Poorest and ugliest city in Argentina?

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  Resistencia, Argentina
Thursday, March 4, 2010

After leaving Ituzaingo we found the Howard Johnson hotel about 10-15km on the far side of Ituzaingo.  Unless you were looking for it you´d never find it as there was only a discreet sign on a normal roadside gate - then a 5km drive down a long lonely sandy road then past a guard post - at the end nothing but the hotel,  empty aside from a couple of staff, and a large house perhaps belonging to the owner.  The river-side location was not quite what I imagined as it was high above the river on a steep bank rather than right beside it.  There were some wooden steps down to the riverside pool but the thought of taking a closer look was too exhausting it was so hot.  I thought I took at least one photo but dont seem to have any.   I was hoping for something like the beautiful HJ in Alta Gracia but this was very plain and over-priced at $100 so I´m glad we didn´t go looking for it yesterday.  Seems to be set up for group bookings from Europe (so we were told) but I cant understand why.   Not the kind of place individual travellers would come across and stay a night 

It was a very hot day and I was drowsy so stopped for a snooze at a small well-tended park beside a petrol station.  Such places are rare in Argentina - seems this one is kept in good shape by the ACA - I liked the old-fashioned sign.

Passed through Corrientes, capital of the same province, then crossed the Manuel Belgrano bridge over the Parana River and another 15km or so to Resistencia in Chaco Province, which I later read is the poorest city in Argentina. 

Although it has the largest central plaza I´ve seen there were no nice historic buildings around it - even the church looked very poor and apparently not worth a photo.   Certainly there are no sights to see aside from perhaps this unusual (brass?) statue of Eva Peron.

Hotel Amerian a very pleasant surprise - "normal price" P424, but on offer until further notice for P290, which turned out to be P297 ($77) - an beautiful split-level room with big flatscreen TV and, finally, CNN in english!   With the possible exception of Howard Johnson in Alta Gracia this is the best value hotel I have found in Argentina - unfortunately Resistencia doesnt have much else if anything - to offer!

As for the casino - 2 large rooms full of machines but the table games - 8 Roulette, Craps, 3 BJ, Poker, have been demoted to a narrow poorly lit back room.   The BJ rules were good - ESR against Ace, dbl any 2, dbsplits, etc, but use continuous shuffling shoes.  Low limits too - $50 max altho there was a "VIP" room with another table.

Later Daniel (26) came to hotel - taller than I expected about 180cm altho this photo doesnt show it - seemingly a shy nerdy boy - almost the typical Japanese geek.   Unlike his younger brother Cristian he doesnt any English, not that Cristian ever has anything to say.

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