Hola Everyone,
This really is my last blog written in England .........
Before I returned to England I just loved every minute of my last month in Buenos Aires. It felt like coming home, happy and confident after all my travelling and the lovely encounters with so many people that I met along the way. I knew the city and how the milongas worked, I had friends round the corner, Madeline and Gary and Merry. Others I had met through different contacts, Edda, Stephen and Bernd and so it spun out into other groups and friends in my hostel.
I went to two fantastic concerts during this time - both utterly different and both quite wonderful. One was given by 2 guys amazingly talented guys who call themselves 'El Farabute' - James a young German on violin and Pablo a young Argentinian on piano. They played with deep passion, with humour and huge sensitivity, their instruments talking to each other in an extraordinary dialogue that was breathtaking to hear. Some of the pieces were accompanied by singers and some by a raunchy pair of tango dancers. Luckily for me the Placido Domingo concert was cancelled because of rain so I could go to both. This concert at La Plata holds a special place in my heart.
Placido Domingo and Soprano Virginia Tola gave an amazing concert attended by 120,000 people in the open air under the Obelisco. For me opera has to send shivers down my back and this happened time and time again on that evening. I did not know Virginia but when she finished one piece I just longed for her to sing another one - I never wanted it to end. Marta, Zeik and I felt we were the luckiest people in the world to be in Buenos that night - and we were. When Domingo wooed the crowd with encores of tango songs you could feel the palpable energy of the crowd loving him. I had a senora standing next to me singing her heart out, as were many others, but it was like a duet between her and Domingo, except he was unaware of this very special relationship.
It was all completely free ........ how wonderful was that!
Yes I did go to Uruguay. My two lovely Uruguayan friends I met in Bolivia had told me about 2 magical fishing villages so I decided to visit one and have some time out before I returned home.
So I took the boat from BA to Montevideo and then caught a bus up the coastline. It was a surprisingly long journey and I ended up being dropped in the dark at the top of a track to Cabo Polonio. 'Where is the village?' I ask. I had to buy a ticket and board a large open backed lorry along with about 6 others. We trundle off into the night, along sandy tracks through scrub and bush. I am amazed by the brilliance and multitude of stars in the firmament above my head - I have never seen such a display. We arrive at the beach and the lorry turns right and heads towards the village. I can see the gentle waves lapping up on the sand. What a fabulous sound. My spirits soar and I know this village is going to be just what I need. The lorry circles around 'the centre of the village' - a small piece of scrubby grass - and I realize that we have arrived. Most of the village is in darkness. I make my way to a little cafe that is lit by candles and ask where the nearest hotel/hostel is. One of the Argentinians volunteers agrees to show me where to go so I follow him in the dark. The hotel is small and friendly and I am taken to a little double room with an ensuite shower room - an unknown luxury in most hostels - I open the french windows onto a terrace and beyond that is the sea. I breathe a sigh of contentment, snuggle into bed and wait for the morning to explore - the generator light goes off!
Village is on a point with a lighthouse. This is the only place that is allowed mains electricity the rest of the houses are on generators. The houses themselves are completely random, from small wooden huts to the arab style white washed buildings. Lots of colour, flags and varying little terraces added on to each one. Some making up the main village and some at a distance nestling in the sanddunes. It is an utter delight with beautiful sandy beaches either side of the point leading to huge sand dunes in the distance. What heaven! There are 2 or 3 quirky little cafes and one restaurant that you enter through a huge painted mouth, taking off your shoes as you go, entering something resembling a bedouin tent. In 2 shops I have a lovely time buying several things and end up paying by Barclay Card which all feels very incongruous. Everyone is friendly. This is out of season so people have time to chat and pass the time of day with you. It is a National Park so there are no cars and no camping - and no electricity! There is a seal colony on an island off the point.
My last evening I just sit in a hammock watching the sun set and the colours changing as ripple upon ripple seeks the shoreline - peacefully and gently. The wet sand glistens and basks in a silver beauty. This is the natural world at its best
Interesting tango dancing, horseriding Polish guy and his partner are now in the room next door to me. He and I danced tango on the terrace rather badly but it was fun. The sound of the sea was our music!
The next day I leave. My alarm goes off but I turned over and go back to sleep. A near disaster, but I wake again with 10 minutes to spare until I have to meet the Lorry. No light as the generator isn't on yet. I fly round the room, dress at lightening speed, grab my bag and I am out the door. No lorry in sight but I realize that I have left all my bracelets and rings on a shelf in the room. I am not going without them so I leave my rucksack on the grass and run back to the hotel. Still no light so I scoop everything, hopefully, off the shelf and hightail it back to the pick up point to just see the lorry coming down the track - what a relief. I do my teeth and wash my face on the lorry!
Cabo Polonio has been so relaxing - swimming, walking, chatting, writing, collecting shells, watching, enjoying being in such magical surroundings - feeling restored by the natural world around me. 10 days of stomach problems have vanished and I am ready to go home.
My last 2 days in BA were hectic - fabulous last lesson with Fabian. His individual attention to my dance has fine tuned and freed me - softened my dance and made me listen. May I hold onto it. I went to Nuevo Chique on my last night and met up with Jas who I met during my first time in BA. We ended up in a street cafe chatting for hours - about her marriage and my adventures!
On the last morning Sandrine ( a french friend from the hostel) myself, and the Pink Elephant (my enormous suitcase) bundled into a taxi and headed for the airport. The Pink Elephant was extremely heavy. It took 2 people to carry it down the stairs from our dormitory and the taxi driver nearly had a hernia getting it in the boot. So I was amazed when I didn't have to pay any extra and greatly relieved when it was checked in and on the plane.
It was wonderful being met at Gatwick by Bess and Jake and Sean. We headed for a great pub for lunch plus Christian who is a long standing friend of Jake's. They then all took me to Liverpool Street Station by which time one of the wheels and the handle had fallen off the Pink Elephant. My worry was that I was going to have to change at Ipswich which involved crossing over a bridge to the other side and there was no way I could do this on my own. But as is the way someone came to my rescue.... 2 guards were seen heaving the Pink Elephant up the balustrade rail and down the otherside whereupon they put her in an invalid wheelchair and pusheded her along the platform to the waiting train and me! I was impressed by their initiative. A lovely friend from the village, Sue, was at the station to meet me and we managed to lever the PE into the kitchen. I unpacked her from there!!
There were endless reunions with family and friends,Tango friends, friends from the village and far flung places. I felt very loved when I left Buenos Aires and I now feel very loved coming home. Also nothing like returning to this amazing Sprintime that has been happening here. It has been truly wonderful and made my homecoming easy. People keep asking what I am going to do next and have I another big trip planned. The answer is that I don't know. Time will tell but at the moment I am happy being back in England and just seeing what comes up and where my life takes me in a more organic way. If there is another big trip I shall certainly write a blog again. I have loved it and have also taken great pleasure in revisiting it and remembering things that I had forgotten, little details that had slipped my mind, that luckily I had captured for ever in these words.
Thank you for coming with me and taking the time to read this blog - it made all the difference!
Muchos abrazos fuertes y besos
Sal xxx
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Monday, 21 March 2011
Back in BA for the last time 21st March 2011
Hola Everyone,
Sorry I have deserted you for the last week or two but it feels like I am on the homeward straight and life has just filled up. I did spend a few days in Rosario where Mabel was born. Lovely squares and islands. Very hot so took the boat across the river and sat on a beach for two of the days. Got bitten by a fish which was a novel experience - not a pirana! Chatted to two lovely women on the beach - all very friendly.
So now I am back in Buenos Aires and loving it. I feel very relaxed and have no desire to dash off and do everything. Especially as I did most of the tourist spots last time. It is lovely having Madeline and Gary in the next street. We hang out together and go to Milongas together and also do our own thing seperately. It works really well. I also have other friends through a contact of Penny who live in San Telmo too. The hostel is cavernous and wacky themed on La Boca the immigrant area of BA where life first began. Our dormitory has 5 people in it and there are 3 hard core. Me, Alex from Austria who is huge fun and Marta from Spain who may or may not be in love with the singer of a tango band called El Afronte. The other 2 beds had two lovely girls in them, one from Brasil, and 'the Little Sister' from Paris. When they were in the dorm too we just felt like this little family. But people come and go as is the way of hostels..........
I have been having some more spanish lessons - God I am hopeless - and have now given up in preference for tango lessons. I can't milonga till the early hours and then be coherent at a spanish lesson. Especially as it is a one to one. So have given up. I found Fabian, my tango teacher, through Merry, Gary and Madeline and took a chance on him. He is so exactly what I need at the moment. I am one lucky lass! He has huge integrity and focus.
I have already written this blog once and then stupidly managed to delete it - grrr!! This may be a slightly shorter version. I have enjoyed tangoing in BA this time - just more confident and relaxed and people ask me to dance - I am also not backward in cabaceoing guys which I think is great fun. I have spent time with Maite and her family which is always a delight. Ruth of Mango fame met her in BA and then I met her at the Mango and she invited me to stay with her. The whole family is a delight. I have also been to a football match in the Boca Stadium. Never been to a football match before so this seemed as good an opportunity as any. I have never heard so many insults thrown at the opposing team - especially when they won! They also have a live group playing throughout the match with accompanying singing by the fans. It wasn't a very spectacular match so I am still not a great fan of football!
Well Buenos Aires you have meant a lot of things to me ...........
Tango, fantastic lessons with Fabian, art galleries, wall paintings and graffitti, broken pavements, demonstrations, heat, the poor and the rubbish, colectivos and the subte, parks, shopping, the guys who sell the bracelets and jewellry on the streets, dogs and dog crap, street music, 9 de julio 14 track avenida and the obelisk, milongas and early mornings, delicious dances and not so delicious dances, wonderful people along the way, cafes, restaurants, squares, the hostel and my friends and so much more ...................
I intend to go to Uruguay for a few days next week as a half way house home. To catch up on some writing and think about my last few months and then it will be home to you all landing on 2nd April.
Thank you all for reading my blog - it has been great writing it for you.
Hasta luego con muchissimos abrazos fuerte y besos
Sal x
Sorry I have deserted you for the last week or two but it feels like I am on the homeward straight and life has just filled up. I did spend a few days in Rosario where Mabel was born. Lovely squares and islands. Very hot so took the boat across the river and sat on a beach for two of the days. Got bitten by a fish which was a novel experience - not a pirana! Chatted to two lovely women on the beach - all very friendly.
So now I am back in Buenos Aires and loving it. I feel very relaxed and have no desire to dash off and do everything. Especially as I did most of the tourist spots last time. It is lovely having Madeline and Gary in the next street. We hang out together and go to Milongas together and also do our own thing seperately. It works really well. I also have other friends through a contact of Penny who live in San Telmo too. The hostel is cavernous and wacky themed on La Boca the immigrant area of BA where life first began. Our dormitory has 5 people in it and there are 3 hard core. Me, Alex from Austria who is huge fun and Marta from Spain who may or may not be in love with the singer of a tango band called El Afronte. The other 2 beds had two lovely girls in them, one from Brasil, and 'the Little Sister' from Paris. When they were in the dorm too we just felt like this little family. But people come and go as is the way of hostels..........
I have been having some more spanish lessons - God I am hopeless - and have now given up in preference for tango lessons. I can't milonga till the early hours and then be coherent at a spanish lesson. Especially as it is a one to one. So have given up. I found Fabian, my tango teacher, through Merry, Gary and Madeline and took a chance on him. He is so exactly what I need at the moment. I am one lucky lass! He has huge integrity and focus.
I have already written this blog once and then stupidly managed to delete it - grrr!! This may be a slightly shorter version. I have enjoyed tangoing in BA this time - just more confident and relaxed and people ask me to dance - I am also not backward in cabaceoing guys which I think is great fun. I have spent time with Maite and her family which is always a delight. Ruth of Mango fame met her in BA and then I met her at the Mango and she invited me to stay with her. The whole family is a delight. I have also been to a football match in the Boca Stadium. Never been to a football match before so this seemed as good an opportunity as any. I have never heard so many insults thrown at the opposing team - especially when they won! They also have a live group playing throughout the match with accompanying singing by the fans. It wasn't a very spectacular match so I am still not a great fan of football!
Well Buenos Aires you have meant a lot of things to me ...........
Tango, fantastic lessons with Fabian, art galleries, wall paintings and graffitti, broken pavements, demonstrations, heat, the poor and the rubbish, colectivos and the subte, parks, shopping, the guys who sell the bracelets and jewellry on the streets, dogs and dog crap, street music, 9 de julio 14 track avenida and the obelisk, milongas and early mornings, delicious dances and not so delicious dances, wonderful people along the way, cafes, restaurants, squares, the hostel and my friends and so much more ...................
I intend to go to Uruguay for a few days next week as a half way house home. To catch up on some writing and think about my last few months and then it will be home to you all landing on 2nd April.
Thank you all for reading my blog - it has been great writing it for you.
Hasta luego con muchissimos abrazos fuerte y besos
Sal x
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Tucuman and earthquakes! 23rd February 2011
Hi Everyone,
I have come here to hole up for a few days with Karina and Eduardo before I head for Rosario and Buenas Aires. The weather has been grey and overcast with occasional torrential rain - not what I expected in Argentina but apparently I have stayed in the north while the rainy season is in progress. Hey ho you can´t get it right all of the time. K and E took me by bus to the top of the Cerro which is a rain forest hill just outside the town. Precipitous drive with hair pin bends and the ground dropping away beside the road. Just the sort of drive I hate! However spectacular views to be seen if we weren´t in deep drizzle. At the top is an enormous statue of Jesus with hankerchiefs tied to the surrounding fence plus socks, pictures, bottles and anything else you can think of. We retreated from the rain to find empenadas (bit like danish pastries) and a warm drink. We ended up in a strange barn of a place with drunken men playing snooker! The empenadas were delicious!
No we didn´t walk home as planned as visibility stopped play.
The other evening we were all heading for bed at about 4 a.m. I was in the bathroom when suddenly the floor started moving beneath my feet and walls shook and in the end the whole building felt as if it was swaying. "What the fuck is going on?" was my response. Karina was so frightening she couldn´t move and Eduardo was trying to calm her down. It turned out we had experienced a minor earthquake - 6 on the Richter scale. It was just OK because it stopped but there was a point while it was happening that I thought how long can this building stand up to this treatment - bearing in mind that we live on the 8th floor. If it happens again I am certainly heading for the exit!
It´s a working city Tucuman and has few frills - the galleries I want to visit seem to always be shut when I turn up. Lots of shopping and browsing and generally hanging out together and visiting friends. We spend lovely evenings together chatting, eating and drinking on their balcony watching the city lights and listening to the mad guy who lives across the road to them. Definitely delusional and will rant and rage from his house or up and down the street. Sad but also sometimes weirdly funny.
I went to mass the other day with E and K. A very beautiful church that was packed with people even standing with children in the isles - a dog slipped in too. Before the service started I saw a bit of cuddling and kissing between couples. People come to mass in shorts and T shirts some in suits and some in jeans - there is no dress code. I cannot say what the motivation is for people to attend these services but there was a great feeling on community and there was also fantastic singing from a small group of people high up above the organ loft. Their singing lifted my spirits - they were inspirational. I had gone with a completely open mind - in fact I nearly didn´t go but curiosity got the better of me. I came away feeling moved in someway - mainly by the music. I feel I have no need to go to church but recognize the power of the senses.
I have done some drawings of Eduardo - it feels good to have charcoal in my hands again.
Happy in Tucuman doing not very much!
