Tango has a language, and the words are the individual movements of the Tango. You can dance to the same piece of music over and over, and never dance it the same way. If you say something different each time you dance the Tango, you will have danced a different Tango each time.

There’s even a sense of humor to the dance, if you know the language. To be able to speak Argentina Tango, or in other words to be able to show the movements correctly, you’ll have to have some dancer intuition already in place. For example, pointed toes, flexed knees, balance tipped slightly forward, and mirroring your partner’s shoulders are all basics that you have to master, like building blocks on which the real Tango language will be constructed.

 There’s another language involved, as well: Spanish. As you learn Tango, you will learn the names of the movements, as your instructor, who might be from Argentina, calls them out. They may even be handy as you attempt a bit of traveller’s Spanish while on vacation in Argentina. Here are a few examples:

• ochos, or figures of eight
• el dibujo, or the drawing
• cruzadas, or crosses
• colgadas
• volcadas
• boleos
• ganchos

Women, you can indulge in Argentina Tango footwear if you are so inclined. Look for black suede Tango shoes, red Tango shoes, shoes made in Argentina or Urrguay, shoes with a 1940s heel, stilettos from Argentina or shoes from Buenos Aires made just for walking backward! Some think that the more a woman spends on her Tango shoes, the more serious dancer she is…silly! But some Tango shoes may be hard to resist, and watch out, they cost a bunch. Arika Nerguiz makes some gorgeous Tango shoes. The smooth soles are specially designed to pivot easily, and the suede feels like butter around your feet. Straps keep them falling off your feet, which is classic. There really is a sort of cult built up around Tango shoes, because they are so gorgeous. Tango shoes imported from Argentina have waiting lists, and designers like Manono Blahnik and Comme il Faut make Tango shoes. The basic elements of Tango shoes are:

1. stiletto heels
2. center strap down the foot
3. suede, possibly
4. red, possibly

Some designers from Buenos Aires to keep in mind when shopping for Tango shoes are: Neo Tango and Flabellas. Happy shopping, and Happy Dancing!

Patagonia is a vast inland plateau covered in shrubs, lagoons and farms. In the western part, as the Andes mountains begin, there are several National Parks. This regions covers more than 4402000 square miles and actually expands into Chile as well. The border between Chile and Argentina is formed in Patagonia. The Argentina part of Patagonia covers about three quarters of the total area, and is sparsely populated. It’s windy all year, and the average temperature is mild, although parts of Patagonia have more harsh weather than other parts.

There’s a lake district next to Los Glaciares National Park, and rivers run through the region. You can visit such diverse elements as settlements founded in 18th century, caves used by these settlers, a sea lion colony in Northern Patagonia, and the giant port of San Antonio Este, from where all the fruit is exported. There are dude ranches like the gigantic Piedra del Aguila Hotel and Ranch, where guests can camping, horseback riding, sheep shearing and fishing.

There’s the Laguna blanca National Park which is popular with bird watchers because they get a chance to see the black-necked swan in flocks that contain thousands of birds. Flamingos also live here, as do peregrine falcons and eagles. In the Lake District get ready to see Indian reservations and the monkey puzzle tree, or the Araucaria Araucana, which is one of the oddest-looking trees on earth.

There’s also Lanin National Park where you can see the Lanin Volcano which borders Chile. You can also do some wonderful river and stream fishing here. Keep an eye out for numerous fishing lodges like the San Huberto Lodge which is right on the Malleo River. Hunters love this park too because they can hunt for wild boars and two types of deer. There are  lots of tourist info at the Tourist Office in San Martin de los Andes.

There are lots of hotels in the Lake District, and the town of Bariloche, especially, has hotels with lots of things for tourists to do. It’s in the middle of Nahuel Haupi National Park, and you can take day trips Mount Otto, or go skiing at Catedral Ski Center, or visit the Patagonia Museum which has wonderful collection of Indian Artifacts. Mount Tronador, at 11,728 feet, is a great day trip for hikers. Go horseback trekking from a dude ranch, where you can start out for a day trip or a weeklong adventure.

Iguazu National Park is the number one spot outside of Buenos Aires that should be on your list of things to see when you experience Argentina travel.   These falls are world-famous, and you’ll be amazed when you visit them, especially on the Argentina side (they form the border with Brazil.

On the Argentina side, you can walk trails that go right up next to the gigantic falls, and some trails do actually have spots where you can stand under the water, if you dare. The Brazilian side has the views, but you can’t get up as close to the water. Definitely set aside at least a full day, and spend a night at the Sheraton, which is the only place to stay that’s right inside the park. You will be able to see the falls right from the hotel, and it’s not horribly expensive, either. Just fly from Buenos Aires and stay at the Sheraton, leave a full day, preferable two days to explore the various trails.

There’s a tram ride to the most impressive fall, Devil’s Throat, or Garganta del Diablo which you can’t miss. The water falls 240 feet, sending up a cloud of mist that creates rainbows everywhere if the sun is out, which it probably will be. There are 600 yards of trails for you to explore, and a side trip can be taken to Isla San Martin, which offers you a chance to ride up into the great falls in a big rubber boat. If the water is too rough, however, they’ll close the boat ride services down for your safety. The guided tours are fun, but not necessary. Here are some examples of Iguazu tours you can take:
1. Amphibious Tour: Ride in a 4×4 vehicle over the Yacaratia trail, for eight km of trail-riding great adventure. You then navigate through the lower Iguazu River, six km of river, with one-third of the ride in total rapids! The waterfalls are then approached via speedboat, zipping into Devil’s Throat Canyon, and a few more of the bigger waterfalls on the Argentinian side. The whole tour takes about one hour. There are lots of stairs to climb, so no pregnant women or people with heart conditions.
2. Nautical Tour: Take a boat ride from San Marin Island, which is right down at ground level below the falls, in the middle of everything. You then get baptized under San Martin waterfalls, which are second only to Devil’s Throat in size. The entire experience takes 12 minutes.
3. Ecological Tour: You will ride a rubber raft from Devil’s Throat station, for 3 km, down the delta area of the Iguazu, smooth and silent the whole way. You’ll actually be above the falls, exploring the wildlife and plantlife. It takes about 30 mintues for the whole trip.

What it Takes to Tango

The Argentina Tango is intense, both in its style and in what it requires physically from the dancer. Although you won’t develop a dancer’s body in a few months, you probably will notice increased strength in your legs, and perhaps better alignment, as you practice better posture while dancing. You might notice that at first your muscles are sore after your first few lessons. Your body might feel stiff, and you will notice that you feel a little uncoordinated at first as your brain and body get used to working together to form the tango postures and movements. The more you practice, the better your body and brain will become at knowing what the other is doing, and will begin to coordinate together. You’ll feel clumsy even walking backwards, but this will improve with practice.

In Buenos Aires, the top tangueros spend the first six months of lessons just learning to walk the right way. If you visit a milonga, a tango dance club  you will probably see some good tango walks, especially if some of the dancers are pros from Argentina. If you live in a major urban area, chances are you’ll have lots of places to try your new Tango skills, and to satisfy your obsession. Look for clubs, more dance studios where you can take extra classes, advanced workshops, private classes, and group classes.