Some symbols

Argentina and Chile, two countries with well-coded symbols and traditions.

Argentine women… the most beautiful in the world?

Fantasies for some, “cruel” realities for others, a legend??? Listening to the Argentines there is no doubt… They are very proud and you often have to measure what they say… The best would be to get an idea for yourself.

Beautiful and smiling… the art of “piropo” is something innate among Argentines… don’t try to imitate them, you’ll surely be ridiculous. But what is “piropo”? It’s the South American version of seduction with a mix of romanticism and poetry; more of a game than flirting to tell the truth.

Argentines, especially the “porteños” (residents of Buenos Aires) delight in giving (more or less strong) compliments to the pretty women they pass in the street… and be careful, because there is always a game of words, a compliment, a beautiful metaphor which will have its effect on the most refractory women. Argentine women often respond with a naughty smile, which will motivate the suitor to retort even more with a new “piropo”. Argentines love this game of seduction and Argentines delight in these little phrases about them… Argentines dress and therefore reveal their silhouette accordingly, for the pleasure of the eyes and of all.

Argentines, or I should rather say the inhabitants of Buenos Aires, lack identity markers, surely too proud to be the people of Latin America closest to Europe, are trying more to follow or to anticipate the fashions of the old continent than to identify with their cultures and customs, which are nevertheless so strong for me. That said, as for “Porteños” where quite a few formulas are used on this subject… my favorite is certainly: “Argentines are Italians who speak Spanish, think in French and would like to be English”.

The Art of mate and its benefits for human relationships

But what is mate?

Mate is the most popular “drink” in Argentina. You’ll see a lot of people drinking it, even more in Uruguay, Paraguay, southern Brazil and a little less in Chile. It’s not a drink in the original sense of the term. Why? Well quite simply because no one drinks mate in Argentina to quench their thirst. It’s a custom, even a ritual. Mate is the complete opposite of what television is: if you’re with someone, it allows you to converse, and allows you to think if you’re alone. When someone visits another person in Argentina, the first sentence will be “hola” (hello), the second will be “¿unos mates?” (Some mates) ?).

This happens in every home in Argentina. Both among the rich and the poor, between young people and seniors. It’s the only thing fathers and sons can share without arguing or disagreeing. The purest Peronistas and radicals can serve mate without looking.

Drinking mate requires 4 essential things: mate, which is in fact the container, also called “calabaza” (calabash), there is one of all kinds, more or less decorative, and of different sizes. The Mate herb “yerba mate”, several possible brands, but all come from the same crops in the province of Misiones in the North-East of the country. The “bombilla” which is a kind of metal straw with which you drink mate. Finally the “pava” (“kettle”) or “termo” (“thermos”) which keeps the water at a temperature close to boiling.

There is always a “cevador”, someone who prepares and serves the mate. When you no longer want mate, a simple “gracias” will suffice. We start giving mate to a child when he asks for it, we’ll give him rather lukewarm, with a lot of sugar (so that the mate is less bitter), milk instead of water, and he’ll feel like a big boy or like a big girl. Moreover, all parents feel great pride when they see their offspring a take mate for the first time.

Then, as the years go by, these children, now adults, will choose to drink it bitter or sweet, very hot or on the contrary cold “terere”, with orange peel or lemon juice for example. When two people have mate for the first time together, to avoid the risk of disappointing, the “cevador” (who is often the one receiving) will always ask “¿Dulce o amargo?” (“sweet or bitter?”). The other will certainly answer: “Como tomes vos” (“as you drink it”).

The “yerba” is the only thing you’re sure to find, when you go to someone’s house in Argentina, in a drawer or on a shelf. Always… And if it happens that you no longer have yerba for the mate, a neighbor will surely have some and will be happy to give some.

In Argentina and Uruguay, becoming a man involves a very special day. Nothing to do with going to university, or living far from your parents, or dressing differently. In these two countries, children become adults when they feel the need to drink a few mates, alone. It’s no coincidence… that day, when he’ll put the “pava” on the fire and prepare his first mates for himself alone, without the presence of anyone; During these long minutes, he’ll discover that he has a soul and will feel a strong feeling, different to everyone, and it will be a special moment.

