Argentina

Argentine society is deeply heterogeneous in beliefs, practices, rituals and identifications. However, the prescriptive and hegemonic culture of uniformity not only ignores the reality of the country’s different regional and provincial situations, but also downplays any socio-cultural productions – artistic and scientific – which question apparent homogeneity.

Through this pact, every Argentine able to join the elites or the urban middle classes was “whitened”; anybody could eventually escape discrimination. However, an essential division excluded large groups of workers and popular sections, considering them poor, “negros,” barbarians and “internal migrants” – especially when they took part in large political events. The opposite of this barbarism was civilization, considered to be Argentine, white, European, educated.

As varied is Argentina’s geography, so is its culture. It is composed of an ethnic mix of foreigners from Europe, especially immigrants from Italy and Spain, which can be noticed in the Argentine culture, architecture and kitchen, and even in the way people speak. Due to the array of cultural diversity, this makes for particularly diverse arts, crafts, and music. Cinemas and galleries are ample in major urban centers, and are visited by people of all ages. As for food, Argentina of course is famous for its high quality meat, usually cooked on mixed grills known as parrilladas, and served in huge portions. Apart from this, empanadas, pizzas and Italian pastas are incredibly popular among the local people, while vegetarians will meet a great offer of vegetable pies and colourful salads. Another delicacy brought by the Italians is ice cream, which is enormously popular among both tourists and locals, the whole year round. The Argentine cinema has accomplished international standard and is used among other things as a vehicle to manifest the horrors of the Dirty War. Especially in Buenos Aires, Tango is the medium of dance and is believed to be one of the most amorous ways of expressing love in Argentina. Folk music is also popular, containing Amerindian influence.

Perito Moreno Glacier

It's here that most visitors join excursions to see the park's popular glaciers, most notably the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier, a massive 30-kilometer-long ice formation (and the world's third largest freshwater reserve) just 78 kilometers from the town center.

Named after a 19th-century explorer, it's just a two-hour trip from El Calafate to the glacier's large visitor center, and from here just a short walk to the glacier. For those wanting to climb the glacier, ice trekking tours are available that range from an hour's walk over the ice formation to longer five-hour excursions.