Big hugs and lots of love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxx
I have come here to hole up for a few days with Karina and Eduardo before I head for Rosario and Buenas Aires. The weather has been grey and overcast with occasional torrential rain - not what I expected in Argentina but apparently I have stayed in the north while the rainy season is in progress. Hey ho you can´t get it right all of the time. K and E took me by bus to the top of the Cerro which is a rain forest hill just outside the town. Precipitous drive with hair pin bends and the ground dropping away beside the road. Just the sort of drive I hate! However spectacular views to be seen if we weren´t in deep drizzle. At the top is an enormous statue of Jesus with hankerchiefs tied to the surrounding fence plus socks, pictures, bottles and anything else you can think of. We retreated from the rain to find empenadas (bit like danish pastries) and a warm drink. We ended up in a strange barn of a place with drunken men playing snooker! The empenadas were delicious!
No we didn´t walk home as planned as visibility stopped play.
The other evening we were all heading for bed at about 4 a.m. I was in the bathroom when suddenly the floor started moving beneath my feet and walls shook and in the end the whole building felt as if it was swaying. "What the fuck is going on?" was my response. Karina was so frightening she couldn´t move and Eduardo was trying to calm her down. It turned out we had experienced a minor earthquake - 6 on the Richter scale. It was just OK because it stopped but there was a point while it was happening that I thought how long can this building stand up to this treatment - bearing in mind that we live on the 8th floor. If it happens again I am certainly heading for the exit!
It´s a working city Tucuman and has few frills - the galleries I want to visit seem to always be shut when I turn up. Lots of shopping and browsing and generally hanging out together and visiting friends. We spend lovely evenings together chatting, eating and drinking on their balcony watching the city lights and listening to the mad guy who lives across the road to them. Definitely delusional and will rant and rage from his house or up and down the street. Sad but also sometimes weirdly funny.
I went to mass the other day with E and K. A very beautiful church that was packed with people even standing with children in the isles - a dog slipped in too. Before the service started I saw a bit of cuddling and kissing between couples. People come to mass in shorts and T shirts some in suits and some in jeans - there is no dress code. I cannot say what the motivation is for people to attend these services but there was a great feeling on community and there was also fantastic singing from a small group of people high up above the organ loft. Their singing lifted my spirits - they were inspirational. I had gone with a completely open mind - in fact I nearly didn´t go but curiosity got the better of me. I came away feeling moved in someway - mainly by the music. I feel I have no need to go to church but recognize the power of the senses.
I have done some drawings of Eduardo - it feels good to have charcoal in my hands again.
Happy in Tucuman doing not very much!
Big hugs and lots of love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxx
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Bolivia and passports 17th February 2011
Hi Everyone,
Because I had overstayed my welcome in Argentina I had to leave the country and re-enter in order to have another 3 months trouble free time here. Lots of friends had said that Bolivia was amazing with spectacular scenery. Salta is relatively close to the border so this seemed an obvious choice. The coach dropped me at the border town of Chiaca at 6.30 in the morning so I sleepily found a cafe that served my naraja sprimida and media lunas and gradually came too. No idea what I was doing but finally found my way to the border guards on the Argentinian side. Long queue waiting for customs to open at 8.00. As always you end up chatting in these queues and met 2 charming easy going guys from Chile who became my guardian angels. They helped interpret when I lost my way with the officials, helped me find the right coach company for the next leg of the journey and and checked when the bus left. I had the pleasure of giving the Argentinian government $300 for the pleasure of having mucked up on my visa. That´s about 60 pounds but at least it is done and I am now legal again. While we were waiting in the Entry to Bolivia office I was just reading the notices and was quite shocked to see one that basically said that children were not objects for sale. Trafficking across the border is common and later in a conversation with a lass in a tour company office we were talking about contraception and she said that people know about it but they just dont use it so they have 4 options. Keep the child, have it put up for adoption, sell it or chuck it on the rubbish heap for the dogs! I was shocked.
So I am now in Bolivia and have about half a day till my bus leaves. When I am finally on the coach I realize I am in for an interesting ride. It rattles and shakes like a real sharabang and hurtles along the dirt roads at high speed. As the night draws on it is also freezing cold. I fall into conversation with a lovely couple from Uruguay and we commiserate together. By now it is also raining. We arrive in Ayuni at 1.30 in the morning in the pouring rain to find a lot of the town is flooded. Luckily Eliana spotted a hostel so we just get out of the coach and ran for it. We don´t even undress but just fall into bed exhausted. This hostel did have hot showers but the electricity was very dodgy and apart from our bedroom the rest of the place seemed to be a permanent wind tunnel. This was our introduction to freezing cold Bolivia. Next morning Matias moves us to a slightly ungraded hostel at least with an ensuite bathroom.
Bolivia is very colourful. The women wear extraordinary bowler hats and and shawls of red, turquoise, pink, yellow. Skirts are voluminous with warm leggins underneath. However the people on first meeting are far less outgoing and generally seem timid and cautious about making contact. We realized quite quickly that having booked our 3 day excursion that we were going to need some warm clothes. So we bought local woolly hats, warm woolly leggins to go under our jeans, another alpaca jersey for me and a pair of gloves. I no longer cared if I looked like a Michelin man/woman.
Our excursion was in a 4 by 4 with 2 lasses from the Cech Republic, one delicious wild child from Australia, myself and the 2 Uruaguans. What Bolivia does so wonderfully is its natural beauty. The Salt plains were magical. Because there had been quite a lot of rain recently they were all under water. But you then had amazing reflections of snow capped mountains and volcanoes edging the area. People just played with crazy photographs of jumping groups, some having meals with picnic tables and so on .......... it reminded me of Lowry´s paintings. The lagoons we visited were all colours from green to red to turquoise. The red one also had flocks of flamingos feeding on it. We visited geisers that stank of bad eggs and drove through miles of desert. Rocks had landed at random from volcanic explosions making thousands of potential Japanese gardens. Most of the time we were driving off any known tracks, no signs just local knowledge. Our lunch time spot on one day allowed us to try a (very) hot water spring - amazing. The lagoon near by was yellow, green and pale red pastel colours. So strange but hauntingly beautiful. Bolivia also had wonderful areas of rocky outcrops that have been formed into extraordinary shapes by erosion. The only problem I had with this it that everyone wants to climb all over them and I just wanted to photograph rocks without bodies - hey ho the dilemma of successful tourism!
Two strange hostels - in one we froze to death - and the second one we only had 2 hours of light in the evening! I think I would describe Bolivia as much more primitive than Argentina. But I was still glad I went. Not least for meeting some lovely people - the wild child from Australia and Matias and Eliana from Uruguay. We also kept bumping into another excusion with 3 Brits in it who were great fun apart from poor things having ghastly altidude sickness. We were at just under 5,000 feet a lot of the time. Our carload seemed to escape any real effect except most of us had colds.
We all then went our seperate ways. Matias, Eliana and I had a farewell meal together. I feel we shall stay in touch. I don´t feel that about everyone I meet but these two were great. She´s a photographer and he´s an artist and they are very in love!!!
The coach was as bad returning to the border. The only improvement was that it didn´t rain. Someone told me today that 10 years ago most of the bus drivers in Bolivia drank as they drove and that there was a national strike when the government banned drink driving. There were moments on this road were I just shut my eyes as the drop was so precipitous but I am here to tell the tale.
I palled up with two Japanese lads who, like me going into Bolivia hadn´t a clue and spoke no Spanish at all. So my turn to be an angel and help them. Our bus back to Salta saw us changing at least 3 times. One was just on a stretch of road with buses lined up along the side and people sitting in groups all over the road, playing cards and having picnics. Go and Masa (2 Japanese) came back to my lovely hostel and were a huge success. Masa was so funny and had us all in stitches. One thing about travelling you do seem to meet the world without going everywhere.
Tomorrow I go to Tucuman, then on to Rosario where Mabel comes from (for those tango friends) and ending back in Buenos Aires to complete the circle around Argentina. If I can I shall go to Uruguay for a few days on a beach to completely veg out but who knows nothing is ever set in stone.
Loads of love as ever
Sal xxx
Because I had overstayed my welcome in Argentina I had to leave the country and re-enter in order to have another 3 months trouble free time here. Lots of friends had said that Bolivia was amazing with spectacular scenery. Salta is relatively close to the border so this seemed an obvious choice. The coach dropped me at the border town of Chiaca at 6.30 in the morning so I sleepily found a cafe that served my naraja sprimida and media lunas and gradually came too. No idea what I was doing but finally found my way to the border guards on the Argentinian side. Long queue waiting for customs to open at 8.00. As always you end up chatting in these queues and met 2 charming easy going guys from Chile who became my guardian angels. They helped interpret when I lost my way with the officials, helped me find the right coach company for the next leg of the journey and and checked when the bus left. I had the pleasure of giving the Argentinian government $300 for the pleasure of having mucked up on my visa. That´s about 60 pounds but at least it is done and I am now legal again. While we were waiting in the Entry to Bolivia office I was just reading the notices and was quite shocked to see one that basically said that children were not objects for sale. Trafficking across the border is common and later in a conversation with a lass in a tour company office we were talking about contraception and she said that people know about it but they just dont use it so they have 4 options. Keep the child, have it put up for adoption, sell it or chuck it on the rubbish heap for the dogs! I was shocked.
So I am now in Bolivia and have about half a day till my bus leaves. When I am finally on the coach I realize I am in for an interesting ride. It rattles and shakes like a real sharabang and hurtles along the dirt roads at high speed. As the night draws on it is also freezing cold. I fall into conversation with a lovely couple from Uruguay and we commiserate together. By now it is also raining. We arrive in Ayuni at 1.30 in the morning in the pouring rain to find a lot of the town is flooded. Luckily Eliana spotted a hostel so we just get out of the coach and ran for it. We don´t even undress but just fall into bed exhausted. This hostel did have hot showers but the electricity was very dodgy and apart from our bedroom the rest of the place seemed to be a permanent wind tunnel. This was our introduction to freezing cold Bolivia. Next morning Matias moves us to a slightly ungraded hostel at least with an ensuite bathroom.
Bolivia is very colourful. The women wear extraordinary bowler hats and and shawls of red, turquoise, pink, yellow. Skirts are voluminous with warm leggins underneath. However the people on first meeting are far less outgoing and generally seem timid and cautious about making contact. We realized quite quickly that having booked our 3 day excursion that we were going to need some warm clothes. So we bought local woolly hats, warm woolly leggins to go under our jeans, another alpaca jersey for me and a pair of gloves. I no longer cared if I looked like a Michelin man/woman.
Our excursion was in a 4 by 4 with 2 lasses from the Cech Republic, one delicious wild child from Australia, myself and the 2 Uruaguans. What Bolivia does so wonderfully is its natural beauty. The Salt plains were magical. Because there had been quite a lot of rain recently they were all under water. But you then had amazing reflections of snow capped mountains and volcanoes edging the area. People just played with crazy photographs of jumping groups, some having meals with picnic tables and so on .......... it reminded me of Lowry´s paintings. The lagoons we visited were all colours from green to red to turquoise. The red one also had flocks of flamingos feeding on it. We visited geisers that stank of bad eggs and drove through miles of desert. Rocks had landed at random from volcanic explosions making thousands of potential Japanese gardens. Most of the time we were driving off any known tracks, no signs just local knowledge. Our lunch time spot on one day allowed us to try a (very) hot water spring - amazing. The lagoon near by was yellow, green and pale red pastel colours. So strange but hauntingly beautiful. Bolivia also had wonderful areas of rocky outcrops that have been formed into extraordinary shapes by erosion. The only problem I had with this it that everyone wants to climb all over them and I just wanted to photograph rocks without bodies - hey ho the dilemma of successful tourism!
Two strange hostels - in one we froze to death - and the second one we only had 2 hours of light in the evening! I think I would describe Bolivia as much more primitive than Argentina. But I was still glad I went. Not least for meeting some lovely people - the wild child from Australia and Matias and Eliana from Uruguay. We also kept bumping into another excusion with 3 Brits in it who were great fun apart from poor things having ghastly altidude sickness. We were at just under 5,000 feet a lot of the time. Our carload seemed to escape any real effect except most of us had colds.
We all then went our seperate ways. Matias, Eliana and I had a farewell meal together. I feel we shall stay in touch. I don´t feel that about everyone I meet but these two were great. She´s a photographer and he´s an artist and they are very in love!!!
The coach was as bad returning to the border. The only improvement was that it didn´t rain. Someone told me today that 10 years ago most of the bus drivers in Bolivia drank as they drove and that there was a national strike when the government banned drink driving. There were moments on this road were I just shut my eyes as the drop was so precipitous but I am here to tell the tale.
I palled up with two Japanese lads who, like me going into Bolivia hadn´t a clue and spoke no Spanish at all. So my turn to be an angel and help them. Our bus back to Salta saw us changing at least 3 times. One was just on a stretch of road with buses lined up along the side and people sitting in groups all over the road, playing cards and having picnics. Go and Masa (2 Japanese) came back to my lovely hostel and were a huge success. Masa was so funny and had us all in stitches. One thing about travelling you do seem to meet the world without going everywhere.
Tomorrow I go to Tucuman, then on to Rosario where Mabel comes from (for those tango friends) and ending back in Buenos Aires to complete the circle around Argentina. If I can I shall go to Uruguay for a few days on a beach to completely veg out but who knows nothing is ever set in stone.
Loads of love as ever
Sal xxx
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Horses sometimes don´t stand up! 8th February 2011
Hi Everyone,
Just the latest incident in my life .....................
I went for a Cabalgata with some friends on Sunday. We were all kitted out with hats and delegated our respective horses. This was where we had galloped home my moonlight on the previous occasion. We set off in a sedentary fashion - most of the gang couldn´t ride. Milagro, our gaucho just kept a eye on us all. After a while the track widened out and I asked if I could go on ahead a bit faster. Fine. We were cantering along, if a bit reluctantly on behalf of my steed, when she suddenly stumbled and fell tipping me off over her right shoulder. I was so winded that I couldn´t breethe for what seemed like ages. It hurt - especially my right shoulder which had taken the brunt of the fall. I know have an arm which is black and blue. After a relatively short while I decided to remount and continue the ride with the others but at a walking pace! Milagro was very attentive and just kept me going till the end. I was OK - just sore. The gauchos on returning to the Estancia decided that I should go to hospital to be checked over, which I had also been thinking would be a good move. The medical kit came out and I was cleaned up and iodined. Gonzalo came to the hospital with me and kept on miraculously meeting friends who were doctors which seemed to speed up the process. He also said it was the first time that he´d had to put someone´s earrings in and out! Sweet guy of probably 25! Anyway the long and the short of it was that after being X-rayed they decided that I hadn´t broken anything which is a great relief. On returning to the hostel Pablo who is on the staff cut some Aloe Vera out of the garden and gently rubbed this on to speed up the healing process. This happened several times and the following day. The hospital had given me an injection to numb the pain and help me sleep - which it did. Luckily I had taken my arnica so I have been dosing myself with that on a regular basis too. I have also had 2 massages from a friend of the family so I have tried to attack the pain and bruising from lots of angles -and it is working. I hope that it´s going to like the 8 hour bus trip to Bolivia tonight! It is now 3 days since it happened and I am in good spirits if still a bit sore - yes I know it will take time to heal and I have to be patient hey ho!
Yes I am going to Bolivia to get my passport stamped before Sunday so shall be out of Argentina for a short while. Unless I love it and decide to stay longer. I´ll let you know.
For all of those of you who have sent me messages via Facebook I am sorry that I haven´t replied but I am having difficulty with my password so at the moment prior to Bolivia I have given up but will try again later. It has been lovely that so many of you have written and kept in touch. Email is still good.
Big hug and fondest love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxx
Just the latest incident in my life .....................
