Picture Book - Argentina

This is the land of opportunity. A lot of Europeans migrated here in the 19th and early 20th centuries looking for a better life and a new start. And it is no wonder they chose to come to Argentina, as this country has a lot to offer. These days it is mostly tourists who come through, either as part of a bigger trip to South America or simply to immerse themselves in Argentine culture. And there's a lot immersion to do!

First off, we have the food. Argentina is world famous for its beef, and no trip is complete without a good lomo or some sort of other steak. Choices abound. That being said, it is actually possible to survive here as a vegetarian, you just have to study the menus a little more thoroughly ,and be aware that most Argentinians do not consider pork or poultry "meat". So specify that you ONLY want the vegetables!

To go with the eminent food there's the drinks. Of course wine abounds, as Argentina has some very fine wine country, but the equally famous pisco sour is also a must try for any gastronomer.

When you are visiting the wine country you might take a detour to visit gaucho country. The gaucho is the Argentinian version of an American cowboy, and the ones we encountered were some very talented people. We got to ride beautiful horses through stunning landscapes, try our hand at lassoing and then see how it is actually done!

We camped out during our visit with the gauchos and that was an experience in itself. They made us an asado at night, which is essentially a barbecue, with delicious local meats and wine (and some vegetables), and the weather was mostly nice but did make its presence felt with hail the size of marbles.

If you tire of the country side there are a number of beautiful cities full of shopping, restaurants and gorgeous architecture. 

Here one man got tired of commuting, so he built his house on top of the high rise buildings in the city center.

In Buenos Aires you can find pretty much all of these things, except perhaps the gauchos. You can easily fill a few days hunting historic landmarks, shopping the street markets and the luxury boutiques and just enjoying the vibrant, atmosphere of this pulsing city. 

La Boca neighbourhood. Explore this colorful corner of the city, but stick to the main streets, as it is one of the rougher parts of town. 

La Recoleta cemetery where you can hunt for the grave of Eva Peron

And last but not least, we mustn't forget...the tango! Bars and restaurants will often have classes for the beginners, and if you are ready to get on the dance floor you can find a number of smaller squares where locals meet to dance the night away tightly embraced in the fiery tango.