{"id":5397,"date":"2016-06-26T12:03:24","date_gmt":"2016-06-26T19:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/?p=5397"},"modified":"2021-06-27T07:20:22","modified_gmt":"2021-06-27T14:20:22","slug":"s-america-travel-blog-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/s-america-travel-blog-4","title":{"rendered":"A South American Tango with Street Art, Penguins, Gauchos & Milongas, Part 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

The final segment of our Central & S. American adventure was all about Argentina. We indulged in endless chocolate treats in the Bavarian\u00a0themed resort town of Bariloche, played make-believe gauchos in Esquina, and joined in the most popular tourist activities in Buenos Aires: taking tango classes and tucking in staggering piles\u00a0of animal protein!<\/p>\n

\"Bariloche<\/a>
The Argentine National Parks service built the Bariloche Civic Centre, which opened in 1940 and became a national monument in 1987.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We took the bus from our hotel into town which stopped close to the Bariloche Civic Center<\/a> and the tourist office. The tourist area is dominated by Alpine architecture with gnomes and wrought iron work galore, reflecting the German heritage of its citizens.<\/p>\n

\"Decorative<\/a>
Colorful \u2018sweaters\u2019 on trees gave the town a festive look.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We weren\u2019t sure if that was part of the Christmas decorations, but trees in some streets were bundled up in colorful wraps. Seems like a lot of work as the material would have to be stitched around individual trees and their branches.<\/p>\n

\"Bariloche<\/a>
A BBQ takeout with some serious rotisserie equipment!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wonderful aromas wafted from this neighborhood shop so we stopped by to check it out. The parrilla (Argentine-speak for the BBQ\u00a0grill) could\u00a0be raised and lowered on chains so the coals underneath can\u00a0be tended to properly.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A restaurant decked out in bells and ribbons for the Holidays.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The picturesque Swiss style chalet with its heavy stone arch echoed the architecture of the Civic Center and stood in stark contrast to the plain commercial building next door.<\/p>\n

\"Contemporary<\/a>
Contemporary Nativity scene projected onto a shop floor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bariloche is the chocolate capital of Argentina which means endless sampling from a plethora of chocolatiers. This store stands out with this light projection on its floor.<\/p>\n

\"Gauchos<\/a>
Gauchos readying the horses for the late afternoon ride.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a change of scenery, our next stop was an estancia in the Corrientes region. Getting to the Estancia Don Joaquin<\/a> from Bariloche was no simple feat. We had to fly into Buenos Aires and then catch a sleeper bus from there. Since Buenos Aires was also our next and final destination, we decided to drop off some luggage at our Buenos Hotel hotel on the way to the Retiro bus station. The city\u2019s main bus station is large, chaotic, and notorious for petty thievery. So to manage the tight schedule, I hired a guide for point-to-point service from airport to the bus gate for our 8:30 pm departure.<\/p>\n

Everything turned out well, except for the ride. The bus fare included a reclining seat with a privacy curtain, light supper, blanket and pillow so one should expect it to be reasonably comfortable. However, it only took one unruly child to keep the entire bus up\u00a0for the 8 hour ride.<\/p>\n

At least we were promptly met at the Esquina station\u00a0by the estancia owner\u2019s son. I wanted to catch up on my ZZZs and opted for a late breakfast. After lounging around most of the day, I decided to do some horseback riding since it was included with our stay.<\/p>\n

\"Owl<\/a>
Owl basking in the setting sun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There’s plenty of food for birds of prey on the pampas but I\u2019m still surprised to see the owl perched openly on a fence post when it\u2019s still light! I saw another one the next day, but hard to say if it was the same owl…<\/p>\n

\"Sunset<\/a>
Sunset over the sweeping pampas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Miles of flat grasslands make for particularly beautiful sunsets.<\/p>\n

\"Comic<\/a>
Fun sketch of a storm (unless you\u2019re caught in it).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the German guests is a great cartoonist. Gusty winds and violent thunderstorms are common in summer here and we experienced it firsthand the next day. During lunch, as the howling storm knocked out power sporadically, Hetmut entertained us with his comic drawings.<\/p>\n

\"Asador<\/a>
The all-important asador at the estancia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All meals are asados<\/a> with an endless parade of grilled meats \u2013 a variety of sausages, steaks and chicken is always on hand. Obviously an Argentine estancia is not a vacation hotspot for vegans\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Chimichurri<\/a>
Chimichurri, the ubiquitous sauce served with grilled meats throughout Argentina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s a recipe for the chimichurri sauce:<\/p>\n

1 cup fresh parsley
\n3\/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
\n3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
\n2 tablespoons dried oregano
\n2 teaspoons ground cumin
\n1 teaspoon salt
\n1\/2 tablespoon minced garlic
\n1\/2 tablespoon pepper sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot\u00ae)<\/p>\n

