Our Argentinian Observations

We have been in Argentina for about a month, and in that time I’ve made some interesting observations. 

Travel

Ubers are plentiful and cheap in many areas and non-existent in others. Whether you are in a taxi or an Uber, or a taxi double-dipping as a Uber, tailgating is an Olympic sport! Traffic signs and the lines painted in the middle of the roads are merely suggestions. If you are driving uphill or downhill in some areas, you have the right of way. Where was this rule when I was learning to drive a stick shift? At some intersections, you have to play a game of chicken to determine who goes first. Regardless of who wins, there are usually lots of hand gestures and horns. We rented two different cars, and Mark had loads of fun driving, especially when approaching an intersection where it was anyone’s guess whose turn it was to proceed! 

Squeezing into the itty-bitty cars!

Cuisine

Meat is everywhere and quite delicious, along with lots of bread and cheese! Vegetables are only present as garnishes except for potatoes. Eggs are in everything; on top of meat, pizza, in pastry, on pasta and in salads. They even have their own shops which sell only eggs.  People carry skids of eggs and strap them on the back of bicycles as if they are not fragile at all. You will be hard-pressed to order something that doesn’t have an egg in it somewhere in Argentina! The prices of groceries are also interesting. You can buy a beautiful steak for $4.00, and in that same shop, a bag of chips is $11.00, go figure! I've also noticed that a bottle or can of Coke can vary in price from less than $2.00 up to $9.00, depending on where you purchase it. Mark, not surprisingly, has opted to drink beer as it is usually cheaper than Coke and water!

Yummy, but not many vegetables in sight!

An egg store

Chairs

I don’t know what it is about Argentina, but finding a comfortable chair is challenging! They are small, hard and uncomfortable. Regardless of where we were, restaurants, airports or AirBNBs… they were usually uncomfortable! Flat stainless steel is easy to keep clean, but torture on the glutes! We tried to balance on one cheek at a time and shift our weight back and forth in some restaurants, in others, my legs swung like I was a toddler. Most of the time, we looked like parrots perched on top of tiny squares with legs. Even the couches were ridiculous!

Washrooms

Beyond not putting toilet tissue in the toilets (there is nothing more humbling than toting your shame out to the curb to deposit in the trash bin), there is wood everywhere, and thankfully, bidets. Wood, however, does not belong in the shower as trim or as a bathroom vanity. A note to my South American Airbnb hosts ... wood rots! When chatting with Meg, she suggested they take the wood from the bathrooms and add it to the chairs, which I think is a brilliant idea. 

Red indicates where you cannot flush toilet paper!

Dog Walking

I mentioned dog walking previously, but I am fairly confident that it is not a side gig here, but a full-blown career. It is common to see one person wrangling 10 dogs at one time! They look like the helium balloon guy at the circus, but instead of balloons, they are trying to organize dashounds, beagles, collies, golden retrievers and poodles. If you are in Bariloche, you can add St. Bernards to the mix!

You could pay $20.00 to pose for a photo with this beauty on the bottom left!

Stunning Scenery

Without a doubt, Argentina has some of the most spectacular natural and geographical sights we have ever seen. It has everything from beautiful mountains, gorgeous glaciers, serene lakes, and stunning waterfalls. We have spent a great deal of time outdoors hiking and enjoying these natural wonders, and are so grateful for our experiences here. We are off to Santiago, Chile next, so stay tuned for more adventures as we head north into the desert!

Spectacular natural wonders!