More Sightseeing in Buenos Aires...FINALLY the last Tango!
Tigre Delta
Tigre is a town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, north of Buenos Aires on the Paraná Delta. The town sits on an island created by a gazillion small streams and rivers and was founded in 1820, after floods had destroyed other settlements in the area. It was first settled by Europeans who came to farm the land, and the port developed to serve the Delta and to bring fruit and wood from the Delta and ports upstream on the Paraná river. Tigre is still an important timber processing port and is also the starting point for a visit to the Paraná Delta. Boats are the favourite way to travel through its web of inter-connecting rivers and streams, sort of akin to a small Venice, with churches, camping, even grocery boats! I like that idea! The brown waters are run off from inland jungle rivers...(Thanks Wiki, I cannibalized it a tad).
We had a really fun tour of the Tigre River, mostly because it was just us and a family of three in our van. We had a few laughs and learned more Spanish from kids Sol, 13 years and Josée(fina), 3 years who were so excited to see our photos of pingüinos and the snow in our backyard at home. The guide Elba remarked at the lack of fencing around our Ottawa house, something we take for granted.
Bikes and Transit
In the blistering heat of the afternoon we rented bikes and toured the Ecological reserve - couldn't believe the number of fitness gurus who were running in that heat and humidity! It really is a gem in the middle of the city.
We followed this up with a trip to the cooler subway and just went a few stops and back to say we did it. It was a cheap cool off for us at 75 cents apiece.
We also enjoyed a dinner and tango show at the famous Tango Porteño Club and it was lovely and the dancers beautiful, but I think we're "tangoed out".
True Story, Funny Story...aren't they all?
We had met Val and Steve from Stonebridge on the ship when Val noticed my Ottawa Race Weekend jacket and said hello. We shared many interests in common and got to chatting (go figure), and were amused that Val is a CFRA listener and had heard Rainer on air with Rick Gibbons the day he was talking about his impending retirement. They had already booked their cruise to South America and when Rainer was mentioning a cruise and some of the ports, she yelled to Steve to come listen as "this guy might be doing the same trip as we are". They were also one day ahead of us in most cities so we exchanged emails and met up with them again in Buenos Aires for dinner (and later in Iguassu and Copacabana). Tons of fun, and maybe a few shenanigans.
Argentinian beef and wine was on the menu for all of us - steaks and a bottle of the finest red...a lovely evening, a quick ride on the bull and we were off. Hey, when in Argentina...
If one of the photos appears upside down it's because the photographer was standing on her head...
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