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West Australian
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
In the footsteps of Evita
At the door of the Melia Recoleta Plaza hotel in Buenos Aires, I am greeted by Eva Peron. Not Evita herself, of course (this icon of Argentina died of cancer in 1952, aged 33), but by an almost life-size photograph of her wearing a glorious Christian Dior gown Having Evita looking down on me is a fitting entry to this stylish, rather Parisian little boutique hotel in the rather stylish part of Buenos Aires, Recoleta. For as a young radio actress and model finding her feet, she lived in this building between 1942 and 1944. She had moved to Buenos Aires in 1935, first renting cheap hotel rooms and sharing apartments with other performers before moving to Posadas, the rather more salubrious street which the Melia hotel fronts — though in her day there were bordellos, gambling halls and streetwalkers around here. It was while living here that young Eva Duarte met and was courted by army officer Juan Domingo Peron. She moved from Posadas No. 1557, which is now this hotel, to No. 1561, which became their first home after marrying in 1945. Juan Domingo Peron retained a connection with No. 1557, setting up a sewing shop here, in what is now the hotel's rather fine bistro, which made fine gowns for Eva and other officers' wives, repaired army uniforms and made elegant tailored clothes for powerful politicians. Later, Juan would gift the building, in what appears in modern context a rather oddly blatant act of nepotism, to Eva's brother, Juan Duarte, and it was eventually seized by a court as a result of the debts he ran up. The building passed through Majorcan and Argentine investor hands before Melia Hotels and Resorts opened it as this fine little hotel in 2005. It reflects the golden age of Buenos Aires and is elegantly furnished in antique style. I walk out in the warm evening, along Posadas, past the grassed hill of the park of Plaza San Martin de Tours and over Plaza Intendente Alvear to Recoleta Cemetery — the so-called City of Angels which nestles among the apartments of the living. For here, among the 6400 tombs and mausoleums, is one with the name Duarte on it, and in it are the remains of Eva, along with those of her mother, two sisters and brother. It is popular with tourists; less so with some Argentinians. The story of Eva Peron, the First Lady (her husband became a politician and was first elected president in 1946) who helped women get the vote, founded hospitals and orphanages and helped secure labour benefits for the working class, was, of course, immortalised by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in the musical Evita, and by Madonna in the film version in 1996. But writing about Eva opens up the conflict, anger, corruption, abuse, wounds, successes, achievements, paradoxes and dichotomies of contemporary Argentine history. 'To me, it is Saddam or Khomeini,' a local tells me, glancing up at a portrait of Eva Peron on the end of a building. I hadn't expected quite that. Juan came to rule in 1946 with the backing of the working classes and, as the Argentine economy declined in the early 1950s, this demagogue became increasingly authoritarian. And there are still people among the 3 million of central Buenos Aires and 13 million of its sprawling suburbs of shabby apartments and poor barrios — those suburbs of ramshackle homes — who blame Argentina's demise since World War II on systemic corruption, cruel dictatorship and the cost of Evita's dresses. Following the military coup of 1955 which deposed Juan, Peronism was banned. It was illegal to even possess a photograph of Eva. ('But she brought many reformations, especially for women and the poor,' another woman and Buenos Aires resident tells me.) Two months after the coup, Eva Peron's embalmed body was stolen by soldiers from the trade union building where it was being held, taken to Italy and buried under the name of Maria Maggi in Milan. It was later exhumed and taken to Spain, and only returned to Argentina in 1973, when Juan came out of exile to become president for his third term. It was then placed in the family tomb. Thirteen years after Juan's death in 1974, his tomb was broken into and both of his hands stolen. I dine in a good cafe and then sit outside Nuestra Senora del Pilar Church. Our Lady of Pilar is an eighth century Jesuit church, the second oldest building in Buenos Aires and nicely restored. A man stands, eyes shut, against the wall, wearing a traditional, soft Buenos Aires broad-brimmed chambergos hat, playing the clarinet. He