Argentina
November 6-29, 2009
November 10: Punta Tomba and Gaiman: Parque El Desafío (The Challenge Park)
This park is a backyard where tin cans and plastic bottles have been recycled and reincarnated. It's the work of octogenarian Joaquín Alonso, dubbed by the local media as the Dalí of Gaiman, whose constructions, such as the tower he ereced "in homage to myself", stand alongside ironic mockeries of modern consumerist society.
Oddly enough, this little park was featured on a travel documentary of Argentina we had gotten from the library before our trip and thought that Samantha might get a kick out of it. Turns out Sam absolutely loved it... perhaps even more than the penguins! She ran around taking pictures of practically every item in the park... hence the numerous pictures below which I can't cut too much from since Sam loves to see these photos.
We arrive at El Desafio Park.
Pop bottle flowers.
Giraffe!
Real flowers mixed in with 'lanterns'.
More flowery gardens intermingled with poetic sayings.
Samantha liked the flowers.
Nuestra senora de la Patagonia. Note the pop can top facade of the building.
An artistic statement on "grocery".
A little village diorama made of recyclables.
"apartment building".
Sonrie. Te estamos filmando!
A little cottage garden.
Christopher is also enjoying all the colourful sights.
Our first whale sighting in Argentina!
Lots of colourful stuff everywhere.
The 4 elements: dirt/earth, water, fire and air.
Sammy gets lots of cool ideas for crafts, including making a robot.
A castle, fishies... so much to see!
"Adoracion"
A new dinosaur exhibit.
This one (chubutsaurus) is a local one from the province of Chubut.
Of course then we also have hot-rot-saurio - used by people to get nowhere fast.
Some local flora.
A happy feel good kinda place.
Painted plastic pop bottle flowers adorn the tree trunks.
Starry beer bottle flower gardens.
A maze of paths and arches leads us around the park.
Sammy took lots of photos of the things she liked best, including these mushrooms.
I see a little blue penguin!
Why do I feel like I'm being watched?
Calla lilies.
Hmmm, some of the artwork isn't so enduring... this would go well in our fireplace at home!
Pop bottle bird.
The giant caterpillar - another favourite of Sammy and Christopher.
Local wildlife.
Sammy with her perma-grin, taking lots of photos...
...like of this rhea! (for rheal!)
Did I mention Sam liked the mushrooms?
Christopher's favourite was the train carrying all the logs.
International cultural art.
King and prince of the castle.
It's a small world after all...!
A circle maze dedicated to all the zodiac signs.
"Cuando un amigo se va... queda un espacio vacio..." Whatever...
Rubby and I were fixated on the clothes hangers and Sam just saw lots of pretty pink flowers!
Chinese lanterns... we should remember to make these for Chinese New Year!
A shrine to the guardians of the indiginous people?
Sunflower.
A bird in the park.
Samantha liked all the baby caterpillars all over the rocks.
A monument by the artist to himself.
The popcan flower pyramid and wine bottle house.
Samantha takes in the architecture.
Looking up through the skylight of the wine bottle house.
Sam's photo from inside the house.
Not sure what these are, but Sam liked them.
"Troncomovil" - A picture of Sam driving the Flintstone car wasn't enough...
...I had to take a picture of her in the backseat also!
It's like a permanent rainbow in the sky!
A courtyard art gallery by the Dalí of Gaiman.
Rubby had to leave quickly so as not to be affected by the kryptonite.
More castles, lanterns and flowers...
Hey quick, get a photo of those penguins... we don't have enough photos of penguins yet!
A tribute to tires... fitting of all the gomerias we've seen already!
We didn't see horses like this at the gaucho festival!
Flower garden.
Is it a pig or a cow?!
Taking it all in one last time.
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