Argentina feels like home

Wersja polska

I've lived already in different cities, I've travelled a bit and I noticed how with some places you connect while others don't leave behind nothing more than few memories and pictures. It doesn't matter whether you've lived somewhere for a long time or you've spent there only few days. Some places from the beginning give you that comfort of feeling like home.

I've found this type of connection with Argentina. I still haven't seen too much of it. It's a huge country, not that easy to discover within few weeks, but I definitely want to come back.

Sea lion sculpture in front of  Museo de Arte Contemporáneo of Mar del Plata and beach in Necochea 

I must say it feels great to enjoy a bit of summer during our cold, dark winter which always lasts too long. I'm not dealing good with winter. My mood is usually down and I look forward to first spring sunshines. That's why I'm always very happy to visit the other side of the globe at this time of the year. 

Right after you get off the plane and you feel warm wind and strong sun on your skin, you start enjoying every moment of this atmosphere, so much different from what you have left behind. The vacation mode is on and you can start recharging your batteries.

Mar del Plata

But why would you go to Argentina if you can enjoy nice weather in winter in some other place closer to Europe? This post is going to be the answer. 

Argentina with its rituals, tradition and cultural diversity creates a unique place which has to be visited. There are some things which you gonna notice right after leaving the airport and once you see them you can be sure you are in Argentina. 

First of all- people. Argentinians are very open, warm, nice people. They are also very sociable and talkative, so don't be surprised when on the street or in the bus they start to talk to you. The definition of small talk in Argentina varies strongly from what I know. Forget about weather-talk. Most people are probably going to ask you whether you already have family, how old are you and where do you live (happened to us many times!). Don't feel offended by these- sometimes quite personal- questions. It's just a normal form of communication there, even between strangers. I must say it's very refreshing to finally have a conversation with other people and not only to exchange polite but empty words. Forget the formalities. I've never heard anyone using Mr./Mrs. form there. Everyone is chico/chica/chicos. Everyone kisses on the cheek when they meet. It's simple and nice. 

Before I went to Argentina, I knew it was famous for two things- beef and tango. Beef is a wide topic and deserves separate paragraph. Tango is an unseparable part of Argentinian identity. Originally, tango was quite nostalgic music expressing neverending homesickness of European emigrants, who escaped from wars and found shelter in Argentina.

In Buenos Aires you can see people dancing on the street (some of them making some kind of small performance, some of them just to practice or for fun), you can also go and visit a milonga- a bar where people dance to tango music. Anywhere you go you can hear tango. When I was waiting for my plane back in Buenos Aires they played tango from the loudspeakers in the airport. If you would like to check some of this music, I recommend you to listen to Astor Piazzolla (revolutionary tango composer) or Bajofondo (band playing electrotango).

Tango show on the street of Buenos Aires

Another thing you are going to see everywhere in Argentina is people drinking mate. Mate is traditional drink reminding a bit of tea. You prepare it by putting dried leaves of yerba (plant) in special cup called mate and pouring hot water on it. Then you drink it from mate with metal straw called bombilla. Yerba has very specific taste, you can't compare it with anything else. It's quite bitter so some people add  a bit of sugar. Mate is not only a drink, it's a whole ritual. Usually you drink mate with your family and friends, eveyrone is sharing one mate and one bombilla and passing it around the circle.

Mate is a whole business in Argentina. Almost everywhere you can buy yerba and necessary equipment. There are special bags to put your termo, mate, package with yerba and bombilla. There are even disposable mate sets in case you forgot your mate home. Literally, Argentinias take it everywhere- they are tripping with mate, enjoying it on the beach, in parks or even in the office. On each gas station there is a machine where you can buy hot water for mate. Even far away from Argentina we often meet with our Argentinian friends for mate. It's really nice ritual which brings people together. I enjoy it a lot.

Mate and facturas- Argentinian sweet buns

Talking about enjoy- this is another thing typical for Argentina- people really enjoy life there. They like to spend a lot of time with another people, they are positive, loud, they laugh and talk a lot. Even when times are hard, they look at the bright side and try to get the best of it. And what do they enjoy the most? Food. Argentina is a country of  g r e a t  food. You can find there so many amazing things to eat that if the above things didn't convience you to visit it (unlikely), go there to eat. You are going to love it. I do. But about that I will tell more in my next post :)