Tag Archives: Football

10 Interesting Facts about Argentina

Argentina has a unique identity amongst the countries of South America and whilst I have been exploring the country, I have discovered these 10 interesting facts about this wonderful country.

1. A lot of things are free

A surprising amount of services in the country are free to the general public, this includes healthcare, education (including higher education), and many cultural attractions and events such as music festivals and museums. I found this to be a pleasant idea, as the country is quite poor, but it still prioritises funding to these essential public services.
2. They are football crazy

The Argentines, especially Portenos (people from Buenos Aires), seem to be mad for football. It seems that if you did decide to go out in the city with your football club shirt on, you may well get stopped by someone to ‘discuss’ this. I was quite shocked that some people even knew where I was from (Norwich city) just because of our rubbish football team that goes in and out of the premier league regularly.

Boca photoshoot opportunity with a footballer

3. They have their own unique pronunciations

Spanish isn’t an easy language, as there is a lot of variety in the grammar, accents, words and pronunciations. Throughout Latin America, the pronunciation of the sounds for ‘c’, ‘ll’ and ‘y’ are different to most of Spain, but in Argentina there is an even more defined difference. Instead of sounding ‘ll’ as (ya) or (ja), they turn it into (sh). Multiple times, I was convinced my spanish was correct, only to realise the people of Argentina didn’t understand me because of this subtle change in sound.
4. They are mad for Mate

Mate pronounced ‘matay’ is a type of herbal tea that is served in one special cup with a metal straw and shared between a group of friends and family. The people of Argentina are seriously committed to their mate sessions. Most people seem to drink mate throughout the day, and I was offered several mate sessions in my time in Argentina. It was very clear how important this drink was to the locals when I saw people trekking with a kettle and mate cup attached to their backpacks, ready for action.

5. The country’s history is really complicated and includes lots of dates

So it seems that the country has had a lot of politics and conflict since its founding. The culture is clearly very influenced by European heritage here, especially french, spanish and italian. Argentina had a lot of heartache to sever their political ties with Europe though, and become an independent republic. It is definitely worth learning about the history as it is very interesting, and the country is clearly very keen to memorialise their historic events. All the main streets are named after either important historical dates or people. It seems like every town’s main street is named after San Martin, who helped Argentina and other latin american countries become independent.
6. They have a whole community of welsh people

Super surprising to me. Within a part of Argentina’s Patagonia, near Puerto Madryn, there is an entire heritage based on settlers from Wales. These settlers wanted to settle in the area when it was still fairly new, so they could keep their culture alive within their own community. Every year, in July, the welsh community celebrate their culture with a schedule of welsh traditional activities. Throughout the year, visitors can enjoy Welsh tea and visit the historic chapels that the settlers built first on arrival.

7. Drugstores do not sell any drugs

Shops are a bit confusing in Argentina, and drugstores are a good example of this. There are a number of stores labeled as drug stores in Buenos Aires, but when you visit you will find it to actually be a convenience store of snacks and drinks. If you go to the supermarket, you will not be able to access any drugs either, I have yet to even see paracetamol sold there. The only place to find any meds is unfortunately a pharmacy, which is normally very pricey.
8. They insult each other and swear quite a lot

Whilst in Argentina, I decided that I wanted to learn a little of the local slang that is specific to this country. I met a girl from Argentina that taught me some words, but I also found a well known book in a gift shop, ‘che boludo’. This book is devoted to the Argentine slang, and to my suprise, there are a serious number of ways to insult someone, or describe sex, and if they are literally translated, then they are super weird. For example… cerrado como una cola de la muneca… literally meaning closed like a dolls ass… actually they mean someone is narrow minded. Confusing right?

9. Most people live in Buenos Aires province

Maybe you won’t think this is interesting, but I felt it was strange. Considering that Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, it seems odd that most people I met all lived in the same place. In fact 13 million of the population lives in the Buenos Aires area, where the capital resides. This provides some racional to why there is so little road infrastructure elsewhere in the country, most of it is just wilderness.
10. They love a kiss or a fist pump

So… if you are meeting a bunch of Argentine people at a party or gathering of friends, there is a pretty good chance that you are going to be kissed on both cheeks by every person there. I felt very strange about this as the reserved English lady that I am. My preference was the other national greeting which is much more casual, the traditional fist bump. Made me feel like part of a crew! haha

There are so many more interesting things about Argentina, but these are just a flavour of unique and unexpected customs and facts that I discovered when visiting. I would love to hear if you know of anymore?

