summed up the relaxed atmosphere of this country.

Although only spending a week in Uruguay, a small country of about 3 million people, I came away with a deep appreciation for the way of life there. 

Many lighthouses on the way

The capital city of Montevideo was easy to navigate as there is not a lot of traffic, even at rush hour, and the drivers are well mannered and considerate. I almost never heard a horn honking the whole time I was there. What a change from Brazil where I almost wore out my middle finger in showing my displeasure at the competency of many motorists.

Salvo Palace

Great architecture

Not so great architecture

Artigas - liberator of Uruguay

A few hours north west of the capital, still on the Rio de la Plata is the town of Colonia, one of the early colonial settlements that has changed hands between the Spanish, Argentinians and Uruguayans many time over the years since its founding in the early 1500’s

Entrance to Colonia fortress

Stone buildings

Central Park

Museum

Plaza de Tores

 The Plaza de Tores, just outside Colonia was built in 1909. At great expense the steel superstructure was brought in pieces from Great Britain and the sport ( if you were no a bull ) of bullfighting began to great fanfare. After just a handful of events the sport was banned in Uruguay and the arena fell into disrepair - so much for that business venture.

I crossed into Argentina at the town of Fray Bentos, known for its meat packing industry and the invention of corned beef as a way preserving meat before refrigeration. This product which was later canned and during WW1 and WW2 became the staple diet of the Allied forces.

Crossing into Argentina was the easiest border I have had to deal with so far. Both the Uruguayan and Argentinian immigration and customs are housed in the same building. I wondered why, what I thought was the Uruguayan customs official, was asking me so many questions at to where I was going. In fact he was checking me into Argentina. Not a single form to fill in and the whole process took about 20 minutes.