I spent 2 and a half months in South America. Let me tell you first and foremost, that isn’t enough time to explore even one country like Brazil or Argentina. It is a massive continent, spanning thousands of miles, with 12 different countries. To cover that amount of land in 2 months would be ludacris, so I concentrated my time on 3 countries: Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. To be honest, I barely touched the surface there. However, I was able to hike and explore Patagonia, practice my Spanish and learn new words and phrases, volunteer at a Chilean winery, taste lots of delicious meats, wines and beers and most of all, met amazing new friends.
This is part 2 of 2 in my series about South America, to read part 1 which I discuss my time in Chile, click here.
The People of Argentina
Argentinians are a very warm and welcoming people. They are very friendly and willing to help. When you’re talking to them, you’ll notice they are very expressive with their hand gestures.
One custom I got to learn about is the Argentinean love of mate. Mate is a tea that locals enjoy all over the country, and they have it all day long! They put tea leaves into a small cup and they will fill it with hot water and drink it through a straw. The straw also acts as a filter for the tea. If you are with friends and/or family, it is a custom to share the same cup. I tried it and personally couldn’t get into it. The picture below is probably an indicator of that emotion.
Life is slower in Argentina, as there is Spanish influence there. Like Spain, some Argentinians take a siesta (afternoon nap) in the middle of the day for 2-3 hours and shops will close for a couple of hours each day.
Soccer (“football” is the national sport (and in some ways, religion) to the country and its people are serious fans. It is the equivalent of the NFL in the United States.
Mendoza
What else comes to mind when someone says Mendoza, Argentina? Wine, of course! When I was in Mendoza, I took advantage to enjoy the local wines from there. In the town, you can take bike tours in which you can ride to wineries in close proximity. The famous grape from Argentina is Malbec and would recommend you try the Malbec wines if you come to Argentina.
Mendoza hosts lots of great restaurants, in which you can try Argentinian “asado.” Asado is a term for barbeque and Argentina has some amazing meats. From steak to pork to chicken, you can be assured that you will find something you like. For vegetarians, I’d hate to say it, but you may want to make your own meals while in Argentina. There are vegetarian food options, but far and few in between.
Buenos Aires
Out of all the cities I visited in South America, I have to say Buenos Aires is my favorite. I can’t put my finger on it – whether it is the bustling energy of the city, elegant buildings and statues or the many restaurants and bars, I felt at home there. BA has many influences from the immigrants who came there. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, like the United States, Argentina was a open haven for immigrants from Europe back then. Many Italians, Spanish and Germans came there, so there is much influence in the buildings, local foods and even the way the locals talk! You can be walking on one block and feel like you’re in Paris and on the next block you feel like you’re in Madrid.
Villa General del Begrano
This small town hosts one of the largest Oktoberfests of South America every year. Like Buenos Aires, the town had many immigrants who came from Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. The town reflects this by the architecture of its buildings. Many of the downtown buildings have a Bavarian look to them. This is a major tourist haven for Argentinians and foreigners alike. The city has multiple German-inspired restaurants with traditional German foods and beers.
I didn’t even know this city existed, but luckily my friend from VGB, Leo, invited me to visit. He showed me his city and the surrounding area, including a small mountain-town, La Cumbrecita. It was there I tried mate and authentic homemade asado (Argentinean barbecue) from his friend Juan. I’m grateful for my host and friend, Leo, as I learned much about Argentinian culture, history and everyday life through him. Not only that, but we got to practice speaking Spanish and English!
Patagonia
Bariloche
After spending time in the north, I hopped on a plane to the south towards Patagonia. My first stop was Bariloche (short for San Carlos de Bariloche) which is known as the “gateway” to Patagonia. This small city is located by many freshwater lakes and mountain peaks. This area is far by one of the most beautiful areas of Patagonia in my opinion.
It was in Bariloche I met up with my travel mate, Jakob from Denmark. He like me, was taking a hiatus from past job to travel. We traveled for over a month together and visited many of the top sights in the Argentinian side of Patagonia. He was an easy-going and fun friend to travel with and I learned much about his country and culture through him. I’ll be mentioning his name a few times in this article.
Random things happen when you’re traveling and it hasn’t been an exception with me. When I was in the town, I got to meet up with a travel blogger, Jackie Nourse from The Budget Minded Traveler blog and podcast and the Traveling Jackie blog. I’ve been following Jackie’s blogs for over 4 years and she was one of the main bloggers who inspired me to travel around the world. By random chance, when I first arrived to Bariloche I saw an Instagram post of her from Bariloche. I messaged her and found out that she was still in town as well. We met up and she was nice enough to make recommendations hikes and sights to see in Bariloche, El Chalten and El Calafate. Not only that, we went to a few breweries and tried multiple local beers!
Other than enjoying food and drinks, we enjoyed the multiple hikes and sights the area offers. Some hikes we did included Cerro Llao Llao and Refugio Frey. One day Jakob and I joined Brittany (one of Jackie’s friends) for a hike to Refugio Frey. The peak is very unique as you spend about 2 and half hours hiking up a mountain and when you get to the top you see a beautiful frozen glacier lake along with jagged peaks. What also compliments the natural views is the refugio. It is a 2 story shelter that also includes a small restaurant. One of the best pizzas I’ve ever had was up there. It’s ran by volunteer and they carry all the supplies by foot to the refugio! Quite amazing in my opinion.
El Calafate: Los Glaciares Ntl. Park/Perito Moreno Glacier
There is not too much special to say about El Calafate, other than it’s a good airport hub and a small town near the Perito Moreno glacier. Jakob and I stayed there for a couple of nights and visited Los Glaciares National Park. If you have a chance to visit Patagonia, this place is an absolute “must-visit.” This UNESCO World Heritage Site spans over 19 miles in length and is 97 square miles. This is one place where pictures cannot do justice. You just have to see it. If it piques your fancy, you can also do ice-hiking excursions with local tour guides, where at the end you get to end a shot of whiskey!
El Chalten
Behind Bariloche, El Chalten is one of my favorite towns in Argentine Patagonia. This city is in the middle of the Andes Mountains towards the South end of the continent. Countless hiking trails greet and welcome the wanderlust-filled traveler here. Not only that, but there are waterfalls, whitewater rafting and glaciers nearby as well! We spent about 5-6 days here and had a blast. The hikes we did included Mount Fitz Roy, Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Capri. This area had so much spectacular natural beauty and it was so peaceful.
Ushuaia
This was one of our last stops in Argentina and for a good reason. Ushuaia is the southern most city in the world! This city is a port to those who wish to take an excursion to Antarctica. Not only that, but you also have to cross over the Strait of Magellan by ferry to get there. The city is the last point on the Pan American highway that starts all the way in Alaska. That is one long road!
When there, Jakob and I met a new friend, Rémi from France. We ended up renting a car for a couple of days and driving around the area. We first visited Tierra del Fuego National Park, where you can do many hikes and enjoy the lakes around the area. Also, we hiked Glacier Martial, which is one of the highest peaks near the Ushuaia town.
One of my favorite memories of my time in Ushuaia was the dinners I had with my new friends. We had lots of steak meals and French meals, along with some good wines and beers. Lots of good late-night chats as well.
Conclusion
I had an amazing time visiting and exploring Argentina. It is a country filled with stellar natural wonders, warm and welcoming people and steak! Can’t forget the steak. I can’t wait to visit again soon.
I just stumbled across this and read it again. It was so fun to meet you in Bariloche! Keep traveling Justin!
Thank you, Jackie! Likewise, it was great meeting you in Bariloche as well!