Place the parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt, garlic and hot pepper sauce into the container of a blender or food processor. Blend for about 10 seconds on medium speed, or until ingredients are evenly blended.<\/p>\n

\"Hotel<\/a>
Love the glass floor and stairway by the Hotel de Dise\u00f1o\u2019s stylish lounge!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our estancia stay blew by in a flash and it was back to civilization on another sleeper bus. We got into Buenos Aires early and stopped by the hotel to shed our luggage before heading for an hour of Tango class where we managed to shuffle (or sleep-walk) thru the steps\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Decorative<\/a>
Great example of Filete Porte\u00f1os on our walking tour around the Abasto district.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We just had time to grab a quick bite after the class before heading off to a 4 hour walking tour. Fileteado, a popular art form favored by Buenos Aires locals (who call themselves Porte\u00f1os), is evident everywhere: \u00a0walls, signs and even taxies are embellished with filetes (the lines in fileteado style) of stylized colored scrolls, phrases and plants.<\/p>\n

\"Statue<\/a>
Statue commemorating Alfredo L. Palacios, the first socialist legislator in the Americas, in the Plaza del Congreso.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The congressional plaza sits immediately in front of the congress building and contains some interesting sculptures. A copy of Rodin’s Thinker is also installed here.<\/p>\n

\"Tile<\/a>
A tile mural of Carlos Gardel by artist Marino Santa Maria amidst a colorful setting outside Teatro Ciego.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carlos Gardel<\/a>, known as the King of Tango, was one of the most famous singers in Argentina. He made hundreds of tango recordings before his untimely death in a plane crash. His songs represented the essence of the tango spirit to many and there were numerous paintings of him throughout Abasto where he once lived.<\/p>\n

Ironically Teatro Ciego does not feature tango. It\u2019s an experiential theater where shows are performed in pitch blackness. For the adventurous, it even offers a \u2018Ciegas Gourmet\u2019 where the dinner and show both take place in the dark!<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A traditional open fire pit with pig and goat at the venerable La Chacra.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s a place to unleash your inner carnivore! The minimum cover charge is $25 per person but you get enough food to feed a village (well almost). We ordered with abandon: grilled sweetbreads, Patagonia lamb, goat and suckling pig. Veggies came in the guise of 4 thick slabs of grilled giant tomato. We couldn\u2019t finish it all and took back a substantial box of leftovers.<\/p>\n

\"Empanadas,<\/a>
Empanadas, the national food of Argentina. Caution: these savory morsels can be addictive!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I went\u00a0with Parrilla Tour to sample some more local foods. We started the walk with popular Argentine snacks: choripanes (chorizo sandwiches) and empanadas (meat filled pastries which are baked or fried). After that we visited a Secret Parrilla (think Speakeasy for grilled meats\u2026). As the name implies, the steakhouse does not have any signage, all windows are blacked out and one has to ring the doorbell to be admitted. You can\u2019t get more local than this!<\/p>\n

\"Veikko<\/a>
A sweet ending to our food tour.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our last stop was Veikko, Finnish for friend, to savor some sinfully rich artisanal gelato. The shop\u2019s design is surprisingly contemporary and spacious. I wished we had more time to try out the coffee there but it was our last day and there were many more miles to go before we sleep.<\/p>\n

\"Tango<\/a>
Last tango in Buenos Aires…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our second tango class was scheduled for the late afternoon so we could head with our instructors straight to a milonga (tango dance hall) afterwards. Suffice to say, we would never make it to Dancing with the Stars. We forgot all the steps learnt from the day before\u00a0and our instructors valiantly tried to help us but to\u00a0no avail. It was not pretty\u2026 After our session ended, we piled into a taxi to visit the milonga. The goal was to watch salon tango – which is very different from show tango \u2013 and get introduced to the customs and etiquette of the dance. The floor was packed and it was impressive to see the Porte\u00f1os dancing so gracefully in tight quarters!<\/p>\n

Back at the hotel, we requisitioned a bottle of Malbec to accompany our stash from La Chacra for a late supper and then rested up for yet another red eye transfer \u2013 this time to the airport to wrap up\u00a0our South American odyssey…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The final segment of our Central & S. American adventure was all about Argentina. We indulged in endless chocolate treats in the Bavarian\u00a0themed resort town of Bariloche, played make-believe gauchos in Esquina, and joined in the most popular tourist activities in Buenos Aires: taking tango classes and tucking in staggering piles\u00a0of animal protein! We took …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7,415,15],"tags":[441,446,448,447,442,11,445,443,444],"class_list":["post-5397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-architecture","category-food","category-interior-design","category-travel","tag-bariloche","tag-carlos-gardel","tag-chimichurri","tag-fileteado","tag-gauchos","tag-interior-design","tag-milonga","tag-parrilla","tag-tango"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Bariloche-Rotisserie-S.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5397"}],"version-history":[{"count":46,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8772,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5397\/revisions\/8772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}