Long time, no see!

I bow down to xkcd, as always.

Interupting argentina for a link

I just wanted to chime in with this link to The Where Blog: A blog about urban places, placemaking and the concept of place.

I was stoked to find this blog because I am infatuated with Urban place and because they link to amazing pictures and I like visuals.

Take a look-see!

Do you recognize any of the pictures from your city?

Do you have any blogs to share?

Holidays in Argentina

There are several national holidays in Argentina, this country knows how to embrace culture and how to throw a fiesta!

Here are a few examples:

March/April: Carnaval de Pais!
This is celebrated two weeks prior to the start of Lent- similar to Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnavale in Brazil.

It is widely celebrated throughout the country with parades, parties and merry-making. The biggest festivale is held in Gualeguichu where they have a 38,000 seat venue with a stage that holds 700 dancers.

They really know how to make plan a parade!

May 8th: Día de la Virgen de Luján
Our Lady of Lujan is the patron saint of Argentina. On this day Catholics in the country celebrate their patron saint with Mass, processions and festivals.

Tradition says that an ox-drawn wagon was taking a statue of The Virgin from Buenos Aires to Santiago del Estero. The animals stopped at the Luján River and refused to cross. Through trial and error the teamsters discovered that if the box with the Virgin was in the wagon, the oxen would not move; if it was removed, then away they went. After testing this several times, the people realized that Our Lady wanted to stay in Luján, and so she is there today.

October 12th: Día de la Raza:
This holiday started in 1917 as a celebration of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus.



The holiday is still observed throughout South America and North America. In Argentina it has evolved into a celebration of cultural origin and diversity in the community.

Argentina: How to Tango

The controversial dance of the Tango originated in Argentina amongst poor immigrants from Africa, Italy and Spain. The exact history of the dance is greatly debated.

Rather than sort that out, here is a quick pictorial on how to Tango!



Dont' for get these key elements:

Tango music:
The accordion player in the Mandrágora Tango Orchestra played at my wedding.

Dancing Shoes:


The Steps:


The Rose:

The sexual tension:


And a partner, because it takes two to Tango!

Fast forward Argentina

Ok, I have to zip ahead for a bit. Here are some facts about Argentina today!

The country elected a female President in December 2007:


Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

She is a lawyer and she was a senator from the Buenos Aires Province. Oh and her husband was formerly the President of Argentina, Nestor Kirchner.

Huh, how about that?

Here she is talking energy with her cohorts from Bolivia and Brazil:


By the way, there are 23 provinces and 1 autonomous city in Argentina. The country is a Federal Presidential Republic.

The official language is Spanish for the 40,301,927 people who live in Argentina.


The currency is the Argentine Peso, there are just over 3 pesos in 1 US dollar.


The country is rich in natural resource and was one of the richest countries in the world 100 years ago. The economy hit rock bottom around 2001 and they are now on an economic upswing.

Their resources and industries include oil, fisheries, natural gas, various silver mines (gold, magnesium, silver, etc, forestry, tourism, and agriculture.


Of course we cannot forget their greatest export:

TANGO!!

Argentina: Post-Europeans

Spain established Buenos Aires around 1580. Buenos Aires remians the capitol of Argentina and is also the largest city.

Buenos Aires Planning Map 1880

Buenos Aires Today

The descendants of Spanish immigrants/colonists in Argentina are called criollo. The Spanish brought in slaves from Africa to help make their new colony fruitful.


In 1806 the British tried and failed to overtake Argentina from Spanish rule. The people of Buenos Aires took the opportunity to fight for their independence from Spain. Independence was officially declared on July 9th, 1816.

More on modern Argentina to come....please stay tuned!!!

Pre-Argentina

Before the Europeans came along in the 1500's, Argentina was inhabited by indigenous tribes like the Diaguita, the Mapuche and the Guaraní.

The MapucheThe Diaguita

Diaguita woman today

The Inca Empire invaded Northwest Argentina in 1480, under the guidance of Pachacutec, whose name means "He who remakes the world". (He is believed to have been a contemporary during the rise of Manchu Picchu in Peru.)

Battle against the Incas

The native peoples of the land were able to resist Spanish settlement n Buenos Aires until 1580, even then Argentina remained rugged for 200 year.


This delay is due to the unification of indigenous people. They avoided being used for European labor by developing large cattle ranches in Pantagonia, know as Haciendas, where they lived and worked together.

Modern ranchers in Pantagonia

Gauchos, a South American version of the North American cowboy, came to be as these ranchlands needed protection and workers to thrive.

Gaucho- 1800s