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Argentina Culture
European influences permeate Argentina's art, architecture, literature
and lifestyle: in all Argentina´s culture. However, in the
field of literature in particular, this has been a cross-cultural
transaction, with Argentina producing writers of international stature
such as Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortázar, Ernesto Sábasto,
Manuel Puig and Osvaldo Soriano. With the education of many Argentines
taking place in Europe, Buenos Aires in particular has self-consciously
emulated European cultural trends in art, music and architecture.
As a result, there are many important art museums and galleries
in the city, and it has a vigorous theater community. Argentine
cinema has also achieved international stature, and has been used
as a vehicle to exorcise the horrors of the Dirty War.
Probably
the best known manifestation of Argentina´s culture is the
tango - a dance and music which has captured the imagination of
romantics worldwide. Folk music is also thriving. Sport is extremely
important to the Argentines and soccer is more of a national obsession
than a game. Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, and the
exploits of Diego Maradona (the most famous Argentine since Che
Guevara), have kept soccer fans, paparazzi and columnists busy for
the past 10 years.
Argentine
Roman Catholicism, the official state religion, is riddled with
popular beliefs which diverge from official doctrine. Spiritualism
and veneration of the dead are deep-seated, with pilgrimages to
the resting places of relations and of the famous dead a common
sight. Spanish is the official language, but some immigrant communities
retain their language as a badge of identity. Italian is widely
understood, reflecting the influence of the country's single largest
immigrant group, and BBC English is the preserve of the Anglo community.
There are 17 native languages, including Quechua, Mapuche, Guaraní,
Tobas and Matacos.
Meat
dominates Argentina's menus, and 'meat' means beef. Mixed grills
(parrillada) are apparently the way to go, serving up a cut of just
about every part of the animal: tripe, intestines, udders - the
lot. In this vegetarian's nightmare, Italian favorites, such as
gnocchi (ñoquis), are a welcome alternative. Exquisite Argentine
ice cream (helado) deserves a special mention - again reflecting
Italian influences. The sharing of mate, Paraguayan tea, is a ritual
more than a beverage, and if offered is a special expression of
acceptance. The leaves, a relation to holly, are elaborately prepared
and the mixture is drunk from a shared gourd.
Argentina History
Pre-Columbian
Argentina was farmed by sedentary Indian groups such as the Diaguita
and used as a hunting ground by nomads. Indian resistance inhibited
Spanish incursions and discouraged Spanish settlement. Buenos Aires
was not successfully established until 1580, and remained a backwater
for 200 years. A declining and unevenly distributed Indian population,
which could not be milked for its labor, led to the creation of
huge cattle ranches, known as haciendas - the genesis of the legendary
gaucho (cowboy) and the source of great wealth for a lucky few.
Buenos
Aires became the capital of the new Viceroyalty of the Río
de la Plata in 1776, acknowledgment that the region had outgrown
Spain's political and economic domination. However, continuing dissatisfaction
with Spanish interference led to the revolution of 25 May 1810 and
eventual independence in 1816. Independence revealed the seething
regional disparities which Spanish rule had obscured. The Federalists
of the interior (conservative landowners, supported by the gauchos
and rural working class) advocated provincial autonomy, while the
Unitarists of Buenos Aires (cosmopolitan city dwellers who welcomed
the injection of European capital, immigrants and ideas) upheld
Buenos Aires' central authority. After a disastrous and tyrannical
period of rule by the nominally Federalist Juan Manuel Rosas, Buenos
Aires and Unitarism prevailed, ushering in a new era of growth and
prosperity with the Unitarist constitution of 1853.
Argentina
history: Sheep were introduced and the Pampas was given over to
the cultivation of cereal crops. European immigration, foreign investment
and trade were hallmarks of the new liberalism. However, excessive
foreign interests made the economy particularly vulnerable to world
economic downturns; wealth was concentrated in the hands of the
very few, and unemployment rose as smallholdings failed and farmers
were forced to leave the land and head for the cities.
The
first decades of the 20th century saw increasingly weak civilian
rule, economic failure, continuing resentment of the landed elite
and distrust of British interests, leading to a military coup in
1943 which paved the way for the rise of dictator Juan Perón.
An obscure colonel with a minor post in the labor ministry, he won
the presidency in 1946 and again in 1952. With his equally popular
and charismatic wife Eva at his side, he instituted a stringent
economic program which stressed domestic industrialization and self-determination,
appealing to both the conservative nationalist and working-class
factions. His party was squashed by a military coup in 1955, leading
to Perón's banishment to Spain and initiating 30 years of
disastrous military rule, interspersed by only brief periods of
civilian rule. Perón returned to rule briefly in 1973, dying
in office in 1974 and bequeathing power to his third wife, Isabel.
Increasing economic problems and political instability led to strikes,
political kidnappings and guerrilla warfare. Isabel's government
fell in 1976, and the new military government instituted a reign
of terror.
