Boho and Berries: El Bolsón Regional Fair

El Bolsón has a reputation as Patagonia’s chilled-out hippy haven and its main attraction is the El Bolsón Regional Fair. Set in the main square, Plaza Pagano, the fair has grown since its inception in the early 1970s to become Patagonia’s largest street fair. Depending on the season, the Feria Regional de El Bolsón features 200-300 stands at any one time, all featuring homemade goods.

Set among the backdrop of the snow-capped Mount Piltriquitron peaking into the vast Patagonian sky, the scenery and relaxing, bohemian vibe at the fair make this a worthwhile side trip from Bariloche, less than two hours away.

Food and Drink

Thanks to this valley’s mild Mediterranean micro-climate, ideal for organic farming, hops and berries are the centerpiece of El Bolsón’s harvest. In summer, vendors stroll the crowds in the plaza selling boxes of locally grown strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, elderberries and currants. Delicious handcrafted beers, including fruit beers, are available year round.

If it’s great food you’re after, bushels of berries aren’t the only choice. Colorful caravan food stations parked near the mini amphitheater offer some tasty options for the hungry market goer. The shawarma van’s long lines attest to its popularity, serving up the Arabic–style sandwiches with meat, salad, hummus, and garlic sauce for around US$6. Thirsty? The smoothie and juice vans focus on the Patagonian fruits, serving up a variety of berry nectars and smoothies.

The ‘Empanadas Armenias’ stand set on the main market path is a not-to-be-missed stop for its rustic meat empanadas, ideally accompanied by a large cerveza (beer) while strolling the market.

Shopping and Entertainment

El Bolson’s fair is the ideal location to purchase handmade souvenirs from the south, especially if seeking something a little different from the mass produced trinkets of commercial gift stores. Here visitors can find homemade cuckoo clocks (a nod to the area’s German ancestry), fragrant handmade soaps, delicious liqueurs, unique candles, and homemade jams and teas from the region.

The leatherwork on display is impressive with some stalls selling stunning chic handbags and totes. As a tourist-oriented market, the products aren’t the cheapest finds out there, but the quality is evident.

If wandering this bohemian market, drink in one hand and empanada in the other, hasn’t already set the switch to relaxed, the addition of some jazz surely will. Local musicians set up in the middle of the mini amphitheater and bust out their tunes for the crowd, making it the cherry, strawberry or raspberry on top of a quirky Patagonian market experience. — Elesha Piper

El Bolsón Feria Artesanal

Plaza Pagano
El Bolsón, Río Negro
Patagonia
Tel: +54 294 449-2604
When: Tue, Thu, Sat (& Sundays, only in summer)
10a.m.-4p.m.

Mataderos Fair: A Gaucho Market on the Outskirts of Buenos Aires

Just outside the capital, only a few blocks away from where the city ends and the province of Buenos Aires begins, rural culture comes alive at the weekly Feria de Mataderos. Argentine cowboys known as gauchos show off their horsemanship, dancers and musicians cavort to Argentine folk tunes, and food stands offer various regional dishes.

In Spanish, mataderos means slaughterhouses. The neighborhood was once home to the region’s largest livestock market and meat processing plants. Nowadays the neighborhood is a quiet residential area, and the Sunday outdoor market is its biggest — and only — tourist attraction.

Horsing Around: Carrera de Sortijas

Gauchos perform horseback riding demonstrations and games in full cowboy garb from 2 p.m. onward at the edge of the market along Lisandro del Torre Avenue. The corrida de sortija, or ring race, dates back to the 1800s. A metal bar is strapped between two upright poles. In the center hangs a small ring, about the size of a wedding band. Players gallop from one end of the course, brandishing a small twig, and attempt to place it inside the ring. Watching giant horses gallop through parked cars creates a startling juxtaposition, a testament to traditional and modern Argentina existing side by side.

Food at the Feria

Mataderos offers cuisine ranging from classics such as chorípan and empanadas; locro, a pampa stew of maiz, beans and potatoes; tamales, corn-based flour wrapped in a corn husk, and Paraguayan specialties. In addition to lunch options, the market offers an impressive selection of high quality homemade foods to take home including cheeses, olives oils and vinegars, charcuterie, breads, wines, liqueurs, and candies, at lower prices than can be found in Buenos Aires’ central markets.

Traditional Crafts and Souvenirs

Traditional crafts on offer include steak knives, wine holders, silver jewelry and handcrafted toys. There are also many quirky souvenirs available, such as boxes made out of orange peels, origami, 3D paintings and Pope Francis memorabilia.

