Tag Archives: heritage tourism

Easter in bonny Scotland

This Easter weekend, I threw my bag over my shoulder and took a six hour train ride to Edinburgh! The capital of Scotland became my base to explore my neighbouring country with friends.

The journey from Norwich was much faster than I expected, and a lot easier than I think driving would be. On arrival in Edinburgh’s train station, we were already surrounded in shopping and restaurant opportunities as well as the gorgeous Prince Street Gardens. A great introduction to the city. We made our way to our AirBnB on the edge of the city centre, and got ready for a night on the town!

Exploring Edinburgh

As a capital city, there is of course a lot of areas to explore during the day and at night. We found the most buzzing area was just down the hill from the castle, where the market takes place and there are lines of restaurants and bars with outdoor seating to enjoy the living city atmosphere. I would say that the city can be expensive for an evening out, especially if you want to enjoy a cocktail… or two… or three! That may have a small part to do with the high number of stag and hen do groups we saw stumbling around town dressed in kilts and veils!

On our first full day we ticked off a bunch of the main attractions and had a fab time doing it, in one of the most rare sunny days that Scotland has mustered!

One of the most popular attractions that we saw was Edinburgh Castle. Once I recovered from climbing the steps, I was able to appreciate the awe of the castle that was surrounded by tourists. From the entrance of the castle you can see an amazing view of the city, and as you enter into the castle complex, the views continue from different angles, including far away landmarks, and up close ones; like the soldier’s dog cemetery…

From inside the castle, you can visit the old chapel, prisons, crown jewels, staterooms and much more. The information provided was really good and I particularly enjoyed learning more about the Scottish Monarchy and particularly Mary, Queen of Scots, who is an extremely interesting woman in history. She spent her life fighting for her rights as Queen and being sought out by her enemies, and she was very unlucky in love repeatedly. She still managed though to bring life to the first King of both Scotland and England.

Two very different images of Mary, Queen of Scots

If you only had a few hours to in Edinburgh and wanted to learn about the history and see the whole city at once, the castle is definitely, the ‘must see’ place.

After leaving the castle we wondered down the ‘mile’ which is the long tourist filled street where you are never short of hearing a bagpipe or being able to find yourself your own brand of Tartan. Not far along, I came to the St Giles Cathedral, which was a nice place to just take a seat and enjoy the ambience, and the cool escape from the hectic busy centre outside the doors.

After a little break, I delved into more inspiring arts and information by visiting both the National Gallery and the Museum of Scotland. Both had great information and exhibits, but the gallery was definitely less daunting than the very large museum.

The Scottish Highlands within easy reach…

On our last full day which also happened to be Easter Sunday, we decided to go on a full day tour of the highlands. The tour was on a coach with many other visitors from around the world, and was led by a very good looking Scot in a kilt, who kept insisting he did not feel the cold when he blasted the air conditioning on full and me and my friends were going blue…

The tour visited some key locations like Glen Coe, and local castles and villages, but the big one was Loch Ness. We visited in by road, and then took a cruise on the lake, which in hindsight was very crowded with tourists, and this was during the beginning of Spring, so not the busiest time of the year. The lake itself though is incredibly large! It apparently is so deep and wide that you could fit the whole population of the world inside several times over. I don’t know why, but I was expecting something a bit smaller, so I was impressed. It is just a shame that this was the day that the Scottish weather came to visit and we were all stuck in the wind and cold, but we did avoid the rain!

Farewell to Edinburgh

Before leaving the city on our final morning, we did a little exploring of the local cemetery and were able to see and secure photos of the grave of the infamous Thomas Riddle. That’s right, the dark lord himself. Well… actually, it is the grave of someone with the same name, apparently J K Rowling took the names of many of the Harry Potter characters from this very same graveyard. Spooky!

Finally, it was time to jump back on the train and bid farewell to the capital of Scotland. I pondered on it, and decided that I would be happy to return to Edinburgh and see more of the highlands and Isles too, but for now it was just time to take a long nap all the way home…

A step into the North East

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Whilst the world began to prepare for the Christmas season, I decided to jump on the train (in the middle of a train strike) and take a solo adventure to the North East of England, ticking more cathedrals off my list.