Buenos Aires: Paris of the Americas (Part one)

I have now spent a week in Buenos Aires to begin my journey through Argentina and Chile. This solo visit is the first time I have been to this city that makes me feel as if I never left Europe. I have dipped my toe into the main attractions and some of the culture here, before I revisit with a travel companion in three months time.

Travel to Argentina

The journey to Buenos Aires from the UK was a very long one. At 3am on the Tuesday I left my home town on a coach to Stansted Airport. At 8am I flew to Madrid. Waited in a lovely airport lounge in Madrid until 6pm (spain time) then took a flight to Buenos Aires for about 13 hours, arriving 4am on the Wednesday (Argentina time). I then had to wait for Argentina to wake up before I could travel to my hostel and check in. It was long but comfortable.

The coach was comfy, the airport lounge was relaxing and the flight to Buenos Aires was very pleasant. I travelled with Aerolineas Argentina (Argentina Airlines) and I had a decent seat, and an empty seat next to me, a personal TV with movies and music, and a blanket and pillow. They provided breakfast and dinner which was satisfying and they were very efficient. I booked a Taxi in advance at the other end, and the driver was really friendly and helpful, and we had a long conversation in Spanish.

First impressions

On leaving the airport, I could immediately be reminded that I was in a third world country. As a capital city, it struck me as very underdeveloped, with many buildings being dishevelled and outdated. Many of the businesses that I could see were targeting those needing quick cash. For example, there seems to be ‘cash for gold’ pawn shops on most streets in downtown.

On the other hand, the outdated buildings do offer a level of charming bohemian style. There is no pretending, many of the streets are just as they have been for many decades. This means their European influence is still very clear. There were many times where I actually felt like I was in Madrid, because of the style of the buildings around me.

My hostel was to a good standard, although bathrooms are definitely a problem here. The first time I used my hostel shared bathroom, the door handle broke off in my hand. I have been to other locations in the city where the restaurant or attraction seems great but the toilet is awful. I went to one restaurant where the door seemed to be from a piece of a shipping container, and you just had to wedge it shut, not lock it.

Supermarkets are also different, after being spoilt by European supermarkets, and being a picky eater too, this has been a challenge.. The supermarkets are much smaller, and offer much less fresh baked goods or easy meals. The fruit is surrounded by fruit flies and you have to search for a non bruised selection, and many of the things on offer are packeted. I have found some bits that I have really enjoyed, such as Pepas, which are their version of jam tarts. Very nice. Creativity definitely comes into play when creating meals from the supermarket.

Food from restaurants and cafes are another story. Every meal or snack I have bought from a bakery or a cafe or a restaurant has been absolutely delicious! Empanadas are the traditional snack of the Argentines, and can be bought with ham and cheese, meat or in other flavours, this filled pastry is addictive, cheap and available in a lot of locations. An absolute winner! I also have tried some asado (their famous grilled steak) I don’t normally like steak, but Wow! This was good stuff! Deserts are amazing here, with dulce de leche (their tasty caramel) in large supply. It has been very hard to reign myself in and not eat tons whilst here!

Uptown and Downtown

On my first full day in Buenos Aires, I took a city tour with a group of Argentines and Brazilians. The tour took us to several places in the North of the city, and then places in the South. The difference was obvious. Uptown is the place of the wealthy, and downtown is for those that are true working class and others that that are struggling to make ends meet. I don’t think I have ever been to a place where the difference is so huge geographically in one city. Apparently, everyone was mixed originally, but decades ago, an epidemic of Yellow Fever meant that those that could afford it, left downtown to move North where the infectious mosquitoes were less of an issue. Now, in the North of the city, you can see skyscrapers and people on their iphones and apple macs, and designer stores and flash hotels. Whilst in downtown, people keep their valuables hidden, the buildings are old and in need of repairs, and on the other side of the railway tracks, lie the slums where some people don’t even have a home. I felt very conflicted about this when in the same hour, you could see people buying designer clothes, you can see a group of six year olds looking through the street’s rubbish for food.