Live Music at the Feria De Mataderos

After the shopping is over, visitors grab a seat — or a dance partner — and enjoy the live Argentine folklore bands that perform from the early afternoons onward. Argentine folklore, including Cumbia, Zamba and Chacarera, are uplifting rural alternatives to the more famous tango. Every week a different band is invited to play, and crowds gather to listen, dance, and watch. Chacarera is the favorite here and local schools also often show off their moves in traditional costumes.

Other Sites of Interest in Mataderos

• Museo de Criollo de los Corrales

Hidden in a nook between the food stalls lies the Museo Criollo de los Corrales, a small museum that shows a slice of country life and history in the province of Buenos Aires. Cheap and worth the detour for those already in the area, the museum includes examples of traditional outfits and gaucho artifacts such as matés and horseback riding equipment. La Pulperia inside the museum offers drinks, food, and a shaded patio away from the bustle of the fair.

• Bar Oviedo

The Bar Oviedo sits on the corner of Avenida Lissandro del Torre and Avenida de los Corrales, has been an institution in central Mataderos since 1900. They serve beer, wine, the best locro in town and offer a great place to people-watch and take in the entire scene the market offers: the gauchos and folklore dancers, dressed in colorful costumes; the crowds of mostly Argentine tourists and families; and the sellers at their booths, waiting patiently for customers to ask about their products.

• The Mataderos Skate Park

Skaters and those who enjoy their gravity-defying moves won’t want to miss the Mataderos skate park at Lisandro de la Torre and Av. De Los Corrales. It’s got a street skating area, two bowls and there’s lots of action around the park with dancing and local ladies selling homemade cakes and pies. Open everyday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

• Folklore Peñas

If you snoop around Mataderos you will come across other peñas – or folk music parties, aside from the one in the main plaza. There is often an open-air peña right outside the skate park. If it’s raining, check out the Federación Gaucho Porteña (Buenos Aires Cowboy Federation) at Lisandro de la Torre 2406.

How to get to Mataderos

The Mataderos Fair takes place every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., mid-March through mid-December.In the summer months of January and February the feria runs on Saturday nights from 6 p.m. instead of during the day. There are no horse games when the fair is at night.

Mataderos is located on Avenida Lisandro de la Torre and Avenida de los Corrales. To get there, take the 36, 55, 92, 63, 80, 92, 97, 103, 117, 126, 141, 155, 180 or 185 bus lines. The trip takes over an hour by bus. To save time you can also take a taxi or take Subte line E to Plaza de Virreyes and take a taxi from there. Alternately make a day of it and discover the secret gems of Mataderos Fair by taking our private guided Mataderos tour. — by Sam Harrison (photos: Ande Wanderer)

Abasto Shopping — An Old-Time Market Turned Mall

Abasto, the huge art deco style complex in the neighborhood of the same name, is Buenos Aires largest shopping mall.

The mall’s distinguished façade along Corrientes Avenue features five huge leaded glass archways that are emblematic of the neighborhood, especially when lit in the evening. Inside, a huge atrium floods the building with natural light. The centralized mall features over 250 stores, a children’s museum, a small theme park, a food court, and a cinema with 12 screens.

The unique building was originally the site of Buenos Aires’ central vegetable market, inaugurated in 1893. It slowly grew outward as the population boomed, until the original structure was demolished in the 1930’s to make room for a larger building. The current art deco structure dates to 1934 and took three years to construct.

The building was designed by José Luis Delpini, Raul Bes and Slovenian-born architect, Viktor Sulčič — the same team that constructed Buenos Aires’ most famous stadium, La Bombonera in the La Boca neighborhood.

This was Buenos Aires’ golden age — the new market included all the latest amenities of the era including escalators, phone lines throughout the building and a connection with the underground subway.

A 1952 fire in the building burned for various days but thanks to the sturdy old-world construction, Abasto survived the blaze and Delpini was able to reform the damaged parts. A 1955 movie called Mercado de Abasto set in the mall highlights what a central place the market played in everyday life.

By 1984 Buenos Aires’ population had grown so much that housing the vegetable market in the center of the city became impractical due to the congestion the trucks caused bringing in produce in from the province. Abasto was shut down and the vegetable market was transferred to the Mercado Central in the Buenos Aires province, where it remains today.

Abasto’s Rebirth

To the dismay of residents, the one-time jewel of the neighborhood remained closed until the end of the 1990’s. During that time the neighborhood around Abasto became notorious for squats, prostitution, and drug use and was generally avoided by people who didn’t live there.