The mate ritual is a beautiful demonstration of values

• It’s solidarity to support mates without too many flavors (“lavados”) because the discussion is good. Discussion, not mate.
• It’s the respect of these moments to speak and listen, you speak while the other serves the mate and vice versa.
• It’s sincerity to say: “Che, cambiá la yerba!” (“change the herb!”), because mate no longer has any taste.
• It’s the kindness of stupidly asking “¿está caliente, no?” (“it’s hot, isn’t it?”).
• It’s modesty to know who serves the best mate.
• It’s the generosity of giving until the end.
• It’s hospitality, the invitation.
• It’s the obligation to say “gracias” at least once a day.
• It’s an ethical, frank and loyal attitude, to come together without greater pretensions than to share.

A strong identity…

The neighborhood of La Boca

The most popular neighborhood in Buenos Aires, in my opinion, is La Boca. A “poor” neighborhood in Buenos Aires, it’s home to many residents from Italy and Spain. Today, the La Boca neighborhood is very popular with tourists who come in droves to admire the colorful facades of the houses and enjoy the lively pace of life in the neighborhood. La Boca is also world-famous for its football club, Club Atlético Boca Juniors, as well as its incredible stadium, La Bombonera. This is an opportunity for me to tell you about the passion shared by all Argentines: football and of course Diego Maradona.

Diego Maradona

You’ll be quickly surprised to see a number of televisions in bars, restaurants, gathering places that broadcast football matches. Argentina is, in my opinion, the country that shows the most passion for this sport. It’s frankly impressive. The idol of all is of course Diego Armando Maradona, born on October 30, 1960 in Buenos Aires, nicknamed “El Pibe de Oro” (“The golden boy”), Pelusa, Dieguito, or even The Master. He’s considered, here and elsewhere, as the greatest football player of all time.

The Tango

The first image you’ll have of Argentina will probably be its capital – Buenos Aires – The opportunity for me to tell you about some of the characters and customs linked to this city: Buenos Aires and Tango are inseparable.

Argentines can be proud of mastering the most complex dance in the world. Tango is a culture. To sum it up with music and dance would obviously be reductive. Argentines are accustomed to saying that dance serves above all to enhance the woman in her femininity and sensuality. The role of the woman is therefore to take advantage of the guidance of her partner and the pauses to express her fantasy and character.

Attending a Milonga in Buenos Aires will be a highlight of your trip. I highly recommend it. And you’ll want, just like me, to take Tango lessons. I tell you right away, it’s hard! Among the most famous Tango composers, I would mention: Astor Piazzolla, Osvaldo Pugliese, Aníbal Troilo and of course Carlos Gardel.

The Peña

You absolutely have to go to a Peña in Argentina. The Peña is a very popular place where you can listen to folklore. Often one or two musicians, sometimes more. The audience and the musicians are often one. The rhythms that are played there are often “samba” and “chacarera”. Very rhythmic, the musicians always heat up the atmosphere by shouting “arriba las palmas” – the translation is difficult but you’ll see everyone clapping their hands!!! The atmosphere in a “peña” is absolutely worth knowing. Sometimes the music stops suddenly, and one of the musicians shouts “Aro aro aro !!!…”. When you hear it, it’s the moment when anyone can speak to tell a little “joke”.

But be careful, these are always very special jokes, a little “dirty”, often macho, mothers-in-law are rarely spared and it’s always the bidding war. Often one of the musicians will end with an “aro” and when he judges that the time for “jokes” is over, the music will start again with the background noise, often fat laughter of the people present in the room. Of course, the beer flows freely and this until the early hours of the morning… The “strongest” Peñas are in the Northwest of Argentina and in Patagonia.

The empanadas

You’ll also have the opportunity to eat one of the Argentine and Chilean specialties: empanadas. Empanadas are small dough turnovers stuffed with meat, fish, eggs, potatoes or other ingredients. They are found in traditional Spanish cuisine and throughout South America with some variations. The name comes from the Spanish verb “Empanar”, which means to stuff or dress with bread. Traditionally, empanadas were made from bread dough but, increasingly, puff pastry is used. They are served hot, as an appetizer, and very often they can serve as an entire meal.

In Argentina, the edge of empanadas is scalloped when they are stuffed with minced meat, raisins, cheese, vegetables, tuna, olives, onions, seasoned with pepper, cumin… They are often bought by the dozen or half-dozen.

