Our trip took us to three South American countries, Chile, Argentina and Brazil and we experienced very distinct cultures in each of these countries. We had the opportunity to visit beautiful beaches, dance the Tango and Samba, ride a boat into the throat of a monster waterfall, etc. And, of course, the ladies worsened our trade deficit with their shopping.
Chile reflects a core influence of native tribes of the Andes Mountains, similar to the culture of Peru, which our group visited in 2009. It also reflects the Spanish culture of its former colonizers. Santiago is an urban city with heavy reflections of western culture and architecture, while the nearby coastal towns of Valparaiso and Vin del Mar are open, with beaches, resorts, fishing activity and port operations. The Chileans are a quiet, almost stoic, culture, with obvious artistic skill as reflected in the historic and current products of the area.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, by contrast, is as if a European city was uprooted and planted in South America. It is a very sophisticated city, with its music, food and dance reflecting a very diverse legacy. Immigrants from Spain, Italy, Germany, America and France all have influenced modern Argentina. Think stylish and sophisticated.
The highlight of the visit was an evening at Esquina Carlos Gardel for dinner and an elaborate Tango show. Gardel, who lived in Buenos Aires in the early part of the 20th century, was a singer, songwriter and actor, generally regarded as the most influential figure in the history of tango. The troupe at his namesake theater gave a brilliant performance showcasing the many variations of tango. People dance the tango in the parks, bars and cafes every day. Tango is a passion and precise art form in Buenos Aires.
We also visited the Cemetery of Ricoleta, which is arguably the most exquisite cemetery in the modern world. Filled with above-ground burial edifices for prominent Argentinians amid beautiful landscaping, it contains the grave of Eva Peron (Evita). We celebrated mass that day in Our Lady of the Pilar Basilica located adjacent to the Cemetery of Ricoleta.
Among special treats in Argentina was a visit to Recoleta area of elegant boutiques and excellent restaurants, and to La Boca and its most famous street, Caminito, a most colorful area of performers and artists.
We had two excursions outside of Buenos Aires: a day trip to Estancia La Candelaria, a ranch featuring a French style castle and surrounding landscapes. We ate BBQ (asado) and enjoyed empanadas, a local pastry filled with meats, cheeses and spices. Some enjoyed bike riding and horseback riding. Frank Crosby apparently had a horse named “Whoa”, which Frank yelled continuously.
Another outing took us on a cruise of the Tigre River, which was interesting for the variety of activity observed: second homes, casinos, shipping, marinas, rowing clubs, etc.
One final note: Buenos Aires is home to near constant protests. We observed several protests from small affairs to gridlock inducing mega parades, and were told its part of the daily political process in that city.
The next stop was to Iguassu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. This falls is clearly a wonder of the world, several times larger than Niagara Falls, falling 250 feet to thunder down numerous cataracts. Everyone got soaked on walkways above and below the falls, and some intrepid souls (author included) took power boats down the river to be driven into the falls, which is a unique and thoroughly soaking experience.
We proceeded to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, for still another cultural experience. Brazil is heavily influenced by an incredible melting pot of races, dominated by Native, Portuguese and African bloodlines. It is much less sophisticated and developed than Buenos Aires, and, for visitors, oriented heavily toward beach experiences and Carnival. We had overcast during our stay, so we missed much of the sunny beach activity and had to view the landmark statue of Christ the Redeemer up in the clouds. Several of our group did experience shopping spots, a botanical garden and a lovely, historic Benedictine monastery.
We finished our trip the last night with a theatrical performance by the mighty Pilgrim Players, “The Adventures of Zedwardo”, followed by induction of rookie Pilgrims into our secret society.
As always, we learned a lot about foreign places and people, about our fellow pilgrims, and, most importantly, about ourselves.