During Abasto’s nearly 15 years of hibernation, various proposals were thrown around to determine the building’s destiny while the neighborhood languished. One proposal included converting the market into an arts center similar to Paris’ Georges Pompidou Art Center. Finally in 1997, Hungarian-American billionaire, George Soros (who was also behind the restoration of Galerías Pacífico) purchased the building, and invested $2 million in its restoration.

The resurrection of Abasto as a shopping mall in 1998 instantly ushered in a new era to the blighted barrio, a more modest renaissance to that which took place in the waterfront restoration of Puerto Madero around the same time.

This mall has some decent shopping with international name brands such as Lacoste, Samsonite and Adidas and smaller national outlets. The movie theater is one of the city’s most comfortable and offers a range of films from Hollywood blockbusters to sentimental national productions.

The prices at many of the smaller stores tend to be more reasonable than those at other malls such as Galerías Pacífico, but a costlier than at the maze of street-side stores in the surrounding neighborhood, which carry similar merchandise.

Kosher Kids

Abasto is a mall designed with kids in mind. In addition to the celebrated Children’s Museum, there’s an arcade and a small indoor theme park with a Ferris wheel that spans all three floors.

The food court offers the usual parilla, pasta, pan-Asian offerings and claims fame to the only Kosher McDonald’s outside Israel, a hangout for the Orthodox fast food lovers among the neighborhood’s surrounding Jewish community.

One of the nice things about Abasto Mall is that thanks to its vastness and open construction, it never seems to get really crowded. Even at Christmas time when parents bring their kids here to see Santa Claus, things are quite relaxed.

Abasto Shopping Mall
Corrientes 3247
Abasto
Tel: 4959 3400
Free transport from hotels: 5777-6027

• Hours: 10:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. everyday

Getting there:

–Buses: 29, 99, 71, 26, 146, 124, 168
–Subway: Station Carlos Gardel, Line B

• Underground parking
• If you spend over a certain amount in any store marked ‘duty free,’ ask for your receipt so you can get a refund on the taxes on your way out of the country.
• If you are staying in a hotel, call the mall for a free ride from your hotel to the mall. To be driven back to your hotel until 7:00 p.m., ask at the mall’s service stands.
• On Wednesday, movies are half price.

Shopping in Barrio Chino: Hot Sauce, PB & Spices – Oh My!

Buenos Aires’ Barrio Chino may only comprise two city streets, but it’s a bustling commercial area packed with people, restaurants, small shops, and, most notably, supermarkets that sell many of the items those with adventurous palettes long to encounter but have failed to find at major grocery chains such as Disco and Carrefour.

Shopping highlights of Barrio Chino:

Slippers, Cookware, Art Supplies and lots of 保定健身

The typical trinkets that can be found in Chinatowns scattered across the globe – incense, baoding balls, little Buddhas – are in Buenos Aires’ iteration as well, displayed on shelves inside unnamed shops. These locales, which are easy to browse quickly, are crammed with touristy items like Chinese nameplates as well as seemingly random cast offs, like old makeup. There are some good finds if you search around though.

There’s a nice selection of detailed Chinese slippers in the back of Regalaría Ruyi (Arribenos at Juramento) for 30-35 pesos, as well as knockoffs of TOMS shoes. Further down, at Arribenos 2217, a store marked simply as ‘Fábrica’ (Factory) on the top of the door, has an impressive selection of kitchenware. Barrio Chino is also a good place for bargain art supplies, from paintbrushes of all sizes to little sets of gouaches and watercolors.

Chinese Supermarkets

Far and away the best shopping to be found in Barrio Chino is in its supermarkets. The crown jewel of the bunch and also the oldest in the neighborhood is Casa China, stocking Asian, macrobiotic, organic, and dietary products.

Casa China is expat heaven, with its multitude of otherwise difficult-to-find ingredients that provide a break from the meat and carbohydrate diet of Argentina. Porteños are known for shunning spices and have little tolerance for anything hot. Thankfully, Casa China, exists for the rest of us: there are shelves of different spices and a lot of sauce options too, including various types of mustard and soy sauce (a 5-liter jug is available, if you’re looking for a lifetime supply), as well as standout Thai Sriracha hot sauce, made from sun-dried chilies. Casa China also stocks peanut butter, which is a reason to visit in and of itself.

Other items at Casa China include a variety of grains and legumes, such as black beans and lentils, and soy products, like tofu and soy milanesas (breaded patties). There are also shelves of rice noodles, as well as different types of instant ramen. As for frozen foods, Casa China sells frozen wontons and dumplings filled with pork and vegetables. There’s also a decent selection of imported teas, dietary and nutritional powders to stir in drinks for a morning energy boost.

