Gualeguaychú

07.01.2023

After a 23-hour bus ride, we arrived in Gualeguaychú on Saturday. We chose this city as our next stop because two people from our travel group live there and we could stay for free in their house.

Gualeguychú is a small city with nearly 100,000 inhabitants. It is located north of Buenos Aires in the middle of Argentina. The city gave me a cozy impression. Many people I spoke to told me that Gualeguychú is tranquilo (quiet). For example, many shops have a siesta from 12 to 4 pm.

We were happy to be back in a Spanish-speaking country. In the afternoon, we walked around the city. There is a beach promenade because a tributary of the Uruguay River flows through Gualeguychú. We also went ice skating. Our group had grown in the meantime.

But the main reason for our visit was the carnival. It started today. Gualeguychú is the stronghold of the Argentine carnival. Around 10 pm, we made our way to the arena. The carnival in Argentina works differently than the carnival in Germany. The audience does not dress up. Instead, we were on a several kilometers long tribune. In front of us, a show was held and it was really spectacular. Several decorated floats passed by us with hundreds of dancing people. Samba was danced. The show is not only for entertainment but also a sports competition between the samba schools. At the end of the carnival (Saturday before Rose Monday), a winning group is chosen. Until then, a show takes place every Saturday. The show lasted four hours and went until 2 am. Afterwards, it is tradition for all participants and spectators to go to the disco. That's what we did too. I don't remember exactly when I went to sleep, but it was already bright outside.

08.01.2023

The next day, I got up late. We needed to relax for a while. So we played a game of Monopoly. Unfortunately, I lost. But as we all know, the fun is what matters. Due to a heat of 38 degrees, we only ventured outside in the evening. We went to the house of an acquaintance and then to the so-called Pez y Vino Festival (Fish and Wine Festival) that took place in Gualeguaychú in the evening.

It was a festival with carousels and many small stands where you could buy all kinds of things to eat and drink, as well as souvenirs. I enjoyed a huge cotton candy. There was everything except fish and wine. It is still a mystery to me why the festival is called that. The conclusion of the festival was a concert where several Argentine artists performed.

09.01.2023

On the morning of the next day, we continued our journey. We took a taxi to Buenos Aires. From there, we continued by bus to the south. To the Andes and Bariloche. To be continued....

Conclusion

Gualeguaychú is a very cozy city. At first glance, everything seems to be in order here. Especially during carnival season, there is a rich cultural offer and many reasons to celebrate all year round.