In August 1833, when Charles Darwin was on an overland journey in Argentina from El Carmen on the Rio Negro to Bahia Blanca, he came to the encampment of General Juan Manuel de Rosas. Rosas was the wealthy leader of an army of thousands of men sent to the pampas to fight the Indians, who had reacted to the influx of foreigners by slaughtering them. Rosas dressed liked a gaucho, rode like a gaucho but was said to be much more ruthless – especially when he laughed. Read More...Tags:Charles Darwin, General Rosas, Gaucho, Indians, Rio Negro, El Carmen, Bahia Blance, Argentina
The Touring Club, Trelew: more Jurassic Park than Waldorf-Astoria
I have recently completed writing about Darwin’s travels in Argentina. In doing the research for it, I travelled twice to the Patagonian city of Trelew. I say city, but in every way other than the number of people that live there, it is really just a town. And a town without much to recommend it, save for being the gateway to the animal-encrusted Peninsula Valdés and the home of the Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio. Read More...Tags:Charles Darwin, Darwin hotel, The Touring Club, Carnotaurus, Trelew, Museo Paleontologico Egido Feruglio, Punta Alta, Argentina
