Discovering the Charms of Argentina

Upon getting off the ship in Argentina, we were eager to establish ourselves in the first month-
long stay of our new international travel life. Just a day earlier, in the port of Montevideo,
Uruguay, we realized that extending our cruise was not going to happen, so we scrambled to
find a place to stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We were blessed to find a place in
Rincon de Milberg, an up-and-coming neighborhood situated by one of the canals that leads to
the Tigre Delta. Our Airbnb was delightful, boasting a convenient location with shops
and grocery stores within walking distance. The best part? The stunning sunset views from our
large floor-to-ceiling windows!

On our arrival, the sun was shining, and the warmth let us know it was still very early fall. We
couldn’t wait to take a dip in our sparkling pool. However, as the days went on, the temperature
gradually dropped, and we didn’t end up spending as much time swimming as we initially
planned.

Nonetheless, this gave us more time to explore the neighborhood on foot. We enjoyed walking around the marina, admiring the impressive yachts that were docked. In the nearby park, we discovered a skatepark and an exercise kiosk, which seemed to be very popular among the
locals. It was heartening to see how dedicated Argentinians are to staying fit and healthy. Even
during the cooler days, we made it a point to take a walk in the park and soak up the refreshing
breeze.

We also had exotic birds around us.

We searched out our nearest Adventist church, a charming church called Iglesia Adventista de
Benavidez. Despite the language barrier, the warm-hearted congregation made us feel right at
home. Not one of the attendees spoke English, but we managed to communicate using translation
apps, hand gestures, and broken Spanish.

One Sabbath we were invited to the home of one of the Elders of the church, Johnny, and his
wife Lydia, for lunch. Johnny delivered the inspiring sermon and afterward welcomed us
into his home. We spent the afternoon chatting in their cozy living room, getting acquainted, and
enjoying a delicious meal – steak, of course – this is Argentina! We got a tour of their
impressive succulent and cactus jardin that they manage on their rooftop. Lydia has quite a green
thumb. It was a perfect day filled with warmth and hospitality.

On our last Sabbath, we were gifted a beautiful reminder of the kindness we experienced at the
church. It’s wonderful to find a Christian family home while traveling.

As we ventured further afield we discovered that Argentina is a country of contrasts. In Buenos
Aires, we saw all the trappings of a modern metropolis – museums, restaurants, high-rise condos,
and shopping centers. But we also saw horses ridden on the streets and bicycle carts darting
around. The housing ranged from opulent estates and luxurious condos to small, simple buildings
made of cement and plaster.

One thing that surprised us was the dynamic economy. The Argentine peso was constantly
falling in value compared to the US dollar, which meant that each week we exchanged our dollars (on the black market), we received more pesos than the week before. While this was good
news for us, we could see that it was not so good for the locals, who had to deal with regular
price updates at the grocery stores.

We really enjoy seeing the fossils of the region and we found out that there was a museum close by. The Museum of Natural Sciences in Argentina is a renowned institution that focuses on the study and display of natural history and science. Located in Buenos Aires, it was founded in 1823 and is one of the oldest scientific institutions in the Americas. It was a fun thing for us to do and gave us a reason to go into the city.

We had the chance to explore the beautiful Tigre Delta region just outside of Buenos Aires. Of course, we had to get a little treat. Then we took a catamaran ride up the Tigre, Lujan, and Sarmiento rivers.
It was interesting to learn about the daily life of the island residents. The houses on the islands are serviced by water taxis as they lack roads. The residents bundle up their garbage on the docks for pickup and exchange water in large 5-gallon containers. They use filtered and treated river water for showers but have to bring in water for cooking and drinking. They have no piped gas but use propane tanks and electricity for power. Regular service boats come in for medical care and mobile supermarkets for shopping.

During the summer season, vacationers come and rent out houses. This is popular as the delta’s many waterways make a great place for water activities like swimming, kayaking, and fishing and it is considerably cooler out on green islands than cities inland.
One of the places we saw was the Museo de Arte Tigre, housed in an early 20th-century building that was originally built as a social club for Buenos Aires’ aristocracy. We also passed through the Puerto de Frutos, an outdoor market located on the Tigre Delta. Although it wasn’t open at the time, we learned that vendors bring in a wide range of goods, including crafts, furniture, and fresh produce for the islanders.
Finally, we passed by the Museo Sarmiento, a historical building that was the restored house of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, one of Argentina’s most important historical figures who served as the country’s president in the mid-19th century.

As we boated along, we enjoyed the natural beauty of the region. The water was calm but dark with sediment and lush vegetation along the riverbanks. We saw birds soaring overhead and darting in and out of the water, but unfortunately, we didn’t spot any other wildlife during our ride.
Despite the lack of wildlife, we found the catamaran ride to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The boat was not crowded, allowing us to move around and appreciate the different sights from different vantage points. We were particularly struck by the contrast between the well-maintained historical houses and the dilapidated old houses that dotted the riverbanks.
All in all, our trip was a nice experience and we would do it again.

We really enjoyed our stay in Argentina, not just when we cruised last month where we visited Ushuaia at the Tierra del Fuego National Park and Punta Tumbo to see the penguins, but also during our month-long stay in the suburb of del Tigre. We definitely consider returning at a warmer season when we can explore other areas like the beach or back down southwest to the Andes mountain areas. However now, with autumn setting in, we felt it was better to start heading north, toward the equator…towards warmth.