Where are we?

ArgentinaThroughout my time in South America so far I have had many interesting encounters with different kinds of maps. Whether they were tourist maps, maps directed everywhere but north, or maps written in Spanish and Portuguese, deciphering each has been an adventure in itself. As the “Representations and Identities in Tourism Map Spaces” discusses, there is a significant difference in the indications of these maps and the reality of the world they depict. When we visited Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, every tourist map concentrated on tourist sites like the lighthouse, Penguin Island, and many tourist company locations. When I cross-examined it with a normal map of the city and surrounding area and began exploring, I found that there were a lot of interesting spectacles within the everyday life of the town that were not mentioned in the tourist map. On every street there were walls of intriguing graffiti depicting both modern artistic expressions and historical contexts. Ushuaia is also a big hub for the sailing world, and when I ventured across the channel to the Ushuaia Yacht basin, I was able to sample a bit of authentic local sailing culture while strolling along the uneven dock and passing dozens of yacht dwelling locals.
Places I have been/am going:
1. BUENOS AIRES- the first and foremost Argentine city I have experienced is of course, Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina and one of the largest cities in South America. The city is a melting pot of cultures and has a very rich and exciting local culture. While Buenos Aires is very urban and sophisticated, the people have a very casual and upbeat attitude, and every street is lined with big blooming trees.
2. COLONIA, URUGUAY- Colonia, Uruguay was the second city I visited here, and is just a 4 hour ferry ride across Rio de la Plata. This city is more of a small town, but still contained a lot of interesting sites. Colonia is bordered by water on three sides, and is known for its old buildings and antique cobblestone streets.
3. EL TIGRE- El Tigre is another small town that is just upriver from Buenos Aires and only about an hour away from the city by bus. El Tigre is part of

the delta watershed, and is a very small town where everyone lives on the water and commutes everywhere by boat/water taxi. In many cases, these people live on islands where the river is the only mode of transportation. We visited El Tigre with NYU, and spent the day touring the river canals on a boat. We also visited an estancia typical of the area, in which we witnessed a couple weaving baskets.
4. EL CALAFATE- El Calafate is a quaint small town that is close El Parque National de los Glaciares (The Glacier National Park). The chilling weather. Adventurous activity and chill attitude of the locals made the El Calafate reminded me very much of many small ski towns in the US like Steamboat or Park City. Inside the park we were able to partake in many adventurous excursions such as exploring the foothills in a four by four and trekking the base of the Perito Moreno Glacier.
5. USHUAIA- Ushuaia is a fascinating city because it is the southernmost city in the world (self proclaimed “el fin del mundo”). The city is rich in history about its indigenous peoples, explorers like Fitzroy and Darwin who later discovered the area, and the group of people that build the city (the area used to be used as a prison for Argentine fugitives because the climate and terrain were impossible to escape, these prisoners later built the town up around them).
6. IGUAZU- Iguaçu has a very different climate than Patagonia. Bordering Paragu

ay and Brazil, Iguaçu is situated in a jungle climate and houses the biggest waterfalls in South America. This area is ver

y hot and humid, and much more tropical than the rest of the areas I have visited.
7. SALTA- I have not been to Salta yet, but I am going tomorrow with NYU and have heard many great things about the area. The climate in Salta is supposedly much drier and dessert like: very hot during the day and cooler at night. There are spectacles such as a mountain with seven colors, salt fields, and many vineyards. Salta is located at the highest altitude in which it is still possible to grow wine grapes, making wines from Salta very unique.
8. MENDOZA- Mendoza is another region that I have not yet explored, but plan to do so later in the semester. Mendoza is known primarily as a wine district because its altitude and location in the valleys of the Andes make it an ideal spot for growing wine grape growing.