Rio de la Plata – that very wide estuary between Buenos Aires and the Uruguayan city of Colonia – is mud-based. That’s why it’s tinged with brown. Nothing to do with its quality. That’s what we said when Lisa and I swam in it. It’s not like there’s any pollution in Latin America…
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Oct
If you’re going to catch a plane together, it’s best to be early, because planes can run on time. I say ‘can’ because thanks to Latin American strikes, baggage issues, weather and who knows what else, I’ve gotten to know airports in outer Buenos Aires, inner Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima and Iguazu much better than…
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Oct
When visiting Buenos Aires, it’s best to go to Recoleta Cemetery to see Evita’s grave… … otherwise everyone will nag you about why you didn’t. You may choose to ignore this advice, since it’s come from the man who’s been to Far North Queensland eleven times… … and still hasn’t been out to the Reef….
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Sep
After having cataract surgery last year, I often wore sunglasses, even indoors. I also went to Argentina. The CCK (Centro Cultural Kirchner) … … had an installation which combined the work of David Lynch (Twin Peaks), Patti Smith (singer and co-author of ‘Because the Night’) and Argentine artist Guillermo Kuitca. I liked the resulting pictures,…
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Sep
One popular day trip from Buenos Aires involves taking a ferry over the (very wide) river to Colonia, in Uruguay. You can visit the UNESCO Historic Quarter… … have lunch at one of the many outdoor eateries, enjoy the fresher air … … and take the ferry back as the sun is setting. Just be…
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Sep
King James I of England, who was also James VI of Scotland, was a much underrated monarch. After surviving the Gunpowder Plot, he held on to both his thrones, dying of natural causes at the age of 58: more than 20 years above the average of the time. This may not seem all the remarkable,…
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Sep
The brochure to the Museo Evita (Evita Museum) in Buenos Aires said it was ‘A place that tells about the life and work of one of the most important women in Argentine history showing the truth with historical rigor.’ When I went, I heard archival footage of Evita speaking, and saw some of her dresses,…
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Aug
In the United States, when I didn’t see the original, there was the Spanish version … … and the parody … I hadn’t heard of this story in Australia, but it’s a big thing over there.
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Aug
