Tags
Argentina, Buenos Aires, delta, family travel, Parana River, river, Tigre, Weekly Photo Challenge
We had covered Argentina from top to bottom, starting way up north at Iguazú Falls and winging it south almost to the tip of the continent to Patagonia. Bracketing those extremes were two stays in Buenos Aires, and this last one, for a few days before we finally flew home, was all about relaxation and absorbing all that we’d seen.
We settled into our bohemian little neighborhood, Palermo Soho, and planned very little for the sultry days and nights we had remaining. We ambled slowly through the narrow streets, licking ice cream cones, drinking wine, and popping into shops and markets at our whim. We photographed the doors and the vibrant street art, napped at the pool, and then ate and drank some more.
For one last outing, we roused ourselves to meet up with a business colleague who wanted to show us the town of Tigre and the Paraná Delta of waterways and islands that surrounds it. The area is a huge tangle of rivers and land covering over 5000 square miles, one of the biggest deltas in the world and one of the few that do not empty into an ocean. Here, the milky, muddy Paraná River splits into innumerable smaller channels and forms an ever-changing pattern of sediment-built, tree-covered islands.
We glide along in our gleaming, polished wood boat, brushed occasionally by willow branches and slipping in and out of sunlight. There are occasional signs that the delta was once both more and less than it is now. Belle époque-style buildings grace the shores closer to Tigre itself, and there are glimpses of larger houses hiding behind some of the modest, multi-colored cottages on stilts that line the shore.
As we chug lazily toward the Rio de la Plata, the river that divides Argentina and Uruguay, the little spits of land become more remote, and we can almost imagine the days when jaguars roamed here, giving their name (tigres) to the area. Tree branches cast their flickering shadows on the water, and the deeper we go off the main streams, the more we feel we’re on a Heart of Darkness kind of journey. All of us are lost in our own thoughts, staring dreamily at the languid water, as we work our way farther into the mysterious estuary and become more and more removed from the frenetic pace of modern life.
As we leave the tour boat channels, we crack one lazy eye open to watch local families spread laundry and other belongings in yards and on docks, and see lithe, sun-kissed children leap like dancers from launch to moorings. Mail boats, water taxis, and grocery dinghies ply these unhurried canals, and rudimentary cafes hide among the foliage; we would never find them without our native friend.
Around a bend in the river, we part the leaves of some overhanging trees and pull up to a weathered dock. We clamber out of the boat, climb the stairs, and are greeted by a man in shorts and little else. Our host knows the ropes and orders quickly for us: a bucketful of icy beers and a couple of margarita pizzas, which arrive with a mound of the freshest, greenest basil I’ve ever seen piled on top.
Sated and groggier than we were when we stopped, we pile back into the launch and begin the hour-long ride back to the marina. As we bob and skim back through the waterways, we awake from our floating dream and reenter the world of bigger boats, river commerce, tourists, and finally, roads and cars. Our lazy day in Tigre and the Delta is our final memory of Argentina and a great way to finish off the otherwise bustling city of Buenos Aires.
restlessjo said:
I was daydreaming right along with you, Lexxie! Pass me another glass… 🙂 🙂
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lexklein said:
Glad you were lulled by my memories of that lazy river, Jo! It was a lovely, relaxing day.
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J.D. Riso said:
A languid way to end what sounds like an epic exploration of Argentina. There is something hypnotic about rivers as they surrender to deltas.
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lexklein said:
Exactly that. We had been busy, busy, busy seeing this big country, and these last few days, especially the time on the river, were a gentle segue back into real life. “Hypnotic” is a word I was searching for as I wrote this post; I guess I’m glad I at least created that idea in your mind!
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Sue Slaght said:
Oh my heavens it sounds blissful. Perhaps especially the bucket of beer and pizza with the fresh basil. What a great way to finish up a trip.
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lexklein said:
I dream of that pizza, Sue! The people who owned the tiny restaurant/bar on that dock grew all their own vegetables and herbs on their jungly little island spot, so the pizza was bursting with flavor. The cold beer on a hot day was a real treat even if it did zonk us out even more than the boat ride had! 🙂
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Nurul Fitri Lubis said:
Beautiful photographs. .
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lexklein said:
Thank you! I was kind of bummed I didn’t get some of the more shaded, mysterious spots, but I think the shadows and filtered sun made for some unfocused shots that I decided not to take.
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leggypeggy said:
What a glorious excursion. I could also see a jaguar roaming there.
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lexklein said:
Yes! And snakes and lizards and other scary things dropping out of those low-hanging trees! We managed to steer clear of any overly-exciting fauna and just enjoyed the languorous ride!