pauses between notes, lets the night speak under a fingernail of moon, then narrates another passage with spare notes. Women walk dogs on long, extender leads; these sturdy, poised Argentinian women. Girls pass in groups on high platform shoes. On the pavement, a man has spread a sheet of paper; his shop to sell a packet of cigarettes, two watches and some cheap jewellery. Three men sit in identical suits and ties, in a row, on a bench. And I turn and see the church lit under the inky blue, early night sky, and the faithful within. Our Lady of the Pilar is the name given to the Virgin Mary under the ancient Spanish tradition that says she appeared to St James the Apostle atop a pillar in a moment when he felt desperate over his failure in spreading Christianity. One is tempted to use the French word 'arrondissement' for the Buenos Aires suburb of Recoleta. Particularly during the good economic period from 1890-1920, the rich of Buenos Aires were fond of travelling in Europe and bringing back its design and culture. Spanish and Italians, in particular, settled here, and their influence is felt, too. There is now a new Italian connection, of course, as Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires and rose to become its archbishop. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, he briefly worked as a nightclub bouncer in the capital before joining the seminary. He became a bishop in 1992, archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and is now the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, where he served and led, was first erected in the 16th century, rebuilt several times and is now recognised as a 19th century design. It overlooks Plaza de Mayo and holds the remains of 'Argentina's liberator', General Jose de San Martin, a soldier, statesman and national hero who was born in Argentina but fought for the Spanish monarch for 20 years before, as he later reportedly put it, 'responded to the call of his native land' and became a leader in the revolutions against the Spanish rule of Argentina in 1812, Chile in 1818 and Peru in 1821. The cathedral offers me a peaceful haven from this city of traffic, and a moment of contemplation in this city of angels.
Time Out
a day ago
- Time Out
Miches, the lesser-known Caribbean destination without sargassum
The Dominican Republic is among the top destinations Argentinians choose when traveling to the Caribbean. According to figures from the country's own Ministry of Tourism, from January to June 2025, arrivals of Argentine tourists grew by 98% compared to 2024. Today, 4 out of every 10 tourists arriving in the country are Argentine. This is noticeable when walking through hotels: mate everywhere, people asking for hot water, impromptu games of truco and soccer on the beach. However, paradoxically, along with this 'boom' of Argentines in the Dominican Republic, another unprecedented phenomenon is occurring: a record amount of sargassum in the area. Sargassum is a natural occurrence that has a season from April to September, but this year 38 million metric tons of algae have already been recorded—the highest number in history. Where is Miches? In this context, many families look for alternatives or decide to reschedule their trips to another time of year. One of those options is Miches, a destination located in the northeast of the Dominican Republic, which is still developing and has no sargassum. It is a coastal municipality located on the southern part of Samaná Bay, where most of its beaches are untouched. At one time, its residents were engaged in agriculture and fishing; today, tourism is the main activity. From Punta Cana airport, it takes about an hour and a half to get there. What is sargassum? It is a type of microalgae that is mainly found in warm tropical waters such as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. One of its characteristics is that it floats on the surface (unlike other types of algae) and forms extensive mats. While it does not harm humans—although it can cause headaches and irritation—it has a strong visual and olfactory impact and blocks access to many beaches. Why is Miches a sargassum-free destination? The main reason is the location. It is situated in a bay that has historically protected its beaches from sargassum. The key lies in the orientation of the peninsula, which extends from west to east and blocks the direct passage of algae coming from the Atlantic Ocean. "Miches is located in a bay, which protects its beaches from sargassum" The currents that carry sargassum tend to flow westward, hitting the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic