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Mention
Argentina, and people think of solitary gauchos, sultry tango
dancers or maybe Madonna emoting as Evita. Or at least they
used to, before those romantic icons were supplanted by television
images of people looting supermarkets and banging on pots
and pans during massive and occasionally violent protests.
Argentina certainly has plenty to cry about, with an economy
on the verge of collapse and a revolving-door government that
saw five presidents in two weeks. How did this happen to a
country blessed with abundant natural resources and a highly
educated populace? Decades of political corruption, rampant
tax evasion and ill-advised monetary policies are all to blame;
the challenge now is for the country to pull itself out of
the hole and avoid further chaos.
But
despite its current woes, the romance of Argentina remains.
The country boasts a wide variety of cultural attractions,
but for many travelers, its natural wonders are the primary
draw. From the northern deserts to the southern Andean Cordillera,
from Iguazú Falls to the magnificent desolation of
Patagonia, Argentina's geography is varied and stunning. For
cosmopolitan types, there's the elegant capital, Buenos Aires.
This fabulous city is renowned for its sophistication, although
travelers expecting a more 'South American' experience are
sometimes disappointed with its European feel. Argentina is
one Latin American country where Europeans and North Americans
can feel at ease and travel relatively inconspicuously. An
interest in soccer and some nimble foot skills may be all
you need to feel like a local - that, or a three-hour wait
at a currency exchange.
Argentina
Flight from UK
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