Visiting Argentina throws most people into a pre-trip tizzy trying to decide where to go and where to leave out.
The truly indecisive could be ruthlessly efficient and follow the suggestions of what has become the World’s most prestigious travel club – the Unesco World Heritage list.To join this elite clique a location must be truly outstanding and go through a painstaking process that takes years and is notoriously picky, as Buenos Aires City found out this year when it was flatly and unceremoniously rejected – the steel flower must not have been working the day the Unesco boffins did their city tour.
911 sites have been chosen around the world since this League of the Sublime first started in 1972. There are 8 sites in Argentina, 4 cultural and 4 natural. Can you name them? A quick survey around the office produced some very poor results with someone even insisting Argentina´s most tacky tourist drag El Caminito was listed. It is not and may it never be, solely for the reason that they grossly overcharge there for a plate of chips.
One city that is definitely not on the list is Mendoza but that could someday change as a recent proposal in the provincial senate suggests that the city´s unique canal and tree system should be put forward. Much paperwork, voting and municipal cooperation is required to get the project off the ground so do not hold your breath. Doubters who suggest the city does not qualify should be punished by a good ducking in the same canals. Just look at some of the other cities that are actually listed. Valparaiso?
And now, not to tease you any longer, the Argentine elite list is the following: Iguazu, Ischigualisto-Talampaya, Los Glaciares, Peninsula Valdés, Cueva de las Manos, Jesuit Cordoba, Jesuit Misiones and Quebrada de Huamahuaca.
