This week’s guest blogger is another friend of mine in the travel writing world, Keith Jenkins. A fellow Asian writer, Keith has called Amsterdam home for 18 years, and documents his extensive travels on his blog Velvet Escape. With an exceptionally interesting piece on visiting the enchanting cemeteries of Chile and Argentina, be sure to get spooked!

Photo by Fedepo18

Cemeteries do not often come to mind as a tourist attraction when one travels. It certainly didn’t occur to me! That all changed when I travelled through South America recently. The tombs in the cemeteries in this part of the world are often elaborate, sometimes even pompous, and amazing works of art.

Of the various cemeteries that I visited, the two that absolutely impressed were the ones in Punta Arenas, Chile and the Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Punta Arenas

Photo by Nielsvk

I’d just completed an exhausting but mind-blowing trip across Patagonia and ended up in Punta Arenas, the southernmost city on the American continent. I had some reservations when the receptionist at the hotel suggested a visit to the cemetery. I wasn’t sure what to expect but when I arrived at its gates, I thought, “Morbid, no. Stunning, yes!”

The cemetery was opened in the late 19th century by one of the city’s richest citizens, a wool baroness by the name of Sara Braun. Her tomb and that of her husband’s are absolutely impressive. The other tombs (little houses where whole families are laid to rest) were really beautiful. One of the main features of the cemetery are the beautifully manicured trees that carve the cemetery into various sections.

Buenos Aires

Photo by Matt Hintsa

After that Punta Arenas experience, I visited various other cemeteries. When I arrived in Buenos Aires and heard about the famous Recoleta cemetery, I had no second thought. The cemetery is located in the upscale neighbourhood of Recoleta and is the resting place of many famous Argentines including ex-presidents and yes, Evita Peron.

The cemetery is just awesome. It’s a huge maze of grand mausoleums and chapels that are decorated with impressive statues and busts in stone and bronze. Compared to some of the other mausoleums, I thought Evita’s tomb was like a simple hut! You could easily spend half a day just strolling by the amazing stonework and bronze sculptures. It’s a breathtaking experience.

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Keith Jenkins lives in Amsterdam, and travel is his biggest passion. He has travelled through 60-odd countries across 6 continents. Read about his extensive travels at Velvet Escape.

Don’t forget to check out my contribution on Keith’s ‘A World of Inspiration’ series – A Familiar Face in a Foreign Land.’

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