directly. Upon reaching the peninsula's barrier, most of the algae are diverted northward, continuing their path through the Atlantic Ocean. It's worth clarifying that this is a natural phenomenon, so it's unpredictable. The intensity and path of the currents can change and cause algae to eventually reach this coast, although this is rare. Where to stay in Miches? Miches currently has only three hotel chains operating. Viva Miches by Wyndham is the all-inclusive option, ideal for families. The hotel has 535 rooms in six different categories, varying by view and whether they include a private pool. It's located on Playa Esmeralda, one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, surrounded by over 10 kilometers of completely untouched sand. The sea is very calm, with few waves and warm water. The best thing about this beach is that you can walk for several kilometers away from the hotel without loungers, people, or music interrupting. Inside the hotel, guests can enjoy 5 restaurants—one buffet and four a la carte. Our top recommendation is Latin Fusión, where you can enjoy traditional Dominican dishes such as the 'Dominican flag' (chicken, rice, and vegetables). The hotel also offers a spa, a specialty coffee shop, and a kids club staffed with trained childcare professionals and a very safe water park for little ones to splash around. Additionally, there is a packed schedule of activities ranging from dance classes to archery. You might also be interested in: 10 places to visit near Buenos Aires with family Also included during your stay are other sea activities like stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and sailing on a catamaran. Outside the hotel, excursions can be booked, such as a sunset cruise with a swim stop at a sandbank in the middle of the sea. What (else) to do in Miches? Beyond the hotel, there are some nearby places worth visiting on excursions. One option is Montaña Redonda, a site with 360-degree views of the region from where you can see all of Samaná Bay and its two accompanying lagoons: Limón and Redonda. There are also hammocks for taking photos while you swing over the void. Before climbing up, visitors are taken to see a rice plantation and learn about coconut oil production. Another recommended outing is to Los Haitises National Park, one of the largest in the Dominican Republic. This place is one of the largest Caribbean mangrove refuges in the world and was home to the Taíno indigenous people in the 16th century. Besides navigating the mangroves, you can visit caves where they once lived and see some pictographs left by this community. Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed here. From the hotel, you can also take a catamaran and swim at a sandbank. On the way back, you can enjoy a special sunset over the Atlantic. Other excursions include visits to Samaná and Saona Island. "Miches offers still-virgin beaches, few hotels, and a lot of peace and quiet" Although it is a developing destination, Miches offers the magic that perhaps other nearby places have lost: pristine beaches, few hotels, and lots of tranquility. This, combined with the chance to enjoy a sargassum-free sea just over an hour from Punta Cana.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
NIMBY-free: What our cities can learn from this South American capital
You often see Argentinians reading books at solo tables in coffee shops; Aussies, it seems, are mostly on their phones. And those coffee shops, by custom, mostly stay open all the way till 8pm, making the 3pm closing times common even in big cities like Sydney and Melbourne look ridiculously sleepy. Argentinians will pack them out between 6pm and 8pm for meriendas – a croissant, cake, empanada or scrambled egg snack, along with a café con leche, to tide them over till dinner time – commonly between 10pm and 11pm. They also do coffee shops really well. Whilst our coffee will often taste better, they nail the cafe culture. Buenos Aires has two major LGBTQI cafes – Pride and Maricafe – so the queer community can socialise in spaces not fuelled by alcohol. Both stay open late. No Australian city I know has this. Being more relaxed about late-night culture is one of the lessons I can share from our southern hemisphere counterpart when I return – happily – to Australia later this year. I've missed Australia sorely. Recently, on a day when the 'feels like' temperature hit an unbearable 44 degrees and my aircon conked out from a power surge, the inner-city's only major public pool – Parque Norte – a sprawling shallow paddling pool, had already closed for the