San Antonio de Areco Travel Guide

Getting to San Antonio de Areco is pretty much restricted to either a bus or private car. Not having a car, busing it was my only alternative. From Retiro bus terminal in Buenos Aires, the only buses going to Areco seemed to be either Chevallier or General Belgrano. A one way ticket with Chevallier cost 12P/$4US per person. It was a nice bus and the trip was about 2 hours.
We were dropped off at the small Chevallier station. Basically one room that doubled as a store. Wooden bench out front. We found the General Belgrano 'station' around the corner at the Don Segundo Bar. It seems to open only when a Belgrano bus is due.
It's walkable into el centro from this area, but if you have much to carry or its hot/humid I would not advise it. Always seems to be a taxi or two parked there. 3 pesos should get you anywhere.
From Areco, we had intended to go to Parana. We soon found out that it's hard to go anywhere by bus from Areco except back to Buenos Aires. Or to Pergami, which seems to be the end of the line. From there, its back to Areco and then to Buenos Aires.
A sign at the General Belgrano/Don Segundo Bar indicated that you could go on to Montevideo, Uruguay. Been there, done that, so it was back to BA for us.
Taxi tips: Areco is small and pretty easy to walk about anywhere. However, when we were there in late November, it was hot, humid and we were 'sweating bullets' by 9:30 in the morning. Since that was Spring, I would hate to be there in the Summer. We found taxis at the Chevallier station and at the main Plaza Ruiz de Arellano. Either would get us back to our hotel for 3 pesos. There is a remis company located on a sidestreet (dont recall the name) just off of Av Zapiola (walking south). The remis was only 2.5 pesos, so if you want to save $.33 you can go with them.

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The easiest comparison is to the North American cowboy, both in function and in many of the traditional character traits ascribed to them.

The introduction of cattle to the the Southern Cone countries (Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile) was revolutionary in that it created the foundations for an entirely new way of life. In time this became the settled permanent estates and farms that we see today. Commercial cattle ranching began in earnest in the 18th century.

The gaucho was originally a horseman that went after wild cattle. The gaucho was nomadic, only much later settling down.

The gaucho is portrayed as strong, independent and often fiery. He was, and remains, an excellent horseman. Historically, the cavalries in the colonial wars were almost entirely made up of gauchos as were the armies of many of the caudillos (strongmen). The national hero Miguel de Guemes was effusive in his admiration and praise for the qualities of the gaucho.

The gaucho had his horse. His weapons were the facon, the long knife he used and the boleadoras, two balls attached to the end of a rope that was used as a lariat. The rebenque, a long leather whip, was the last of his weapons. The poncho he used to keep away the cold, could also be used as a saddle blanket. His loose pants were called "bombachas." The guacho traditionally wore a wide sash made of woven fabric, which would hold his facon. This has been replaced by a wide leather belt, more or less the size of a modern weightlifting belt, which are decorated with old coins.

Seria facil comparar al gaucho con el cowboy nortemericano, tanto en la función y en muchos de los rasgos de carácter tradicionales atribuidos a ellos.

La introducción de ganado a los países del Cono Sur (Paraguay, Uruguay, Brasil, Argentina, Chile) fue revolucionario porque creó las bases para una nueva forma de vida. Con el tiempo esto se convirtió en las fincas y estancias permanentes que vemos hoy en día. La ganadería comercial comenzó en el siglo XVIII.

El gaucho era originalmente un jinete que perseguia las reses silvestres. El gaucho era nómada originalmente, pero con el tiempo llego a ser un empleado permanente del estanciero..

El gaucho se presenta como fuerte, independiente y ardiente. Él era, y sigue siendo, un excelente jinete. Históricamente, las caballerías en las guerras coloniales, y muchos de los ejercitos privados de los estancieros, fueron casi enteramente formadas por gauchos.
El héroe nacional Miguel de Güemes fue efusivo en sus elogios y admiración por las cualidades del gaucho.

El gaucho tenía su caballo. Sus armas eran el facón, el cuchillo largo que utiliza y las boleadoras, dos bolas que se tiran como un lazo. El rebenque, un látigo largo de cuero, fue el último de sus armas. El poncho se utiliza para protejerse del el frío, también se podría utilizar como una manta de la silla de caballo. Sus pantalones sueltos fueron llamados "bombachas". El guacho tradicionalmente llevaba una faja ancha de tela tejida, que obstaculicen su facón. Esto ha sido reemplazado por un ancho cinturón de cuero, más o menos el tamaño de un cinturón que usan los atletas modernos para levantar pesas. Estos cinturones se decoran con monedas viejas

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Just 10 minutes from San Antonio de Areco, this "hacienda" is the best option for people who's stressed ... Is like being in XIX century at one ho ur of the Capital City of Argentina.
Owned by a tradicional family from the town, you're gonna have a good time, anjoying na ture, and a little but nice swimming pool!!.... Enjoy time, looking at the stars in the countryside...!

Favorite thing: At the turn of the 20th century Argentina was an enormously popular place to go. Emigrants were pouring in from Europe. There was the promise of abundant land, and a growing economy based mainly on agriculture and livestock.

One of the travellers that came to visit was a Canadian missionary, Whitfield Ray, who wrote a book called "THROUGH FIVE REPUBLICS ON HORSEBACK..BEING AN ACCOUNT OF MANY WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA".

This book is available for free online through the Guttenberg Project. If you have the time it is a useful, interesting and very perceptive account. Interestingly, the authors perceptions might also be easier to understand considering Canada's development. Very useful, check it out

http://library.beau.org/gutenberg/etext05/85rep10.txt

Uno de los viajeros que venían de visita era un misionero canadiense, Whitfield Ray, quien escribió un libro llamado "A TRAVÉS DE CINCO REPÚBLICAS A CABALLO .. SER UNA CUENTA DE MUCHAS andanzas en Sudamérica"​​.

Este libro está disponible gratuitamente en Internet a través del Proyecto Guttenberg. Si tienes el tiempo es una obra útil, interesante y muy perceptiva. Muy útil, échale un vistazo.