York

I set up a base in York for my week in the North, at a hostel nearby to the center. York has a lot to offer, being good for shopping, historic walks and interesting attractions. I spent my afternoons there wondering the streets that were used for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, which now have wand shops, and novelty potion brewers. As well as a great shopping offer throughout the historic city, you can also walk the entire length of the historic roman walls, this walk takes less than a few hours but it does give you spectacular views of the city and the splendid York Minster.

York Minster is the cathedral for the area and the largest gothic cathedral in North Europe. It is dated from 1200s onwards and is a very important venue to the church of England and the English monarchy. The space inside is huge and features a huge rose window with significant symbols of white and red roses relating to the symbols of past monarchs.

York’s castle and museum is also well worth a visit. The museum has very visual exhibitions, split between the old prison, a sixties exhibit, and a unique victorian street that looks straight out of Oliver Twist! Definitely a fun place to visit!

Going further North

One of the days in the week, I headed further North to Newcastle with a stop in Durham on the way back.

Newcastle was a whistle stop tour with a historic cathedral, the actually castle that the town is named after, which is today in some ruins, and I even found a beautiful historic gallery and library close to the train station on my way back. The library is still open to the public but is a great photo stop!

On the return journey, I stopped in Durham, which is a beautiful university city, to see what is thought of by many, as one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the UK. I can see why!

The windows and stonework are beautiful, and the cathedral even has a gorgeous medieval clock. It is next to university buildings and so you cannot help but be jealous of the students that get to live and study in the amazing surroundings.

Finally, I took a half day stop in Bradford in order to visit the small cathedral there, which turned out to be a pretty building to see, and was smack in the middle of a thriving town center and Christmas light display.

I am slowly getting there with my quest to see all the Cathedrals of England! A bit more than a few still to go though!

A trip through the midlands, UK

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On my quest to visit all the cathedrals in England, I headed to the center of the country to tour around the cities that offer interesting histories and charming atmosphere.

Nottingham

Making Nottingham my base for the week, I stayed at my sister’s place in the centre of town where I could enjoy all that this historic city has to offer. Nottingham is probably best known for the legend of Robin Hood, where the tales of a hero from Nottingham that steals from the rich to give to the poor and hides out in Sherwood Forest, brings many tourists to the city. Whilst this romantic tale, provides a fairytale backdrop for the city, its current offering also has a lot to be proud of.

Nottingham offers historical charm in old pubs and underground city networks that can be explored, but also a vibrant shopping and entertainment experience. I stayed in the main high street areas, and each night there were the sounds of live music from varying pubs and a lot of activity to be heard. I wouldn’t doubt that some of this is because of the two thriving universities in the city. The city council seem to be very committed to creating free entertainment and events in the city, and I have seen festivities frequently within the main town squares.

My top picks of things to do in and near Nottingham city would be:

City of Caves – entering from the shopping centre, you can pop on a hard hat and explore the ancient city under the streets of the city.
Wollaton Hall – this historic estate and deer park is a beautiful location for taking a walk, and enjoying a picnic. It also hosts many free events to enjoy.
Lunch in ‘Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem’: The oldest Inn in England – This pretty little pub is a lovely place for a bit of food amongst traditional decor.

Leicester

A short trip from Nottingham, is the city of Leicester. I was not sure what to expect of this little city but in an afternoon I explored the city and had a tasty dinner here. The claim to fame for Leicester is King Richard III.

This famous English King was long debated in history as either a deformed monster of a man, or a brilliantly talented soldier. He had been portrayed by Shakespeare and in many other writings. He had died in battle and his body was lost for centuries. Up until 2012, he was lost and debated, but then the news broke, that his remains had been discovered in a carpark in Leicester! His body was recovered and tested, and his story could finally have some evidence to coincide with it.

The car park, is now a visitor centre, and I spent several hours here, learning about his story. It was a really brilliant museum, and he is certainly an interesting character. He now lies to rest in the cathedral, which was unfortunately closed for restoration during my visit. That is okay though, as it gives me more reason to return!

Derby

I have visited Derby briefly a few times over the years, normally when I am between trains and travelling as it is such a central location in the UK, and often I have visited just the shopping area for a little retail therapy and food. This time round I made a choice to spend the morning doing a proper visit to the city, and I found a gem within the city.