I went for a Cabalgata with some friends on Sunday. We were all kitted out with hats and delegated our respective horses. This was where we had galloped home my moonlight on the previous occasion. We set off in a sedentary fashion - most of the gang couldn´t ride. Milagro, our gaucho just kept a eye on us all. After a while the track widened out and I asked if I could go on ahead a bit faster. Fine. We were cantering along, if a bit reluctantly on behalf of my steed, when she suddenly stumbled and fell tipping me off over her right shoulder. I was so winded that I couldn´t breethe for what seemed like ages. It hurt - especially my right shoulder which had taken the brunt of the fall. I know have an arm which is black and blue. After a relatively short while I decided to remount and continue the ride with the others but at a walking pace! Milagro was very attentive and just kept me going till the end. I was OK - just sore. The gauchos on returning to the Estancia decided that I should go to hospital to be checked over, which I had also been thinking would be a good move. The medical kit came out and I was cleaned up and iodined. Gonzalo came to the hospital with me and kept on miraculously meeting friends who were doctors which seemed to speed up the process. He also said it was the first time that he´d had to put someone´s earrings in and out! Sweet guy of probably 25! Anyway the long and the short of it was that after being X-rayed they decided that I hadn´t broken anything which is a great relief. On returning to the hostel Pablo who is on the staff cut some Aloe Vera out of the garden and gently rubbed this on to speed up the healing process. This happened several times and the following day. The hospital had given me an injection to numb the pain and help me sleep - which it did. Luckily I had taken my arnica so I have been dosing myself with that on a regular basis too. I have also had 2 massages from a friend of the family so I have tried to attack the pain and bruising from lots of angles -and it is working. I hope that it´s going to like the 8 hour bus trip to Bolivia tonight! It is now 3 days since it happened and I am in good spirits if still a bit sore - yes I know it will take time to heal and I have to be patient hey ho!
Yes I am going to Bolivia to get my passport stamped before Sunday so shall be out of Argentina for a short while. Unless I love it and decide to stay longer. I´ll let you know.
For all of those of you who have sent me messages via Facebook I am sorry that I haven´t replied but I am having difficulty with my password so at the moment prior to Bolivia I have given up but will try again later. It has been lovely that so many of you have written and kept in touch. Email is still good.
Big hug and fondest love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxx
Friday, 4 February 2011
En Route to Iguazu 4th February 2011
Hi Everyone,
After leaving Salta I visited a town called Resistencia which seems the most unlikely place to find hundreds of scuptures. They have a biennial competition where sculptors have 2 weeks to complete a piece of work and then a selection of the best are posted around the town. Sowhere ever you walk you are bound to come across these works of art. The good, the bad and the ugly - they were all there. It did inspire me to think its an area I´d like to work more in - I thought of you, Kate. I also thought it was such a brilliant idea placing them around the streets and made it all very accesible to everyone. Maybe we could start a new fashion in England?
I had a hilarious evening in the park on the Sunday night joining the crowd watching various bands perform from a stage. I was squeezed into a tiny space with a VERY large enthusiastic señora who clapped and danced to everything, so all I could do was join in. Little children were on their dads shoulders swaying around in time to the music.....and a new phenomena, people were handing up their mobile phones onto the stage with either photos or loving messages to their heartthrobs; lost children were also taken to the front of the stage hoping that their parents would notice them. One child was twice called out over the load speakers - I hope that her parents hadn´t done a runner! There were also some stoney faced women who were not going to enjoy anything even if they tried. So all the world and his wife were out that night.
My hotel in Resistencia definitely got the thumbs down, grubby and my loo got blocked on the first day and nobody did anything about it for 2 days - shan´t be going there again!
Heading up towards Iguazu it definitely felt tropical and very humid. So I was constantly dripping with sweat every moment of the day. At Posadas the next stop I visited the Jesuit Mission - ruins from a time passed. The Jesuits were sent to Missiones to convert the Guarani one of the indigenous people in Argentina. The Guarani were living in the jungle and under constant threat from slave traders and the portuguese, so in some ways this option offered them security, education and the learning of numerous trades - the bitter pill was they had to convert to Christianity and many of their life styles had to change - many of their own rituals. However on the whole it was considered a Utopian dream that worked for a long while. Jealousy over the success of these Missions - there were about 30 of them in Argentina and Paraguay - meant that the priests were recalled to Spain and the Guarani were left open to attack from outsiders. The ruins are what is left of this chapter in history - very evocative of this time. I was left with an amazing sense of organization and purpose in these communities.
Iguazu was fabulous. A lovely hostel called Peter Pan with the rooms built around courtyard and in the middle was a good sized swimming pool. One night at 4 a.m. I was so hot I couldn´t sleep so the obvious solution was a quick dip - or not so quick. The usual ecclectic mix of youngsters - their m usual friendly selves.
The Iguazu Falls were phenominal. Nothing quite prepared me for the size, the volume and the noise of the water falling. Also how many falls there were. I was constantly soaked by spray and what was nice was that although there were a lot of people I never felt overwhelmed by crowds. There is one particular fall called the Devil´s Throat and I was the only one at that view point. To get to it you had to cross from island to island, and there were many, by metal walk ways with the water rushing underneath. I logically knew it was safe but there were moments where I just had to keep going. It was a bit like crossing a large delta. Lovely butterflies and myself and 2 German lads were lucky enough to see 3 Toucans and a crocodile and her baby. Flowers were also stunning but have no idea what they were.
I wasn´t going to but in the end I did, take the boat trip almost under the waterfalls. The Gauchos of the Rivers drive these large rubber speed boats packed with the likes of me and I am sure lay bets with each other as to how wet they can make us. It was huge fun and I was completely drenched. I have decided I would now like to have a go at rafting, so don´t hold your breath! I teamed up with a lovely Argentinian couple and we walked the paths together and did the boat trip too. He makes fabric for tango shoes and other sorts in Buenos Aires!
On the way back to Salta our bus was stopped for a standard police check. This time they wanted to see our passports. Unfortunately I have overstayed my 3 months visa and should have gone out of the country and re-entered to validate the next 3 months. I have to admit I just hadn´t bothered and thought I would go to Uruguay from BA when I got back there. Anyway no such luck. Very officious and unsmiling police said yes there was a problem. So I was taken off the bus and shown into their office and questioned about my reasons for being here, where had I been etc. etc. Eventually they decided that they would give me a temporary visa for 10 days on condition that I left the country before the end of that time. The guy who painfully slowly typed out my visa was a real honey and we almost had a bit of joke together - that was a relief. What I was almost more worried about though was that the time it was all taking. In the end it was about three quarters of an hour that I held up the bus. I was very proud of myself that I was not phased and panicked by it all. My friends on the bus were very pleased to see me back on board, in one piece and with my newly adjust passport. So it looks like I may be going to Bolivia from Salta. I shall keep you posted.
Big hug and much love to you all
Sal xxx
After leaving Salta I visited a town called Resistencia which seems the most unlikely place to find hundreds of scuptures. They have a biennial competition where sculptors have 2 weeks to complete a piece of work and then a selection of the best are posted around the town. Sowhere ever you walk you are bound to come across these works of art. The good, the bad and the ugly - they were all there. It did inspire me to think its an area I´d like to work more in - I thought of you, Kate. I also thought it was such a brilliant idea placing them around the streets and made it all very accesible to everyone. Maybe we could start a new fashion in England?
I had a hilarious evening in the park on the Sunday night joining the crowd watching various bands perform from a stage. I was squeezed into a tiny space with a VERY large enthusiastic señora who clapped and danced to everything, so all I could do was join in. Little children were on their dads shoulders swaying around in time to the music.....and a new phenomena, people were handing up their mobile phones onto the stage with either photos or loving messages to their heartthrobs; lost children were also taken to the front of the stage hoping that their parents would notice them. One child was twice called out over the load speakers - I hope that her parents hadn´t done a runner! There were also some stoney faced women who were not going to enjoy anything even if they tried. So all the world and his wife were out that night.
My hotel in Resistencia definitely got the thumbs down, grubby and my loo got blocked on the first day and nobody did anything about it for 2 days - shan´t be going there again!
Heading up towards Iguazu it definitely felt tropical and very humid. So I was constantly dripping with sweat every moment of the day. At Posadas the next stop I visited the Jesuit Mission - ruins from a time passed. The Jesuits were sent to Missiones to convert the Guarani one of the indigenous people in Argentina. The Guarani were living in the jungle and under constant threat from slave traders and the portuguese, so in some ways this option offered them security, education and the learning of numerous trades - the bitter pill was they had to convert to Christianity and many of their life styles had to change - many of their own rituals. However on the whole it was considered a Utopian dream that worked for a long while. Jealousy over the success of these Missions - there were about 30 of them in Argentina and Paraguay - meant that the priests were recalled to Spain and the Guarani were left open to attack from outsiders. The ruins are what is left of this chapter in history - very evocative of this time. I was left with an amazing sense of organization and purpose in these communities.
Iguazu was fabulous. A lovely hostel called Peter Pan with the rooms built around courtyard and in the middle was a good sized swimming pool. One night at 4 a.m. I was so hot I couldn´t sleep so the obvious solution was a quick dip - or not so quick. The usual ecclectic mix of youngsters - their m usual friendly selves.
The Iguazu Falls were phenominal. Nothing quite prepared me for the size, the volume and the noise of the water falling. Also how many falls there were. I was constantly soaked by spray and what was nice was that although there were a lot of people I never felt overwhelmed by crowds. There is one particular fall called the Devil´s Throat and I was the only one at that view point. To get to it you had to cross from island to island, and there were many, by metal walk ways with the water rushing underneath. I logically knew it was safe but there were moments where I just had to keep going. It was a bit like crossing a large delta. Lovely butterflies and myself and 2 German lads were lucky enough to see 3 Toucans and a crocodile and her baby. Flowers were also stunning but have no idea what they were.
I wasn´t going to but in the end I did, take the boat trip almost under the waterfalls. The Gauchos of the Rivers drive these large rubber speed boats packed with the likes of me and I am sure lay bets with each other as to how wet they can make us. It was huge fun and I was completely drenched. I have decided I would now like to have a go at rafting, so don´t hold your breath! I teamed up with a lovely Argentinian couple and we walked the paths together and did the boat trip too. He makes fabric for tango shoes and other sorts in Buenos Aires!
On the way back to Salta our bus was stopped for a standard police check. This time they wanted to see our passports. Unfortunately I have overstayed my 3 months visa and should have gone out of the country and re-entered to validate the next 3 months. I have to admit I just hadn´t bothered and thought I would go to Uruguay from BA when I got back there. Anyway no such luck. Very officious and unsmiling police said yes there was a problem. So I was taken off the bus and shown into their office and questioned about my reasons for being here, where had I been etc. etc. Eventually they decided that they would give me a temporary visa for 10 days on condition that I left the country before the end of that time. The guy who painfully slowly typed out my visa was a real honey and we almost had a bit of joke together - that was a relief. What I was almost more worried about though was that the time it was all taking. In the end it was about three quarters of an hour that I held up the bus. I was very proud of myself that I was not phased and panicked by it all. My friends on the bus were very pleased to see me back on board, in one piece and with my newly adjust passport. So it looks like I may be going to Bolivia from Salta. I shall keep you posted.
Big hug and much love to you all
Sal xxx
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Cafajate Tuesday 25th January 2011
Hi Everyone,
I decided to take off for Cafajate for a few days - it is another fascinating town south of Salta. I stayed in a Hostel called Rusty K which is run by friends of the family that own this lovely hostel in Salta. Coincidentally a German lass from this hostel was on the same bus so we joined up with each other for a meal on the main square every evening which was always something to look forward to after our various expeditions.
My first day saw me climbing the hill overlooking Las Ruinas des Quilmes. A vast expanse of excavations that were once an ancient indiginous city - only about 15% has been so far uncovered. The Quilmes survived the Incas but were defeated by the incoming Spanish who deported 5000 people to Buenos Aires. They were forced to walk the distance and many died on the way. As I climbed higher the view became more and more spectacular and I became held by the silence of the mountains around me. It reminded me of Delphi in Greece which has an amazing sense of timelessness and spirituality.
I had then asked the little minibus to drop me at Amaiche del Valle where there is a very unusual museum/gallery/sculpture park to Pachamama. She is Mother Earth and has been central to all the indiginous people´s beliefs since time began. The museum is made up of sculptures, gates, gardens, pools and wonderful walls with designs in and on them. Everything is made out of different stones and shapes and shades of grey, white, black and ranges of natural colours. I wandered around amazed and bemused by it all. Lots of symbols for the elements, shamans and Pachamama. Quite extraordinary and wonderful until I fell into a conversation with a French artist who told me that Hector Cruz who was behind the project is a man who is disliked by everyone. He befriended an artist who did all the plans and completed the work, paying him only in wine. The artist died of alcohol poisoning with no acknowledgement of his enormous contribution to the project. Hector also bought the museum just outside the Quilmes Ruins sold all the contents to a museum in Buenos Aires and then proceeded to build a prestigious hotel on the same spot to make himself some money. This is all so not in spirit of the indiginous people and Pachamama - he is a very unpopular man but he is probably the sort of man that doesn´t give a damn anyway.
The following day I went on a trek into the foothills with a small group and a wonderful guide. We went to find the waterfalls. When we set off I had no idea that this walk would also included some rock climbing. Not huge amounts but enough to be glad that our guide Franco knew exactly what he was doing. His knowledge of every crevice, tree, shrub and rock was phenomenal. He has lived all his life in these mountains and knows them like the back of his hand. We all felt very safe as he asked us to scale areas of rock that at first glance seemed impossible. He took us to places that were sacred and special to him and was so generous in his willingness to share them with us. We drank from water filtered down through a huge rocks, we passed deserted houses where the young no longer wanted to live on the mountains so families had moved into the towns and we swam in freezing cold water in the pools below the waterfalls.
Cactus accompanied us all the way. We all felt that we were in the hands of a caring gentle man whose soul was at peace and in harmony with these surroundings. For me it was very special.
The other thing that I loved about Cafajate was the main square and how it came to life at night... specially on Friday night. Bands played, shifting from one music to another; youngsters careered around on hired bikes; people hired tridems and rode sedately; children had their faces painted; dancers (Dirty Dancing type) lured people from the crowd (me) to dance with them also did jaw dropping routines themselves; 3 phenomenal guys from Tucamen played bombos - drums you hang round your neck and play with 2 sticks on an off the skin using the wooden edge as well. Quite amazing ryhthmns and they also performed fantastic dance routines to the sound of the drum. I was completely transfixed. All around the square were restaurants buzzing with life and many of them had guitarists, singers and folkloric dances performing for the delight of the eaters.....and mingling in amongst all this wonderful entertainment were relaxed people wandering around enjoying the warm evening and the joy of each others company. I liked this place.
So know I am back in Salta with the lovely family at the hostel. I am leaving on Thursday which will be a sad moment. This has felt like home and I love them all but it is time to go.....
Hugs and loads of love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxxxxxxx
I decided to take off for Cafajate for a few days - it is another fascinating town south of Salta. I stayed in a Hostel called Rusty K which is run by friends of the family that own this lovely hostel in Salta. Coincidentally a German lass from this hostel was on the same bus so we joined up with each other for a meal on the main square every evening which was always something to look forward to after our various expeditions.
My first day saw me climbing the hill overlooking Las Ruinas des Quilmes. A vast expanse of excavations that were once an ancient indiginous city - only about 15% has been so far uncovered. The Quilmes survived the Incas but were defeated by the incoming Spanish who deported 5000 people to Buenos Aires. They were forced to walk the distance and many died on the way. As I climbed higher the view became more and more spectacular and I became held by the silence of the mountains around me. It reminded me of Delphi in Greece which has an amazing sense of timelessness and spirituality.
