Rosario

---

Rosario

The home of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the resting grounds of many soccer fans killed in all-too-common lynchings, and the bearer of the Argentinan Flag Monument, Rosario is located North of BA and slightly west in the province of Santa Fe. The city is known for being quite picturesque due to outstanding architecture, art, and - as every Argentinan man kept on reminding me - the women. Have no worries about the last item. On the flip side, Rosario is known to be also a dangerous place, almost on the same level as BA. I have so far had no troubles in Argentina even though I have taken my share of risks. Whether Argentinans exagerate or not about crime in their country, I couldn't say.

The Flag Monument is an outstanding sculptural and architectural piece. It is not simply one sculpture place on a platform - rather, it is a large complex comprising a temple-like structure enclosing a large flaming urn, a vast platform of marble, two flag pavilions, a very large statue representing the Argentinan nation, and a very tall flagpole bearing a flag of large proportions. The entire complex is designed to represent a ship. Underneath the large sculpture there is a room dedicated to the flags of all American nations, their national anthems, and their national flowers. From that same room one can take the elevator to the top of the statue and get a good view of the city. I didn't know this until it was too late, unfortunately.

The city offers a view not only of its buildings (some very neat rooftops) and streets, but also of the Parana river that straddles Rosario. This river is very large. Right now it is very full of water and one can see trees and other plants that get carried south by the river. The riverside has become the hotspot for locals in the afternoons, who come to tan, meet other people, and exercise. Following the Parana I realized that sculptural work was not the only artistry in the city of Rosario. For instance, right on the riverside there is a series of warehouses whose sides are covered in graffiti and one big sign, " School of Urban Art". I have rarely heard of such a thing. I took a peak inside, but the place was pretty empty and not much was being fabricated inside at the time. Beyond I also found a small center for contemporary arts, emphasizing performing arts, and the "Casa del Artista", a building in which many art-related events occur such as workshops, classes, and probably exhibits. I wouldn't be surprised if artists lived in there as well. Even further on stand three peculiar silos painted in pastel blue, pink, and green. This is the much advertised Contemporary Art Museum of Rosario. I was so excited about it that I came back later (from far away) when this place opened. The collection was almost in its entirety a disappointment. The term "contemporary art" is used sometimes as a way of excusing the obvious absence of technique in the pieces, and here this was painfully obvious. The best paintings were simple portraits which were obviously faithful copies of Photoshopped pictures (simple ones too!).

One of the attractions of the city which are considered most important by the more bohemian travelers is the Che Guevara monument and museum. I only went to the monument, whose base is encrusted with keys. I am still trying to comprehend the symbolism. I believe that the keys were sent in by admirers from all over to cooperate with the sculpture. The plaque claimed that over 1000 people collaborated with the sculpture - probably with their keys. Let me know if you can find a compelling reason for this.

In the night Rosario comes alive in its center, with people shopping on the main pedestrian street of Rosario. This madness actually starts earlier on, at about 4 or so. In these areas of Argentina I have observed too many people not working which isn't really compatible with people shopping so avidly in these more expensive places. Maybe the people I have seen are on vacations...

Victoria

I took a little side trip to see this nearby town that Melissa once went to on an MEI missions trip. To get there I had to take a bus and cross the large new bridge of Rosario (very nice bridge) and two or three subsequent bridges. The journey explains a lot about the positioning of these cities. They are in a land full of rivers. I mean FULL of rivers. The entire place looked partly riverlike and partly marshlike as far as my eye was capable of seeing (I had lost my glasses in BA, so my sight isn't perfect right now). It is really a beautiful setting.

Victoria was dead when I visited it (and this wasn't even on a weekend. It was Wednesday!). As always in Spanish South America, it has a very nice plaza flanked by a couple government buildings (whether currently used as such or not) and a Catholic church. The tourism office is inconveniently distant from the plaza, but still not to hard to get to (this is a small town, after all). From the tourism info office I walked down to the Costanera (road along the coast) where I found many, many people fishing the afternoon away. They mostly caught small fish whose name I don't remember anymore, but the fishermen told me stories of larger fish such as the amarillo and the surubi. Victoria even has an annual competition for fishing amarillo. A bit further on there is a fancy hotel and a casino. This town must be a favorite summer town for many Argentinans in the area to be able to afford such luxury. Even further, a fishermen's dock and a campsite.

Once I was done with the riverside, I began my hunt for the UFO museum. That's right, UFO. It is clearly not a government initiative since it's way out of town, but I can see it being a popular attraction (I was excited to see it! And I don't give much thought to such matters). Suckydeal enough, it only opens on weekends. Then it was back to the busstation and back to Rosario.

---

Photos

me
through the eyes of public art

Parana
at Victoria

wire sculpture
hare inside a rabbit