Blogs from Resistencia, Chaco, Argentina, South America

carrying on from where we left you, we spent the rest of our time in tupiza chilling out, tupiza was a strange place - very small and it really was just like the wild west!. we left tupiza at 0600 (after a lengthy check out due to our need to pay by card and the nightwatchmans incompetence) we had pre bought our bus tickets to salta (argentina) although as there was no direct bus we had to get on a public bus for a couple of hours before we could get on our bus! although the man i the booth never warned us of what was ahead, he did tell us that we had to be there at 0630 for the first bus which was fine, although there didn´t appear to be any buses which matched ... read more

I find myself translating Dhaka into Spanish, whether on Avenida de Gulshan, at the Mercado Nuevo (New Market) or on Calle Siete Mezquitas (Satmosjid Road), and is it any wonder with the city half-draped in Argentine blue and white, the smiling Inca sun god Inti to greet you on any corner? The enormous enthusiasm Bangladeshis have for the World Cup is contagious, and for about the first time in my life I am enjoying a sports tournament. As I write they’re about to play, one of the Dhaka home teams, and along with half the city I am hoping for an Argentine victory. As well as translating are moments of reminiscing, about the three weeks spent travelling in Argentina in 2005. I remember the plate-overflowing slabs of beef, the world’s most delicious, and being confused when ... read more

We arrived at about 5:30 am. The streets were full of young people in their party best just emerging from the bars. Some of these young people decided to help us find a hostel, a nice gay couple that spoke spanish and extremly loud english, and a quiet lady friend of theirs who spoke spanish and timid french. Just try to picture us all communicating (or trying to) and walking about town (or trying to) all the while other happy young people are trying to "steal" us away. Luckily, Emil protected his prize foreigners and got us to a good hostel. At length. Fantastic hospitality.... read more

From the Igauzu falls to Salta in the North of Argentina, lay the mighty ´Impenetrable Chaco´- a remarkably flat arid land covered in thorns, with little in the way of resources (both materials or people to exploit them) for the young colony to grow into. With religious and financial zeal, they still plonked settlements. It was hard going, with some being abandoned under hostile and determined pressure form the local tribes. 'Resistencia' was named following successful defence from a number of attacks. Perhaps another town named 'Reconquista' was not quite so lucky. Argentina's winter holidays and the weekend made last minute accommodation and buses hard to find. Resistencia broke up our trip between Igazu and Salta nicely into two palatable nightime segments, so unfortunately we saw none of the Impenetrable Chaco. Sandwiched between two overnight buses, ... read more