Buenos Aires, Argentina
In October 2016, we travelled intensively and with pleasure with Marga's family for a two-week vacation in Buenos Aires and the north-east of Argentina, including the Iguazu Falls.
The occasion was a lecture that Rainer was invited to give at the International Congress of Hand Surgeons in Buenos Aires in front of an audience of more than 1000 people.
We then spent five days exploring the city centre with the Plaza Maya and Casa Rosada, the harbour area with the elegant Puente de la Mujer bridge, the ten-lane Avenida 9 de Julio, the lively area around the Obelisk and the district with the Palacio del Congreso. We were overwhelmed by the atmosphere and acoustics in the famous Teatro Colón. On the periphery of the city are the peculiar Cementerio de la Recoleta, the neighboring Museo National de Bellas Artes, the extensive gardens of the Parque Tres de Febrero in Palermo and in the Boca district, in contrast, the Bombadero football stadium, a national shrine. In the San Telmo quarter, tango is at home everywhere, in many bars and on Sundays public on the Plaza Dorrego with its antique market. The Argentinian cuisine with its tender steaks (bife de chorizo) and empanadas as well as the historic Café Tortoni are unforgettable.
We then set off with Swiss guides to the north-east of Argentina and first visited the Esteros del Ibera, an area rich in water and wildlife. On boat trips, we could observe capybaras, caimans, swamp deer, exotic birds, and cormorants. We will never forget our accommodation at the Estancia Santa Ines. The building of the former Pakistan-English railway company lies in the middle of the tropical forest, is surrounded by verandas, and houses historical furnishings. At night, you are woken up by the cries of howler monkeys.
Via the Jesuit mission San Ignacio Mini near the town of Posadas and a mining pit for precious stones in the province of Misiones, we reached the highlight of our journey, the Iguazu Falls. The natural wonder that opens up to the eyes and ears is simply overwhelming. In many places, masses of water thunder down from great heights with a wet spray. The spectacle can be watched on the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) is terrifying, which can be reached via a footbridge before you see the mass of water plunge into the depths at the same height. In the evening, we were served the best steaks in the restaurant "La Rueda" in Porto Iguazu.
Tags: Buenos Aires, Iguazu, Esteros del Ibero, Argentina, Misones