Our journey up North continued to San Miguel de Tucumán, which back on 9thJuly 1816 Argentina formally declared its independence from Spain. The city today is the major commercial centre in the North West of Argentina and has an extensive range of shops. The principal industry today is centred on citrus farming, and especially lemons, which it is the largest producer and a major supplier to Coca Cola. Over the years, with much British investment, Tucumán built up its prosperity from growing sugar, but when that declined it branched out in to todays major centre for citrus fruit. This British influence also cemented Tucumán’s position as the rugby capital of Argentina.
The city has the usual combination of churches, this time with the Franciscans having their old monastery pride of place in the corner of Independencia Square diagonally opposite the main cathedral. Independencia Square is an attractive space full of orange trees, which at this time of year were full of fruit giving the place a pleasant citrus aroma.
A block off the main square is the Casa Histórica de la Independencia, which is where the declaration of independence was signed, and the first Argentine Congress held. Today is a museum and offers an interesting throw back to what the old colonial buildings were like, complete with internal courtyards and gardens.
Large Argentine cities all have the same type of shops, which in parts can appear old fashioned and a throw back to the 1970s. Argentina has as a result of its many economic crises heavy restrictions on imports, either explicit or implicit. On the really positive side this has allowed independent bookshops to continue to flourish and indeed in Tucumán there are a number of them, including a very smart branch of the Ateneo Grand Splendid. Also there are many old fashioned toy shops with window displays stacked to the ceiling full of boxes and brightly coloured toys, these simply no longer exist back home. The clothes shops are an eclectic mix of rather tired old fashioned affairs with very busy displays, including some with undressed mannequins, right through to modern sports stores with minimalist window displays.
The main bus station just outside the city centre is like most Argentine bus stations kept immaculately clean and is a fascinating place to watch locals of all classes and generations going about their daily business.
Date: 24/04/2018 to 26/04/2018