season. It's, bewilderingly, only open for three months a year. It faces a Holy Land theme park, Tierra Santa, so a giant animatronic Jesus rises from the dead every hour, slowly spins around to judge us all in our skimpy swimmers, then descends back into his tomb. Quirky as this is, I long for the secular lap-pools of big Aussie cities like Sydney, where I lived. Glaring into the murky brown, unsuitable-for-swimming Rio de la Plata River, I also long for its beaches. There are many reasons not to take lessons from the Argentinians on certain subjects – economic management being one. While we panic if our inflation hits 4 per cent, Argentina last year had the world's highest, triple digit, inflation. The price of many things has doubled or tripled since I lived here – one of the reasons I'll soon leave. It has become expensive. It's still worth the money for a visit though, and Australians can fly there via a stopover in Santiago de Chile. When people ask why I chose here, I semi-joke it was the words to the song Buenos Aires in the film Evita as sung by Madonna: 'Fill me up with your heat, with your dirt, with your noise, overdo me. Let me dance to your beat, make it loud, let it hurt, run it through me.' Semi-joking because the lyrics ring true – the city is hot, noisy, dirty (Buenos Aires translates as 'good air' which is ironic) – and teeming with life and energy in a way Australia's cities just aren't. Much of that life happens at night. This is a truly nocturnal city. As one of my fellow digital nomads commented: 'not much happens before midday.' But everything good happens after midnight. Kids here are often still awake here at 1am on a Tuesday – I see them in the city's ice cream parlours. Somewhere you won't find kids is on the city's wildly hedonistic nightlife scene. No clubs open before midnight, and nobody even thinks about entering one before 2am. At 7am, they'll ask ' donde estan las afters?' Hardcore revellers will stay at one of the various afterparties on offer until midday; something that only happens sporadically in more conservative Australian cities. Argentinians, for reasons unbeknown to me, adore hard, thumping, lyric-free (and melody-free) techno music. I despise it, but I adore watching them go off to it. It makes me feel very alive. And also gives me a migraine. It's a world away from belting John Farnham at karaoke at 10pm before calling it a night. Oftentimes I feel like I was in Berlin's notorious Beghain. Other times I dance merengue-style to my much-preferred reggaeton or cumbria, which has more of a tune to enliven the hips. Everything is so insanely late, I adjust my schedule accordingly. In Australia I'd be up by 6am and in the gym by 6.20am. In Buenos Aires, some gyms and coffee shops don't open until 9am; shops at 10am. I moved from the world's most diurnal city to its most night-loving. They're refreshingly creative when it comes to nightclubs. One – La Biblioteca – is set in an actual library. One night I attended, FuriaFest, which opened at 1am in a large warehouse with fairground rides (the waltzers; a bucking bronco), an inflatable bungee football pitch (I played two games at about 3am), and a tattoo artist (nearly got one after three drinks) – plus a DJ and huge, busy dancefloor. It feels like Australia's notoriously restrictive regulations would kill off such a reimagining of the nightclub experience before it got off the ground. Another night, Durx, has a brickwork tunnel that runs underneath the length of the club where revellers, gay and straight, can be as sexually liberated as they feel, with no bouncers monitoring, judging or expelling, as happens in Australia. Similarly, the city's underground train system, the Subte, is free of the Australian-esque regulations that'd prevent the busking you see on trains here. It's like an underground, underworld live theatre; the modern day unsanitised circus. I've seen breakdancers, religious preachers, full bands, electric guitar soloists, elderly tango music singers, stationery sellers and a rap duo who'd invite you to suggest a word which they'd immediately incorporate into their imaginative, improvised fast-paced Spanish verse. The shabby-chic faded grandeur of a city that was, over a century ago, the capital of one of the world's richest countries owns its imperfections. It will, indeed, fill you up with its noise: the endless drilling; the defiant protests between the Plaza De Mayo and Congreso (as I write this, locals are bashing pots and pans together on balconies above me to protest alleged police brutality); the 10-lane mega-roads interrupting otherwise pleasant parkland.