As well as visiting the sweet and simplistic cathedral that Derby has to offer, I wondered along the river and came to a wonderful new attraction called the ‘Museum of Making’. Situated inside a building which is widely regarded as the world’s first modern factory, Derby’s old silk mill. This building draws you in as a curious visitor, and as I am also a keen crafter in my free time!

The museum is a very open space and has a restaurant, conference area, workshop space and exhibitions. It is all about learning about different materials and the manufacturing of goods over history, and links very well with the importance that the midlands had,in England’s industrial history.

There are huge examples like aeroplane and car parts taken apart to show the inner workings, but then also an entire section devoted to wood works for example. There is also a large space devoted to the regional train networks that were so important, and a large model train to admire, worked on by volunteers. The museum is a really lovely space to visit and does really well to demonstrate the history of the area and the pride people have in their trades here.

Birmingham

The last stop of the week was a visit to Birmingham. I’ve visited this huge city before for conferences with work, as they have a big meeting and conference offering for businesses in this modern city. On this occasion, I only visited the Cathedral.

The cathedral is full of colourful stained glass and is in the centre of a bustling city square.

Outside the cathedral, Birmingham offers plenty of museums, galleries as well as family experiences like the Sea Life Centre and Cadbury World.

Now the cathedrals around the midlands area have been taken in, I take my travels North East, as I head to the city of York, in the weeks leading up to Christmas!

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Paris of the Americas (Part Two)

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Following my first trip to Buenos Aires, I returned to the capital city at the end of my three month trip around Argentina to have a final week there, enjoying some attractions I had not been able to visit in my first visit. This time I was joined by a travel companion and was staying in a luxury hotel.

A focus on Evita

Following my first visit to Buenos Aires, and visiting the grave of Evita, a famous Argentine first lady, this time round, I visited the Evita museum. I was keen to learn more about her life and work for the state. The museum is housed in a previous home for the poor that was set up through a foundation that Evita begun. The museum has several rooms with projections of Evita’s film clips as an actress, her speeches as an activist and also a viewing gallery for her red carpet gowns.

I found the museum to be really interesting but unfortunately photos were not allowed. The information was really good about her early life, career, relationship with president Peron, and her death. I learnt that she had a lot more involvement in charity work than I had realised. She also won the vice presidency but turned it down, which I was not aware of. After finishing our look around the museum, we had a tasty lunch in the museum’s restaurant which has a very nice courtyard.

A walk around the parks

I was able to visit a few more of the park’s in Buenos Aires this time, although not all of them, as the rosalade (rose garden) was closed for upkeep.. very annoying. I did manage to visit both the Botanical Garden and the Eco Parque which are next door to each other. This took a full morning, and both parks were worth a look, and free to enter.

The botanical garden has many exotic plants and large trees as expected, and had attempted to theme different sections by different garden styles, for example french or italian.

The Eco Parque is a very different experience. This pretty park used to be a zoo with many large exotic animals, and elegant victorian styled animal houses. In recent decades, most of the animals have been moved to other locations, or sent back to their natural habitat.

There are a few that still roam through the park though, because they are either too old or unwell to move, or do not need to be relocated. The park still has an old camel, plenty of capybaras, strange half rabbit half deer things, and even some monkeys. It is a pleasant place to take a walk in the middle of this huge city, as you never know what new animal will be around the corner.

Nightlife

In the evening, I was lucky enough to be rejoined by my German traveller friends again as they also finished their journey in BA. We headed out to Palermo Hollywood for a night of clubbing and mischief. After a night that lasted until around 6am, I was glad for my full hotel continental breakfast the next day!

La Plata

For a day out, we decided to visit the capital of the Province, the city called La Plata. The city was easy to get to, only 90 minutes on the train, and the main attraction there is a beautiful cathedral.

The cathedral is gorgeous on the inside, and as well as the main church, the attraction offers exploration of the crypt with a museum about its construction and original pieces, the opportunity to be lifted up the tower, and a sweet restaurant. A lovely morning out.

Horse riding in the Pampas

The province of Buenos Aires is part of the ‘Pampas’ region, and this is where the gauchos (Argentine cowboys) farm cattle the most. So, I decided to book us a day of horse riding in the area.

The four hour riding experience included a traditional asado lunch at the house of a local which was pretty special, and the horse riding itself was an unforgettable experience. For good and bad reasons…

The horse I was given, was a little young and barely broken in. This was coupled by the style of gaucho riding which is very different compared to english riding. The saddles and riding kit on the horse is very different and there is no front to the saddles. You are also expected to ride one handed and without a riding hat.