The
years 1976 to 1983 have been described as the years of the Dirty
War. Opposition and criticism were eradicated by paramilitary death
squads which operated with the state's complicity, bringing about
the 'disappearance' of between 10,000 and 30,000 citizens. The most
famous victims of this period were the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo,
women who bravely kept an open, public vigil for the 'disappeared'
members of their families, and who often 'disappeared' themselves.
Argentina
history: This internal conflict ironically came to an end only with
the emergence of a 'real' war in the south Atlantic: the battle
for the Malvinas/Falklands. General Leopold Galtieri seized the
Malvinas from the British to distract attention from Argentina's
appalling political corruption and economic mismanagement. Surges
of nationalistic hysteria in both countries resulted in a British
flotilla sailing across the world to save one of the few remaining
pink bits on the map. Britain was the eventual 'victor' in what
was a mutually shameful and costly episode. Ownership of the Malvinas,
however, remains disputed. In June 1995, the Argentine foreign minister
offered to buy the islands, offering each of the 2000 islanders
US$800,000 for their nationality. The matter has been further complicated
by Britain's belief that oilfields lie offshore, and further bickering
seems likely.
Argentina
History: Ignominious failure at home and abroad finally sealed the
fate of Argentina's military rule, and the country returned to the
constitution of 1853. Former Perónist president Carlos Menem
instituted major economic changes - selling off nationalized industries,
opening the economy to foreign investment and pegging the peso one-to-one
to the US dollar in 1991 - which reduced inflation from 5000% in
1989 to an astonishing 1% in 1997. But while these changes tamed
inflation, they also led to rising unemployment and a prolonged
recession.
Argentina
history: President Fernando de la Rua of the UCR center-left Alliance,
elected to a four-year term in 1999, promised a crackdown on corruption
and tough fiscal measures to balance Argentina's budget. But after
four years of recession and with an unemployment rate of more than
20%, the Argentine people had enough. De la Rua's austerity plans
prompted nationwide strikes and demonstrations, which grew violent
after the government instituted harsh restrictions on bank withdrawals.
Argentina plunged into economic and political turmoil in December
2001 when it defaulted on a US$132 billion loan repayment - the
largest default in history. De la Rua and many of his government
ministers resigned amid rioting, looting and widespread civil chaos
in which 27 people were killed.
On
January 1, 2002, Eduardo Duhalde became Argentina's fifth president
in two weeks. A staunch Perónist, Duhalde takes a populist
and protectionist stance, though a skeptical public has not forgotten
the corruption scandals that clouded his term as governor of Buenos
Aires. One of his first moves was to unpeg the peso from the dollar;
the currency devalued by more than 50% almost immediately. The move
was unpopular but necessary to secure any further aid from the International
Monetary Fund.
In
a positive sign, the devalued peso has done better than expected
in the world currency market, though government imposed banking
restrictions may account for its relative strength. Duhalde plans
to make sweeping changes to Argentine government, including scrapping
the current presidential system for a parliamentary democracy. The
public remains dubious about such reforms however, as economic strife
and government corruption seem to be endemic here. Protests continue
almost daily, strikes are in the works and frustrated people who
can't get to their money have vandalized banks. If conditions don't
improve soon, Duhalde may have trouble on his hands.
Argentina
history: But despite the continuing protests and the long lines
at currency exchanges, the violence has for the most part eased
and the stage of siege has been lifted. Argentines are waiting warily
for word from the IMF (although many blame that organization for
causing the crisis) and keeping a worried eye out for the return
of hyperinflation. Argentina's climb out of this ever-deepening
financial pit promises to be long and arduous.
Argentina
activities
Just one example of the prevailing Italian influence is the importance
placed on soccer, by far the country's most popular spectator and
participatory sport. Argentina also has oodles of activity sports
such as trekking, skiing and watersports. Elite sports such as rugby
and polo reflect the influence of the country's immigrant societies,
and skiing, despite its expense, is gaining in popularity. Argentina
actually has some of the best skiing in the world, and many of the
resorts have ski schools. There are several major skiing areas: the
southern Cuyo region, the Lake District, La Hoya and near Ushuaia
in Tierra del Fuego.
Argentina
activities: Wilderness walks are also very popular, with vast and
beautiful treks through the Andes, Sierras de Córdoba and
the Sierra de la Ventana in Buenos Aires province. Climbers should
head for Aconcagua, west of Mendoza, the Fitzroy Range in Parque
Nacional Los Glaciares in Santa Cruz province, and the Sierra de
la Fentana (for advanced climbing). White-water rafting is becoming
increasingly popular on the rivers that descend from the Andean
divide; the main possibilities include Río Mendoza and Río
Diamante in the Cuyo region, Río Hua Hum and Río Meliquina
near San Martín de los Andes and the Río Limay and
Río Manso near Bariloche.