I had then asked the little minibus to drop me at Amaiche del Valle where there is a very unusual museum/gallery/sculpture park to Pachamama. She is Mother Earth and has been central to all the indiginous people´s beliefs since time began. The museum is made up of sculptures, gates, gardens, pools and wonderful walls with designs in and on them. Everything is made out of different stones and shapes and shades of grey, white, black and ranges of natural colours. I wandered around amazed and bemused by it all. Lots of symbols for the elements, shamans and Pachamama. Quite extraordinary and wonderful until I fell into a conversation with a French artist who told me that Hector Cruz who was behind the project is a man who is disliked by everyone. He befriended an artist who did all the plans and completed the work, paying him only in wine. The artist died of alcohol poisoning with no acknowledgement of his enormous contribution to the project. Hector also bought the museum just outside the Quilmes Ruins sold all the contents to a museum in Buenos Aires and then proceeded to build a prestigious hotel on the same spot to make himself some money. This is all so not in spirit of the indiginous people and Pachamama - he is a very unpopular man but he is probably the sort of man that doesn´t give a damn anyway.
The following day I went on a trek into the foothills with a small group and a wonderful guide. We went to find the waterfalls. When we set off I had no idea that this walk would also included some rock climbing. Not huge amounts but enough to be glad that our guide Franco knew exactly what he was doing. His knowledge of every crevice, tree, shrub and rock was phenomenal. He has lived all his life in these mountains and knows them like the back of his hand. We all felt very safe as he asked us to scale areas of rock that at first glance seemed impossible. He took us to places that were sacred and special to him and was so generous in his willingness to share them with us. We drank from water filtered down through a huge rocks, we passed deserted houses where the young no longer wanted to live on the mountains so families had moved into the towns and we swam in freezing cold water in the pools below the waterfalls.
Cactus accompanied us all the way. We all felt that we were in the hands of a caring gentle man whose soul was at peace and in harmony with these surroundings. For me it was very special.
The other thing that I loved about Cafajate was the main square and how it came to life at night... specially on Friday night. Bands played, shifting from one music to another; youngsters careered around on hired bikes; people hired tridems and rode sedately; children had their faces painted; dancers (Dirty Dancing type) lured people from the crowd (me) to dance with them also did jaw dropping routines themselves; 3 phenomenal guys from Tucamen played bombos - drums you hang round your neck and play with 2 sticks on an off the skin using the wooden edge as well. Quite amazing ryhthmns and they also performed fantastic dance routines to the sound of the drum. I was completely transfixed. All around the square were restaurants buzzing with life and many of them had guitarists, singers and folkloric dances performing for the delight of the eaters.....and mingling in amongst all this wonderful entertainment were relaxed people wandering around enjoying the warm evening and the joy of each others company. I liked this place.
So know I am back in Salta with the lovely family at the hostel. I am leaving on Thursday which will be a sad moment. This has felt like home and I love them all but it is time to go.....
Hugs and loads of love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Mendoza, Cabalgatas and Salta 18th January 2011
Hi Everyone,
As more seems to happen to me there is less time to write, but this is the moment so I shall just pick out the highlights and bring you all up to date ...........
I loved Mendoza with its beautiful squares, cafes and river channels that ran round the town irrigating the trees - it make me think of Aix en Provence. There is money here and it seems a town that is proud of itself. The hostel was in the middle of clubland with very buzzy restaurants. I arrived at about midnight and just went and sat in a cafe to soak up the atmosphere. Hostel was run by another delightful gang of youngsters who took me to their hearts. I was sleeping in what I can only describe as the laundry cupboard. It had loads of shelves, hangers, shoe wracks and cupboards. It was apparently the dressing room when the house was a more luxurious residence. My little bed was squeezed in the middle. I loved it! The hostel also had a swimming pool which was a big bonus for me.
2 memorable things happened to me in Mendoza. The first was that I had my small rucksack stolen while I was sitting in my favourite cafe. I had placed the bag between my feet and I suddenly realized that it had gone. I swung round in my seat in time to see the man making off with it. I leapt out of my seat and screamed after him yelling at the top of my voice "You´ve got my bloody bag!"or words to that effect. I was furious because in the bag was my second camera that replaced the one that I had had stolen in BA. Either he wasn`t a very experienced thief or it was all too public. Anyway I caught up with him and he meekly gave it back to me. I was very proud of myself!!
The other lovely thing was I booked in to do a 2 day horsetrek (gabalgata) and booking in at the same time was Emilie a delightful Dutch girl. We instantly became huge friends and had the time of our lives fording fast flowing rivers, exploring canyons, finding wild horses,watching condors, riding up ridges and down the other side, camping under the stars with supper cooked for us on a campfire by Diego and Jose our two gauchos. It was very magical.
Emilie was heading for Salta so I decided to go too. Back on the coaches again - an 18 hour trip this time. I love Salta probably more than anywhere else. It has a colonial history and beautiful 18th Century buildings and colonades around the main square. A pink cathedral and some museums that I have really enjoyed, including some interesting contemporary art. Jorge always greets me with a hug at my favourite bar. The villages around Salta are fabulous with loads of tempting things from Peru and Bolivia and other wares all made by local Argentinians. Markets are a haven if you like being tempted! I have done excursions to several villages and they all have their own charm and specialties. Emilie only had a short time in Salta so we did the Salt Plains together which are just that. They stretch for miles with rows of pale turquoise pans where they take off the salt. On the same trip we drove up the gorge where ´The Train in the Clouds´goes. Sadly it is no longer available to tourists as there are many rock falls and is considered too dangerous. So now it just carries gas to Bolivia.
The landscapes are ever changing from precipitous mountain roads, to almost rain forest climate, to plains that are cultivating tobacco. The Mountain heights can be up to 4,000 above sea level and on one excursion we were given coca leaves to chew to help with sickness and headaches and altitude problems. Vast amounts of Coca leaves make cocaine but everyone assured us that this was completely legal!
I am in a delightful, clean (kitchens can be a complete nightmare so this is a real treat) family run hostel called ´Salta por Siempre´. I have been here for about 5 days now and know everyone well. The family invited me to go riding with them. It was mad and magical galloping home by moonlight with fireflies flashing around us. While we were waiting for the horses we all piled into the family truck and went up the hillside to find a cactus for the hostel courtyard. Life is always full of surprises here!
I have just done 2 more days horse riding in a different place. Fabulous food, I had a lovely horse that was responsive and sweet natured called ´Buenamosa´which means Pretty Lady. We all drank far too much wine and consequently the afternoon rides went by in a blur and I am sure helped the sore bum syndrome. Great hammock to snooze in and another lovely family run business - all supervised by Enrique. A larger than life charming Argentinian, father and grandfather who has worked with horses all his life. Gorgeous brother and sister and a little boy called Benjamin. I rode with two funny Swiss guys called Philippe and Tom. Of all races, I have met most Swiss on this trip. I have had very little do with Switzerland so it has been a delight to meet so many people from there.
I am exhausted and need to snooze, so goodnight to you all. Just before I go though, for all those tango friends out there I danced tango in the square the other evening. First time since BA. I was walking passed the bankstand and I heard tango music. So went to have a look. A kind man let me squeeze to the front. After the demo they invited dancers onto the floor. The kind man came and asked me. So with hat in one hand and my small rucksack on my back (not to be stolen again!) we took to the floor. It was good fun and proved to me that I hadn´t forgotten everything.
Sleep well - hugs from me Sal xxxxxxxxx
As more seems to happen to me there is less time to write, but this is the moment so I shall just pick out the highlights and bring you all up to date ...........
I loved Mendoza with its beautiful squares, cafes and river channels that ran round the town irrigating the trees - it make me think of Aix en Provence. There is money here and it seems a town that is proud of itself. The hostel was in the middle of clubland with very buzzy restaurants. I arrived at about midnight and just went and sat in a cafe to soak up the atmosphere. Hostel was run by another delightful gang of youngsters who took me to their hearts. I was sleeping in what I can only describe as the laundry cupboard. It had loads of shelves, hangers, shoe wracks and cupboards. It was apparently the dressing room when the house was a more luxurious residence. My little bed was squeezed in the middle. I loved it! The hostel also had a swimming pool which was a big bonus for me.
2 memorable things happened to me in Mendoza. The first was that I had my small rucksack stolen while I was sitting in my favourite cafe. I had placed the bag between my feet and I suddenly realized that it had gone. I swung round in my seat in time to see the man making off with it. I leapt out of my seat and screamed after him yelling at the top of my voice "You´ve got my bloody bag!"or words to that effect. I was furious because in the bag was my second camera that replaced the one that I had had stolen in BA. Either he wasn`t a very experienced thief or it was all too public. Anyway I caught up with him and he meekly gave it back to me. I was very proud of myself!!
The other lovely thing was I booked in to do a 2 day horsetrek (gabalgata) and booking in at the same time was Emilie a delightful Dutch girl. We instantly became huge friends and had the time of our lives fording fast flowing rivers, exploring canyons, finding wild horses,watching condors, riding up ridges and down the other side, camping under the stars with supper cooked for us on a campfire by Diego and Jose our two gauchos. It was very magical.
Emilie was heading for Salta so I decided to go too. Back on the coaches again - an 18 hour trip this time. I love Salta probably more than anywhere else. It has a colonial history and beautiful 18th Century buildings and colonades around the main square. A pink cathedral and some museums that I have really enjoyed, including some interesting contemporary art. Jorge always greets me with a hug at my favourite bar. The villages around Salta are fabulous with loads of tempting things from Peru and Bolivia and other wares all made by local Argentinians. Markets are a haven if you like being tempted! I have done excursions to several villages and they all have their own charm and specialties. Emilie only had a short time in Salta so we did the Salt Plains together which are just that. They stretch for miles with rows of pale turquoise pans where they take off the salt. On the same trip we drove up the gorge where ´The Train in the Clouds´goes. Sadly it is no longer available to tourists as there are many rock falls and is considered too dangerous. So now it just carries gas to Bolivia.
The landscapes are ever changing from precipitous mountain roads, to almost rain forest climate, to plains that are cultivating tobacco. The Mountain heights can be up to 4,000 above sea level and on one excursion we were given coca leaves to chew to help with sickness and headaches and altitude problems. Vast amounts of Coca leaves make cocaine but everyone assured us that this was completely legal!
I am in a delightful, clean (kitchens can be a complete nightmare so this is a real treat) family run hostel called ´Salta por Siempre´. I have been here for about 5 days now and know everyone well. The family invited me to go riding with them. It was mad and magical galloping home by moonlight with fireflies flashing around us. While we were waiting for the horses we all piled into the family truck and went up the hillside to find a cactus for the hostel courtyard. Life is always full of surprises here!
I have just done 2 more days horse riding in a different place. Fabulous food, I had a lovely horse that was responsive and sweet natured called ´Buenamosa´which means Pretty Lady. We all drank far too much wine and consequently the afternoon rides went by in a blur and I am sure helped the sore bum syndrome. Great hammock to snooze in and another lovely family run business - all supervised by Enrique. A larger than life charming Argentinian, father and grandfather who has worked with horses all his life. Gorgeous brother and sister and a little boy called Benjamin. I rode with two funny Swiss guys called Philippe and Tom. Of all races, I have met most Swiss on this trip. I have had very little do with Switzerland so it has been a delight to meet so many people from there.
I am exhausted and need to snooze, so goodnight to you all. Just before I go though, for all those tango friends out there I danced tango in the square the other evening. First time since BA. I was walking passed the bankstand and I heard tango music. So went to have a look. A kind man let me squeeze to the front. After the demo they invited dancers onto the floor. The kind man came and asked me. So with hat in one hand and my small rucksack on my back (not to be stolen again!) we took to the floor. It was good fun and proved to me that I hadn´t forgotten everything.
Sleep well - hugs from me Sal xxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Bariloche and places inbetween San Rafael 28th December 2010
Hi Everyone,
I haven`t been avoiding you life just keeps on happening and internet cafes are not always close by.
Bariloche was fabulous but mostly because of the hostel and the delicious group of young guys I called the Puppy Dogs who ran it. It was like living in a mad family where there were buckets full of affection, laughter, friendliness and fun. A great friend that I had made in Peninsula Valdez turned up out of the blue which was lovely too. I did one treck up into the forest and nearly died, realizing how unfit I was. I loved it but didn´t get to the top. Amazing trees and a bamboo type plant particular to Argentina. I also did half a days riding in the foothills of the Andes which was magic. The other 4 people riding with me had not one idea how to ride which made me chuckle. Not even turning left or right!! The family who ran the ride from their farm were welcoming and generous giving us a delicious ásado` with wine and all the trimmings. I felt part of their home.
We also saw condors. As well as the astral lapwings who drive me made with their shrill shrieking to lure us away from their nests. If they just shut up we`d never even notice!!
For those that don`t know Bariloche is an Alpine Lake District sitting on a beautiful lake. It is also an ultimate destination for students finishing their final year at school. So they were every where in groups and hordes just filling up the town. There was also a gang of dogs that lived around the streets - their favourite past time was chasing cars - and when they weren`t doing that they were lurking round tourists hoping for food and affection. Bariloche is also famous for chocolate - shame I don`t like it!
Starting to go north I stopped for a few days in San Martin de los Andes. As a town it felt too pretty, too tidy and too ordered for me - a bit lifeless. However lovely walks, lakes, beautiful woods, wild flowers and views. I palled up with a friend from Paris and we went to visit a Mapuche community up in the hills. On arrival we heard a group of youngsters playing fabulous Andean music - apparently part of a bigger orchestra. I could have listened to them all day. The wife walked with us up into the hills. It had a lovely feel to it this area - she talked about the spirits of the earth and the trees and how the Mapuche try to work in tune with nature. Maybe they have something that we have lost. Each Mapuche family has their own house and some land and each one specializes in growing something or contributing in some way to the whole - be it chickens, sheep what ever. I thought it looked a great plan. I know they have had to fight for their land, and to keep it, and have only in the last 10 years had full communication i.e. internet, phones, but this seemed something to aspire to for all of them. They have their own school and Mapuche is taught for 2 hours a day. However the only thing I will pass on next time is the family `car´that we went back to the village in. The husband said he would give us a lift so we agreed before seeing the MOT certificate! Only one door worked in the back and I have never seen such a dilapidated specimen. The windscreen was peppered with holes and cracks and the seats were all in different states of disrepair, some closer to the ground than others. As we rattled down the hill the dust came up in clouds through the floor and we could hardly see in front of our noses. We survived!
En route to a little town called Alumine the landscape changed to a volcanic skyline - very dramatic. This little town gave me a completely magic experience. I wanted to visit the lakes but the bus had gone and the lass in theTourist Office suggested that I hitch hike. She said it was completely safe. So I set off with my picnic in my little ruchsack and a bottle of water. For a while I walked with a kindly old man on a horse - I haven´t a clue what he was saying but he didn´t seem to mind. Eventually after about 5 kilometres a little car stopped beside me. Inside was a young girl and her 4 year old daughter. I jumped in and off we went. After a little while of chat she invited me to visit her parent`s farm (which was where she was going) as it was the day that her father, brother and her husband plus other gauchos branded the cattle. Would I be interested? I didn`t hesitate. They were an amazing family who didn`t bat an eyelid when a strange English woman turned up to join them for the day. The cattle were driven across a river to a piece of land that was flat and easier to work. We stayed this side. But after a while I said to Marielin that it was very difficult to photograph through the trees. So back we went to the house and I was kitted out with gym shoes and given a sturdy stick. We forded the same river on foot in a very fast flowing current. It was not easy and I certainly didn´t want to fall over with my camera on my hip. However all was well and we walked up to join the gauchos who were just getting on with a days work of lassoeing calves and cows, branding from the fire they had made, dosing them with medicine and clipping their ears. After about 1 hour Marielin asked me if I would like to go for a ride. So we each take a horse and headed up the valley. How wonderful was that. Later in the afternoon we have a second ride in the opposite direction. At the end of the day we all road home on horseback fording the river with some horses carrying 2 of us. I was invited to join them for the inevitable asado which was delicious and then driven back to Alumine by Marielin and her husband and their little daughter. It was a full moon and the landscape was bathed in its light - what a fabulous dreamy day! I am constantly amazed by people`s openheartedness and generosity.