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twobrownfeet said:
I almost didn’t participate in this week’s challenge because we’ve never visited (as far as I can remember) a delta! 🙂 Another ‘sight’ that makes it to our ever-growing bucket list. Your description was vivid enough for me not to want to look at the photographs and just keep reading. I’m always a little jittery over water (I can’t swim) and can’t wait for the ride to get over. I’d wonder what could be lurking in those murky waters! :)That’s what makes your account of your experience all the more fantastic and fascinating for me! Loved the burst of yellow in the first picture!
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lexklein said:
I’m happy to hear that my description overrode your fear of swimming – that’s a nice (and different) compliment! Although I’m a strong swimmer, I would be quite fearful about getting into murky, jungly water like this; ooh, I just shivered thinking about water snakes and big slippery fish brushing up against me! Thanks for mentioning the yellow painted wall – that was such a wonderful building, all covered with those brilliant colors and curious details.
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lisadorenfest said:
You’ve nailed this photo challenge! I am sitting here in Penang, mouth agape, dreaming of visiting the resplendent Tigre and the Paraná Delta of waterways. I am particularly drawn to the brightly colored pastel buildings juxtaposed against the brown and green earth tones. And the additional images that you manifest with your vivid words are just as magnificent. Hopefully, we will find ourselves in this area in 2019. Hug.
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lexklein said:
Well, thank you, Lisa! Being in your own colorful surroundings with your expert camera skills, you make me happy with such a nice comment! I agree that those simple pastel buildings on stilts on the muddy shoreline were a highlight; I just wish I had captured some of the little kids dashing around those yards. So … 2019 in South America … now THAT might be a good and easy meeting-up spot from Texas! (Not that I’m ditching SE Asia quite yet …!)
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lisadorenfest said:
Would love to meet up wherever, whenever in every port if possible 🤗.
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Alison and Don said:
How beautifully you write about Tigre and the delta Lexie. Your writing and photos took me right back there. We spent a day there when we were in BA a few years ago. I love the angled photo of the door!
Alison
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Alison! Did you stop at any of the places along the river(s) to eat? That was my biggest surprise. The nature was fascinating, but that gorgeous pizza piled with fresh ingredients remains one of my favorite meals ever!
While we were in Palermo Soho for those last two days, I did virtually nothing but poke around the streets with my camera, trying out weird shots and having fun with it – hence, the angled door photo – one of the few I actually liked!
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Alison and Don said:
I have a vague memory of stopping to eat in the delta, but that’s all. If I don’t write about/photograph it it’s gone forever lol.
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darwinontherocks said:
It seems so relaxing, laid back and peaceful. Love the colours, especially the vibrant first picture, and feel so relaxed just looking at your picture.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Gin – it really was an ultra-relaxed day. We just sat there and took it all in. Our host drove the boat, he knew the area like the back of his hand, and we felt safe, secure, and sleepy! That first photo was part of a whole wall of a building all covered with that wonderfully bright paint; I’ve always loved that one too.
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Green Global Trek said:
Mmmm sounds so lovely Lex, all the way down to the fresh green basil on the pizza! We used to have a business importing artisanal furniture from Argentina to the US, so we spent quite a bit of time in Argentina and just loved it. Buenos Aires is a real treat, as is the countryside, although from the sounds of it you went further and saw more than we did. We did a trip to the North which was wonderful but did not make it to the South.
Your description of the time on the river has made feel relaxed and chill. Haha thanks for that!
Love the photos.
Peta
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Peta! I’m glad we had the time to see so much of Argentina when we went. It was one of the last really long trips we have been able to take with the whole family since the kids are all working now. You would have loved that little “restaurant” – everything they served (which was not much) featured beautiful, fresh ingredients that they grew right there. It was such a wonderful surprise in the middle of the watery, jungly delta.
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Mabel Kwong said:
I agree with Jo. I was daydreaming along the river with you reading this post. It all sounded like such a dreamy experience, to and back. Very lucky of you to have visited a delta, and one that still hosts the simple, local life all round. Amazing to see how there are some magnificent architecture and buildings Belle époque-style along the banks, and further around you have simpler dwelling on stilts. You can definitely see the divide in the country, but from the sounds of it, that’s the way life is and locals make do. And it seems to work for them. The pizza with fresh basil sounds delicious. I could eat some right now. Always time for that 🙂 Also, great images, Lex. You’re very good with the camera.
