Rosario Argentina

Rosario, Argentina is a city of over 1 million people. It is a middle class city whose people are mostly of Spanish and Italian descent. It is difficult to say what characterizes this city as being among the most interesting in Argentina. Some might argue that it is its beautiful architecture, its shopping, its food, or its recreational opportunities along the Rio Parana. I choose to believe the city is most importantly characterized by its people. The Rosarinos are among the friendliest people I have met.

Where am I and Which Way Do I Go?

I sizable part of the traffic grid near the river is characterized by narrow one way streets. The names of streets are painted on corner buildings. An arrow shows the direction of cross-traffic. There are few stop signs so a rookie driver such as myself had to be especially careful at intersections.

Museo de Arte Contemporaneo

One of the more recognizable structures in the urban landscape of Rosario is the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (Contemporary Art Museum). It is a series of converted grain silos painted in pastel colors. The museum is located along the Rio Parana. At the water line, I'm told there is a very nice restaurant.

Shopping at the Supermarket

One way to appreciate the everyday lives of a city's residents is to see where they shop and what they eat. In Rosario, I took the opportunity to visit a few grocery stores and small markets. Much of what I found was the same as any similar store in the U.S. with the exception of how the food was presented and its cost in U.S. dollars. The currency exchange is about 3 pesos per U.S. dollar meaning that the meat shown at $2.18 (pesos) per kilo (1 kilo = 2.2 pounds) is about 70 cents U.S. per pound! I found butternut squash in every market, often cut in half to reveal its quality. Detergent was packaged in small bags rather than bottled liquids or boxed powder. The wine is astonishly inexpensive. In the grocery stores, a wide variety of wines including my favorite varietal, Malbec, rarely exceeded $3.00 U.S. per bottle.

Bicycle Race

While in Rosario, I had the pleasure of enjoying the last day of a major bicycle race for Argentina, the Campeonato Argentina de Ruta. The race that day was a criterium and orginated in the Parque Urquiza along the Rio Parana. The speed of the riders was incredible, especially when they rounded corners on cobblestone streets.