Last week, I got impulsive and decided to travel out to Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe, for the weekend with Jaime, a friend from Colombia. The bus ride took about four hours, since the city is 300 kilometers from BA.
Rosario is the 3rd largest city in Argentina and its "claim to fame" is that is where the Argentine flag was raised for the first time after Argentina's independence from Spain. The monument, aptly named the Monumento a la Bandera, is a huge 70 meter stone statue. For just two pesos, you can take an elevator to the top, giving visitors a spectacular view of the Parana river, which borders the city. Next to the monument is a beautiful propylea and, in between it, a man-made pond. Standing next to the monument was a police officer, who stood there doing nothing as a homeless man wandered through the pond collecting coins people throw into it for good luck while his 1-2 year old daughter sat just feet away from the water, unsupervised.....Que pais!
Later in the day on Saturday after exploring the primary tourist spots (including a monument dedicated to Che Guevara, since Rosario is his birthplace), we hopped aboard a boat for a two-hour cruise of the Rio Parana. We didn't see much wildlife (although the brochure indicated we would), but it was relaxing after walking around the city. On board, I met an 85+ year old man from California who was visiting Rosario with his girlfriend, who was from there.
After the sun sets, Parque de la Independencia puts on a pretty nice water show while playing classical music. Visitors can rent paddle boats to experience it up close (while avoiding the many bats right above you hunting mosquitoes and other insects). Later that night, we went to a parilla libre (free barbecue) where, for just 36 pesos - less than $10 US - you can indulge in a HUGE buffet with all types of steak, seafood, fresh pasta and desserts. I have been to a number of parilla libres in Buenos Aires, but this was, by far, the biggest I've seen. It probably sat upwards of 1,000 diners.
Today (Sunday), we went to the casino at the Pullman Hotel. Just randomly, I put five centavos into a machine near the front door and walked away with 65 pesos - enough to pay for my dinner last night and lunch today! Enjoy the photos from this weekend's excursion to Rosario and stay tuned for my next blog update after the Makano Reggaeton Night concert this Friday!
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