Whilst a little nervous about my horse’s behaviour, I took on the challenge. We rode through long grasses, roads, ditches, and woodlands and after trotting, cantering and a little bucking by my horse, I did manage to stay on the horse! Even though I was a little banged up. The experience was good fun, but the major downer was the extreme amount of mosquito bites I endured all over my legs i was rubbing toothpaste on my legs for days after! (Fun fact: it takes out the itch).

Lunch in Uruguay

We became aware that you could visit Uruguay easily from Buenos Aires’ port by crossing in the river ferry for around an hour. It’s always tempting to cross another country off the list if the opportunity arises, so we booked our ferry tickets and took the pleasant ride across to a town called Colonia del Sacramento. From here you can also take a bus to Montevideo (Uruguay’s capital) but we decided to save that for another trip. Colonia del Sacramento is a picturesque town with a very portuguese style to it, from when it was colonised by Portugal.

There are a couple of small museums and a church in the town to enjoy, and we had a long and luscious lunch of a traditional Uruguay dish called ‘chivito’. This is like a giant inside out meaty sandwich. Like Argentina, Uruguay also does not skimp on food portions.

Before we knew it, it was time to take the ferry back across the river. We had a good laugh about how we left the country just fot lunch though! 🤣

Tango

You can’t visit Buenos Aires and not watch a little Tango, as the traditional dance of the city. Not only can you see people dance this in the streets of Caminito in Boca, there are also plenty of theatres offering shows and classes. I wanted to do a class but they were multiple hours and I felt too lazy about it, plus I only had walking boots to dance with.

I did decide to book a show and after a little research, I booked a show at Teatro Porteno. You had an option of paying for the show on its own or with dinner included. I chose to purchase just the show which was about £23 but then on arrival, we were also provided with another menu to pick and choose food. We went for some empanadas and a delicious ham and cheeses board.

The show itself was amazing! Focused on locations around Buenos Aires, there was a variety of styles of Tango on display. They also had an act that used drums and cattle whips to create impressive rhythms with the music. I was really glad I visited.

Another location where tango can be viewed and learnt is Cafe Tortoni. This is one of the oldest and most fabulous cafes in Buenos Aires. The decor is very traditional italian/ bohemian and many famous faces have eaten here. We decided to visit for a merienda (afternoon snack) and really enjoyed our visit with some great sandwiches and cake.

There were plenty of other bits and pieces I experienced in this bustling capital, but these were definitely the highlights. My return to the UK following Buenos Aires was a very long journey, but also gave me time to reflect on my amazing journey around this beautiful country.

After my return to the UK, I will soon be embarking on my next journey, working on board a cruise ship around the Mediterranean…

10 Interesting Facts about Argentina

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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?

Iguazu Falls, Argentina; World Wonder of Nature

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The Iguazu Falls meaning ‘big water’ in the native Guarani language, is a huge set of waterfalls set within the Misiones Jungle, at the Iguazu National Park. This world wonder provides a border between Argentina and Brazil, and a unique habitat for plants, trees, birds and other rare wild animals. I visited Iguazu for two days of exploring in the jungle and relaxing with good food and company.

Arriving in Puerto Iguazu

After a fifteen hour bus journey from Corrientes, I finally arrived at Puerto Iguazu. This town is the nearest settlement to the Argentina side of the Iguazu National Park. The town has several hotels and plenty of restaurants for relaxing evenings after exploring the jungle. I met up with a travel companion at this point, and we stayed in a hotel that was surrounded in jungle plants and had a very nice pool!

The jungle by day

During my two days in Iguazu, I visited the national park on both days. The national park is under 30 minutes from the town, and on arrival there is a large visitor centre, cafe, and ticket offices. The park also has paved pathways to lead you through specific parts of the jungle, and various refreshment points. The most surprising piece of infrastructure was the park’s jungle train. It runs on a 3km track to take visitors to the largest fall that is furthest away, and is included in the admission for the park. It is also worth knowing that your second day in the park gets a discount if you show your previous ticket.

