Summary of article in Billed Bladet #12 &13, 2019.
Written by our reporter in Argentina, Trine Larsen.
For security reasons QMII and Frederik don't fly on the same plane. So while QMII was already in Argentina when the official state visit was to start, Frederik was to join her shortly before the whole thing started.
But his plane from Frankfurt had to touch down in Paraguay, when the airport in Buenos Aires had to close it's runways. That meant a six hour delay, while Frederik's plane was refueled and could take off for Argentina again.
In the meantime the show went on. QMII was officially met and greeted by the President, Mauricio Macri and wife Juliana Awyada. She also had to attend the wreath laying ceremony at the monument of the national hero, Jose de San Martin, who led Argentina to independence from Spain.
However, Frederik joined his mother for the first official item on the agenda, a visit to the Parliament, here hosted by the wheelchair bound vice-president, Gabriella Michetti Illia.
We learned a little detail. When it was time to sign the guestbook at the Parliament, QMII took out her own green marker from her bag. She always use a green marker when signing guestbooks abroad.
QMII met some of the famous grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, who have been so instrumental in remembering and help finding 30.000 people who vanished during the dictatorship from 1969-1983. And in extension of that she and the delegation each threw a flower in the water in remembrance of those who were killed.
But QMII were also present at an exhibition of Danish products, at the paint company Hempel (*) she grabbed a brush and very appropriately painted the Argentinian sun.
It was actually the plan that the Argentinian President was not to attend the Danish return dinner, instead the vice-president was to represent him. However, since he had not welcomed Frederik, the President decided to drop by for a drink before the dinner was to start.
The return dinner entertained the around 300 guests with various Danish cultural specialties, like classical ballet and singing and music, as well as samples of the Nordic cuisine.
Including Jacob Gade's Tango Jalousie, which delighted the tango loving Argentinians, some of whom did not know the composer of this particular piece was Danish.
The day after the return dinner it was time for QMII to go 500 km south to Tandil. In this area lives a lot of descendants of Danes who immigrated to Argentina more than a 100 years ago.
On the flight to Tanil, the plane with QMII was escorted by two tactical fighters.
The founder of the Danish colony there was Hans Christian Fugl, who changed his name to Juan Fugl. He arrived in 1844 and there is a statue of him, which QMII visited.
It's 53 years since QMII last visited the area, so a whole generation has grown up to adulthood since then and many turned out to see and meet QMII. And to show her how they still remember the "old country." With folk dance wearing traditional (early 1700's) costumes. DK does not have a national costume like Sweden, instead we have a multitude of local costumes almost down to the individual parish.
QMII was also treated to genuine Argentinian BBQ. Argentina is very much a beef country. With many and huge cattle ranches on the pampas.
She visited the retirement home, Hogar Danes, which is the home of fourteen residents. Two of whom she met 53 years ago.
In the meantime Frederik was a couple of hundred kilometers away doing his best to promote Danish export, in fact that was very much the purpose of this visit - very much welcomed by the Argentinians BTW, who are eager to get back on their feet again economically. BB doesn't cover that very much though.
After the visit QMII had a brief chat with the press.Here she told how she copes withe jetlag. It's about remaining active, even though you'd rather go to sleep. And that she did from touching down in Argentina. And that's why she straightaway went sightseeing to the cemetery Recoleta and a nearby market - and allowing the press to follow her, even if this was not an official part of the visit.
After the state visit had ended, Frederik flew home, while QMII went as far to the north west in Argentina as you can go, to the Jujuy province where she visited an archeological museum.
You can see the scans here:
BB #13:
https://app.box.com/s/oakcvfg8pv9js5li2dzzi95om2hjzc0o
BB #12:
https://app.box.com/s/wqzvyndw68auydfttpu0xr0rqdaixscx
BB #11:
https://app.box.com/s/qryqymwto3pnvilgzjergutubhhvl1zn
BB #10:
https://app.box.com/s/1kzmrbk39k4rck6g99jv0jr48cyt1c2l
(*) It's very durable paint! If you have say an old tub, you can paint it with that product and I swear you can't scratch the surface with a knife afterwards. But do wear a mask or you don't what planet you are on afterwards - except that the trees appears to be pink and lilac... - Yes, speaking form personal experience. ?