The journey to San Rafael was another 2 day affair. The last lap was more extraordinary landscape this time dotted with monkey puzzle trees that are native to this part of the world and growing in desert like conditions. Extraordinary. Yet another lovely hostel - more Swiss and Israelis with Canadians buying land here. I spent Christmas Eve on a lake swimming and laughing with a gang from the hostel. The lovely family that run it (3) daughters invited us to a meal with them in the evening - Christmas eve is more special to them. I gave everyone a candle to light and make a wish with or remember someone close to them - and of course to light with the meal.
12 of us sat down together and it was great. It was a late night as we chatted and ate and drank into Christmas day.
I am now staying with Kate and her family just outside San Rafael before I make my next jump, my next trip. It is hot now - over 40 centigrade!
As usual I have no idea where I shall be for New Year. But I wish you all lots of special things for 2011, friendship, unexpected moments, dreams coming true and a good life where maybe we make a difference - somehow. I also hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas - I meant to send you good wishes but somehow it never happened. I thought about you!
Lots of Argentinian hugs and much love
Sal xxx
I haven`t been avoiding you life just keeps on happening and internet cafes are not always close by.
Bariloche was fabulous but mostly because of the hostel and the delicious group of young guys I called the Puppy Dogs who ran it. It was like living in a mad family where there were buckets full of affection, laughter, friendliness and fun. A great friend that I had made in Peninsula Valdez turned up out of the blue which was lovely too. I did one treck up into the forest and nearly died, realizing how unfit I was. I loved it but didn´t get to the top. Amazing trees and a bamboo type plant particular to Argentina. I also did half a days riding in the foothills of the Andes which was magic. The other 4 people riding with me had not one idea how to ride which made me chuckle. Not even turning left or right!! The family who ran the ride from their farm were welcoming and generous giving us a delicious ásado` with wine and all the trimmings. I felt part of their home.
We also saw condors. As well as the astral lapwings who drive me made with their shrill shrieking to lure us away from their nests. If they just shut up we`d never even notice!!
For those that don`t know Bariloche is an Alpine Lake District sitting on a beautiful lake. It is also an ultimate destination for students finishing their final year at school. So they were every where in groups and hordes just filling up the town. There was also a gang of dogs that lived around the streets - their favourite past time was chasing cars - and when they weren`t doing that they were lurking round tourists hoping for food and affection. Bariloche is also famous for chocolate - shame I don`t like it!
Starting to go north I stopped for a few days in San Martin de los Andes. As a town it felt too pretty, too tidy and too ordered for me - a bit lifeless. However lovely walks, lakes, beautiful woods, wild flowers and views. I palled up with a friend from Paris and we went to visit a Mapuche community up in the hills. On arrival we heard a group of youngsters playing fabulous Andean music - apparently part of a bigger orchestra. I could have listened to them all day. The wife walked with us up into the hills. It had a lovely feel to it this area - she talked about the spirits of the earth and the trees and how the Mapuche try to work in tune with nature. Maybe they have something that we have lost. Each Mapuche family has their own house and some land and each one specializes in growing something or contributing in some way to the whole - be it chickens, sheep what ever. I thought it looked a great plan. I know they have had to fight for their land, and to keep it, and have only in the last 10 years had full communication i.e. internet, phones, but this seemed something to aspire to for all of them. They have their own school and Mapuche is taught for 2 hours a day. However the only thing I will pass on next time is the family `car´that we went back to the village in. The husband said he would give us a lift so we agreed before seeing the MOT certificate! Only one door worked in the back and I have never seen such a dilapidated specimen. The windscreen was peppered with holes and cracks and the seats were all in different states of disrepair, some closer to the ground than others. As we rattled down the hill the dust came up in clouds through the floor and we could hardly see in front of our noses. We survived!
En route to a little town called Alumine the landscape changed to a volcanic skyline - very dramatic. This little town gave me a completely magic experience. I wanted to visit the lakes but the bus had gone and the lass in theTourist Office suggested that I hitch hike. She said it was completely safe. So I set off with my picnic in my little ruchsack and a bottle of water. For a while I walked with a kindly old man on a horse - I haven´t a clue what he was saying but he didn´t seem to mind. Eventually after about 5 kilometres a little car stopped beside me. Inside was a young girl and her 4 year old daughter. I jumped in and off we went. After a little while of chat she invited me to visit her parent`s farm (which was where she was going) as it was the day that her father, brother and her husband plus other gauchos branded the cattle. Would I be interested? I didn`t hesitate. They were an amazing family who didn`t bat an eyelid when a strange English woman turned up to join them for the day. The cattle were driven across a river to a piece of land that was flat and easier to work. We stayed this side. But after a while I said to Marielin that it was very difficult to photograph through the trees. So back we went to the house and I was kitted out with gym shoes and given a sturdy stick. We forded the same river on foot in a very fast flowing current. It was not easy and I certainly didn´t want to fall over with my camera on my hip. However all was well and we walked up to join the gauchos who were just getting on with a days work of lassoeing calves and cows, branding from the fire they had made, dosing them with medicine and clipping their ears. After about 1 hour Marielin asked me if I would like to go for a ride. So we each take a horse and headed up the valley. How wonderful was that. Later in the afternoon we have a second ride in the opposite direction. At the end of the day we all road home on horseback fording the river with some horses carrying 2 of us. I was invited to join them for the inevitable asado which was delicious and then driven back to Alumine by Marielin and her husband and their little daughter. It was a full moon and the landscape was bathed in its light - what a fabulous dreamy day! I am constantly amazed by people`s openheartedness and generosity.
The journey to San Rafael was another 2 day affair. The last lap was more extraordinary landscape this time dotted with monkey puzzle trees that are native to this part of the world and growing in desert like conditions. Extraordinary. Yet another lovely hostel - more Swiss and Israelis with Canadians buying land here. I spent Christmas Eve on a lake swimming and laughing with a gang from the hostel. The lovely family that run it (3) daughters invited us to a meal with them in the evening - Christmas eve is more special to them. I gave everyone a candle to light and make a wish with or remember someone close to them - and of course to light with the meal.
12 of us sat down together and it was great. It was a late night as we chatted and ate and drank into Christmas day.
I am now staying with Kate and her family just outside San Rafael before I make my next jump, my next trip. It is hot now - over 40 centigrade!
As usual I have no idea where I shall be for New Year. But I wish you all lots of special things for 2011, friendship, unexpected moments, dreams coming true and a good life where maybe we make a difference - somehow. I also hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas - I meant to send you good wishes but somehow it never happened. I thought about you!
Lots of Argentinian hugs and much love
Sal xxx
Saturday, 11 December 2010
How do you talk to a Glacier?
Since I last wrote I have been to El Calafate which is quite far south and sits on a milky turquoise lake. The town is an architect´s dream with random houses all over the place with no need for planning permission for colour, shape, size or position. Lots are pink, mauve, purple, yellow and green of the most extraordinary shapes and sizes. It had a feeling of being temporary but is growing daily as I noticed big hotels half finished and others under constrution. The hostel was run by two lovely young guys with dreadlocks and great smiles. Very friendly. Met people from all over and shared a dorm with a great English couple. The guy reminded me of Rupert a great friend of mine.
So the point of coming to El Calafate was to visit the Perito Moreno glacier. No, I have never seen a glacier before and especially one this size. I took a boat trip to get close and still couldn´t really comprehend this wall of ice towering above me. Inside the ice there are fabulous reflections of blue, purple and turquoise making it seem even more unreal. I just found it very hard to relate to but recognized that it was extraordinary. It is miles long and a kilometre wide. It moves 2 metres a day which is amazing. There are long walk ways that take you close to the glacier. After some lunch I went back again and walked a distance, mostly on my own in a small peaceful wood that ran alongside this white monster that cracked and rumbled like gunshot as parts broke and fell into the lake. It was quite mesmerizing and I have taken endless photographs somehow trying to understand the nature of it. It was a bit like drawing, once I start then I begin to understand the subject matter more and more - so with photographs of the glacier. It was truly awesome.
From the same hostel I spent a day in El Chalten - a town not dissimilar to El Calafate. The idea was to walk for most of the day up into the mountains and see the famous peak of Fitz Roy but the mist came down and the snow and it was not to be. However I found lots of wild flowers I did not know and met a charming Swiss family. Two sons and mother and father on a holiday together. We all ended up having lunch together to recover from the cold. The younger one and I walked together quite a bit. He was on an exchange in Buenos Aires and was fascinated by how emotional the Argentinians were compared to the Swiss - he told me this with a wistful touch to his voice. I wondered whether some countries are ruled by their heads and other countries by their hearts. Switzerland and Argentina seem two good examples - not that I know many Swiss people so that is a huge value judgement!
To reach Bariloche it was a 2 day bus journey up the legendary Route 40. An amazing road which is mostly untarmaced and stretches miles into the distance bordered usually on both sides by ridges and outcrops. Vast stretches of sky that changed as we moved through the landscape. Our bus drivers were called Nelson and Andy - very chatty and relaxed. The rest of the busload turned into a family as we trundled up Argentina. I sat initially with a french guy who had just hitched a lift on a french boat for 20 days, a loner who disappeared half way through the journey to take his own route. The next guy was also French in his 70s but very sweet natured and easy to be with. You learn people´s life stories when you sit on a bus with them for 24 hours. We stopped at a hotel for the night and I shared a room with two young Israeli girls who had just finished their 2 years national service -perhaps not a good thing to mention that most of England supports the Palestinians! However they were well able to defend their position. Apart from being asked out by Nelson the bus driver the journey was just about snoozing, chatting, reading, stopping at Estancias for a break and wondering if it would ever end.
I am now in Bariloche which is on an enormous beautiful lake with crystal clear water and reflections of snow capped mountains. This is a big town which is the haven of the rich to ski, sail, ride, trek, water raft and climb. It is also the centre for chocoholics - this is a speciality of the area - what a shame I don´t like chocolate. The main square has men standing around with St. Bernard dogs - and today they had 2 puppies. The dogs are a lure to have your photograph taken - no thank you! I am not sure if they still use them for serious rescuing - the poor dogs were paraded around with the barrels under their chins.
I am off to the mountains tomorrow hiking with a group from the hostel ........... more of that next time.
I feel a bit more in sympathy with the bad weather you have been having - snow and sleet, but we do have sun too.
Big hug and much love to you all
Sal xxx
sta
So the point of coming to El Calafate was to visit the Perito Moreno glacier. No, I have never seen a glacier before and especially one this size. I took a boat trip to get close and still couldn´t really comprehend this wall of ice towering above me. Inside the ice there are fabulous reflections of blue, purple and turquoise making it seem even more unreal. I just found it very hard to relate to but recognized that it was extraordinary. It is miles long and a kilometre wide. It moves 2 metres a day which is amazing. There are long walk ways that take you close to the glacier. After some lunch I went back again and walked a distance, mostly on my own in a small peaceful wood that ran alongside this white monster that cracked and rumbled like gunshot as parts broke and fell into the lake. It was quite mesmerizing and I have taken endless photographs somehow trying to understand the nature of it. It was a bit like drawing, once I start then I begin to understand the subject matter more and more - so with photographs of the glacier. It was truly awesome.
From the same hostel I spent a day in El Chalten - a town not dissimilar to El Calafate. The idea was to walk for most of the day up into the mountains and see the famous peak of Fitz Roy but the mist came down and the snow and it was not to be. However I found lots of wild flowers I did not know and met a charming Swiss family. Two sons and mother and father on a holiday together. We all ended up having lunch together to recover from the cold. The younger one and I walked together quite a bit. He was on an exchange in Buenos Aires and was fascinated by how emotional the Argentinians were compared to the Swiss - he told me this with a wistful touch to his voice. I wondered whether some countries are ruled by their heads and other countries by their hearts. Switzerland and Argentina seem two good examples - not that I know many Swiss people so that is a huge value judgement!
To reach Bariloche it was a 2 day bus journey up the legendary Route 40. An amazing road which is mostly untarmaced and stretches miles into the distance bordered usually on both sides by ridges and outcrops. Vast stretches of sky that changed as we moved through the landscape. Our bus drivers were called Nelson and Andy - very chatty and relaxed. The rest of the busload turned into a family as we trundled up Argentina. I sat initially with a french guy who had just hitched a lift on a french boat for 20 days, a loner who disappeared half way through the journey to take his own route. The next guy was also French in his 70s but very sweet natured and easy to be with. You learn people´s life stories when you sit on a bus with them for 24 hours. We stopped at a hotel for the night and I shared a room with two young Israeli girls who had just finished their 2 years national service -perhaps not a good thing to mention that most of England supports the Palestinians! However they were well able to defend their position. Apart from being asked out by Nelson the bus driver the journey was just about snoozing, chatting, reading, stopping at Estancias for a break and wondering if it would ever end.
I am now in Bariloche which is on an enormous beautiful lake with crystal clear water and reflections of snow capped mountains. This is a big town which is the haven of the rich to ski, sail, ride, trek, water raft and climb. It is also the centre for chocoholics - this is a speciality of the area - what a shame I don´t like chocolate. The main square has men standing around with St. Bernard dogs - and today they had 2 puppies. The dogs are a lure to have your photograph taken - no thank you! I am not sure if they still use them for serious rescuing - the poor dogs were paraded around with the barrels under their chins.
I am off to the mountains tomorrow hiking with a group from the hostel ........... more of that next time.
I feel a bit more in sympathy with the bad weather you have been having - snow and sleet, but we do have sun too.
Big hug and much love to you all
Sal xxx
sta
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Estancia La Maria and caves 5th December 2010
Travelling on coaches, mainly during the night, gives me a sense of time travelling. I leave one place and all the experiences I had there, the wheels turn and I am spun into another life of new people and new places. This week-end was so different from my time at Peninsula Valdez whale watching and being entranced by the dolphins it felt exactly like that. I had read in the Lonely Planet of this estancia where there were caves with prehistoric paintings in them - like at least 80 caves. Since I read about them in England I had become determined to find this place. I had tried ringing them, but it seemed that it would cost me 1000 pesos in taxi fees to get there. It is in the middle of nowhere with no public transpot in sight. Somebody suggested hitchhiking, but the problem would be the lack of cars, not any danger. At the Tosca Hostel Mariano had said that if it was my destiny I would find a way. I arrived in Puerto San Julian (at 4 .30 a.m) which is the nearest town to the Estancia with Manuela a friend I had met at the Hostel . We tried the Tourist Office when it opened at 8.00 and the lass said that Josefina (the owner of the Estancia) was in town collecting 2 guests but there was probably not enough room for me to but worth trying. We jumped in a taxi to the hostel and miracle of miracles they could sqeeze me in. A very hasty goodbye to Manuela, who was never coming with me at this point, and I was bundled into the 4 wheel drive and we set off on gravel roads for the estancia.
