Argentina Adventure

June 3 2009 1:23 p.m.
After the intense school year, I decided that I need a little vacation. As I wondered through the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Botswana, a salesman approached me and offered me a brochure about a trip to Argentina. I have always wanted to explore Argentina because it was the only country that I have not visited in my quest to retrieve artifacts. I immediately phoned my friends who were also in need of a vacation. Through their voicemail, I found out that they had all left for their own vacations.
June 4 2009 2:00 p.m.
After I made up my mind, I boarded my flight to the Buenos Aires Airport and I saw the Paris of South America after several hours. It was a glorious sight. Skyscrapers, shoppers, tourists and cars were all infused with a South American flavor. The whole city was easy to navigate because the streets were in a logical grid pattern with regular numbering and taxis were cheap. Without further delays, I hailed a taxi to drive me to the Teatro Colon featured in the brochure from the airport. The Teatro Colon gave Buenos Aires its nickname of Paris of South America and the Colon’s seasons only ran from April to November. The building was built with a combination of Italian Renaissance, French, and Greek styles. As I listened to the actors perform, I understood why the brochure stated that the Colon’s acoustics were near perfect. After the play, I dined at a French restaurant called Au Bec Fin, which was located on Vicente Lopez, and planned my next day.
June 5 2009 7:20 a.m.
I bought a ticket to the famous Tren a Las Nubes. The train started at 7 a.m. in Salta and stopped at La Polvorilla Viaduct which was 4,197 meters above sea level. The round trip took about 14 hours but it was worth the time since the ride was considered one of the last great railways in South America. The train took us to the Quebrada del Toro an hour into the ride and arrived at San Antonio de los Cobres, the old capital of the former national territory, some time later. Besides the scenery during the ride, the train itself included a dining car and bar. I spent half a day eating to gain back the weight I loss in Africa and I also used the time to join a sight seeing tour of Argentina recommended in the brochure.
June 6 2009 11:00 a.m.
I met the group after the train ride and the guide of our group drove us to the Iguazu Falls located on the northeast of Argentina. We saw the waterfall from both Argentina and Brazil to get a better view. We got on a free boat ride at the lower circuit of the waterfall and the ride took us near the waterfall. It was exciting! After a brief rest and several trips into the surrounding rainforest, a private helicopter arrived to fly us to the Parque Nacional los Glaciares. We saw the Devil’s Throat, which was a part of the waterfall, after the helicopter took off. The Devil’s Throat plunged 70 meters to the bottom and created a fine mist. I proceeded to take a nap on the helicopter but before I fell asleep, someone screamed. I opened my eyes to find that we have arrived at the Parque Nacional los Glaciares on the Peninsula Magallanes. The screams I heard were actually squeals of joy. The guide told us that we were on the glacier of Ventisquero Perito Moreno which was a 15 story high glacier and a World Heritage Site. Sadly, the guide informed us, there was no calving of the glacier since 1988. The calving of a glacier would create a large displacement of water but the glacier would only calve after every three to four years. We walked around the glacier for a short time and the guide took our group to a place to get some rest. I stayed behind to take some ice samples of the glacier but instead, I obtained a crystalline object that was the size of my palm. The object radiated light. I estimated that the object was buried in ice for more than two centuries but it still felt warm in my hands. I felt it was my responsibility to bring the object with me so I jogged to catch up to the group.
June 7 2009 12:12 p.m.
The guide explained the history of Argentina while we rested. The guide said that during the colonial period, Argentina experienced 20 years of prosperity which attracted the attention of the British. The British tried to take over the land but the local militias prevented the British from controlling the area. Argentina gained independence in 1816 after years of European dominance and influence. A lot of Europeans immigrated into the country during the later 1800’s because of the economic growth in Argentina. Argentina was considered the richest South American country in the early 20th century. Argentina was neutral in both World Wars but the Argentine economy experienced instability from the sudden decrease of European demands for Argentine goods. In recent years, President Duhalde devalued the Argentine Peso to make the Argentine export more competitive on the global market.
June 8 2009 4:09 p.m.

I ended my Argentine trip with a bit of tango and salsa. I arrived at the States at approximately 12 p.m., just in time to prepare a few steaks for a BBQ party on my birthday.