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lexklein said:
The coolest thing was the way the locals used boats for everything – to get to school, to get to work, to buy groceries (the grocery stores were on the boats and made the rounds each day), to mail letters. When I was little, I dreamed of living in a watery world, and this seemed in some way like its manifestation! The pizza was out of this world – maybe still my favorite pizza ever (and that’s saying a lot because I really, really love pizza!)
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Liesbet said:
What a lovely find (or suggestion), that welcoming cafe along the peaceful river. A beautiful, relaxing conclusion of what sounds like an otherwise hectic trip. Being on the water, away from the hustle and bustle is often rewarding and quiet.
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lexklein said:
I keep droning on here that the pizza was so amazing that I still dream of it; ever since that time, I have thrown piles of basil (and now, arugula) on my pizzas here at home to try and recreate that taste! But it was also the surroundings; as you said, we were so ready for that peaceful, calm day after weeks of traversing a huge country with our kids. It remains a wonderful memory!
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thirdeyemom said:
Wonderful Lexi! I loved Palermo Soho! We stayed there too. Such a great neighborhood. I had no idea about the river nearby though. Sounds like a fun adventure! Looks like my dad and I are heading back to South America this fall. Booked tickets to Santiago for November!
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lexklein said:
Fun! Will it be mainly a city trip or will you head out from there to do some hiking? We stayed briefly in Santiago on our way to Torres del Paine for our circuit trek. We enjoyed the city and, of course, the amazing hike! I’ll look forward to reading about your trip.
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thirdeyemom said:
We hope to hike around there. I did Torres del Paine years ago and loved it. Apparently there are some good hikes in the Andes near Santiago
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Curt Mekemson said:
And there I was, Lexi, making my way up the Amazon again on a lazy river boat. Slightly different location but oh so similar. Thanks for recapturing a memory for me. Beautiful job. –Curt
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lexklein said:
I’ve never been on the Amazon but this is just how I picture it; I’m glad to hear I’m not far off. I do a lot of fiction reading, and some of my favorite passages have been about slow boat rides down the steamy, jungly Amazon, and I’m always so drawn in. This delta ride brought me a tiny taste of that.
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Curt Mekemson said:
From your photos, it looked the same to me, Lexi. One thing that might be different, is the width of the Amazon on the main channel. –Curt
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Dave Ply said:
I suspect when many people think of river tours they’re likely thinking of those heavily advertised, upscale touristy floating hotel boats on big European rivers. Isn’t it nice when you can get away from the fancy hubbub and get a taste of the smaller backwaters?
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lexklein said:
Yes! And we had the added perk that this was not even a tour – just a ride on the personal small boat of a business colleague of my husband’s. I felt like we saw the real deal there, meandering through the various channels, seeing the river residents’ houses, and then stopping at that teeny dock with the best pizza and beer on earth!
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Tina Schell said:
We did a very similar trip to yours but never heard about the delta. Bummed to have missed it as it’s probably a place we’ll never revisit. So far away and hard for us to reach. So glad to have seen it at least second-hand! wonderful post Lex
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lexklein said:
I’m not sure if we would have known about it or found it without our local friend. It’s a place Porteños like as a getaway from the city. I just looked online and there are day trips with some companies into the Delta, but we liked our personal little “tour” just poking in and out of the various branches of the rivers!
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1girlonejourney said:
Very beautiful!
Well described.
http://sagrikajhamb.com
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lexklein said:
Thanks very much!
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1girlonejourney said:
Do check out posts on my blog and follow if you enjoy 🙂
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awtytravels said:
I’m considering a trip to Argentina in the very near future, Lexi, and this river delta – whose existence was absolutely unknown to me prior to this blog! – sounds quite enticing. Some photos are almost Louisiana-y, don’t you think?
Fabrizio
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lexklein said:
Yes! And in appreciation of your use of that fabulous adjective (Louisiana-y), I will add “bayou-esque” to the description of the delta. There is something very similar about that area and the Gulf Coast terrain in Louisiana and even my new home, Houston. And yet, it also calls to my mind an African river cruise (like Conrad’s ride in the Congo) or an Amazon excursion, as Curt noted in the comments above. I guess we travelers always see somewhere else in our surroundings! Can’t wait to see what you might do and see in Argentina – it is a diverse country in so many ways.