The track to the Estancia is 11 km in distance from a recognizable road. It is a wild, beautiful place with over 300 canyons and at least 80 caves that have cave paintings in them. They farm very little apart from 80 sheep, (I have never seen a fridge full of such enormous bits of raw meat) chickens and their own self sufficiency in the way of vegetables. This is not ´the Good Life´ this is ´The Hard Life`. The water arrives through a heavy duty black hose from a spring 3 km away, the lights only work during the evening and go out when Josefina goes to bed and the wind when it blows is so strong you can lean against it. There is a huge lake close by but since a volcanic eruption in Chile it has dried up and is full of volcanic ash. I had a sense of how vulnerable I was out here. There are puma and they will take sheep. Lorena the daughter learnt to use a gun when she was 11 years old. The father Ferdinando died several years ago but he and Josefina bought the farm together - for her it was love at first sight. The caves became their passion. The canyons and the caves are huge and imposing, I felt dwarfed by their presence. I had a sense of this being an ancient land that has been formed by the elements over thousands of years. The rock formations are awesome in the true sense of the word - they have been formed and moulded into extraordinary shapes; sculptured creatures, holes, crevices, folds and slabs, heavy entrances to deep caves, all in a variety of reds, golds and greys - and in many are these strange paintings - lots are of guanacos, the lama like creatures that still roam free and the family will eat if they can - many have lines signifying pathways and circles - maybe planets, but the most common are hands. These can either be direct hand prints or negative prints spraying the ´paint` over the hand. The paint was made from blood and urine and sand. These paintings are of great significance and archaelogists are working on them still. They were first discovered in 1902 and I think these 2 bought the farm in the 1980s. The previous owners had been uninterested in the paintings - for Josefina and Ferdinando it was a life´s work putting Estancia La Maria on the map.
There is a rich bird life here, notably for me, a pair of Southern Lapwings who screamed at me for most of the time I walked up one particular canyon - they were then attacked by a kestrel. They reminded me of the raucous parakets in Buenos Aires. I suspect the lapwings were trying to distract me from a nest. There is also a wonderful amount of wild flowers here which I love but was unable to name as I did not bring a wild life book with me. Surprisingly there were lots of wild roses and a flower that seemed very similar to an Evening Primrose. In this hostile environment lots of them have spines and spikes. The odd lizard and some very fat black beetles. No pumas in sight, except the skeleton of one hung on a fence. I also came across the complete skeleton of a dead horse. When I enquired what happened to it I was told it died of old age. No sentimental burial here!
Josefina and Lorena now run the farm and the business together. They both have houses in Puerto San Julian and live in town when there are no guests. A local man and his beautiful white horse tend the estancia while they are away. Lorena lives with her partner and is studying to be a Notary. Both she and her mother were welcoming and generous hearted. I hope it works out for them in this financial climate.
The Lonely Planet is fantastic for information on where and how and when but as far as costs go it is way out. Mine was published in 2008 and I probably have to multiply by at least 5 or 6 to get a more realistic cost of hostels. Inflation is escalating. I mentioned to Cliff in a postcard that the cost of milongas when he was out here was about 12 or 15 pesos. It is now 20 to 30 pesos. The Argentinians feel it keenly.
The track to the Estancia is 11 km in distance from a recognizable road. It is a wild, beautiful place with over 300 canyons and at least 80 caves that have cave paintings in them. They farm very little apart from 80 sheep, (I have never seen a fridge full of such enormous bits of raw meat) chickens and their own self sufficiency in the way of vegetables. This is not ´the Good Life´ this is ´The Hard Life`. The water arrives through a heavy duty black hose from a spring 3 km away, the lights only work during the evening and go out when Josefina goes to bed and the wind when it blows is so strong you can lean against it. There is a huge lake close by but since a volcanic eruption in Chile it has dried up and is full of volcanic ash. I had a sense of how vulnerable I was out here. There are puma and they will take sheep. Lorena the daughter learnt to use a gun when she was 11 years old. The father Ferdinando died several years ago but he and Josefina bought the farm together - for her it was love at first sight. The caves became their passion. The canyons and the caves are huge and imposing, I felt dwarfed by their presence. I had a sense of this being an ancient land that has been formed by the elements over thousands of years. The rock formations are awesome in the true sense of the word - they have been formed and moulded into extraordinary shapes; sculptured creatures, holes, crevices, folds and slabs, heavy entrances to deep caves, all in a variety of reds, golds and greys - and in many are these strange paintings - lots are of guanacos, the lama like creatures that still roam free and the family will eat if they can - many have lines signifying pathways and circles - maybe planets, but the most common are hands. These can either be direct hand prints or negative prints spraying the ´paint` over the hand. The paint was made from blood and urine and sand. These paintings are of great significance and archaelogists are working on them still. They were first discovered in 1902 and I think these 2 bought the farm in the 1980s. The previous owners had been uninterested in the paintings - for Josefina and Ferdinando it was a life´s work putting Estancia La Maria on the map.
There is a rich bird life here, notably for me, a pair of Southern Lapwings who screamed at me for most of the time I walked up one particular canyon - they were then attacked by a kestrel. They reminded me of the raucous parakets in Buenos Aires. I suspect the lapwings were trying to distract me from a nest. There is also a wonderful amount of wild flowers here which I love but was unable to name as I did not bring a wild life book with me. Surprisingly there were lots of wild roses and a flower that seemed very similar to an Evening Primrose. In this hostile environment lots of them have spines and spikes. The odd lizard and some very fat black beetles. No pumas in sight, except the skeleton of one hung on a fence. I also came across the complete skeleton of a dead horse. When I enquired what happened to it I was told it died of old age. No sentimental burial here!
Josefina and Lorena now run the farm and the business together. They both have houses in Puerto San Julian and live in town when there are no guests. A local man and his beautiful white horse tend the estancia while they are away. Lorena lives with her partner and is studying to be a Notary. Both she and her mother were welcoming and generous hearted. I hope it works out for them in this financial climate.
The Lonely Planet is fantastic for information on where and how and when but as far as costs go it is way out. Mine was published in 2008 and I probably have to multiply by at least 5 or 6 to get a more realistic cost of hostels. Inflation is escalating. I mentioned to Cliff in a postcard that the cost of milongas when he was out here was about 12 or 15 pesos. It is now 20 to 30 pesos. The Argentinians feel it keenly.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Leaving Buenos Aires Ist December 2010
I am now at Puerto Madryn, which is very close to the Peninsula Valdez, in the best hostel in the world - it is small and friendly with lovely staff who are incredibly helpful,with great senses of humour. I have made lots of friends in the brief time I have been here and have made two boat trips - one to watch Franco Astral Whales - I still can´t believe I actually did it - they were amazing - one just continued to surface with her fluke and then smashed it down in the waves - it was truly awesome. This is where they come to breed and then they will go south to the Antarctic. The gestation period is a year, they look after their young for a year and then they have a year off. I didn`t gather what the male whales do - except for the obvious. The second boat trip was to watch Toninos - small delightful black and white dolphins who just played around the boat with extraordinary speed and agility. They made us all laugh - I am not sure why but they were just irrisistible.
This is so different from BA. The musicality tango course with Joaquin was fantastic. He is coming to England in 2012 and it would be wonderful for all our group and more to experience his take on interpretation, timing and rythmn. He was so focussed and inspiring - I shall only remember a small amount of it but that alone will be something. Thank you so much Tony for letting me know about it.
My last week was wonderful - the last milonga at Ideal I danced non stop. Not all amazing dances but I have learnt to hold my own. I have only bought 2 pairs of shoes - so far and one is being altered while I am away travelling. I also took my old faithfuls to the shoemaker. When he asked when I would like to collect them and I replied `March` he was non plused. I hope they are still there when I get back! BA feels like home and I am so pleased I am returning there for my last month. Yes, I had my ups and down, but I ended on an up finding the milongas and Tea Dances that suited me. It all takes time. I have bought another camera so shall try and down load some photos of now. I shall also have a chance to take again some photos round BA that I would like to recapture.. Sadly the Jacaranda trees will be over by then - I know I cant have it all.
Am heading for Puerto San Julian and then across to Calafate and a few glaziers. I leave this great little hostel tomorrow.
I can`t believe that you have snow - it seems extraordinary from this side of the world.
The buses are amazing except one guy who snored and I poured water on his nose - he stopped. We were also stopped twice and searched by police with drug sniffer dogs - the dogs were so fat they could hardly move - obviously well rewarded by their owners.
Much love to all of you lovely people
Sal xxxxxx
This is so different from BA. The musicality tango course with Joaquin was fantastic. He is coming to England in 2012 and it would be wonderful for all our group and more to experience his take on interpretation, timing and rythmn. He was so focussed and inspiring - I shall only remember a small amount of it but that alone will be something. Thank you so much Tony for letting me know about it.
My last week was wonderful - the last milonga at Ideal I danced non stop. Not all amazing dances but I have learnt to hold my own. I have only bought 2 pairs of shoes - so far and one is being altered while I am away travelling. I also took my old faithfuls to the shoemaker. When he asked when I would like to collect them and I replied `March` he was non plused. I hope they are still there when I get back! BA feels like home and I am so pleased I am returning there for my last month. Yes, I had my ups and down, but I ended on an up finding the milongas and Tea Dances that suited me. It all takes time. I have bought another camera so shall try and down load some photos of now. I shall also have a chance to take again some photos round BA that I would like to recapture.. Sadly the Jacaranda trees will be over by then - I know I cant have it all.
Am heading for Puerto San Julian and then across to Calafate and a few glaziers. I leave this great little hostel tomorrow.
I can`t believe that you have snow - it seems extraordinary from this side of the world.
The buses are amazing except one guy who snored and I poured water on his nose - he stopped. We were also stopped twice and searched by police with drug sniffer dogs - the dogs were so fat they could hardly move - obviously well rewarded by their owners.
Much love to all of you lovely people
Sal xxxxxx
Monday, 22 November 2010
Stolen cameras, bloody banks and football!
Hi Everyone,
OK my worst day in BA was last week when I spent most of the morning making futile phone calls to banks trying to release money from one bit of plastic to another - all without success - and all very expensively from an Internet Cafe - being put on hold when you are watching the pesos tick round is a very frustrating exerience.. I was so cross I gave up and will try again this week. Luckily I do have access to money on one piece of plastic that still works so am not penniless in BA. As I was heading off to a Tea Dance to cheer myself up, I was asked directions by a young lad as I entered the Subte. He then continued chatting to me on the train - all very fascinating as he had travelled a lot and spoke quite good English. I nearly missed my stop. As I came up onto the pavement I was just thinking how rich and varied my life was, when I realized that my camera was no longer in its case on my belt. Was he the distraction while his partner stole my camera? I shall never know but all I can say is that they were incredibly skilful. It was attached to my belt and they had to remove it from its case which was on my belt.
The saddest thing for me, which I am over now, was that I foolishly hadn`t downloaded any of my photos - so that`s 2 months of Buenos Aires - gone! Some people just learn the hard way. I have since had fun in a police station with a very sullen constable. My spanish came sharply into focus as I tried to exlain the situation and ask him to give me some verification of the theft for the insurance which he has now done.
Anyway I continued to my Tea Dance feeling decidedly down in the dumps to find that there were loads of women and not many men in sight - not what I needed. I later found out that La Boca was playing River. The finals of the Inter Barrio Football Tournament so all the men were glued to televisions either at home or in every cafe in the city - or actually at the match. Bloody football! A day I would rather forget!!
It`s made a difference this last week meeting Johann, a colourful guy from Shri Lanka. We met at a Tea Dance and have just hung out together, trying different milongas and sharing the odd meal. He has now returned to London as it was just a short trip for him. The next time we meet it will no doubt be on a London dance floor.
The Musicality course that I am doing with Joaquin is fascinating and given me a completely new slant on how to interpret music. It feels like learning to drive a car again. Not only do I dance and listen to my partner and his lead, but now I also can interpret more fully what the music is saying to both of us. It will take a while for this all to filter through but he is a very knowledgeable and skilled teacher. I have given him your e-mail Tony as he has recently published a book on Musicality and would like to do some workshops (partly to promote it) in England and wondered if our area would be a good place to start.
I saw a Hibiscus bush to die for today. It had hug pillar box red flowers and was fiercely proud of itself, almost challenging me to defy its beauty. The Jacaranda trees are startlingly blue but there is a softness and a mist about them - this Hibiscus tree had none of those qualitites - it almost set me on fire as I drew near it.
I had my best ever Milonga last night at Canning. I went with a sense of anxiety as it has not been good for me in the past but some of the Musicality group were going so I thought I might as well try again. Different nights are run by different people and I think this was a neighbourhood night. Slow start but some very lovely dances and I ended up dancing with Carlos till they put the chairs on the tables at 2 a.m. This was utterly surprising - no guarantee next time but does restored my sense in my ability to dance - but also that nothing is set in stone. I also lost my purse that night but someone handed it in to the bar - not that I ever carry much money - but it was good to know people are honest. I also sat on a table with a delightful New Yorker who was trying to tell me her life story as I was desperately trying to cabaceo guys.
Penny, I meant to tell you that your lovely turquoise zip bag you gave me, is my shoe bag in BA, so you are never very far from my thoughts and Suesissima the lovely skirt you bought me in that little London market is definitely my favourite here.
I am sure there`s loads else to say but that will be next time.
Much love to you all
Sal xxx
OK my worst day in BA was last week when I spent most of the morning making futile phone calls to banks trying to release money from one bit of plastic to another - all without success - and all very expensively from an Internet Cafe - being put on hold when you are watching the pesos tick round is a very frustrating exerience.. I was so cross I gave up and will try again this week. Luckily I do have access to money on one piece of plastic that still works so am not penniless in BA. As I was heading off to a Tea Dance to cheer myself up, I was asked directions by a young lad as I entered the Subte. He then continued chatting to me on the train - all very fascinating as he had travelled a lot and spoke quite good English. I nearly missed my stop. As I came up onto the pavement I was just thinking how rich and varied my life was, when I realized that my camera was no longer in its case on my belt. Was he the distraction while his partner stole my camera? I shall never know but all I can say is that they were incredibly skilful. It was attached to my belt and they had to remove it from its case which was on my belt.
The saddest thing for me, which I am over now, was that I foolishly hadn`t downloaded any of my photos - so that`s 2 months of Buenos Aires - gone! Some people just learn the hard way. I have since had fun in a police station with a very sullen constable. My spanish came sharply into focus as I tried to exlain the situation and ask him to give me some verification of the theft for the insurance which he has now done.
Anyway I continued to my Tea Dance feeling decidedly down in the dumps to find that there were loads of women and not many men in sight - not what I needed. I later found out that La Boca was playing River. The finals of the Inter Barrio Football Tournament so all the men were glued to televisions either at home or in every cafe in the city - or actually at the match. Bloody football! A day I would rather forget!!
It`s made a difference this last week meeting Johann, a colourful guy from Shri Lanka. We met at a Tea Dance and have just hung out together, trying different milongas and sharing the odd meal. He has now returned to London as it was just a short trip for him. The next time we meet it will no doubt be on a London dance floor.
The Musicality course that I am doing with Joaquin is fascinating and given me a completely new slant on how to interpret music. It feels like learning to drive a car again. Not only do I dance and listen to my partner and his lead, but now I also can interpret more fully what the music is saying to both of us. It will take a while for this all to filter through but he is a very knowledgeable and skilled teacher. I have given him your e-mail Tony as he has recently published a book on Musicality and would like to do some workshops (partly to promote it) in England and wondered if our area would be a good place to start.
I saw a Hibiscus bush to die for today. It had hug pillar box red flowers and was fiercely proud of itself, almost challenging me to defy its beauty. The Jacaranda trees are startlingly blue but there is a softness and a mist about them - this Hibiscus tree had none of those qualitites - it almost set me on fire as I drew near it.