I have learnt that nearly 50% of the population are living under the poverty line, and so many areas of the city are off limits to visitors for safety, and tourist police patrol the biggest tourist sites. I didn’t really feel unsafe at any point, however I was cautious. I mainly just felt sorry that I couldn’t do more to help.

Despite the hardship present, the people of downtown Buenos Aires are clearly continuing to work hard and keep going as I witnessed numerous protests, and sellers of their own artisan crafts, determined to improve their circumstances. The attitude of these Portenos is inspiring, and everyone I met was so generous and lovely. On the Sunday of my visit, I visited the San Telmo Antiques fair, where people were selling their finds, and their crafts. There were some really beautiful items that I couldn’t resist, and I will definitely be coming back for homecoming gifts at the end of my trip.

Not far from San Telmo are key attractions like the iconic obelisk of the city, which memorialises the first foundation of the city, this is in the centre of a huge avenue, and lots of shops and restaurants. A little walk to the river and you will find more restaurants and the striking Puente de Mujeres (Women’s Bridge), this pointy looking landmark, is symbolic of a couple dancing the tango, Argentina’s national dance.

Another special thing to see in the city’s downtown, is Boca. This neighbourhood is full of colourful buildings, and the beloved football stadium. This small area is designated for tourists to visit, and their are many street performers and paid for photo opportunities. There is also a rope and bollards to separate the zone from a destitute area, discouraging tourists from entering it.

Plaza de Mayo is the biggest attraction in the microcentre of downtown. This popular square has multiple historic buildings including Casa Rosada which is a pink building and also the office of the president.

In the corner of the square is also the Cathedral. This was a lovely building to visit and had no fee. Not only did it have beautiful spaces, but it is also the location of a guarded tomb of the important General San Martin.

General Jose de San Martin is extremely important to many people across South America. The mausoleum remembers his notable role in freeing Argentina, Chile and Peru, and helping them gain their independence. According to my guide, San Martin remains are on the outside of the cathedral’s main nave, because he was actually not catholic, but a mason.

Uptown

Head to the North of the city to the neighbourhooods of Recocleta, Palermo and Barrio Norte, and you will see that everything becomes more polished and modern. Even the subway line ‘D’ is much nicer than the other subway lines. It is not a subtle change but dramatic.

One of the biggest attractions is the Recocleta Cemetary as it is a beautiful site of memorials and grand tombs. Many of them have stories to go with them, but the most famous of all is the tomb of Eva Peron. Known by many as ‘Evita’ (little Eva), she is famous around the world for her acts as a socialist and as the wife of President Peron. She has even been played by Madonna in a very successful musical. There is a lot of love for Eva in Buenos Aires, and a museum about her short life, which I plan to visit on my return to the city.

You will also find in the north of the city, a collection of parks, many of them were closed on the Monday that I visited and I will try them again in my second visit. I did manage to visit the popular Japonese Gardens though. This was only about £4 to enter and was a peaceful space in the city to relax and enjoy the pretty architecture and coy fish.

El Tigre

If you take a train and head further North, you will arrive at El Tigre. This town is the Argentinian version of Venice. It did also remind me of the Broads National Park in Norfolk a little too. The town is at the beginning of the wetlands on the Parana Delta, and is made up of a central town, and then a community of people that live on separate islands within a river network. Whilst there, I wandered around the promenade where there are some gorgeous buildings, and then took a little boat tour of the river. The boat rides on the river here are not for the sensitive types, I was glad I had not eaten yet, as the boat was lifted from the water and waves crashed down alongside me. It was quite an experience! The little houses on the side were very interesting to see, but what was more strange was all the abandoned items in the river. I saw at least two rusty shipwrecks, and a telephone pole that looked like it might come down at any moment. It was very odd! I would have like to have ventured into more remote parts of the delta, but my tour just stuck to the main strip.

With my first stop in Buenos Aires complete, I am now on my way into the Pampas and towards the Lake District of Argentina.