Whilst there was some human structures, the park in no way looked ‘well kept’. It is a very wild area and I was amazed at the amount of animals that I was able to see roaming around. In my short time there I was able to see monkeys, capybaras, coatis, toucans, parrots and condors. There were also beautiful insects to see such as colourful butterflies, and huge ant hills with ants carrying leaves back and forth. There were also pumas and jaguars in the park, but they kept to themselves!

The jungle path led us through overlapping canopies of huge and unusual trees, until we reached the huge Iguazu river that flows through the park. To cross, there is a number of metal bridges to lead visitors to the largest fall ‘Giganta Del Diablo‘ (Devil’s throat). From here you can view the huge fall from a platform. There are several other paths to the other falls and other features of the park too. It seemed that everywhere you turned, there was a new wonder to behold! We only chose to walk around but other experiences are also offered, such as a river cruise, 4×4 drives, and repel experiences.

The jungle by night

Once a month, during a full moon cycle, there are a few days when you can visit Iguazu Jungle during the night, for a moonlight walk. I was excited to book this, and emailed the national park administration in advance to arrange my moonlight walk, followed by a traditional Argentine buffet.

There were at least twenty people in my group walk, and a guide that gave us a little information, but mostly warned us to not stray from the group, as the Jaguars would be out hunting! Slightly terrifying!

The tour used no lighting at all, not even a flashlight, we were entirely guided by moonlight. This made it quite special, as we could mainly just rely on the sounds of the jungle. We made our way through to the Devil’s Throat, over the many bridges, with the moon reflecting over the river water. The humidity in the jungle during the day had now dropped down to the ground, causing the bridges to be wet and slippery, which really added to the fear factor.

When we finally arrived at the waterfall, it was absolutely beautiful to see by moonlight. It shimmered in white and silver as it fell to the depth below, and the noise of it was deafening amongst the silence.

After the moonlight walk, we wondered to the national park’s restaurant for our traditional buffet. The restaurant was quite fancy, and had a huge parilla barbeque cooking meat of all kinds. I must have had at least three plates of food at that restaurant, as well as a dessert. I was stuffed, but it was also absolutely delicious!

After my weekend in the jungle, I set off to return to Buenos Aires for my final two weeks in Argentina. Iguazu certainly earns its title as a natural world wonder, it is an astonishing place with an abundance of wildlife, and I would be happy to revisit!

Corrientes, Argentina & Ibera National Park

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Corrientes city was supposed to just be a stopover on my way to Iguazu National Park, but due to the bus schedules, I had to stay for almost three nights. This ended up being a stroke of luck as not only could I enjoy the city, but especially because I was able to visit Argentina’s biggest National Park, and the world’s second largest wetland, Ibera National Park.

Corrientes city is the capital of the Corrientes province in the North of Argentina. I wasn’t sure what to expect as many people asked me ‘why are you going there?’. There is little publicised about this city or the nearby national park to visitors. It is still one of the world’s less explored locations. I am very happy about this. The city has a mix of some modern amenities but also a lot of old school traditions. Ever seen a road sign that says that pulling your horse and wagon through is prohibited? Now, I can say that I have. There are plenty of people still using horses to get around, and it is brilliant to see. Made me feel that maybe I could get picked up and trotted away by a local cowboy!

The city sits within this huge wetland area and has the huge Parana river separating it from the next big town. This huge river provides a promenade to enjoy and some beaches, so it is a good place to relax. I enjoyed a local ‘chipa’ (dough cooked over bamboo) and a smoothie whilst enjoying the sunset here. Later in the evening, I had a pleasant experience at the holy week mass in the main cathedral.

It was the week of Easter when I visited, and so all the local tour agencies were very busy. I was worried I would not be able to get out to Ibera National Park (also known as Esteros del Ibera), as it is 2.5 hours from the city, and I didn’t have the confidence to hire a car alone to this wild area. After some long whatsapp conversations with a few agencies, they managed to arrange a private transfer to Concepcion, which is a town that offers one of the access points into the park, and a long kayak trip on the rivers and bogs!

The Park is about 1 million and three hundred thousand acres in size. It not only comprises of rivers, bogs and lakes, but also grasslands, forests and savannas, depending on the part of the park you are in. The park is abundant in wildlife and is used to reintroduce many indigenous species. Deers, anteaters, caimans, and even tigers called Yaguareté can be found here.

