On our first full day in Mar del Plata (Thursday the 13th of April) we walked around this city of over 600,000 people.  My only knowledge of this city is what I learned watching "Amazing Race" about a year ago, which is that it had a casino!

In many Latin America cities you see packs of dogs running around. This is the first city where the dogs were lead by a "Dog Sitter"!

We visited the museum "Museo del Mar" which is totally dedicated to sea shells from around the world.  Mr. Sisterna traveled and collected shell for over 60 years!  Four floors of shell displays.....

We went back to the museum at 10:00 pm to attend a concert which was held in a coffee house environment.
Churches, unlike the churches of Ecuador and Peru.
This is one of the most original and beautiful "water tanks" I have seen. It is appropriately named "Torre Tanque". It was built in 1943.

Then we putted around the port area.  In one area there were over 2 dozen ships, which were half sunk.  I wonder why they did not sink the ships outside the harbor?

Scenic, in a way....
Then we came across an area which covered about 3 acres, covered with sea lions. There is no way to describe the stench in the air. You can have your boat painted any color you want, as long as it is "Orange"!

BMW, on the  bluff.

There are many surfers in Mar del Plata. 

In the United States surfer seem to gravitate towards Volkswagen vans. 

In Mar del Plata they drive these Mercedes Benz Motorhomes.

Surfers........

After riding along the beach, we visited the neighborhood of "Los Troncos". The homes were large and impressive.
This home was located on a corner. Instead of a circle driveway, you could actually drive "through" the home, to get from one street to the other.
Many small estates on 2 and 3 acre lots.....

Most intersections in Latin America do not have stop signs or yield signs. Every intersection is a macho game of Chicken. Sometimes there are Losers.
As frequently as you see the remnants of a game of Chicken, you wonder where the tow trucks are? Or do they intentional leave the cars there as reminder to others?
Very typical apartment houses in Mar del Plata.....

On the 15th, we, again, walk more of Mar del Plata.

This is the view from our hotel window. I am VERY concerned that Sandy's expectations are on the rise! She is starting to get used to the "Good Life". Is she going to rebel, when we get to the jungles of the Amazon basin?
We walked nearly 4 miles of shore line in Mar del Plata. Notice that Sandy is standing on dry rocks.
These kids were not as wise. This picture was taken about 1/10 of a second before these kids were completely "Cleansed"!
The resort city of Mar del Plata follows the coastline for about 8 miles.
Sandy is standing were the finish line was for a day of racing, in the show "Amazing Race".
We are now in "Tango" land.
Over the last 2 years we have traveled the entire coastline from Alaska south to the tip of South America, then north to Mar del Plata, Argentina. Cities which have nice skylines  are few and far between (less then a dozen). Mar del Plata is one of the few.

The huge casino in Mar del Plata.

The same casino at night.

More surfer mobiles....
Another.....
And another.....

We saw "Havanna" signs all over Mar del Plata. 

I was wondering if Argentina had some weird relationship with Cuba.

As it turns out, Havanna is Argentina's version of Starbucks!

On Saturday night we attend the theater to see the play "Cinderella, the Tango". We were a little underdressed!
This was no third world theater. Top notch, with an excellent sound system.

Another "Skyline" photo.

On Sunday, the 16th of April we head north from Mar del Plata. 

We spent 5 days and 4 nights here, and I am getting deeply concerned that the spoiling of Sandy may become irreversible!

Hotel Las Rocas was our hotel.  The red tiled restaurant is where we dined a few times.

As we approached the village of Carilo, we were overtaken by the smells coming from this restaurant. Funny how the smell of beef cooking can lure one in! The restaurant was very upscale inside. Table linens and waiters' with a napkins draped over their arms.
The view from our room in Carilo. Sandy is NOW 100% spoiled!

That's it through April 16, 2006.......  More to come.

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