In October 2016, we enjoyed travelling with Marga's family on a two-week holiday to Buenos Aires and north-east Argentina, including the Iguazu Falls.
The trip was to coincide with a lecture that Rainer had been invited to give at the International Congress of Hand Surgeons in Buenos Aires, in front of an audience of over 1,000 people.
We then spent five days exploring the city centre, including the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, the harbour area with its elegant Puente de la Mujer bridge, the ten-lane Avenida 9 de Julio, the lively area around the Obelisk, and the district with the Palacio del Congreso. We were overwhelmed by the atmosphere and acoustics of the famous Teatro Colón. On the outskirts of the city are the unusual Cementerio de la Recoleta and the neighbouring Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. In contrast, the extensive gardens of the Parque Tres de Febrero in Palermo are home to the Bombadero football stadium, a national shrine. In the San Telmo district, tango is everywhere, in many bars and on Sundays in the public square with its antique market. Argentinian cuisine, with its tender steaks (bife de chorizo) and empanadas, as well as the historic Café Tortoni, is unforgettable.
We then set off with our Swiss guides for the north-east of Argentina, where we first visited the Esteros del Ibera, an area teeming with water and wildlife. During our boat trips, we spotted capybaras, caimans, swamp deer, exotic birds and cormorants. Our accommodation at the Estancia Santa Ines was unforgettable. The former Pakistan-English railway company building lies in the middle of the tropical forest and is surrounded by verandas. Inside, there are historical furnishings. At night, the cries of howler monkeys woke us up.
After passing through the Jesuit mission San Ignacio Mini near the town of Posadas and a precious stone mining pit in the province of Misiones, we reached the highlight of our journey: the Iguazu Falls. This natural wonder is simply overwhelming for the eyes and ears. In many places, huge amounts of water thunder down from great heights, creating a misty spray. This spectacle can be viewed from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) is truly terrifying and can be accessed via a footbridge, offering a breathtaking view of the water plunging into the depths below. In the evening, we enjoyed the finest steaks at the "La Rueda" restaurant in Puerto Iguazú.