The Age
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
NIMBY-free: What our cities can learn from this South American capital
You often see Argentinians reading books at solo tables in coffee shops; Aussies, it seems, are mostly on their phones. And those coffee shops, by custom, mostly stay open all the way till 8pm, making the 3pm closing times common even in big cities like Sydney and Melbourne look ridiculously sleepy. Argentinians will pack them out between 6pm and 8pm for meriendas – a croissant, cake, empanada or scrambled egg snack, along with a café con leche, to tide them over till dinner time – commonly between 10pm and 11pm. They also do coffee shops really well. Whilst our coffee will often taste better, they nail the cafe culture. Buenos Aires has two major LGBTQI cafes – Pride and Maricafe – so the queer community can socialise in spaces not fuelled by alcohol. Both stay open late. No Australian city I know has this. Being more relaxed about late-night culture is one of the lessons I can share from our southern hemisphere counterpart when I return – happily – to Australia later this year. I've missed Australia sorely. Recently, on a day when the 'feels like' temperature hit an unbearable 44 degrees and my aircon conked out from a power surge, the inner-city's only major public pool – Parque Norte – a sprawling shallow paddling pool, had already closed for the season. It's, bewilderingly, only open for three months a year. It faces a Holy Land theme park, Tierra Santa, so a giant animatronic Jesus rises from the dead every hour, slowly spins around to judge us all in our skimpy swimmers, then descends back into his tomb. Quirky as this is, I long for the secular lap-pools of big Aussie cities like Sydney, where I lived. Glaring into the murky brown, unsuitable-for-swimming Rio de la Plata River, I also long for its beaches. There are many reasons not to take lessons from the Argentinians on certain subjects – economic management being one. While we panic if our inflation hits 4 per cent, Argentina last year had the world's highest, triple digit, inflation. The price of many things has doubled or tripled since I lived here – one of the reasons I'll soon leave. It has become expensive. It's still worth the money for a visit though, and Australians can fly there via a stopover in Santiago de Chile. When people ask why I chose here, I semi-joke it was the words to the song Buenos Aires in the film Evita as sung by Madonna: 'Fill me up with your heat, with your dirt, with your noise, overdo me. Let me dance to your beat, make it loud, let it hurt, run it through me.' Semi-joking because the lyrics ring true – the city is hot, noisy, dirty (Buenos Aires translates as 'good air' which is ironic) – and teeming with life and energy in a way Australia's cities just aren't. Much of that life happens at night. This is a truly nocturnal city. As one of my fellow digital nomads commented: 'not much happens before midday.' But everything good happens after midnight. Kids here are often still awake here at 1am on a Tuesday – I see them in the city's ice cream parlours. Somewhere you won't find kids is on the city's wildly hedonistic nightlife scene. No clubs open before midnight, and nobody even thinks about entering one before 2am. At 7am, they'll ask ' donde estan las afters?' Hardcore revellers will stay at one of the various afterparties on offer until midday; something that only happens sporadically in more conservative Australian cities. Argentinians, for reasons unbeknown to me, adore hard, thumping, lyric-free (and melody-free) techno music. I despise it, but I adore watching them go off to it. It makes me feel very alive. And also gives me a migraine. It's a world away from belting John Farnham at karaoke at 10pm before calling it a night. Oftentimes I feel like I was in Berlin's notorious Beghain. Other times I dance merengue-style to my much-preferred reggaeton or cumbria, which has more of a tune to enliven the hips. Everything is so insanely late, I adjust my schedule accordingly. In Australia I'd be up by 6am and in the gym by 6.20am. In Buenos Aires, some gyms and coffee shops don't open until 9am; shops at 10am. I moved from the world's most diurnal city to its most night-loving. They're refreshingly creative when it comes to nightclubs. One – La Biblioteca – is set in an actual library. One night I attended, FuriaFest, which opened at 1am in a large warehouse with fairground rides (the waltzers; a bucking bronco), an inflatable bungee football pitch (I played two games at about 3am), and a tattoo artist (nearly got one after three drinks) – plus a DJ and huge, busy dancefloor. It feels like Australia's notoriously restrictive regulations would kill off such a reimagining of the nightclub experience before it got off the ground. Another night, Durx, has a brickwork tunnel that runs underneath the length of the club where revellers, gay and straight, can be as sexually liberated as they feel, with no bouncers monitoring, judging or expelling, as happens in Australia. Similarly, the city's underground train system, the Subte, is free of the Australian-esque regulations that'd prevent the busking you see on trains here. It's like an underground, underworld live theatre; the modern day unsanitised circus. I've seen breakdancers, religious preachers, full bands, electric guitar soloists, elderly tango music singers, stationery sellers and a rap duo who'd invite you to suggest a word which they'd immediately incorporate into their imaginative, improvised fast-paced Spanish verse. The shabby-chic faded grandeur of a city that was, over a century ago, the capital of one of the world's richest countries owns its imperfections. It will, indeed, fill you up with its noise: the endless drilling; the defiant protests between the Plaza De Mayo and Congreso (as I write this, locals are bashing pots and pans together on balconies above me to protest alleged police brutality); the 10-lane mega-roads interrupting otherwise pleasant parkland.
