Poppa's Hat Travels the World

Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina

Each person chooses different ways of keeping the spirit of their loved ones alive. Some people keep their pictures or some family item, others transmit special recipes, stories or family traditions from one generation to the other, while others create their own rituals.

For that reason I became curious when I found out that after his grandfather died before going to study abroad in Argentina, Porter Campbell travels around the world with his grandpa’s hat to keep his memory alive.

Laura: When did you Stara travelling with the hat?

Porter: Since I came to Argentina August 2006.

LV: How did you come up with this idea?
PC: Poppa was an inspiration for me throughout my life; it was part of the inspiration to do something on his name. He used to that that hat with him everywhere, so it became his “symbol”, we say. And since he died two months before I came here, it was natural. Although I think the idea originally came from one of my aunts, Connie, or his son Robbie.


LV: Do other family members travel with the hat?

PC: No, just me for now.

LV: Where have you traveled with the hat so far?

PC: Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Córdoba, Mendoza, Mar Del Plata, Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Chile (Chile, Valdivia, Santiago).

LV: Does the hat have a name?

PC: No, “Poppa’s Hat”....

LV: Did your grandfather like to travel?

PC: I think he did, he always traveled to visit his children and his grandchildren. He also had “timeshares” everywhere…

LV: In one of the pictures you can see a ring along with the hat. What’s the story of the “family ring”?

PC: Poppa liked the ring and he bought one for each family member. It is like our symbol, I guess.

LV: Would you like your grandchildren to follow a similar tradition? If that’s the case, what object would they take around the world?

PC: I’d like to pass on the hat to my entire family (from my cousins to my grandchildren), and if someone is traveling to an interesting site I’d like them to take the hat. Another object… I don’t know. I don’t have anything that I carry with me everywhere I go, maybe some day. I think I am going to make a book with all the pictures, and make copies to pass down to my immediate family.

Now I leave you some of the pictures Porter took while traveling through Argentina. Enjoy:

Poppa in Argentina

Aconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina

Cascadita en Argentina


Mendoza, Argentina

Mar del Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bariloche, Argentina

Puente de Mendoza, Argentina

Cerro de los Siete Colores, Argentina

Puerto Madero’s Filthy Containers are Recovered to Make-up Buenos Aires Posh Area

Since Buenos Aires’s Puerto Madero was built for the first time by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536 and named it Puerto de Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre,, the port and its area have been remodeled, reconstructed and re-inaugurated more than five times.

The last reconstruction started in 1992, after the Ministry of Public Services and Public Affairs, The Minitry of Interior and The Government of Buenos Aires agreed to stimulate this port’s area urban development November 15, 1989.

To select the model that they would use for the remodeling process, they called for a “National Contest of Ideas for Puerto Madero,” where they established they wanted to: transform the area, reorganize its urban character, promote the installation of commercial outlets and offices, and re-conquer the riverside.

February 1992, the jury chose the three best proposals (out of 96 presented) and selected three people of each group to work jointly in Puerto Madero’s uplifting project. According to Puertomadero.com, this group was made up by: Juan Manuel Borthagaray, Cristian Carnicer, Pablo Doval, Enrique García Espil, Mariana Leidemann, Carlos Marre, Rómulo Pérez, Antonio Tufaro and Eugenio Xaus.

These people were able to transform a place that held huge rusty containers, dirty and neglected buildings infected with rodents and cockroaches, into a beautiful river walk with prestigious bars, restaurants, ice-cream shops and cafes; a very romantic place where you can retreat to take a peaceful walk under the moonlight with your honey.

Timeline

Constructions and Port’s Reconstructions
1536- Pedro de Mendoza
1580- Juan de Garay
1855- Construction of New Customs Building that reactivated the Port’s movement, done by the English engineer Eduardo Taylor
1887-1897- Ing. Eduardo Madero
1911-1925- New Port
1992- Last reconstruction

Presented Projects
Between 1580 and 1887 many projects where presented. However, they were not completed due to Spain’s resistance.
1755- Juan de Echeverría
1761- Francisco de Vianes
1777- Ing. Francisco Rodrígues y Cardoso
1795-1802- Pedro Antonio Cerviño (partially constructed)
1805- Ing. Eustaquio Gianni
1810-1811- Mariano Moreno and its first committee
1823- Ing. Santiago Bevans
1825- Guillermo Micklejon
1853- Ing. Carlos Pellegrini and Manuel Tudury
1859- Ing. Coghlan
1871- Ing. Juan Bateman
1872- Ing. J. Revy
1975- Ing. Guillermo Rigoni

How to get there:
Buses:
Lines: 2, 4, 6 , 20 , 22 , 26 , 33 , 54 , 56 , 61 , 62 , 64 , 74 , 93 , 99 , 105 , 109 , 111 , 126 , 129 , 130 , 140 , 143 , 146 , 152 , 159

Subways:
Line B: Station: L.N. Alem
Line A: Station: Pza. de Mayo