Sightseeing in Carlos Paz and Alta Gracia, Argentina

This weekend, my folks, my spouse, and I went on a short road trip to Carlos Paz. I've traveled all along the U.S. east coast many times, but I always missed the opportunity to stop by and look at the mountains. As a Floridian, sandy beaches, and palm tree were more of my thing. I did however see some mountains in 2010 while vacationing with a few coworkers in upstate New York, but the sights in Carlos Paz were unique and breathtaking. 

Carlos Paz is a lot quieter than Cordoba, but you definitely get a touristy vibe around here. For me, it was more about taking photos of the people and buildings, and trying not to break my freaking camera. But I also took some snaps of the beautiful scenery as well. 

Afterwards, we headed towards Alta Gracia. Along the way, I noticed that there was a great deal of beautiful farmland between Carlos Paz and Alta Gracia. 

Alta Gracia is considered a "Pueblo" or a small country town. Like Kansas (or Smallville if you're into Superman). 

There's a historical church in Alta Gracia that was founded in the early 1500's. If you visit there, you'll notice that the architecture, including the wooden doors to the church has remained untouched, even after several centuries. I am not a church going person, but I was impressed by how ancient the building was. One of my cousins was actually baptized in this church. 

There are a couple of street vendors near the church grounds as well as stores, restaurants, and ice cream parlors, but most of them had shut down for the afternoon for the "siesta," the period where most places close and nothing happens until around 5 p.m. But there was a park right by the church too, where families go to relax and enjoy a picnic. And that's exactly what we did. 

There's a tourist center across the street from the church, which by itself makes for a nice photo. It also comes in handy if your cell phone dies out and you need to know the time. 

Throughout Alta Gracia you can expect to find a variety of statues that represent historical figures, like the head statue of the legendary Eva Peron (not pictured). 

So, whether you're planning on moving to the province of Cordoba or are simply visiting and want to add a few spots to your itinerary, Carlos Paz and Alta Gracia are two places you definitely want to check out. 

Death In The Family - Dealing With Loss When You’re An Expat

When I was five, I left two important people behind in Argentina, and I spent most of my childhood imagining the day that I would see them again. I got my wish, but it wasn't exactly what I had expected. 

My uncle and I

My grandmother

Today I visited the cemetery where my grandmother and uncle were buried. My grandmother died in 2000 of natural causes, and my uncle died in 2004 in a tragic bus accident at the age of 43. But before I tell you what happened next, let me give you a little history first. 

When I was five, my mom and I went to live with my grandmother and uncle for what would have been my final year in Argentina, before moving to the United States. During that year I bonded with my grandmother and my uncle (who had been like a second dad to me during that year). I had to say goodbye to my grandmother at her home in Cordoba because she wasn't feeling well and the ride to the airport would have been too much for her. Then my mom, uncle and I traveled to the Cordoba airport. The last memory I have of him was a silhouette waving at me from inside the airport as I looked out of the airplane window. I promised myself that I’d find a way to see him, and my grandmother again, but that promise never came. 

Back in the States, I’d encountered people whom I came to consider family. However they weren't blood relatives and one silly argument was all it took for them to throw it in my face how much I wasn’t a part of their family. 

This was different.  

These two corpses lying six feet underground, were my true family, but they’re gone now. Somehow this made my return to Argentina a little more difficult to handle, but what’s worse is, my parents didn't seem to care. When I turned to them for comfort, my mother said that she finds burials offensive and that she didn't want to end up in a cemetery when her time came. My father provided no emotional support, though he never has and suspect that he never will.

He said: “Once they’re dead there’s nothing left. The dead don’t grieve, or feel sadness, or happiness, nor do they suffer. Funerals and gravestones are for the living, who out of guilt, tend to the graves to make up for the lack of attention they gave to them in life.”  

The odd thing was that these graves were poorly attended to which means no one has visited them in years. 

So there I was, a grieving grandson and nephew, who kept his promise to return to them, but I couldn’t beat two predators: time and death. 

Are Gays Safe in Argentina?

There isn’t a single place on Earth that’s a hundred percent free of homophobia. If there is, please tell us so we can move there. Joking aside, for the most part, Argentina is a relatively safe haven for gay, lesbian, and transgender people. As of this post, neither my spouse nor I have encountered any type of homophobic discrimination. 

Cultural Perspective 

Physical appearance (style of clothing, hairstyle), financial, and social standing are what defines most people in the United States. Argentine society isn’t guided by any of these categories. People here tend to respect your differences and leave you alone even if you're holding hands with someone of the same sex or you're wearing a rainbow bracelet. There might be a couple of glances or a cackling here and there, but nothing too alarming. 

How Businesses Treat Gays 

Unfortunately, you won't find stores with the rainbow flag on the doors or windows, which is a sign that the store is gay owned or gay friendly, like in the States. But it doesn't mean that you'll find yourself being mistreated either. My spouse and I have not encountered a lot of homophobia while visiting shopping centers, supermarkets, video stores, or government establishments. They acknowledged our homosexuality and remained quite friendly for the most part.  

Immigration 

My spouse and I have had to visit the immigration building in Cordoba City a few times in order to get his residency paperwork going. Never once did we hesitate to point out that we had gotten married back in New York, and we never got any indication that the immigration staff was condescending. 

Misunderstanding 

If you run across a nasty store owner or supermarket attendee, it’s most likely the result of them being rude or disgruntled and not necessarily because you’re gay. It may also be the result of a misunderstanding or language barrier. Argentines are quite bipolar in their behavior. One minute they're friendly and the next they're turning on you.

Gay Rights in Argentina 

President Kirchner legalized gay marriages, and passed a handful of laws that protect gay, lesbian and transgender people from violence and discrimination in Argentina. 

Conservative Views 

You’re bound to run into people who are homophobic. Older Argentinians (those born in the 1940s) tend to cling to their old ways. The same goes with overly religious fanatics. Unfortunately, these types of people are everywhere in the world.

Gay Bars

There are gay bars in Cordoba City. I haven't gone to one as of this post mainly because I never really liked the scene. However, a Google search told me that they have a few and even more in the capital of Buenos Aires (La CABA). On the other hand, gays and lesbians congregate openly and I have not seen anyone take issue with this whether they are at a plaza, a restaurant or a shopping center.

Conclusion 

For the most part, we've found that Argentinians are quite accepting. So I encourage anyone, gay or straight, to move down here to live a less stressful life, mostly free of judgment. You won’t regret it especially if you live in a country where being gay is a death sentence.

(UPDATE: 08-27-2020: In light of a hate crime in 2020, I interviewed a local member of the LGBT community named Maxi Tassi so he could give us his perspective of what gay people face in Argentina. Click here to read it.)

(Update 2017: There are some people who will make whistling noises that are similar to bird calls. My spouse and I have had employees at certain privately owned supermarkets, and owners of newspaper kiosks on the streets, whistle in this manner. We're told that this is the way some homophobes react when someone that's gay approaches them.)