Morning reflections on the Río de la Plata, memory, and a very Argentine breakfast.

Empty streets, yet to be filled with activity. A new dawn for everyone. Acassuso, Buenos Aires, Argentina, January 2025.

I decided to take a different walking route today which led me down to the River Plate in the Martinez area. The Río de La Plata is so-named because on a clear-skyed morning with a rising sun, the river looks like an endless silver sheet. My favorite place to view this phenomenon is from the first floor of the city airport, Aéroparque Jorge Newberry on the Costanera. It really is quite beautiful at 8 o’clock in the morning.

The River Plate estuary is shared by Argentina to the south, and Uruguay to the north, and to be honest, Argentina drew the short straw here. The Argentine side of the river is basically silt and mud and getting in and out of the port of Buenos Aires is a painstaking task, during which the pilot really earns his money. The channel for the cruise ships is incredibly narrow. Buenos Aires has, with a few notable exceptions, poor views of the river.

Uruguay on the other hand has sand and beaches, and the Uruguayan government has been very consistent in keeping them free from construction and available to all. Highly recommendable is a walk along the Rambla in Montevideo, a 30 kms long walking area which borders the river from its origins in the port of Montevideo to Carrasco, the elite residential area to the north of the city.

That said, both Argentina and Uruguay have two contrasting jewels gifted by the River Plate. Argentina has the Tigre Delta, a unique ecosystem to the north of Buenos Aires (25 kms) which offers a stunning view of rivers, creeks, and river dwellings which is at least worth a day trip, if not an overnight stay.

A view from Martinez to the beginnings of the Tigre Delta, 12/1/2025. Credit: The Bard.

The myriads of large and small waterways form small islands, and the permanent residents of the Delta are called Isleños (Islanders). An acquaintance of mine is a lawyer who dedicates himself to their legal affairs, and he always says life in the Delta is a world apart. It brings back childhood memories of reading ‘Swallows and Amazons’, although the settings are very different.

My children’s grandparents have a place on the corner of the Parana River and the Arias Channel. It is a unique place. Set in 5 hectares, the house, which is comfortably functional, has a stunning view of the Paraná. I have fond memories of asados (Argentine barbecues) on the somewhat precarious patio, playing cards, (truco, an Argentine classic), for ages with my then father-in-law, drinking red wine, and applying anti-mosquito spray with a backdrop of the lights of large tankers transporting grain in ghostly silence. An oasis of peace. As chance would have it, my daughter was there today, and she kindly shared this photo.

An empty grain tanker heading north on the Paraná river to recharge. 12/1/2025. Credit: Tamara, daughter of the Bard.

Uruguay has its gift from God too, on the peninsular which is Punta del Este, a growing city set where the River Plate opens into the Atlantic Ocean. Its unique topography means that you can bathe in the normally tranquil waters of the river on the Mansa side and then cross the peninsular (500m?) to be smashed by the waves of the Atlantic on the Brava side. I highly recommend finishing your day in the Marina area with a Gin and Tonic in either Virazón or Guappa, with stunning sunsets over the Isla Gorriti.

So, back to Martinez. With 7,5 kms walked, what remains to be done? A very Argentine breakfast of medialunas, orange juice and coffee in a typical traditional café. Medialuna translates to half-moon, basically because, well, they look like half-moons. To me they’ve always been a type of croissant, but now the more fashionable cafés have also introduced croissants to the menu, which slightly ruins it. Fortunately, the Café Arenales remains true to its convictions.

My Half-Moon breakfast in the Café Arenales, Martinez. 12/1/25. Credit: The Bard.

Bon Appetit!

Note: Café Arenales is now named Salamanca. Same staff, same style.