Rosario and its 'beaches'

I have come to the conclusion that many Argentines think that anywhere that has some sort of water way is beautiful. Sometimes, they get it right - à la Tigre. Sometimes, I fail to see the reasoning in their logic, like Rosario. I guess I will always be biased when it comes to waterways - nothing compares to Sydney Harbour.

Nestled on the very brown (at least at the time we visited) Paraná River, Rosario is one of Argentina's largest cities after Buenos Aires. You will find it about 4 hours north of the capital, in the province of Santa Fe. Having to head north anyway for Argentina's biggest Carnival celebrations in Gualeguaychú the following weekend, we thought we would spend the few days prior in Rosario and then make a quick dash across in time for the weekend.

The boardwalks of La Florida beach

Our biggest dilemma in Rosario was finding a decent place to eat. We couldn't find anything!! In total we ate out once in the 3 nights we were there (not including the hostel asado we ate one evening) - which is really good for our wallets and just as good for our waistlines, I suppose. Lonely Planet let us down with their restaurant suggestion - a place that was described as 'changing its menu weekly' from Arabic to Asian food in the end only serving up toasted sandwiches (not really what I fancied for dinner). The map given to us by the hostel with all the restaurants on it did no better - the Irish pub we chose to go, in the hope that they would have Shepard's pie, being closed.

Which brings me to another qualm in general about all South American countries. EVERYTHING closes down between the hours of 1.30pm and 5pm. Don't try to do anything during this time. You won't even be able to get food - unless what you need is available from your local Farmacity (a chain of Pharmacies here open 24 hours). Everyone: men, women, children, dogs etc are all at home having a siesta. There is absolutely no one, and nothing on the streets. It is like walking through a ghost town. We have forgotten this so many times, and will wander down the street for 20 yards before an immense amount of cursing occurs and we turn or sorry selves around and head back to our hostel for the afternoon.

Speaking of naps, we have come rather used too, and rather good at, afternoon siestas. In fact, we probably like them a bit too much, sometimes sleeping until around 8pm (this is not the real South American siesta, this is the Aussie interpretation. Real siestas a) probably are not supposed to go for 2 hours plus and b) do not happen around 6pm). Yet, we still have the odd lapse where we forget about this time long tradition and stupidly try to do something that involves shops in the afternoon.

Anyhoo, back to Rosario...

Our biggest Rosario adventures included venturing to the mall to fit in a day of shopping, and an excursion to La Florida, Rosario's private beach - $6 to put your towel down on a fenced off piece of sand with it's own restaurants, helardoria (ice cream shop), volleyball nets, deck chairs and board walks (for those that aren't keen on walking on the sand). We munched on some really good tachos at one of the restaurants before laying our towels down for the afternoon. I chose not to venture into the brown water. Though it was nice and warm (I did stick my toe in) and came complete with beautiful masses of floating water Hyacinth,  it was not the most inviting place to swim. The warning signs about pollution (though in Spanish, you get the drift) and murky froth really put me off. It was not like you could have a good swim either - the water being roped off - think Balmoral beach style however the net was not more than 4 m from the waters edge.

La Florida - note the fence

Instead, I was kept entirely amused by two crazy dogs that lived on the beach - one an over active pain in the bum that would dig lines in the sand in an attempt to find rocks (in the mean time flicking sand onto not so impressed sun bathers, including myself) and a fluffy little munchkin that would walk onto your beach towel and stand literally in your face so that you would pat him (when he got sick of you he would move onto the next beach dweller). The time passed quickly and it was soon 5.30 - Time to get back on the bus and start thinking about food.

The pollution sign and the roped off 'surf' a few metres from shore

Hopefully the 'beaches' of Gualeguaychú will deliver more than sand in your face from naughty dogs.