Vegans Nightmare: A third of global farmland at ‘high’ pesticide pollution risk
According to new research, a third of the planet’s agricultural land is at “high risk” of pesticide pollution from the lingering residue of chemical ingredients that can leach into water supplies and threaten biodiversity. According to research published Monday, a third of the planet’s agricultural land is at “high risk” of pesticide pollution from the lingering residue of chemical ingredients that can leach into water supplies and threaten biodiversity. The use of pesticides…
Airline News: Latam expects 20% plus growth in 2023
South America’s Latam Group operated at 83.2% of 2019 capacity levels in the fourth quarter of 2022 on its 144 destinations in 22 countries. It said this was “in line” with its roster of destinations in 2019 and expected annual growth in passenger traffic of more than 20% year-on-year in 2023. This would come from 38 routes that it did not operate in 2019. This included the new joint venture with Delta Airlines that would enable passengers of both airlines to access more than 300 destinations in North…
The Estancia System: a Distinctive Feature of Southern Patagonia
Estancia System On the pampa (steppe lands) of Southern Patagonia, the individual unit of livestock production is the estancia (ranch) (this system is also used in areas where rainfall is higher). To be cost-effective, given the generally low fertility levels, each estancia covers a large area. Nowadays, three thousand hectares (about 10 square miles) barely provide subsistence for one family. Historically, company-owned estancias were organized on an industrial model and were many times larger (as much as…
25 Best Places To Visit In South America
The unique history, culture, and geography makes South America a remarkable place to travel. Learn more about the 25 best places to visit in South America below. Would you like to visit South America sometime soon? Or are you daydreaming about fun places to visit? Whichever it may be, this list of the best places to visit in South America is sure to inspire and strike up some wanderlust. Some of the best countries to visit in South America are just a flight or two away.…
Estrugamou family and their various residences in Argentina
The city of Buenos Aires has many emblematic buildings of a classic cut, and among them is one located in Juncal 783 called the Estrugamou Palace, of the style Beaux-Arts. Its classic lines are maintained in the era and excite all architecture lovers who walk by them in the Retiro neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. A few steps further on another nearby street, we find another beautiful building called Mansion Estrougamou, redeveloped in 2015 for the Casa Foa. This is found on Basavilbaso 1233. For a time,…
One of the most fascinating Palaces in Buenos Aires was designed to store drinking water
An impressive building inside and out, with French ceilings and English (Royal Doulton) and Belgian ceramics on the outside. Shields and crests adorn it everywhere, “Cuadritos” with flowers. Marble everywhere inside, huge iron beams and massive water tanks for more than 72 million litres of drinking water. Everything has been done in a very grand way. One wonders why would a small city spend all this money on water tanks. Well, the location, needed to feed the cities water supply by gravity and…
Why the market value of investment real estate often comes back to the cost of replacement
Most legacy real estate salespeople use comparable sales as a measure of value for real estate, but it can be a trap if you are a value investor. Here’s my opinion on how buyers should be valuing investment property instead. Most people would argue they know how to value a property. There’s a basic format: You look at the property you like, look at prices for comparable properties, and estimate the value from there. In some cases, you might also include expected rental returns as part of your measure.…
Warren Buffett’s partner Charlie Munger’s thoughts on successful investment practise
Warren Buffett, the world’s most significant investor, added two short sentences to Charlie Munger’s list that have been his decision-clinchers for decades, “Warren, think more about it. You’re smart, and I’m right.” Warren Buffett talked about his long-time friend and business partner, Charlie Munger, in his annual letter to the investors that was published along with Berkshire Hathaway’s annual report. Warren Buffett listed a few of Munger’s thoughts. He advised investors, “Find…
Classical French Architecture in Buenos Aires
From 1880, admirers of France as a model republic for cultural and aesthetic tastes, known as the ‘Generation of ‘80’, began to expand globally. The classical French style began to heavily influence even Non-French European Architects. At the beginning of the 19th century, after the wars of independence, European tendencies and influences penetrated into Argentina. As the new republic set about constructing a nation, the Argentine government aimed to move away from its colonial roots. At the time Argentina…
La Candelaria Castle in Lobos, Buenos Aires
In 1840 Don Orestes Piñeiro (pharmacist) bought his first farms in Lobos, around 100km from Buenos Aires city. The castle itself was designed by the French architect Alberto Favre hired by Manuel Fraga, who was impressed by a similar one he saw in France on the banks of the Loire river. He hired the best workman, bringing all the necessary materials from Europe. Construction started in 1894 (it took approximately 5 years) and has a size of 1200 m2. The family then had it landscaped by Charles Thays, a French…
Argentine Wines – Key Growing Regions Updated
Argentine Wines – Key Growing Regions Updated Argentina’s grape growing areas are divided into three main regions that mostly follow the country’s long western border along the Andes Mountains. Northwest/Norte — High altitude Salta Meaning “very beautiful”, Salta’s vineyards are located in the desert-like Calchaquí Valley and have the Andes’ highest peaks in the background. Vineyard altitude is 4,200 – 9,842’ Highest vineyard in the world at 9,842’ in Colomé Average annual temperature…
A road trip through Patagonia: 7 obligatory stops on a journey along Route 40
San Martín de Los Andes, Villa La Angostura, Bariloche, Lago Puelo, Esquel, El Chaltén and El Calafate are some places not to be missed. What to do, when to go and what to see at each destination. Embarking on a road trip through the Argentinean Patagonia, following the path of the emblematic National Route 40, implies immersing oneself in one of the most privileged natural sceneries of the planet: immense blue lakes, imposing glaciers, volcanoes and mountains with peaks snow-capped and extensive forests…
A US ex-pats experience living in NW Argentina
Kent and Jane have lived in northern Argentina for more than 10 years. The following is an interview with Kent and Jane, pioneers of La Estancia de Cafayate, having two of the first homes constructed there in 2010. They have advanced from 1/2 year residents to full-time residents, joined now with their daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters. The family is united now in Cafayate, enjoying the sun, nature and the family-oriented lifestyle revered in Cafayate. How did you hear about Cafayate originally? We…
The Palacio Estrugamou apartments are a reflection of Argentina’s Golden Age
“The classic and refined is sometimes associated with formality and excess. To me, it’s the opposite. In this case, the challenge was to transform that formality into something cheerful and luminous.” Said Maria Silvia Loitegui, decorator in charge of giving new life to this wonderful apartment located in a building full of splendour: the Estrugamou Palace. The gates and their ample corridors simulate the carriages ‘ entrances to the French palaces In 1924, when the construction was…
Fly Fishing in Patagonia Argentina
Patagonia is a vast, wild region spanning the 40th and 55th parallels south. It is made up of both Chile and Argentina, and at over 400,000 square miles, it is more than twice the size of California. While its signature feature is the incredibly dramatic spine of the Andes Mountains, Patagonia is comprised of an unparalleled variety of landscapes, including the arid high desert, glaciated granite spires, lush semi- temperate rain forests and virtually every bioregion in between. The Rio Pico region of Chubut…