A Trip to Liverpool FC!

So for Christmas I decided to finally give in and bought my partner a day at Liverpool Football Club to enjoy a tour of the stadium and entry to the mysterious Liverpool FC Museum (at least mysterious to me as I didn’t understand any of it). So… with only a few weeks left up North we decided to go last week and made a nice day of it in one of my favourite cities.

Journey to the Stadium…

As we make our way to Liverpool sitting on my seat on the yellow MerseyRail train I wonder what to expect from the tour… I am not a big footie fan, it all just seems a bit pointless to me… men running around with a ball trying to kick it in a goal. I also have no idea what the rules are about, the offside rule seems completely absurd to me and I just can’t get my head around it. My boyfriend loves Liverpool whilst my dad is a Crystal Palace fan so I tend to end up watching one or the other but not by choice.

I imagined that the stadium tour guide would mention a lot of big names in football that i had no idea who they were, and would probably make jokes with references i didn’t understand. I was however happily surprised by the reality of the tour…

The Tour (Steps Included)

The tour was led by an enthusiastic Liverpudlian who had been connected with the club for generations and had a great passion for Liverpool and all its history. He had some very interesting facts about the team, managers and stadium itself. He explained that the famous Kop stand was named after the Battle of Spion Kop which many British men fought back in 1900 and explained that it was one of the most famous stadium stands in the world because of the noise and passion created by the supporters in the stand. This was also the stand where thousands of fans would stand shoulder to shoulder passing others over head in determination to see the game.

We also wondered up several flights of stairs to see the inside of the expensive executive boxes and take some great snaps from the balconies. This wasn’t all, we were able to get extremely close to the pitch and wonder the stands which I think was a highlight for my guy as I managed to get some great snaps of him in his Liverpool FC attire. One of the other interesting highlights was that we got to see the upcoming new stand that is currently being built. I did look upon it and wonder how anyone will be able to see the game from so high up but apparently the view should be great!

The information given on the tour was quite remarkable and I had no idea how much history and talent was integrated into the game. It has given me more understanding of why the blokes in my life are so loyal to this very popular game. I would certainly say it was an easy to follow and very interesting tour.

The Museum

The Liverpool FC museum was a great display of memorabilia, imagery and information. The museum gave you a walk through the decades by the various parts that make the club; the team; the managers; and the supporters. I attempted to read all the information but it was a lot to take in and i found it much easier to ask my guy by pointing at stuff around the museum and saying “what’s that?!”

A new addition to the museum which i was especially interested in going for was the Steven Gerrard Collection. This is mainly because over the years he has been the only player i have recognised and I think its pretty interesting that he has just stayed with his hometown throughout. The collection was filled with his various personal keepsakes from his career including several shirts that he was given from different players at games including the likes of Suarez and Beckham. There were also medals, footballs and a few of his old uniforms. It was pretty nicely set up with a video of him talking about what the different things were and what they meant to him. A very good display I thought.

And the rest of this wonderful city…

In general I would say the tour is well worth it, even for those of us that struggle to understand the sport, and with it being less than two hours you may as well make a day of it and enjoy the rest of Liverpool with all it has to offer.

I’ve visited Liverpool a few times now but there are still new things to see each time. Liverpool One is of course the go to place for just some relaxation and retail therapy. It offers so many shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities that anyone can just spend hours there. Then there is the fabulous regenerated Albert Dock area where you can watch the ferries go by and even a cruise ship if you’re lucky! If you like to be enriched with history and art then you can also sample the Museums in the area for free! With a Maritime Museum, a Slavery Museum, a Tate Gallery, and not forgetting the new Liverpool Museum you will be spoilt for choice at the docks.

During this visit to Liverpool i decided to check out the Cavern Quarter; home of the Beatles. This small quirky area thrives on its connection to the world famous band and is filled with shops selling themed merchandise, music bars and of course the Cavern Club. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to stay for the evening entertainment but I imagine it to be spectacular. I hope to visit again soon and sample the nightlife in this wacky area.

In my opinion, Liverpool is one of the best cities the UK has to offer and it just seems to keep getting better.