Lastly, if you get hungry while shopping, you can pick up a sushi roll or a nigiri for a bargain price. There’s not much variety with the sushi – each roll seems to be a variation on the Philly Roll or the Salmon Roll – but it is fresh and tasty.

Another longtime supermarket that warrants a mention is Asia Oriental. What sets Asia Oriental apart is its fish market. Located at the back of the store, the fish market sells fresh trout, sole, calamari, and a variety of other seafood at decent prices. Pre-packaged fish, such as a salmon filet, is available as well. Asia Oriental is an enormous store with a reception desk and small counter for ordering Chinese food on the spot. Almost all the products are labeled in Chinese but, besides the fresh fish and Chinese fast food, Asia Oriental sells more or less the same items as Casa China.

The latest market to the scene, Tina & Co. a ‘bio market and cafe,’ brings a more upscale flavor to Barrio Chino with three floors of specialty food items, including items for celiacs, sauces from around the world, a wide variety of teas, organic wine and imported alcohol. On the upper floors are home decor and beauty products. The third floor features a sunny and comfortable ‘gourmet’ cafe serving up lunch items such as sushi, salad, tartas, and empanadas.

—by Elizabeth Kester

Casa China
Arribenos 2173 and 2257
Belgrano
Tel: 4706-0409/4706-0409
• Hours: Tues.-Sunday 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
•Closed Mondays

Asia Oriental
Mendoza 1161
Belgrano
Tel: 4785-8155
•Hours: 9:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m.

Tina & Co.
Mendoza 1678
Tel: 4781-6799
Hours: 9:00 a. m. -8:30 p.m

Cachi Dining and Travel Info

Most travelers roll through Cachi on a scenic drive such as La Vuelta a Los Valles. The 5,000-person town at the foot of Mount Cachi it is a pleasant place to kick around for a few hours. Here you can see the hilltop cemetery, dine around the central plaza and do some shopping for local arts and crafts. Rock climbers will also find Cachi a good base to do some local climbing.

When to go

All year, spring is ideal

Getting there and away:

By Car

Cafayate to Cachi: 165km. Rough road conditions 5.5 hours.
Cachi to Salta: 160km. The first 1/3 of the route is unpaved followed by paved roads. Some parts of this route wind around steep mountain terrain. 3-4 hours

by Hired Car

For the same price as larger bus services, you can share a comfortable four-person ride in a private car

Remises Interurbanos San Jose
Chachi
Tel: (03868) 491-907
Salta office: (0387) 424-3077

Remises Interurbanos Los Calchaquies
Also a good pick. Low price, less people, accommodating drivers
Cachi
Tel: (03868)/491-071
Salta’s office: 0387/4247877

Public Transport

From Salta, the Marcos Rueda (tel. +54 03868/491063) bus leaves twice daily except of Tuesdays and Wednesdays when only one bus departure is available for US$8- US $10.

Dining

Surrounding the plaza you’ll find a handful of good choices for dining.

Oliver — A popular restaurant with friendly waiters, outside seating, killer empanadas and good wine.
Ruíz de los Llanos 160
Tel: (03868)/491-052

Ashpamanta —
For Argentine flavors flavors like pumpkin soup and quinoa empanadas in a cozy atmospheric spot, try Ashpamanta, a charming family run restaurant.
Bustamante no address
Tel: (0387)15-5782244

Luna Cautiva — Another local favorite offering an authentic ambiance, regional favorites and good wine.
Pasaje Borja and Suarez
Tel. +54 03868/491029

Shopping

The town has quite a few shops selling typical northern Argentine arts and crafts. You may want to compare prices before purchasing anything. In general, most shops sell similar, if not identical, arts and crafts. Many vendors are willing to bargain.

Attractions

A few steps away from the plaza, admire Iglesia San José’s brilliant eggshell-colored facade. Run your hands over old cardón (a type of cactus) wood pews that rest quietly inside the cathedral’s dark and narrow interior.

Iglesia San José
Plaza 9 De Julio

Museo Arqueologico Pio Pablo Diaz
Juan Calchaqui s/n
Tel: (03868) 491-080

Take in some of the region’s rich history in this modest but well-curated exhibit, all in Spanish.
• Suggested donation: AR$2

Hilltop Cemetery

With a spectacular panoramic view of the town and surrounding mountains, Cachi’s magnificent hilltop cemetery is a must see.

Money

Banco Macro has an ATM on the corner of Ruiz de los Llanos and Güemes

Post Office

Güemes s/n
One block south of the main plaza on Güemes Street you will find the Correo Argentino building.

Cachi tourist office
Plaza 9 de Julio. Güemes/no address
Tel: (03868)491-053