The promenade in Spanish countries is a great feature of social life. Because of the restrictive social customs there is little freedom in the life of women, and they therefore welcome this diversion. It also gives the _señoritas_ a chance to exhibit their charms before the admiring young men, and very often leads to ardent love affairs. Every woman and girl who is able to get around will be on that walk just as sure as the men. And then for an hour or more the crowd will walk back and forth, until you think they would all tire themselves out. By one o’clock the promenaders have disappeared, and during the afternoon the walk is almost deserted. That is the time for the _siesta_, which is followed by a drive along the sea front. At six o’clock the promenade begins again, and is kept up for about two hours more, a repetition of the one at midday. Thus it is that life goes on day after day for three months every summer at this greatest resort in South America. This parade is a study in the life of Argentine society, for the real four hundred visit Mar del Plata. It is a place for dress and no one with a slender purse can afford to visit it, or, at least, stay any length of time. The costumers’ establishments of far away London and Paris, as well as Buenos Aires, have been ransacked for gowns to be worn at this resort. [Illustration: ON THE BEACH, MAR DEL PLATA] With all the increase in hotel accommodation that has been provided in recent years, the hotels were full for weeks the past season, and it was almost impossible to secure accommodation unless one had friends, or arranged for it weeks ahead. The Hotel Bristol is the largest hotel in South America. There is a main building, which contains a spacious dining and ball room, and two annexes, each of which is as large as the average city block. The prices correspond with the magnificence of the furnishings. It is a night’s run from Buenos Aires, and a day train is run on Saturdays and Tuesdays, which makes the trip in about seven hours. The night that I went there were five trains, each carrying fourteen sleepers, and all of them were full. The traffic had been just as great for almost a month. The country is as flat as a barn floor, with thousands of cattle and sheep dotting the Camp as far as the eye could reach. Great, long-eared rabbits are so numerous that drives are often formed by the _estancieros_ to get rid of them. Arrived at Mar del Plata, there was a close line of carriages almost a mile long waiting for “fares.” As soon as one carriage was filled another moved up and took its place. At these times the “cabbie” is the real monarch, for the Argentinians are very fond of carriages and seldom walk if a carriage is to be had.