Parque el Desafio, Gaiman, Argentina
For almost two decades Joaquin Alonso collected the scraps that others regarded as trash. Things destined for the dumps were hoarded and cared for, given a new lease on life. From the rubbish of others, the Argentine created works of art. He collected bottles, can, scraps of metal – anything really – and turned them into masterpieces. And from these artworks he created a wonderland, a playground limited only by imagination.
Parque el Desafio started as an amusement for his grandchildren but soon children from all over his small town of Gaiman were coming to play. The youngsters would lose themselves in the magic of the fantasy land. They could transport their games to imaginary worlds, far from their small Argentinian homes, to places where dinosaurs roamed or aliens lived. They weren’t surrounded by rubbish, they were surrounded by stimulation for adventures. Joaquin Alonso had known all along that everything had something and that within dirt, lies gems.
A man’s life, though, is not like imagination. It is not endless and is not without boundaries. It is finite and must one day come to an end. And so, two years ago, Joaquin Alonso succumbed to the inevitable and passed away. All that remained of his time on earth was his playground – Parque El Desafio.
Joaquin Alonso’s legacy
For many months his family kept the Parque el Desafio museum open for children, travellers and lovers of the magical. But the small town of Gaiman is not near much and has very few tourists pass through. The number of visitors was not high and what was a labour of love for Joaquin was not profitable for his family. Just months ago, the family closed the doors.
Nothing has been touched in Parque El Desafio, though. Not knowing it had closed, I made the trip out to Gaiman and through the steel mesh fences I could glimpse into a wonderland. Behind the For Sale notice and past the broken entrance sign, I could get a vague sense of the adventure within. Despite the overgrown weeds in the gardens, I imagined and I was inspired.
Recycling trash into art
The Guiness Book of Records recognised it in 1998 as the world’s largest ‘recycled’ park. It apparently has 50,000 wine and beer bottles; 30,000 cans; 12,000 bottle caps; 5,000 plastic bottles; televisions; refrigerators, washing machines; and much more. All of the items have been recycled and turned into artworks.
Now, the only thing that needs recycling is the park itself. Just as all of its parts were once discarded by their owners because they were deemed unnecessary, it seems the same may happen to Parque El Desafio as a sum. It’s not clear what will happen to it – whether it will be bought and reopened or whether just the land will be used for something else. If it is to be saved, it will need to be by someone with as much imagination as the park inspired in its countless visitors over the years.
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Turtle, like the name suggests, likes to take things slowly. Luckily that's one of the best ways to see the world - and that's exactly what he's doing at the moment.
This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.
14 Responses
Interesting! Definitely a work of art and not trash in my eyes!
JoAnna recently posted..What Makes a Hotel Eco-Friendly?
Obviously all the visitors over the years thought it was art. It’s a pity it might now all get trashed.
Quite an honor to have your life’s work recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. Sad that the family of Joaquin Alonso must sell the park, but the memories of those who visited will remain.
Nina F recently posted..Springdale St. Patrick’s Day
It is a bit sad but that’s the reality of life, I suppose. Not everyone is a dreamer (or has the resources to be one…).
Hi,
I am Sharvari From India.
Its a really nice place you have visited.Though its not going to remain as exciting as it seems through your images over the coming years…
I really like the way you explains your thoughts about the places you visit.
Do visit My India, I would like to hear your feelings about my Country too.
Hi Sharvari, thanks for stopping by! I would love to visit India one day. Hopefully I’ll get there soon – and be able to spend a long time there. I’m sure I’ll love it!
I traveled through Gaiman nearly 15 years ago, and met the gracious Sr. Alonso and his wife. My buddy and I were the only ones visiting that day, and he told us that even then he was struggling to maintain the park, that vandals often undid his work as quickly as he made it.
Even with the sadness we felt, seeing an artwork that was (already) falling apart, the joy that shone through those aluminum cans and plastic bottles and the wry wit inscribed on all that scrap metal charmed us. Gaiman remains one of my favorite stops in my travels through Argentina.
Heather Caliri recently posted..How little yeses add up to big steps: Part 1
You are so lucky to have met him. I was quite disappointed to find out he had passed away. I’m sure he was a wonderful man with some amazing stories.
I randomly stumbled upon this is exact spot when I did a tour that passed through Gaiman. I had no clue what it was, and it was not open to go inside. Now I know
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Foto of the Week from … Valparaíso – Silhouette in a Prison
Such a pity it wasn’t open. But I’m impressed you went through Gaiman – it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere!!
One mans trash is another mans treasure!!
I would class this as art – and good art at that!
Yeah, I think you’re right. Art is in the eye of the beholder but anything that’s had this much love and attention given to it deserves to be called a treasure.
Aqui hay mas imagenes tomadas hace poco, asi se encuentra el parque http://www.eleblog.com.ar/2012/08/el-desafio-un-parque-en-venta.html la verdad una lastima que el parque este en ese estado y que el gobierno no haga nada, ya que forma parte, a pesar de que haya sido de un particular, de uno de los atractivos de Gaiman.
Yeah, it is such a pity. Thanks for sharing the photos. If only the local government or some local businesses would buy it and restore it. It is great for the local reputation.