General Archives ⋆ The Passenger

October 29, 2026

Nordlicht

Reaching Borkum by ferry is straightforward if you plan the connection via Emden. AG EMS operates regular services from Emden’s outer harbour (Außenhafen) directly to Borkum’s Reede harbour. From there, the narrow-gauge island railway, the Borkumer Kleinbahn, takes you into the town in about fifteen minutes. The entire sea-and-rail journey is designed to be seamless, with coordinated timetables so that you can step off the train and onto the ship with minimal waiting.

October 12, 2026October 12, 2026

Los Pantalones Muertos

Die Toten Hosen’s tradition of playing in Argentina began in 1992, when they first performed in Buenos Aires. Over the following decades, Argentina became almost a second home for the Düsseldorf band: they made 16 visits, played more than 45 concerts in 12 cities, and appeared everywhere from legendary clubs and concert halls to festivals and stadiums. Their connection with Argentine audiences grew into something far more personal than a normal touring relationship, shaped by shared enthusiasm for football, punk rock and long nights over asado and wine.

October 11, 2026October 13, 2026

The Paris of South America

Ministerio de Capital Humano, Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, grew from a colonial settlement founded by the Spanish in the sixteenth century and re-established in 1580. Its position on the Río de la Plata made it an important port, although trade was initially restricted by Spanish colonial authorities. During the early nineteenth century, the city became a centre of resistance to British invasions and then to the independence movement; Argentina formally declared independence in 1816. Large waves of European immigration, especially from Italy and Spain, transformed Buenos Aires in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, giving the city much of its language, cuisine, architecture and lively social character.

October 9, 2026October 14, 2026

Tango

Tango argentino is far more than a dance: it is a living expression of Buenos Aires, shaped by the city’s immigrant neighbourhoods, port districts, and cosmopolitan character. Its close embrace, dramatic pauses, and intricate footwork create an atmosphere that feels both intimate and theatrical, while the music carries a distinctive mixture of longing, pride, melancholy, and humour.

October 8, 2026October 13, 2026

Subterráneo

The Subterráneo de Buenos Aires, universally known as the Subte, is the city’s underground railway and one of the most practical ways of moving around the central districts. It links major railway terminals, commercial streets, government areas and neighbourhoods such as Palermo, Recoleta, Belgrano, Caballito, San Telmo and Constitución. For visitors, it is often quicker than travelling by taxi or bus when traffic is heavy, although the trains can be particularly busy during the morning and evening rush hours.

October 8, 2026October 7, 2026

Cradle of the flag

Rosario is one of Argentina’s most engaging cities: a lively river port on the western bank of the Paraná, roughly 290 kilometres north-west of Buenos Aires. Its early history began as a modest colonial settlement, but it gained national importance during the struggle for independence. In 1812, General Manuel Belgrano first raised the Argentine flag here, giving Rosario its enduring nickname, the ‘Cradle of the Flag‘.

October 7, 2026October 7, 2026

Paraná

The Río Paraná is one of South America’s great rivers and the continent’s second-longest after the Amazon. It is formed in southern Brazil where the Rio Grande and the Paranaíba meet, then flows through Brazil, along parts of the Paraguay–Brazil and Paraguay–Argentina borders, and southwards through Argentina for roughly 4,880 kilometres before joining the Uruguay river in the Río de la Plata estuary and reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

October 6, 2026October 3, 2026

ARS

The Argentine peso (ARS) has been Argentina’s national currency since 1881, although the country has repeatedly redenominated it after periods of severe inflation and economic crisis. The current peso dates from 1992, when it replaced the austral at a rate of 10,000 to 1. Since then, inflation, currency controls and sharp devaluations have repeatedly reduced its purchasing power, making exchange rates a practical concern for visitors rather than a mere financial detail.

October 6, 2026October 5, 2026

Mountain scenery

Tandil is a pleasant hill town in south-eastern Buenos Aires province, set where the open Pampas meet the ancient Tandilia mountain range. Its modern history began in 1823, when Governor Martín Rodríguez established Fuerte Independencia as a frontier settlement. The fort was intended to secure the expanding colonial state, but conflict with Indigenous communities caused many settlers to leave after attacks in 1856; Tandil later recovered and was formally declared a city in 1895.

October 3, 2026October 13, 2026

Evita

Eva María Duarte was born in 1919 in the small town of Los Toldos and grew up in modest circumstances. As a teenager, she moved to Buenos Aires to pursue a career as an actress, gradually becoming well known on the radio and stage. Her life changed when she met Colonel Juan Domingo Perón; they married in 1945, and when he became president in 1946, she emerged as one of Argentina’s most influential public figures.