I set off in my kayak with a group of Argentine people surrounded in marshy waters with lily pads all around. Within ten minutes I saw my first caimen, specifically a Yacare caiman which is medium sized (growing up to 3 metres). It was just poking out of the water, until I got a little closer, then I could see it slip away with that long tail swimming side to side. Amazing! Within half an hour, I had seen another two. It was such a cool experience. I was a little nervous, but the guide assured me that they would not attack, and they did seem quite timid really.

As I continued to row along, I saw beautiful and noisy birds of different colours, and enjoyed the scenery. We stopped for a picnic on top of the grasses, and as we began to dig into our sandwiches, a big Carpincho came by to have a look. These animals are known for being the biggest rodents in the world, and there are plenty of them in this national park. Shortly after this we saw a deer, followed by an owl, and even a south american racoon! I was very happy, I felt like all the animals had come out to see us.

I began to row back with a view of the sunsetting on one side, and a full moon on the other. One of the most beautiful scenes of my life.

The park can be explored by kayak, motor boat and by horse! Although.. you and the horse will have to get a little wet. I would love to return here and stay in the park itself for a few more days exploring other parts, because, just WOW!

The adventure isn’t over yet though, next stop Iguazu National Park! EEEEeeekkkk!

Cordoba, Argentina: ‘City of Bells’ / ‘La Docta’ / Cultural Capital

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The second largest city in Argentina, after Buenos Aires, Cordoba links the Capital and Pampas region to the North West. This huge city is well known for many things, and sits within the rolling Sierras landscape. It was founded by Jesuits, leading to one of its many nicknames ‘la docta’ meaning ‘the wise’, because of the Jesuits founding the first university there that became a jewel for the city. The city is thought to have been named Cordoba in honour of the founder’s wife who was from Cordoba in Spain. What a romantic gesture! Anyway… I was in Cordoba for six nights and had a blast!

The city has not only history, culture and good food, but is also bustling with modern amenities and a great nightlife. On my first day in Cordoba, I went on a free walking tour which showed me around the old part of the city, and inside the gorgeous cathedral.

In this tour I made friends that I would enjoy the company of for the rest of the week. As well as a feisty Mexican and two South Koreans in my hostel, and two locals I enjoyed dinner with. 🙂

I joined my new friends in the first evening for a night in Guemes. This bohemian part of the city, has a collection of trendy restaurants, bars and clubs. We danced the night away to the modern music of Argentina and the odd hit for the states until 4am. It was a good night.

There are plenty of museums and things to enjoy inside the city, and I had particular fun visiting the various shops and one of the fine art museums.

‘Dirty War’

Another interesting piece of history that was clearly dominant in Cordoba,was the remembering of the ‘Dirty War’. During the ’70s there were a series of kidnappings, torturings, and murders of Argentine people by their military government at the time. Anyone that criticised or opposed the government in anyway was abducted, and many were never seen again, becoming one of ‘the disappeared’.

There were up to 30,000 people that went missing including students and pregnant women. Many of the pregnant women were killed and their babies were illegally adopted by government officials. Every thursday people still gather to protest what happened and ask for any information about what happened to their loved ones. If an Argentine person has questions about their identity, they can even access a free DNA test to check that they are not one of the stolen children.

The history is shocking, and appalling and there is a museum to remember this in the centre of Cordoba. It is housed in the former official building where people were taken, tortured, and killed. It has several testimonies of people that were present there, photographs and possessions of victims. The city itself also has statements, photos and symbols in memory of the tragedy around different parts of the city, even though this happened throughout the country.

Surrounding the city

Outside of the city, there are plenty of towns and scenic drives to enjoy. There are also a few towns that were colonised by Germans, and so have German style architecture and attractions. Unfortunately, the tours to these locations were all booked so I could not visit, but I did enjoy the authentic company of my new German friends, so I was happy with that! Some of my new travel buddies had hired a car for the day, and invited me to join them on a tour of the area.

We followed google maps out into the hills and drove along the ‘El Camino del Cuadrado’ a road that winds around mountains, and takes you to a town called La Falda. This town has a pretty little church, a cuckoo clock, and a restaurant with heavenly pasta, and complimentary sangria! We stopped in a nature reserve on the way back and joined the locals in a dip in the river under the sunset, and it was super relaxing. On the way back over the hills, we drove back to the city amongst lightning throwing clouds, with the radio blasting.