In Chile, the empanada is a variant of the one we know in Argentina, it’s made of a wheat flour dough, which contains inside meat with onions, a hard-boiled egg quarter, olives and raisins, and it’s baked, there’s also a fried version in oil and the recipe of the dough varies a little. A fairly common recipe of empanada is prepared with grated cheese.

There are other forms of empanadas with seafood, especially during Holy Week. They are composed of vegetables, fruit jam (pear, apple), or apples harvested in the South, but in general, the custom is to consume them usually and massively, with cheese, which is always made with a millefeuille.

The Gaucho

The myth of the gaucho is attached to Argentina, especially to the Pampas, these great plains located in the west and north of the country. He represents the figure of the “cowboy” of the southern hemisphere, the symbols of freedom and wide open spaces.

The etymology of the word “gaucho” is unclear, probably coming from an indigenous word meaning orphan. Originally, the term was used to describe bandits before becoming the name for herdsmen. The first gauchos were generally mestizos from indigenous populations and Spanish settlers. Gauchos gained great prestige linked to their role in the war of independence against the Spanish royalist forces.

In the 19th century, the development of the country and livestock farming helped to settle the gauchos, confining them to enclosed spaces to make them peasants. Since then, the gauchos have lived in the heart of the estancias, these vast farms that now number sixty in Patagonia, and which embody the landed aristocracy. It was the estancias that introduced sheep farming in Patagonia, in the last century, well after those of the Pampas had developed cattle farming.

Today, sheep flocks can number some 50,000, and wool production is one of the main drivers of Argentina’s economy, and one of its most important exports after cereals. During the year, the gauchos live miles on horseback from the central farm, and are responsible for a plot of the property. They live in a wooden house, sometimes with their families. They own several horses and sheepdogs.

Their daily life is spent on horseback, watching over the herds alone, counting the livestock and checking the condition of the fences. The animals live in semi-freedom, released over huge areas to be gathered together several times a year, these are called transhumance.

Thus, at the beginning of the austral summer, the gauchos lead the immense herds to the central farm of the estancias to be sheared there. This episode of the life of the estancias is very spectacular and brings together all the protagonists of the estancias who eagerly await this event because it breaks the daily monotony. On this occasion, the gauchos take their respective herds, then after shearing, they return them to their assigned domain, while the wool is shipped by boat to their country of import.

Other symbols…

Argentina and Chile have their own legendary roads, the Carretera Austral in Chilean Patagonia and Route 40 in Argentina.

The Route 40

Route 40 is an important road in Argentina that crosses the country from north to south, from Virgins Cape “Cabo Vírgenes” in the extreme south of Patagonia to La Quiaca on the Bolivian border in the province of Jujuy. It’s a great mythical road that runs parallel to the Cordillera de los Andes, connecting the most important national parks. It’s the longest road in the country, crossing the territory in its greatest length, traveling through several of the tourist regions and main attractions of the territory.

Route 40 is over 4,928 km long, starting in Patagonia at sea level, crossing 20 national parks, connecting 27 Andean passes and climbing to over 5,000 meters above sea level, at the “Abra del Acay” pass, in the province of Salta.

Route 40 passes through El Calafate, the Perito Moreno Glacier, Lake Puelo, the city of El Bolsón, San Carlos de Bariloche, Villa La Angostura. It’s part of the Wine Route “Ruta del Vino” in Mendoza. It leads to the dinosaur fossil sites in the province of San Juan, the thermal springs of Catamarca, Tafí del Valle, the magnificent Calchaquíes Valleys, the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a World Heritage Site, and the Puna. Like the legendary Route 66 in the United States, the RN 40 “Ruta Number 40” is one of the symbols and emblems of Argentina.

The Southern Route

The Southern Highway “Carretera Austral” runs along the Pacific coast for 1,200 km and is often no wider than 2 meters. A dream road for nature lovers and adventurers. On this road, travelers pass fjords, glaciers and volcanoes, cross the rainforest and the Chilean Pampas, discover rough rivers and deep cliffs. The Carretera Austral begins in Puerto Montt and continues winding along the Pacific coast.

A ferry takes you across the sea to the port cities that the Southern Route connects to pioneer villages. The road then finds its way through national parks and pastures, rocky mountains covered in eternal snow and charming valleys before getting lost, on the Argentine border, in the village of Villa O’Higgins.