Like Vietnam, but not really

Thank you Easter, for giving us a four-day weekend without any classes. Yesterday Annie, Merritt, and I went to El Tigre, a town an hour north of BA. We were under whelmed by the Puerto de Frutos – thinking that there would be more fruit and less crafts – but the town was charming. We then took a long wooden boat around the delta of the Parana River. It was apparently similar to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam with its palm trees and brown water though without the staggering poverty. Dozens of cozy little houses and campgrounds lined the river banks. We exited at a typical tourist spot called Tres Bocas and explored the grounds for awhile, walking along the river and avoiding mud when necessary. After an hour of walking we grabbed some lunch then headed back to Tigre and eventually Buenos Aires. The islands were beautiful and calm and a definite change from the noise of the city. I want to return soon and possibly rent a kayak (to which Annie responded, “I can’t imagine you in a kayak”).

Tomorrow our group leaves for a week-long excursion to the northern city of Rosario. We are having a rural home stay experience for three days with agrarian families. There may or may not be agricultural labor involved. While I’m really enjoying Buenos Aires, these excursions are a nice change from the city and ways to explore the rest of the country.