Tandil, Argentina part 1

Tandil, Argentina.  Tandil is in the southern part of the Buenos Aires Providence.  The time I spent in Tandil was amazing.  I was living in Buenos Aires at the time and wanted to get out of the city for a change of scenery, to eat some home-cooked Argentine fare.  A tattoo artist friend of mine named Diego invited me to stay at his family’s home for a week so we took off, taking one of the long-distance touring buses.  It was about a 5hour ride and to my delight the buses were actually pretty comfortable.  They gave everyone a snack of dulce de leche cookies and a ham sandwich with cheese.  The buses also offered tea or coffee and even showed a movie on small screen above the seats.  Most people in Argentina travel this way because flying is very expensive within the country.  The bus station was huge, located in downtown Buenos Aires.  There's clothing, souvenir shops and a café offering light meals and drinks.  It was much nicer than I expected.  Outside the station is a bit shady however.  There were little markets behind the station that sold everything from fake brands and underwear to electronics and cheap vacation things like beach accessories.  Beyond that, there's kind of a flavilla type neighborhood like in Brasil, home made houses made from cinder block and sheets of aluminum.  Very poor and sad to see, but a reality I saw all too often traveling in Argentina.   

Diego's mother

We arrive in Tandil by nightfall.  Tandil is a small town; it has a main street with a couple bars, a town plaza in the center but its mostly residential- wide streets and very quiet.  It's a tourist spot for the wealthy, known for its hundreds of cured meats, specialty cheeses and gauchos (cowboys).  The terrain is hilly and beyond the town limits you can find many ranches with horses.  Most people are considered middle class for the most part by Argentine standards and you don't find the homeless culture you find in Buenos Aires.  

Diego and his niece

Diego's brother picked us us from the bus station.  There was a lot of excited chatter as we drove to the house, his mother was very excited to have Diego home for a week.  Diego's family was so hospitable.  Families are especially close knit in Argentina and his mother and sister hugged Diego as if he hadn't been home in ages, tears and smiles all around, even for me!!  His niece jumped into Diego's arms and did not want to be put down, so adorable and a beautiful little girl.  The wife of his brother was still at work and we would meet her the next morning.  His house consisted of his mother, younger sister, and older brother with his wife plus their daughter.  It was a small house; the brother and his family lived in the garage remodeled into a one-bedroom apartment.  Diego and I slept on the floor in the living room, but it was comfortable and I didn’t mind one bit.  We arrived at night and Diego’s mother had his favorite dish waiting for us.  She had made a spinach and cheese torta for us.  Torta is basically a quiche with less egg and a bit creamier.  I could see why this was his favorite dish from his mother.  She was an amazing cook, the torta was light and fluffy, creamy, the crust flaky and thin. I could see why it was his favorite dish!!

The view from the summit of the park

One memorable day during my stay in Tandil Diego, his family and I took a day trip into the country.  We went to the famous Piedra Movediza, the balancing rock.  It’s a huge boulder that balances on a steep angle on a hill overlooking the countryside.  the terrain is beautiful, rolling hills, a bit rocky and very green.  We also walked around Independencia Park, a beautiful park with a huge Venetian palazzo at the entrance.  There’s a path in the park that leads to the top of a huge hill that overlooks the whole town.  The summit of the hill is decorated with a few statues and a “castle” you can walk up and with lookout tower.  We took sandwiches and soda up to the top and watched the sunset as we ate.  Sandwiches you buy from bakeries in Argentina are unique.  They are made with a very thinly sliced white bread, baked in very long loaves.  They are double stacked, layered with slices of more bread and anything from butter, cheese, ham, cucumber, egg salad, tuna salad, lettuce and tomato.  The sandwiches are cut into smaller squares from the large rectangles and packaged in brown butcher paper with string.  Very delicious and surprisingly light for the amount of bread.  As it got dark, we could see the town lit up with street lights and all the houses.  We did our best to pin point where the house was.  As it got late, we walked back down to the car and sleepily drove back to the house, tired from the tour of Tandil.  I was so grateful to Diego and his family for taking the time to show me their beautiful town.  Tandil is a great place, peaceful and has it’s own claim as a unique spot in Argentina.

*personal photos