Later in the evening, I joined the Germans at their hostel for some games, drinks and laughs. Our friend from Holland joined later, and brought some friends from her hostel. There was plenty of laughter and conversation at our little party in the hostel, with two guys from Germany, a guy from Ireland, a girl from Holland, a girl from France, a guy from Brazil, a guy from Argentina, and little English me. These last minute adventures and meetings of like minded people are so rewarding, and possibly the best part about travelling.

I spent the following days recovering from the late nights, relaxing and visiting nearby towns within easy reach from the bus station.

Cordoba is a great city, and I would say that it has something for everyone, but ultimately it is a place to relax, dine and enjoy. Next stop.. Corrientes.

Salta, Argentina: ‘la linda’

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I had a six day stay in ‘la linda’ (the beautiful) city of Salta. This gorgeous city truly deserves its nickname, as it is without doubt the most beautiful city I have visited in Argentina. The city is inviting with friendly people, great architecture and intense surrounding landscapes.

Salta is located in the North West of Argentina, and has a surprisingly green landscape considering that this is where the country’s desert landscape starts to come into play, as the roads begin to lead towards Bolivia.

Inside the city

Within the city surrounded by lush green hills, there are plenty of old churches and buildings to explore. From San Martin’s plaza in the centre, spanning out, it is a pleasure to the eyes to look at the colorful and colonial buildings.

The cathedral is of course a must see, but there is also a church and monasetry to San Francisco. I stopped here to see the museum to find that there was a tour provided in Spanish and English of the monastery. This was an excellent tour which cost the equivalent of £2.50! The guide took us through old tunnels, and courtyards, to the top of the church nave, and we were able to climb the bell tower. This was a good moment for me, as everyone else was struggling to climb the tower, and I was fine! This is unusual, obviously, my months of trekking have been effective!

On the tour, I befriended a lady from England, we had drinks together and it turned out that her husband was working near Salta, to set up a lithium mine! Lithium mines are big money in Argentina and Chile at the moment apparently, I never even realised that they existed!

As well as churches, the city has a number of excellent museums to explore. I went to several, and there were two that were really impressive. The first museum is the museum of high altitude archeology. This small museum is centred around the nearby mountains and the ancient inca people. Unfortunately, I could not take any photos inside, but it was astonishing.

The main discovery that the museum focuses on is the find of three inca children that were sacrificed on top of a nearby mountain. They were found with several dolls and other objects, all in pristine condition… including the bodies of the three children. Frozen by the cold conditions, these three inca children (2 girls and a boy of different ages) are preserved and on display (one per season). When I visited, the 7 year old boy was on display, he is huddled over and still has all his skin, clothes and his hair! You can even see the dead lice in his hair. I have never seen anything like it before. Of course, it is amazing but also very sad. This museum is a must visit, if you can stomach seeing the kids.

Another museum, that was very good was a bit of a surprise. All week long, I had heard (in spanish) bits and pieces about General Guemes. A historic hero of Argentina, but I was struggling to understand the history, so I visited the Guemes museum. This museum is housed in the original family home of Guemes. The great thing about the museum is that with the use of sensors and projections it is completely immersive. Pictures and treasure chests coming alive in front of your eyes to tell you the story of Guemes. It turned out he was a Gaucho (Argentine cowboy) that led an army of Gauchos over many years to resist invasion from Royalists. He seemed to be very impressive, and by the end actually sacrificed himself in order to not surrender.

During another day of my trip, I had the good fortune to spend the day with a lovely guy from the city. We spent some time at another museum, had lunch in a historic bodega overlooking the central square, and then rode the cable car to the top of the nearby hill/mountain for a gorgeous view of the city below. The area at the top of the cable car attraction has a few restaurants, the view point, and a winding path of waterfalls to relax by.

Day trips

During my time in Salta, I went on three separate day excursions. There is so much to visit in this region, that you need to be choosy about what you visit. There are several villages and towns where you can enjoy local culture, buy artisan crafted gifts, and enjoy authentic cuisine. I was even able to visit a demonstration of how local pottery is made, fired and used, on a local llama farm!

The highlights for me were two very different landscapes available to see a few hours (in different directions) from the city. The first, was found following a network of jungle landscapes and climbing to altitude of over 4000 metres. Eventually climbing down again to a huge area of salt flats, called Salinas Grandes.

