Argentina
by David Sutcliffe
Vegetarians may prefer to avoid the gaucho day trip. I have never seen so much meat in one place – there is even furniture made from cattle bones! Argentinean beef is generally regarded as the best in the world and they know how to prepare it. A morning riding horses and living out boyhood dreams of being a cowboy certainly gives you an appetite.
Buenos Aires has been described as South America’s sexiest city. There is an odd mix of flashy modernity and faded elegance to the city and the best way to get your bearings in this huge metropolis is on a city tour.
The elegant and well-healed Recoleta district is famous for its cemetery with its astonishingly grand mausoleums, one of which is the final resting place of Eva Peron. My particular favourite was the Boca district near the mouth of the mighty River Plate, with its multi-coloured buildings and, more importantly the ‘Bombonera’ (or chocolate box), the home of the football team Boca Juniors and their most famous son Maradona. It is obligatory to mention tango in any review of Argentina, and it is pretty much in evidence everywhere. This is mainly for the tourists benefit, but we did see an evening tango show which was attended predominantly by locals, and very good it was too.
As well as the gaucho excursion another recommendation is the Parana River Delta – where you can take boat tours and visit the town of Tigre.
I stayed at the Claridge Hotel, very handily located near one of the main shopping streets, Florida Street. More discerning travellers would do well to consider a couple of other hotels – the hip and funky Faena, the grand Alvear Palace or the always fantastic Four Seasons.