You will have the opportunity to feel and experience the pleasure
of hunting in a natural environment, unique in all the world. Dove
hunting in Argentina is an activity that must be experienced
rather than explained.
Argentina attractions
Buenos Aires: To the city's poet laureate, Jorge Luis Borges, Buenos
Aires was as eternal as air and water. To many Argentines, their
capital city is synonymous with the country itself - indeed, nearly
40% of the population lives in the city or its massive, sprawling
suburbs. Buenos Aires is situated on the banks of the Río
de la Plata. A city transported from its European parents, its compact
and regular center is reminiscent of Paris, and its tree-lined avenues
and frequent plazas have a beguiling, faded elegance.
In
this cosmopolitan city, sophisticated dressers mingle with the shabbier
unemployed from the surrounding suburbs. Downtown, the Plaza de
Mayo is the traditional focus of activity, and lately has been the
scene of mass protests against the government's handling of the
economic crisis. Nearby Avenida 9 de Julio is popularly known as
the world's widest thoroughfare and is truly a pedestrian's nightmare.
Avenida Santa Fe is the most fashionable shopping area.
Buenos
Aires' attractions include the Catedral Metropolitana, which contains
the tomb of revolutionary hero José de San Martín;
the Teatro Colón, a world-class facility for opera, ballet
and classical music, and a cluster of worthwhile and popular museums
like the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the Museo del Cine and
the Museo Histórico Nacional, which presents a panorama of
the Argentine experience. Don't miss the colorful Italian suburb
of La Boca, which features brightly painted wooden houses lining
the Riachuelo waterway, or the Cementerio de la Recoleta, a testament
to the national passion for death.
Buenos
Aires is an expensive city, but whether you're after a bargain hostel
or a top-end hotel, it is possible to stay right in the center of
things. Congreso is a good place to look for inexpensive lodgings,
while mid-range hotels are concentrated on Avenida de Mayo. Food
bargains can be had in the suburbs of La Boca and San Telmo. Downtown,
Lavalle and Avenida Corrientes are the places to go for pizza, coffee
with the city's intellectuals or one of those ubiquitous meaty dishes.
Argentina attractions : Mar del Plata
Summer means the beach to the inhabitants of Greater Buenos Aires,
and Mar del Plata is most often the beach they have in mind. Situated
on the northern Atlantic coast, 400km (228mi) from the capital,
beaches in this area sprawl for 8km (5mi). Sophisticated mansions
from the area's heyday as an upper-class resort mingle with the
newer, more modest resorts catering to middle-class porteños.
Sea lions keep an eye on the fishing activities around the wharves,
and a replica of the grotto of Lourdes is a kitsch paradise.
Argentina attractions : Córdoba
Argentina's second city, Córdoba, long rivaled Buenos Aires
for political, economic and cultural supremacy; indeed, while Buenos
Aires languished through neglect in the 17th century, Cordoba was
the country's architectural treasure house. Today, a fine collection
of colonial buildings is concentrated in its compact center. They
include the old market, the Iglesia Catedral (featuring a Romanesque
dome) and the Jesuit Iglesia de la Compañía. The Museo
Histórico Provincial Marqués de Sobremonte is one
of the most important historical museums in the country.
Sponsor:
Envasadoras
al vacio
Argentina attractions : The Pampas
The unrelentingly flat Pampas is Argentina's agricultural heartland
and the home of that symbol of romantic nationalism, the gaucho.
Comprising the provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa and major parts
of Santa Fe and Córdoba, its varied environments include
forested hills, extensive grasslands and flamingo-flecked salt lakes.
The Parque National Lihué Calel is a popular detour, with
wildlife including some puma and many guanaco, rhea, native hares
and a variety of wild chinchilla called a vizcacha. The cities of
La Plata, Luján (whose basilica to La Virgen de Luján
receives 4 million pilgrims a year), Rosario and Santa Fe are worth
seeing for their many museums, churches and faded colonial buildings.
Argentina
attractions : Iguazú Falls
Situated in the Parque Nacional Iguazú near Puerto Iguazú,
these spectacular falls lie just east of the confluence of the Iguazú
and Paraná rivers. At least 5000 cubic m (176,570 cu ft)
of water per second plunge the 70m (230ft) into the abyss below.
If they look familiar, it's because they were the supporting actors
in the film The Mission; appropriately, the area has historic ruins
of Jesuit missions which also draw many visitors. San Ignacio Miní,
built in a style of architecture known as 'Guaraní baroque',
is especially popular. Above the falls, the waters are suitable
for canoeing, kayaking and other water sports. The surrounding park
is home to 55,000 hectares (135,850 acres) of pristine subtropical
rainforest, with abundant wildlife and plant species.
Villa General Belgrano is a
small town situated in the Calamuchita valley. With its mediterranean
climate the city offers its visitors and inhabitants nearly three
hundred sunny days per year.
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