I had my best ever Milonga last night at Canning. I went with a sense of anxiety as it has not been good for me in the past but some of the Musicality group were going so I thought I might as well try again. Different nights are run by different people and I think this was a neighbourhood night. Slow start but some very lovely dances and I ended up dancing with Carlos till they put the chairs on the tables at 2 a.m. This was utterly surprising - no guarantee next time but does restored my sense in my ability to dance - but also that nothing is set in stone. I also lost my purse that night but someone handed it in to the bar - not that I ever carry much money - but it was good to know people are honest. I also sat on a table with a delightful New Yorker who was trying to tell me her life story as I was desperately trying to cabaceo guys.
Penny, I meant to tell you that your lovely turquoise zip bag you gave me, is my shoe bag in BA, so you are never very far from my thoughts and Suesissima the lovely skirt you bought me in that little London market is definitely my favourite here.
I am sure there`s loads else to say but that will be next time.
Much love to you all
Sal xxx
Monday, 15 November 2010
Bits and Pieces 15th November 2010
BA is swarming with black and yellow taxis - they are everywhere - even when you want them! They outnumber private cars with ease. However today when I walked up my road looking for a shoe shop I realized that they come here to this leafy suburb to sleep, to eat, their owners dust them and love them. Time out with TLC for the taxi wasps that buzz and swoop through the calles and avenidas of BA, seeking, always seeking in a waspish sort of way. These yellow and black creatures never seemed to rest - their secret's safe with me!
At La Ideal (which is where I have been T dancing for the last 3 days with much more success) is palacial and beautiful - it has an average loo - but the loo attendant sits on her chair with this large door half open. She cannot see out from where she sits but on the door is this handsome mirror which reflects the dance floor to her. It reminded me of the Lady of Shalot except this lady was dealing in loo paper and not weaving at a loom. I tried to explain the story to her in my faltering Spanish - we laughed a lot but I am not sure if she understood anything. Hey ho!
A friend of Elsa's invited us both to a BBQ the other night which was great. Held in a house with the longest tiled entrance hall I have ever been in. Stairs then spiralled up to the sky passing different floors all with balconies overlooking the main couryard. We were on the roof. Huge chimney with an enormous grill on which beef was cooking when we arrived. I was a bit nervous because my Spanish is still not brilliant but there were also 4 Russian girls 3 of which spoke English and no Spanish. So we comprised 4 Russians, 3 Spanish, 1 English and 1 Portuguese, so languages were spinning round the table depending who was talking to who. All very fascinating. We went on to a Milonga afterwards at Club La Independenzia (I think). We stayed until the end and Elsa and I walked home in bright sunshine at 6.30 a.m. begging media lunas from a bakery on the way.
Tony, I am waiting to hear from Joaquim again to see if I am in this week-end. We have been in touch
Much love and hugs to you all
Sal x
At La Ideal (which is where I have been T dancing for the last 3 days with much more success) is palacial and beautiful - it has an average loo - but the loo attendant sits on her chair with this large door half open. She cannot see out from where she sits but on the door is this handsome mirror which reflects the dance floor to her. It reminded me of the Lady of Shalot except this lady was dealing in loo paper and not weaving at a loom. I tried to explain the story to her in my faltering Spanish - we laughed a lot but I am not sure if she understood anything. Hey ho!
A friend of Elsa's invited us both to a BBQ the other night which was great. Held in a house with the longest tiled entrance hall I have ever been in. Stairs then spiralled up to the sky passing different floors all with balconies overlooking the main couryard. We were on the roof. Huge chimney with an enormous grill on which beef was cooking when we arrived. I was a bit nervous because my Spanish is still not brilliant but there were also 4 Russian girls 3 of which spoke English and no Spanish. So we comprised 4 Russians, 3 Spanish, 1 English and 1 Portuguese, so languages were spinning round the table depending who was talking to who. All very fascinating. We went on to a Milonga afterwards at Club La Independenzia (I think). We stayed until the end and Elsa and I walked home in bright sunshine at 6.30 a.m. begging media lunas from a bakery on the way.
Tony, I am waiting to hear from Joaquim again to see if I am in this week-end. We have been in touch
Much love and hugs to you all
Sal x
Friday, 12 November 2010
Tantrums and T Dances
Elsa and I went to a huge milonga last night arriving late - sorry I can't remember where but it was further out than normal, maybe in Belgrano. Smart, very crowded, Comme It Faut shoes on sale and tempting clothes in the ladies cloakroom. We hadn't booked a table so stood for about half an hour till one became free - well I did while Elsa danced! Very crowded dance floor with minimal movement from anyone which was fascinating. At one point Elsa was asked to dance by two guys at the same time. After about 2 hours without a nibble of an invitation I was thoroughly demoralized and VERY pissed off. I do want to make it clear that this is nothing to do with Elsa and don't begrudge her all the dances in the world but definitely need to find my niche here in BA and I think it is entirely different from Elsa's. She does lead and will willingly lead but it is not acceptable in quite a few of the milongas so she can't help me. This is a very macho world on the dance floor. However there are other milongas - the gay one was great and anyone could lead anyone - and did!
So I changed my shoes and headed out the door. The Maitre de was seeing people into taxis so I waited on the steps with a well dressed charming man. It was now about 3 a.m. I suggested taking a bus and he said it was too dangerous. The Maitre de said it was fine so she found me another charming man to accompany me to the bus stop and to wait with me until colectivo 60 arrived. Colectivos cost about 25p wherever you are going and the taxi would have cost me about £6/7. I love the spanish word for bus because that is what it does - collects people! We waited for at least 20 minutes before the colectivo arrived and he then spoke to the bus driver to get me as close to home as possible. What a sweet man. However the bus driver obviously was not as knowledgeable as a taxi service and was restricted to his route. He kept stopping the bus (not at a stop), left the engine running and popped into a shop to buy something, or chat to a friend. I realized afterwards that he was trying to find out how he could get me as near to my home address as possible. In the end he dropped me in the south of Palermo - I live in the north, so I still had quite a distance to go. However he left me in the hands of another charming man who escorted me across the road and hailed a taxi for me. It was half the price it would have been as I was over half the way home. OK the men on the dance floor have often been less then chivalrous but that night the men of BA were gentle, sweetnatured and concerned that I should get home safely - they restored my faith in humanity.
I have decided to experiment with T Dances and have been to the same one twice. Once with a friend, Apricot from Oxford, and today I went on my own - from 4 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. It is Confiteria Ideal - marble pillars, marble floor and a place with wonderful atmosphere of a passed era. OK so most of the portenos on the floor are, at least, over 70, except for Roberto who is probably late 40s/50s and has taken rather an embarrassing shine to me - Apricot says I should only dance with him once or else he will get the wrong idea - it was ever so! But I was on the dance floor most of the 4 hours with guys of all standards - some do the Boa Constrictor dance and you can hardly breath, others tell you how to dance in the middle of the dance, others are good - they all have their very unique version of the salon tango in differing degrees of ability. It was a fun experience for me cabaceoing left right and centre with guys who were happy to return it. So maybe I just shouldn't set my sites too high. But I did chuckle to myself as I watched the beginning of a tanda as one of the more ancient portenos tottered across the floor to invite a muchacha to dance - should I have bought my zimmer frame?
These descriptions have been the two extremes of tango in BA - maybe I can find a middle road.
Muchos abrazos a todos mis amigos
Sal x
The blue Jacaranda trees are flowering in nearly every street now and I love them!
So I changed my shoes and headed out the door. The Maitre de was seeing people into taxis so I waited on the steps with a well dressed charming man. It was now about 3 a.m. I suggested taking a bus and he said it was too dangerous. The Maitre de said it was fine so she found me another charming man to accompany me to the bus stop and to wait with me until colectivo 60 arrived. Colectivos cost about 25p wherever you are going and the taxi would have cost me about £6/7. I love the spanish word for bus because that is what it does - collects people! We waited for at least 20 minutes before the colectivo arrived and he then spoke to the bus driver to get me as close to home as possible. What a sweet man. However the bus driver obviously was not as knowledgeable as a taxi service and was restricted to his route. He kept stopping the bus (not at a stop), left the engine running and popped into a shop to buy something, or chat to a friend. I realized afterwards that he was trying to find out how he could get me as near to my home address as possible. In the end he dropped me in the south of Palermo - I live in the north, so I still had quite a distance to go. However he left me in the hands of another charming man who escorted me across the road and hailed a taxi for me. It was half the price it would have been as I was over half the way home. OK the men on the dance floor have often been less then chivalrous but that night the men of BA were gentle, sweetnatured and concerned that I should get home safely - they restored my faith in humanity.
I have decided to experiment with T Dances and have been to the same one twice. Once with a friend, Apricot from Oxford, and today I went on my own - from 4 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. It is Confiteria Ideal - marble pillars, marble floor and a place with wonderful atmosphere of a passed era. OK so most of the portenos on the floor are, at least, over 70, except for Roberto who is probably late 40s/50s and has taken rather an embarrassing shine to me - Apricot says I should only dance with him once or else he will get the wrong idea - it was ever so! But I was on the dance floor most of the 4 hours with guys of all standards - some do the Boa Constrictor dance and you can hardly breath, others tell you how to dance in the middle of the dance, others are good - they all have their very unique version of the salon tango in differing degrees of ability. It was a fun experience for me cabaceoing left right and centre with guys who were happy to return it. So maybe I just shouldn't set my sites too high. But I did chuckle to myself as I watched the beginning of a tanda as one of the more ancient portenos tottered across the floor to invite a muchacha to dance - should I have bought my zimmer frame?
These descriptions have been the two extremes of tango in BA - maybe I can find a middle road.
Muchos abrazos a todos mis amigos
Sal x
The blue Jacaranda trees are flowering in nearly every street now and I love them!
Monday, 8 November 2010
Raining and Dancing in BA
Hi Everyone,
Had a few technical hitches this end like no Internet Access for 2 days and also unable to recall my password correctly so that took a bit of sorting out in Spanish! I seem to have a mental block about such things so have written it large where I can't fail to find it. My Spanish feels like it has slipped as now I am living with Elsa and we talk English all the time which in some respects is lovely and in other ways is sad. Palermo, where the little apartment is, has a whole different feel to it than Solis where I was living before. Solis was very near the centre, close to Plaza de Congresso, and I felt like I was involved in life in the city. Up here is is full of leafy avenues, still bad pavements, very little rubbish and hardly any poor sleeping rough. The apartment is perfect.
Elsa is on a tango mission, which interestingly I am not so much. Or maybe it is just the hours that she keeps that I can't cope with. She will always be returning from the early morning milonga at about 7 a.m. where I have maybe not gone to the second one or dipped out by 3.00. She knows a few people here which is great for both of us but I do feel a bit like the shaggy shetland pony tagging along with the thoroughbred. She is very dark and could easily be mistaken for an Argentinian tanguera, dances beautifully and is at least 15 years younger than me. She is never off the dance floor whereas there can be some milongas where I am rarely on it! The places where the milongas are held can be stunningly beautiful, extraordinary, like film sets in wharehouses, scruffy rooms with awful floors, very formal with a organizers in charge who show you to your table and that is where you sit - no changing or swapping even if in a bad position. The standard of dancing at most of them is fantastically high and I have never seen so many great leaders. It is an absolute joy to watch them, although I would rather be dancing with them, but that is rarely an option - fabulous musicality and poise. The Milongas so far we have been to for those who would like to know are: Chachirulo, several times, El Beson, several times, La Glorietta which is outside under a huge bandstand, Canning which is big with a wonderful photo on the wall from one side to the other with a milonga in session, Konex which is an art centre in what appeared to me to be an enormous old bus station/film set, half outside and half inside. I am going to a T dance this afternoon to try another option to very late night dancing at somewhere called Conf.La Ideal which is an old old building with marble dance floors and chandeliers and was at its height in the Golden Age of Tango so that will be fascinating. It is all fascinating and have only had one evening where I just went home early because I couldn't take the wallflower element - in tears!
I am having lessons now with Hector who has been very good for me. The sad thing is that I don't get to practice as I am not on the dance floor enough. I suspect that those who went to the Mango have probably danced more than me, in your one week, than I have in the 10 days I have been in Palermo. My lessons are in a huge old Buenos Aires house with one of those wonderful old lifts that creak up and down the building with metal concertina doors that you have to slam shut to make the contact. Hector and Silvina are off on tour to Europe soon. If anyone wants to google them their address is www.HectorSilvina.com.ar. I am also joining some classes at DNI which is a well known dance school round the corner. Classes are big but from my point of view it is a way of meeting people. Hey, ho it is all a BIG learning curve.
Still visiting the art galleries and exploring more when I am awake. It feel like I have gone underground and lead more of a nocturnal existence than my first few weeks.
My score on dog walkers is 10 plus the other week-end. Why are the dogs so well behaved in such packs of assorted beasts but they certainly seem to be.
Thanks Tim and Cliff for your comments on my blog - it is really nice to have a response! And thank you too to all those who are emailing me. I am sorry if I haven't replied but I seem to have got a bit snowed under recently.
By the way just for an extraordinary piece of fate I was on television the day that Nestor, the ex President died. I went to the Plaza de Mayo and unbeknown to me the news film camerars were rolling just taking pot shots of the public milling around. Because I have a very colourful jacket I was easily spotted on the news channell by various people at the Spanish School the next day. Famous in Argentina!!!
Yesterday was so hot and today we are in a deluge of rain so you never know what the weather is going to throw at you.
Much love to all of you
Sal x
Had a few technical hitches this end like no Internet Access for 2 days and also unable to recall my password correctly so that took a bit of sorting out in Spanish! I seem to have a mental block about such things so have written it large where I can't fail to find it. My Spanish feels like it has slipped as now I am living with Elsa and we talk English all the time which in some respects is lovely and in other ways is sad. Palermo, where the little apartment is, has a whole different feel to it than Solis where I was living before. Solis was very near the centre, close to Plaza de Congresso, and I felt like I was involved in life in the city. Up here is is full of leafy avenues, still bad pavements, very little rubbish and hardly any poor sleeping rough. The apartment is perfect.
Elsa is on a tango mission, which interestingly I am not so much. Or maybe it is just the hours that she keeps that I can't cope with. She will always be returning from the early morning milonga at about 7 a.m. where I have maybe not gone to the second one or dipped out by 3.00. She knows a few people here which is great for both of us but I do feel a bit like the shaggy shetland pony tagging along with the thoroughbred. She is very dark and could easily be mistaken for an Argentinian tanguera, dances beautifully and is at least 15 years younger than me. She is never off the dance floor whereas there can be some milongas where I am rarely on it! The places where the milongas are held can be stunningly beautiful, extraordinary, like film sets in wharehouses, scruffy rooms with awful floors, very formal with a organizers in charge who show you to your table and that is where you sit - no changing or swapping even if in a bad position. The standard of dancing at most of them is fantastically high and I have never seen so many great leaders. It is an absolute joy to watch them, although I would rather be dancing with them, but that is rarely an option - fabulous musicality and poise. The Milongas so far we have been to for those who would like to know are: Chachirulo, several times, El Beson, several times, La Glorietta which is outside under a huge bandstand, Canning which is big with a wonderful photo on the wall from one side to the other with a milonga in session, Konex which is an art centre in what appeared to me to be an enormous old bus station/film set, half outside and half inside. I am going to a T dance this afternoon to try another option to very late night dancing at somewhere called Conf.La Ideal which is an old old building with marble dance floors and chandeliers and was at its height in the Golden Age of Tango so that will be fascinating. It is all fascinating and have only had one evening where I just went home early because I couldn't take the wallflower element - in tears!