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badfish said:
Lex…when anyone mentions Iguazu Falls, I am immediately transported back to Argentina. When anyone mentions pizza on a river…well, I’ve never been there, but I can imagine the bliss. This trip takes me back to India for some reason, to Kerala, and the not-quite-river, but lake boat rides…
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lexklein said:
I guess floating on any body of water feels kind of the same – a lazy passing of time. Add in some amazing pizza, and bliss is most certainly the result! Speaking of lazy bliss, hope you are still enjoying your idyll in Bali this summer. (Have you decided to go back for more in Abu Dhabi; you keep hinting that you’re done, but …)
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badfish said:
You’re right…floating on a body of water is calming, no matter the body…unless of course, there’s a hundred foot falls straight ahead.
Done—Ha! yeah, I’ve been saying I’m done in AD for about six years now. 30 June was the cut-off date to resign. I missed it…again. So it’s another year, or lose end-of-contract bonuses.
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Jane Lurie said:
Hi Lex, I loved floating along with you… loved Argentina but didn’t make it here. Looks like a marvelous contrast to Buenos Aires. Great post!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Jane! It was a nice respite from the city, especially as we had spent two different time periods there on this trip, at the beginning and the end. So glad we had a local contact who showed this to us!
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Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
We spent 2 straight weeks in Buenos Aires, but I really wish we’d gotten out and around a bit. How lovely for you that you had some colleagues to show you the Delta. We didn’t make it out to explore those areas, nor Patagonia or Bariloche… 😦
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lexklein said:
We were definitely lucky! On our first stay, we got invited to a family BBQ in a backyard, and you can just imagine the meats in Argentina! My carnivorous family was in heaven, and even I had to try the steaks (I did take a pass on the various sausages!).
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AndysWorldJourneys said:
I found Tigre a lovely change of pace from BA. lovely pics. Worthwhile day trip/escape!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Andy! We, too, found it a very pleasant and relaxing end to our trip to a big city, especially after two separate stays there.
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Madhu said:
Beautiful images and account of a lovely part of Buenos Aires. We spent eight days in BA owing to the shutting off of the airport due to volcanic ash from Chile! The longest we have stayed in any city, and our day out at the Tigre delta was one of most memorable by far. It was long before I started blogging, and I just realised that I never got down to writing about it.
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lexklein said:
It’s been interesting for me to see how many BA visitors did not even hear about Tigre when they were there! I suppose in eight days you’d be clamoring for new places to go and things to see, so I’m happy you made it out to this much calmer and slower place right near the city. Although I loved the scenery, I think I most enjoyed peering at the daily activity of the people who make their lives and livings along those waterways.
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strivetoengage said:
Wow, you have a great writing style. I felt like I was there with you in the dappled shade, peering into the jungle on the Tigre river banks.
On one of our trips to Buenos Aires we met up with bird watchers that we had met at Puerto Maldonado and we walked together down to the Tigre delta for some very good bird watching. Did you have a chance to notice the water birds when you were there?
You make a very good point about how surprisingly intimate it is to look at people’s lives from on a river, as opposed to walking down a street. I have found the same on rivers, most memorably was my first international trip, to Thailand when I was 14. Similarly, one can glimpse intimate snatches of life from trains.
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lexklein said:
I did notice the birds, but I don’t know enough to be able to identity them. (My husband and I joke that we may eventually turn into birders; we both like them but can’t currently imagine competing to see who sees the most!).
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strivetoengage said:
Yes, I know what you mean! We prefer to work as a team to spot and then identify birds, mostly for the challenge of the identification step, and then there’s the pleasure of being still and observing nature!
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strivetoengage said:
In truth, wild mammals thrill me more than birds but it’s birds that are more accessible and abundant. The best part of our day at the Tigre was seeing a wild guinea pig running into the pampas
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
Beautiful trip and closure of your time in Argentina. It reminds me of the same type of boat ride I once did in the Amazon river.
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lexklein said:
I’ve never been on the Amazon, but I felt like this is what it would be like! Where did you do your Amazonian trip?
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
It feels pretty much the same.
I flew to Manaus and from there, in the middle of the night, took a very small boat to the hotel located somewhere in the forest. I’ll look for the name. It took one hour to get there.
From there we went by boat everywhere, sometimes rowing.
We also did the part where the rivers Solimões and Negro meet but not mix. Beautiful to see.
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lexklein said:
That sounds amazing! A favorite novel (State of Wonder) takes place in and near Manaus, and I’ve always wanted to go there!
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
You must add to your must see list. Here you can see the photos for that trip. Not made with a good camera though, but you get the idea.
http://luciledegodoy.com/2014/10/17/the-amazon-forest-in-brazil/
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
This too:
http://luciledegodoy.com/2015/05/09/amazon-forest-in-brazil-photo-101rehab/
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
My brave moment:
http://luciledegodoy.com/2015/05/07/momentarily-brave/
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