DUGGAN - Buenos Aires (El PUEBLO que quedó DETENIDO en el TIEMPO y que CAUTIVA por su TRANQUILIDAD)

The alarm went off at 6:30 in the morning... It was still night and the cold was making itself felt... But when it comes to getting up to start a trip, nothing that could be overwhelming on a trivial day matters... I got up quickly, had a very caloric breakfast and at about 7:30 I hit the roads again!! The objective would be to reach a tiny TOWN in the north of the Province of Buenos Aires, called DUGGAN, which is located at kilometer 128 of National Route No. 8, in the district of San Antonio de Areco, just two hours from Capital Federal and separated by exactly 136 KM. With 2º below zero but with a radiant sun, I arrived at my destination... DUGGAN is such a small town that if we look at the map, we will see that it has the shape of a square made up of 7 blocks x 7 blocks. I began to walk slowly along its nostalgic dirt streets, which showed numerous old buildings, but also many more modern houses and farms. A more than interesting combination... Soon I arrived at what was once the famous and emblematic bakery "Estrella de Duggan", which has the pride of being the oldest in the district of San Antonio de Areco, built back in 1910... At the time it was very famous for its exquisite "tortas negras". Although it is not currently in operation as a bakery, its structure remains almost intact and there is a Forrajería (Fodder Shop). Inside it is preserved a large number of pieces and tools with which bread was made in the last century, including its gigantic oven... and both the roof and the floor were left as they were to show the passage of time. A true historical relic of the town !!! A few blocks away, straight down Calle GALARZA, which is the only paved street in the town, is the enormous and beautiful San Juan Bautista Chapel... With more than 110 years of antiquity, its dome, its 4 small towers, its stained glass windows, together with the imposing “art-deco” chandeliers inside, make up a harmonious whole, one of the most beautiful temples in the district. Its excellent acoustics make it an occasional stage for classical music concerts. Such a large church is very striking for such a small town... In this chapel the Festivity of “San Juan Bautista” begins, which is undoubtedly the most important festival of the town, during the months of JUNE of each year. Diagonally across from the Church, is the “Carlos Duggan” Plaza. There is a meaningful monolith in it, in homage to the son of the town... the "Marine Infantryman, José Luis Galarza" who fell in Malvinas... a true Hero like each one of the MEN who set foot on Malvinas soil in the war conflict of 1982. Precisely the GALARZA Street that I mentioned before, bears its name in homage to José Luis Galarza... I continued walking and delighting in the absolute PEACE of this town in Buenos Aires... The town was formed around the Railway Station inaugurated in 1894 by the Central Argentine Railway as part of the Victoria-Pergamino branch... and I got there... Said Branch, unfortunately, stopped operating during the 90s, like a large part of the Argentine railway network. This old railway station, today uses its building for the only Agricultural School in the district. Here, part of the Patronal Festival of "San Juan Bautista" takes place. An interesting fact to keep in mind is that although Duggan is very small, there are many cabin-type accommodations and also a few very good gastronomic shops... And as the evening fell, I was finishing a new trip... grateful for so much tranquility, history and disconnection that DUGGAN had given me... If you liked the Video, be sure to SHARE IT and give it a LIKE !!! SUBSCRIBE to the Channel and click on the BELL !! Let's spread the word about tourism in our beautiful country...