I am having lessons now with Hector who has been very good for me. The sad thing is that I don't get to practice as I am not on the dance floor enough. I suspect that those who went to the Mango have probably danced more than me, in your one week, than I have in the 10 days I have been in Palermo. My lessons are in a huge old Buenos Aires house with one of those wonderful old lifts that creak up and down the building with metal concertina doors that you have to slam shut to make the contact. Hector and Silvina are off on tour to Europe soon. If anyone wants to google them their address is www.HectorSilvina.com.ar. I am also joining some classes at DNI which is a well known dance school round the corner. Classes are big but from my point of view it is a way of meeting people. Hey, ho it is all a BIG learning curve.
Still visiting the art galleries and exploring more when I am awake. It feel like I have gone underground and lead more of a nocturnal existence than my first few weeks.
My score on dog walkers is 10 plus the other week-end. Why are the dogs so well behaved in such packs of assorted beasts but they certainly seem to be.
Thanks Tim and Cliff for your comments on my blog - it is really nice to have a response! And thank you too to all those who are emailing me. I am sorry if I haven't replied but I seem to have got a bit snowed under recently.
By the way just for an extraordinary piece of fate I was on television the day that Nestor, the ex President died. I went to the Plaza de Mayo and unbeknown to me the news film camerars were rolling just taking pot shots of the public milling around. Because I have a very colourful jacket I was easily spotted on the news channell by various people at the Spanish School the next day. Famous in Argentina!!!
Yesterday was so hot and today we are in a deluge of rain so you never know what the weather is going to throw at you.
Much love to all of you
Sal x
Thursday, 28 October 2010
The Day of the Census 27th October 2010
It was to have been a strange day. The whole of Buenos Aires would be shut - schools, offices, shops, industry, everything and everyone had to stay at home waiting for the Census person to come so they could fill in the form together. I asked why they didn`t do it through the postal system and one of the replies, after asking several people, was that the Portenos just wouldn`t bother to do it otherwise! So there was no school and I had thought to go to Colonia, in Paraguay, for the day but decided to save my money for tango this coming month. So on the way home I bought sandwich/picnic material to keep me going on Wednesday. It was an opportunity for me to catch up on a few irregular verbs so I studied in the morning and then joined Rita with my picnic. She told me in a shocked voice that the ex President had died of a heart attack during the morning and Argentina was reeling from the news. His wife Cristina is the President but he has been the power and support behind her since she took office. He was president before her so between them they have been in government for nearly 10 years. I decided to go to the Plaza de Mayo, which is like our Parliament Square. It became a focus for the people during the day as the Census was completed and people were free to move. Nestor, the ex President, died while they were in Calafate in the South so neither he nor Cristina were in Buenos Aires but people came to share their sadness, to post notices on the surrounding fences and to leave flowers. They waited patiently in the queue - young and old, some wrapped in the Argentinian flag, some waving bandieras, some holding messages "Fuerza Cristina, Gracias Nestor". They were in everyone`s hearts - at least everyone who were there - he was not loved by the opposition party. The only flower seller there must have been thanking his lucky stars that he had flowers to sell on the Day of the Census when BA was `cerrado`.
The parakeets still screamed overhead regardless of the gravity of the moment - they remind me of the birds in "Island" by Aldous Huxley. Is this their role in BA to keep me conscious, to keep me awake - I wonder. I don`t think anyone else even notices their noisey calls.
It felt a privelege to be in the Plaza de Mayo on such an historic day. I met some wonderful people. A young Dutch lass who was studying here and was completely in love with BA - it had unwittingly slipped into her heart. I had a long chat with an older portena and had my first Molvinas conversation - she was very political, probably a Progresista, married to a lecturer. I said I`d have a chat with David Cameron when I got home. I realized how poor my history of Argentina was and also how different our paths have been in England and here. They have only had a democracy for about 25 years. How was life under a military coup? I can only imagine how awful it was but when I think of the Madres de Mayo and their sons who were disappeared and to this day they do not know what happened to them. My heart warms to these people who are learning to grow up in a country with so many problems. I also have a certain sympathy with this need to demonstrate and to speak out about their difficulties. The next step, as the Dutch girl said, is also to take action and do something, not just paint banners and march. But maybe this is where you start.
We now have 3 days of mourning. Because of the Census the streets were empty and it was with a sense of freedom that I walked down the centre of the Avenida de Mayo. The rollerbladers also took advantage of this emptiness. This was a day of gentleness and a certain tranquility maybe brought about by the Census.
Today has been utterly different. Nestor`s body was flown back to BA and the general public were able to view him in state. The queue wound its way round the city and people came in their hundreds. I think they will still be queuing at midnight. Helicopters circled overhead constantly. The atmosphere of quiet tranquility had gone completely. All the hawkers were out in force - flowers, banners, hot dogs, burgers, drinks, flags, whole families were queuing with little ones asleep on parents shoulders. The bands, the drums, the clapping and singing - it felt almost like a festival - and the rubbish, of course. It was good humoured and the police force were having no trouble making sure it was a trouble free day funnelling people as they got closer to the Plaza. A huge blow up version of Cristina hung over the square along with other huge balloons carrying messages of support.
No-one could have predicted what an unusual historic day Wednesday would turn out to be. The funeral will be near Calafate which is where he was born. Apparently he died at the same time that he was born and he was only 60 years old.
It`s my last day at school tomorrow which is unbelievable and sad. I have so enjoyed trying to learn spanish and to always have someone to check in with if I need some help and generally mixing with so many different nationalities and it will be strange having a month of English with Elsa. But the joys of a whole of month of tango with Elsa is a whole different thing and I am certainly looking forward to that and I am sure we shall continue to explore the city.
The parakeets still screamed overhead regardless of the gravity of the moment - they remind me of the birds in "Island" by Aldous Huxley. Is this their role in BA to keep me conscious, to keep me awake - I wonder. I don`t think anyone else even notices their noisey calls.
It felt a privelege to be in the Plaza de Mayo on such an historic day. I met some wonderful people. A young Dutch lass who was studying here and was completely in love with BA - it had unwittingly slipped into her heart. I had a long chat with an older portena and had my first Molvinas conversation - she was very political, probably a Progresista, married to a lecturer. I said I`d have a chat with David Cameron when I got home. I realized how poor my history of Argentina was and also how different our paths have been in England and here. They have only had a democracy for about 25 years. How was life under a military coup? I can only imagine how awful it was but when I think of the Madres de Mayo and their sons who were disappeared and to this day they do not know what happened to them. My heart warms to these people who are learning to grow up in a country with so many problems. I also have a certain sympathy with this need to demonstrate and to speak out about their difficulties. The next step, as the Dutch girl said, is also to take action and do something, not just paint banners and march. But maybe this is where you start.
We now have 3 days of mourning. Because of the Census the streets were empty and it was with a sense of freedom that I walked down the centre of the Avenida de Mayo. The rollerbladers also took advantage of this emptiness. This was a day of gentleness and a certain tranquility maybe brought about by the Census.
Today has been utterly different. Nestor`s body was flown back to BA and the general public were able to view him in state. The queue wound its way round the city and people came in their hundreds. I think they will still be queuing at midnight. Helicopters circled overhead constantly. The atmosphere of quiet tranquility had gone completely. All the hawkers were out in force - flowers, banners, hot dogs, burgers, drinks, flags, whole families were queuing with little ones asleep on parents shoulders. The bands, the drums, the clapping and singing - it felt almost like a festival - and the rubbish, of course. It was good humoured and the police force were having no trouble making sure it was a trouble free day funnelling people as they got closer to the Plaza. A huge blow up version of Cristina hung over the square along with other huge balloons carrying messages of support.
No-one could have predicted what an unusual historic day Wednesday would turn out to be. The funeral will be near Calafate which is where he was born. Apparently he died at the same time that he was born and he was only 60 years old.
It`s my last day at school tomorrow which is unbelievable and sad. I have so enjoyed trying to learn spanish and to always have someone to check in with if I need some help and generally mixing with so many different nationalities and it will be strange having a month of English with Elsa. But the joys of a whole of month of tango with Elsa is a whole different thing and I am certainly looking forward to that and I am sure we shall continue to explore the city.
Monday, 25 October 2010
Being streetwise in BA 26th October Monday
Yes we have beggars and the homeless on our streets but seeing kids work here is another thing.
Often they are expert jugglers astride the pedestrian crossings while the cars wait to move off as the lights change - they try and catch the drivers as they roar off, usually ignoring the youngsters. They work the cafes and restaurants inside and out with things to sell. They work the buses and the tubes. No one seems to forbid them, they are just tired of being asked. Some kids have such amazing confidence and voice projection you cannot help but be impressed. I have bought chewing gum so far! It`s a start. One fantastic young juggler on a subte (tube) last week got a round of applause and people did give. I am surprised that there are not more buskers but suspect they are confined to one particular street. They are not common on the Subte like the London underground.
The big march last week where a young man was shot was taken very seriously although no-one is owning up to who it was although apparently everyone knows. The police did not intervene and are now trying to decided which faction to support. The following day there was an even larger march in sympathy with Mariano who died - it was huge and everyone who had a banner or a cause to plead was on the street marching to the beat of the drum. You hear these demonstrations long before you see them - always to a steady heartbeat.
I have spotted a professional dog walker with 8 dogs in one go - best record so far! Most people seem to have fairly small dogs but they still seem to produce and amazing amount of crap which just lies around on the pavements. Yuck!
I had a lovely day on Sunday, two gardens, one botanical and one Japonese. I then visited Evita`s museum which I found very interesting set in a fabulous house in Palermo. Lots of footage of her life and the work she did for the poor and the elderly and how instrumental she was in women getting the vote. Yes there is always another side of her maybe being ambitious and self seeking - I saw a lot of parallels with Princess Di. The funeral was immense and the flowers given were in their thousands.
Great jazz band in one of the parks and then I found what is now my absolutely favourite art gallery. Museo de Ates Plasticas in Palermo. Fabulous sculpture by 4 visiting Argentinians and lots of very modern paintings that definitely had a different departure point from English artists. The art gallery itself had been designed by an architect, can`t remember who but yes, he was an Argentinian. He specifically wanted to include light and the outside in each separate gallery so lots of views of the small courtyard - with cafe and trees and more sculpture - dappled sunlight falling into smaller courtyards enclosing the trunks of growing trees and giving a feeling of space and air and the outside and the inside being part of the same space. Small and intimate but the exhibitions strangely seem quite extensive. The staff were great and forgave me for illegally taking some photos, they helped me find the right bus home and in broken spanish, me, and broken english, them, we had a great chat about art and life!
I went to a french film in the evening called `My Life` which had subititles in Spanish - it was partly for homework - I really did try and stay awake and almost succeeded. Subtitles are great but they need to leave them up for longer!
My last week at school and then a month in Palermo with Elsa with loads of tango. This week is going to go so fast. We have Wednesday off for the National Census and two consequent long days on Tuesday and Thursday to make up for it. I shall wait and see what this week brings.....
Often they are expert jugglers astride the pedestrian crossings while the cars wait to move off as the lights change - they try and catch the drivers as they roar off, usually ignoring the youngsters. They work the cafes and restaurants inside and out with things to sell. They work the buses and the tubes. No one seems to forbid them, they are just tired of being asked. Some kids have such amazing confidence and voice projection you cannot help but be impressed. I have bought chewing gum so far! It`s a start. One fantastic young juggler on a subte (tube) last week got a round of applause and people did give. I am surprised that there are not more buskers but suspect they are confined to one particular street. They are not common on the Subte like the London underground.
The big march last week where a young man was shot was taken very seriously although no-one is owning up to who it was although apparently everyone knows. The police did not intervene and are now trying to decided which faction to support. The following day there was an even larger march in sympathy with Mariano who died - it was huge and everyone who had a banner or a cause to plead was on the street marching to the beat of the drum. You hear these demonstrations long before you see them - always to a steady heartbeat.
I have spotted a professional dog walker with 8 dogs in one go - best record so far! Most people seem to have fairly small dogs but they still seem to produce and amazing amount of crap which just lies around on the pavements. Yuck!
I had a lovely day on Sunday, two gardens, one botanical and one Japonese. I then visited Evita`s museum which I found very interesting set in a fabulous house in Palermo. Lots of footage of her life and the work she did for the poor and the elderly and how instrumental she was in women getting the vote. Yes there is always another side of her maybe being ambitious and self seeking - I saw a lot of parallels with Princess Di. The funeral was immense and the flowers given were in their thousands.
Great jazz band in one of the parks and then I found what is now my absolutely favourite art gallery. Museo de Ates Plasticas in Palermo. Fabulous sculpture by 4 visiting Argentinians and lots of very modern paintings that definitely had a different departure point from English artists. The art gallery itself had been designed by an architect, can`t remember who but yes, he was an Argentinian. He specifically wanted to include light and the outside in each separate gallery so lots of views of the small courtyard - with cafe and trees and more sculpture - dappled sunlight falling into smaller courtyards enclosing the trunks of growing trees and giving a feeling of space and air and the outside and the inside being part of the same space. Small and intimate but the exhibitions strangely seem quite extensive. The staff were great and forgave me for illegally taking some photos, they helped me find the right bus home and in broken spanish, me, and broken english, them, we had a great chat about art and life!
I went to a french film in the evening called `My Life` which had subititles in Spanish - it was partly for homework - I really did try and stay awake and almost succeeded. Subtitles are great but they need to leave them up for longer!
My last week at school and then a month in Palermo with Elsa with loads of tango. This week is going to go so fast. We have Wednesday off for the National Census and two consequent long days on Tuesday and Thursday to make up for it. I shall wait and see what this week brings.....
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Little chatting from BA Tuesday??
Hi Everyone,
I have just written this once and then deleted it - grr! The weather is getting hotter and the bin men have been on strike for 3 days. There are loads of demonstrations but it is hard to work out exactly why. There was a large one last night that I passed on my way home from tango and apparently one person was shot in a personal feud. No one seemed to be very surprised. The Labour party is aligned with the government which is right and the Mafia also plays its part. Who knows!
Last week-end I went out to Tigre which is on the River Plata. It has over 5000 islands where many portenos have their week-end houses. Some houses are still under construction, some very beautifully tended and some falling apart. I took a boat trip. For me it could be a perfect situation boats, water, swimming but the river is very polluted with hundreds of dead fish and others gasping for breath. Sad.
I am very impressed with the way that the potenos treat their disabled - electronic ramps on buses and at every junction there is a scooped out part of the pavement to allow for wheelchair access. However on the other side of life I have a lasting image of this poor man running barefoot away dressed only in binbags from head to foot - like some wild ghost haunting the streets.
This is just a short chat to let you all know I am alive and well - apart from Spanish doing my head in and being deconstructed with my tango - it will all pass and tomorrow is another day.
Lots of love to you all
Sal xxx
I have just written this once and then deleted it - grr! The weather is getting hotter and the bin men have been on strike for 3 days. There are loads of demonstrations but it is hard to work out exactly why. There was a large one last night that I passed on my way home from tango and apparently one person was shot in a personal feud. No one seemed to be very surprised. The Labour party is aligned with the government which is right and the Mafia also plays its part. Who knows!
Last week-end I went out to Tigre which is on the River Plata. It has over 5000 islands where many portenos have their week-end houses. Some houses are still under construction, some very beautifully tended and some falling apart. I took a boat trip. For me it could be a perfect situation boats, water, swimming but the river is very polluted with hundreds of dead fish and others gasping for breath. Sad.
I am very impressed with the way that the potenos treat their disabled - electronic ramps on buses and at every junction there is a scooped out part of the pavement to allow for wheelchair access. However on the other side of life I have a lasting image of this poor man running barefoot away dressed only in binbags from head to foot - like some wild ghost haunting the streets.
This is just a short chat to let you all know I am alive and well - apart from Spanish doing my head in and being deconstructed with my tango - it will all pass and tomorrow is another day.
Lots of love to you all
Sal xxx
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