Only geographically speaking of course it is - plonked here at the end of the world but with an outlook so unlike the rest of the continent it is hard to believe it's real. People always go on about Buenos Aires being so European, with its Fin-de-siecle architecture and theatres and cafe society but I find myself really missing the culture of England, especially the music.
I have been out in Salta for the last ten days and I am extremely tired of the culture of tourism. the landscape is so stunning but it is besieged.The overpriced excursion buses stopping en masse throughout the valleys and pueblos. The tourists snapping photos of every single quotidian action of the locals, often causing them to crack up as soon as the turista has passed on. In Cafayate, every restaurant is besieged by gaucho children performing their folkloric Riverdance for two minutes before harassing diners, hat in hand.
The food is the furthest thing gastronomically from Latin America. At least in Salta, you can request some salsa picante to accompany your empanadas - but only if you ask. Otherwise,the whole of Argentina is a food facsimile of asado, bife and pizza. You don't even need to look at the menu except to check the constantly rocketing prices.
And there is a major lack of joie de vivre in Argentina. Think of the joyous dancing in Brazil and Colombia and then think of tango - a dance that expresses the neuroses of the Argentine character. Ormaybe the Porteno character. In Salta,everyone asks mewhat I think of Buenos Aires and especially the Portenos. They are despised as the arrogant,unreliable and somewhat myopic people they are.
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