Similar to the salt flats in Bolvia, this site is simply a flat bright white landscape as far as you can see. Salt is mined from here, and for a few quid you can wonder the salt flats and take amazing photos. The local people also gather here to sell gifts crafted from the salt. I bought a little llama made of salt!

The other amazing landscape, was in the Los Cordones National Park on route to a town called Cachi. This is a desert of giant cacti. Easily over 8 or 9 metres in height, these cacti tower over everything else and go for many miles and up in to the hills. Apparently, it is because of this that many of the old ‘wild west’ movies were filmed in this area. I felt like it was definitely the right setting for it, and I was very aware of where the minibus was the entire time, so not to get left out in this very baron area.

Evenings

I spent my evenings relaxing with a great new friend from Brazil. We enjoyed dining in the range of restaurants in the city, and also visited a local Pena scene. A Pena is a local folklore show, but the restaurant we visited, had performances in different rooms of this old house by the diners themselves. Every time music in one room stopped, another room began to sound out with acoustic guitar or beautiful singing. It was a unique experience.

Overall, Salta stole my heart a little. A beautiful place in every way, with rich culture and history. I would definitely visit again, and would recommend a visit there to anyone in the area. Next stop, Cordoba…

Mendoza: Argentina’s Culinary Capital

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Mendoza is located in the North of Argentina, close to the border of Chile and it’s capital city of Santiago. It is well known for being Argentina’s key wine making region, as well as being a small city with several suburb neighbourhoods. I visited Mendoza for a few days on my way across the North of Argentina.

I travelled to Mendoza from Ushuaia over several days, mainly by bus. My main overnight stop being in Bariloche again, where I enjoyed an unexpected hostel party before my final bus. On arrival to Mendoza, I checked into my hostel, (which was not very desirable), and relaxed quite a bit on my first day, but the humidity of the city did mean that I was eaten alive by mosquitos.

Following my rest, I began to explore. Mendoza is a reasonably small city with many small suburbs and hills surrounding it. The city has plenty of restaurants and shops, and of course several opportunities to taste wine along side Argentina’s famous asado dish. Unfortunately, the city is lacking in other things to do and see. There is a museum dedicated to the city’s foundations, which was somewhat interesting, but it is quite small and with little information in english. Next door, are the ruins of the original church, but the entire experience takes less than an hour.

The other thing to see is the Parque San Martin. This is a huge park which you can relax within, it has a huge lake, and a museum of natural sciences. I did enjoy a pleasant lunch in front of the lake following the one exciting thing there is to do in this city… paragliding!

I decided to ‘tale the leap’ and enjoy a short paragliding experience from the 100 metre cerro (mountain). I thought it would be more scary, but you did not have the chance to get scared, you are simply strapped in and pushed off! Then you can float over the city for 15 minutes, and enjoy some complimentary acrobatics from the pilot, which were fun but almost made me vomit!

As well as paragliding, there are other adventure sports available around Mendoza, for those that do not want to spend their time just drinking and eating. Rapid rafting, repellling, climbing and hiking are all available, and Mendoza provides accessible trips to the tallest mountain in the Americas, Mount Aconcagua. I was happy with the paragliding as my bit of adventure for that time, as I was only there a few days.

I realized that I could not come to Mendoza without visiting the wineries, even though I do not drink much wine normally. There are countless tours selling full day and half day guided tours to the ‘bodegas’ which are the wineries. These were quite pricey, and as I knew this was not very important to me personally, I decided to find a cheaper way to do it. I found out that some of the bodegas offer tours for free, so I made a reservation directly with one of them.

I booked a one hour tour with the Lopez family Bodega in Maipu which is only a 25 minute bus ride from the centre. Down the road from there is also an olive growing farm where you can also access tours directly. So my day became sorted for very little money at all, saving me around £100, and I still got to have the tastings. The winery had giant wooden barrels storing their oldest wines, and a small museum about the history of the bodega, and it was quite interesting to learn a little about the process. Equally, the olive farm was very pleasant, and I learnt that to have a mature olive tree that produces enough olives to be commercial it takes several decades, so they have to be quite dedicated.

Overall, I think Mendoza is a pleasant city and especially well suited to those visitors that like a little luxury and love their wine and grilled meat, but if you are a little more of a commoner like myself, it is best not to visit unless you are prepared to part with a good bit of your cash and have some adventurous activities!