Before starting my travels to the south, I had heard from many people that southern Argentina isn`t really Argentina. Because the towns and cities of southern Argentina historically belong to Europe and currently belong to tourists, they don`t provide an accurate image of Argentinan life. Although their words didn`t discourage me from wanting to travel south (come on...this is Patagonia we`re talking about), their warnings did spark my curiousity. Are these places any less Argentinian than Northern Argentina? What exactly does it mean to be `more Argentinian`? Does any person--foreigner or resident--have the right to declare certain characteristics as more or less authentic?
So far, I have spent a considerable amount of time in three places: the highway, Puerto Madryn, and El Calafate.
The highway. Long stretches of ranch lang. Gauchos, sheep, horses, cows, and llamas. The occasional estancia. The rare town--neat, clean, and functional. The overpowering Andes in the background. A big sky that rivals Montana. Still Argentina.
Puerto Madryn, a small city located on the coast of Argentina, is a gateway to Patagonia. People stop here on their way to visit Peninsula Valdes (a huge nature reserve with a ton of nautical wildlife) and on their way towards the heart of Patagonia.Were there an overwhelming number of hotels? Yes. Were there a lot of foreigners? Yeah, I suppose. Were there more people with backpacks and fannypacks? Definitely. But I still felt like I was in Argentina. It`s different than San Juan, of course. It`s a city, which accounts for the spandex pants, cell phones, busy streets, and slightly faster walking speed. But the architecture, the language, the couples, the ice cream, the family picnics, the old men meeting on the corner. There was no mistaking this place. Still Argentina.
El Calafate. A beautifully placed town, that just so happens to be located near the one and only Glacier Perito Moreno. This is definitely a city that markets itself and its proximity to this world heritage site. But can you blame it? It`s not like this is Disney World--a place located in the United States but by no means an accurate representation of American life. If anything, it`s like an expensive and enlarged version of Gardiner, Montana. Still the United Stated. Still Argentina. Just hyped up a notch, and filled with foreigners. It happens. But there is real life here, too. People working. Garbage trucks driving by. Kids going to school. And besides, mountains and beautiful lakes are just as much ´Argentinian`as cows and arid land. Still Argentina.
I´m going to continue to think about this throughout the rest of my time in Patagonia and the Lake District. So expect another update within the next month. Hopefully I`ll come to a more insightful conclusion. We`ll see. For now, Argentinian or not, this place is absolutely beautiful and I am having a wonderful time wandering the streets, taking in the mountains, exploring the hills, and meeting people from all over the world. No complaints here!
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