from the rough and tumble of Bolivia to the brash and Eurocentric culture of Argentina. Salta is gorgeous -- sumptuous colonial architecture in brilliant pinks and reds and an artsy, bohemian feel.I meet a friendly middle-aged Polish businessman on the plane who regularly visits Argentina to replenish his wine collection. We share a taxi to my hotel, a grand old colonial number on the main square, and he invites me to lunch at his favourite restaurant where his favourite wine will be waiting. Unfortunately, I cannot find the restaurant and grab an overpriced bite in one of the cafes lining the main square.
Since I have only one day in Salta before my pre-booked ticket to Buenos Aires (who knew South America was so big?) I begin a tacky tourist dash to see the Lonely Planet highlights of Salta, dodging the wine and bus tour touts along the way. 
First stop is the teleferic which takes me by goldola up to the top of Cerro San Bernardo for beautiful views over the city and surrounding mountainous countryside. This is wine country but unfortunately my schedule will not allow me time to visit neighbouring wine region where Malbec is the grape of choice.
Later I visit the spectacular colonial church of San Francisco and the Museum of Archaeology. The highlight in the latter are 3 perfectly preserved 6500 year-old mummies of infants sacrificed as part of an ancient Inca ritual. The corpses are kept in specially constructed transparent temperature-controlled freezers. The mummie were found in the mountains surrounding Salta. Had a nice late meal -- steak of course.
Next morning I embark for the fabled city of Buenos Aires. I had booked a room in a classic bed and breakfast run by three affable guys. It was on the fringe of Palermo Viejo - the upscale/bohemian enclave now divided into Palermo Chico, Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho. Oh so trendy!!
My B and B was very Parisian, in keeping with the aesthetic of the entire city. Miguel, Marcello and Roberto and 2 dogs - a poodle and a Boston terrier - maintain a stylish place, complete with croissants and confiture at breakfast and far too many Gitanes. Are we sure we are not in Paris?
The streets in this area are beautiful with many high-end boutiques and 
stylish restaurants and clubs, and pricey condos. Go around the corner though and things can get rough real quick. And as expected I saw many of the beautiful people Buenos Aires is famous for. Cosmetic surgeons are everywhere here: Buenos Aires reportedly claims the highest rate of plastic surgery in the world as they strive to maintain youthful European good looks. The slender bodies and tight faces everywhere - including on the President - indicated that body image is a major fixation here. And like Paris, dogs and "le chocolat" are everywhere too.
stylish restaurants and clubs, and pricey condos. Go around the corner though and things can get rough real quick. And as expected I saw many of the beautiful people Buenos Aires is famous for. Cosmetic surgeons are everywhere here: Buenos Aires reportedly claims the highest rate of plastic surgery in the world as they strive to maintain youthful European good looks. The slender bodies and tight faces everywhere - including on the President - indicated that body image is a major fixation here. And like Paris, dogs and "le chocolat" are everywhere too.
A real highlight of my time in Buenos Aires was meeting up with Ken from Vancouver and Johannah from Ottawa with whom I had previously worked on youth employment issues in the Government of Canada. We spent many hours strolling the streets of Recoleta and Palermo. Over a bottle or three of fine red wine we dissected the quirks, politics, and history of Argentina and related our various travel adventures and gossip from home.
Having figured out that the main meal is lunch, lasting from 12:00 or so to late afternoon, three of us and their Argentine veterinarian friend Pablo headed for a classic Argentinean steak lunch at one of the chicest and delectable places in town: La Cabrera. It did not disappoint - a groaning feast of flesh with wine, and trimmings which took us to 4:00pm. Marvellous!
Of course, Buenos Aires is also known as the place where the tango ("the vertical expression of a horizontal desire") was invented. Having skated Argentine tangos in ice dance competitions over the years, I had to visit the shrine of tango in the Italian district at the south end of Buenos Aires named La Boca. The colourfully painted tin hou
ses are a picturesque backdrop in what is now a somewhat touristy area where tango dancers will dress you and pose with you in 
full tango expression. I took the bait and got a picture taken with a tango dance instructor. Okay, I do become a tacky tourist now and again.
ses are a picturesque backdrop in what is now a somewhat touristy area where tango dancers will dress you and pose with you in 
full tango expression. I took the bait and got a picture taken with a tango dance instructor. Okay, I do become a tacky tourist now and again.My other tango experience was an unforgettable evening at Piazzolla Tango, a cabaret style tango dinner and show at a beautifully restored cabaret theatre. The show was a classic with a company of 8 superb tango dancers and full orchestra and singers specializing in the music of famous Argentine tango composer Astor Piazolla. Should I skate tango again this will shed a whole new light on the experience.
Of course, Eva Peron must also figure in any trip to Buenos Aires and I made a point of visiting the Casa Ro
sada on the Playa Mayor where Evita made impassioned speeches to the huddled masses as wife of President Juan Peron. She also died of cancer here - a saint to many, a shameless opportunist to others. I also visited her burial place at the incredible Recoleta Cemetery, modelled on Pere Lachaise in Paris, where the stately 
families of Buenos Aires bury their dead in magnificent mausoleums, some of which are practically cathedrals.
Of course, Eva Peron must also figure in any trip to Buenos Aires and I made a point of visiting the Casa Ro
sada on the Playa Mayor where Evita made impassioned speeches to the huddled masses as wife of President Juan Peron. She also died of cancer here - a saint to many, a shameless opportunist to others. I also visited her burial place at the incredible Recoleta Cemetery, modelled on Pere Lachaise in Paris, where the stately 
families of Buenos Aires bury their dead in magnificent mausoleums, some of which are practically cathedrals. I
spent 5 days in Buenos Aires and made sure to spend a lot of it just strolling the Paris-like boulevards, admiring the architecture, lingering over coffee and pastries in beautiful cafes, visiting art galleries, strolling craft markets and people watching, a fave activity of all Portenos. I also took in some of the incredibly late night life here where dinner is never before 9:30 and clubs do not start rocking until 1:00am. BA is a city to return to despite its horrific past.I left Buenos Aires to catch a flight to Iguazu Falls on the border with Brazil.
This is the largest falls in the Americas and a huge tourist draw in South America. Unlike Niagara, it is buried 
in the jungle and is a national park shared by both Argentina and Brazil. There are some 250 separate cataracts, requiring many vantage points to fully appreciate. I spent a couple of nights at the neighbouring town of Puerto Iguazu to properly view the falls from both sides. On the Argentina side a range of trails through the ju
ngle and catwalks allows you to get very close to the falls and feel the mist. On the Brazilian side, which required several changes of bus, a border crossing, changing of money etc., I was able to see the full expanse of the falls from a distance and fully appreciate the enormous scale. Of course both sides encourage you to spend as much time (and money) as possible on their side. I th
ink I liked the Brazilian side best since the panoramas and rainbows were so beautiful. Unfortunately I did not have time to visit the ruins of the Jesuit Missions in the area, made famous in the film The Mission.
ngle and catwalks allows you to get very close to the falls and feel the mist. On the Brazilian side, which required several changes of bus, a border crossing, changing of money etc., I was able to see the full expanse of the falls from a distance and fully appreciate the enormous scale. Of course both sides encourage you to spend as much time (and money) as possible on their side. I th
ink I liked the Brazilian side best since the panoramas and rainbows were so beautiful. Unfortunately I did not have time to visit the ruins of the Jesuit Missions in the area, made famous in the film The Mission.It was a quick trip through parts of Argentina but it gave me an impression - a good one - and is definitely a country I will plan to visit again.