IOL News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Junior Springboks set to challenge New Zealand in U20 Championship final
Junior Springbok scrumhalf Haashim Pead played another leading role for the side in their semi-final victory over Argentina on Wednesday in the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. Image: Sabrina Conforti / World Rugby The Junior Springboks are one hurdle away from lifting the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. After beating fellow Southern Hemisphere side Argentina 48-24 on Wednesday evening, they will face New Zealand's U20s in the final on Saturday in Rovigo. The Junior All Blacks beat France in the other semi to advance. The two sides recently played an exciting match in Gqeberha in the U20 Rugby Championship, so this final will be another humdinger between the teams. It is South Africa's first final since 2014 and they have a few things to fix, like the 16 penalties they conceded, ahead of the clash. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'They are desperate to do well on Saturday for the Springbok and for the country,' head coach Kevin Foote said after the victory over Argentina. 'We are full of belief for what is to come.' On Wednesday evening, another clinical performance on the attack saw the South African U20s run in six tries to dispatch the Pumitas in a hot and humid Viadana. Five of the scores came from the backs with inside centre Albie Bester scoring twice. Scrumhalf Haashim Pead, who has been excellent throughout the tournament also dotted down. The stage is set and the final awaits 🤩 One game. Everything on the line 🔥#WorldRugbyU20s — World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 14, 2025 Four first-half tries brought a 28-10 lead at halftime, but the Junior Boks were made to work in the second half as their opponents tried to fight back. The Argentinians put together some decent rolling mauls and scrums that put the Junior Boks under immense pressure. They struggled to stop them and with a yellow card to props Simphiwe Ngobese and Oliver Reid in both halves of the game, the South Africans had to mount a good defensive effort. For most, they did well to weather the storm of attacks launched at them when they were only 14, but some defensive lapses led to three tries scored against them. However, they'll be happy with the strong test their defence received ahead of playing the Kiwis. "That is an unbelievable try!" 🇿🇦@SAJuniorRugby are bringing their pace and power to the pitch ⚡#WorldRugbyU20s — World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 14, 2025 'It was a very challenging match with the conditions slippery because of the humidity. It was physical as well. The players have built up a lot of belief since the U20 Rugby Championship and now through the World Rugby U20 Championship. They are humble yet confident. 'Our leaders are driving it, alongside the rest of the team. They just want to do well for the country.' Captain Riley Norton said their discipline cost them at times and it put the side under a lot of pressure. That allowed the momentum to swing in the favour of the Pumitas. But some strong defence got the side back in the game. If you blink, you might miss it 🤏👀 Jaco Williams gets South Africa's third against Argentina 🇿🇦🔥 📺 Stream #WorldRugbyU20s on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 14, 2025 Despite penalties going against them, Norton and his leadership group kept the team calm. 'We managed to stay in the present and in the fight. That is why we could defend for long periods of time and score while being under pressure.' Points scorers Junior Springboks 48 (28): Tries: Albie Bester (2), Haashim Pead, Jaco Williams, JJ Theron, Cheswill Jooste. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (4), Dominic Malgas. Penalties: Moyo (2). Argentina U20: 28 (10): Tries: Agustín Garcia campos Fiszman, Timoteo Silva, Ramon Fernandez Miranda. Conversions: Rafael Benedit (2), Pascal Senillosa. Penalty: Benedit.
