¡Buen Día! I am still in Junín, although I am theoretically leaving in a few hours (more on that in a bit...). It has been a great week with a few bike
rides, swimming in the river, a trip to the nearby town of San Martin to eat ice
cream, and a gorgeous run along the river yesterday morning
to test out my new tennis shoes. In between these activities, Ive been
helping Tay feed the rabbits and chickens he raises, clean the house for the return
of his kiddos, cook (and eat) some free-range, home-processed deer meat - that´s right, my first red meat in Argentina! Oh, and the HIGHLIGHT - yesterday, I "harvested" a chicken.
I am currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and I really cannot think of a better time to be reading such an insightful and enlightening book. I know many of my friends have heard about - if not read - the book, and I highly recommend it! It is the story of one family who vowed that, "for one year, they´d only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it." For me, this is a novel concept, one that I would perhaps LIKE to live, but I know that the closest I will ever get to such an existence is probably buying organic produce from the local farmer´s market. But in the last five weeks of my time in Argentina, I have been living this life with people who know nothing different. They have always raised their own animals, grown their own crops, and/or bought from local suppliers that which they cannot grow or raise themselves. This is changing bit by bit as feedlots, prepackaged foods, and US companies selling cheap, calorie-rich, nutrient-poor products (ex. lots and LOTS of soda) have had a much stronger presence as of late. But in this family - and this community - homegrown, homemade still reigns supreme. And I have been fortunate enough to experience the process in its many stages from helping to weed and pick veggies in the gardens in Pasman, the Mapuche school, and the garden here in Tay and Noelia´s backyard (tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, zapallo, cucumber, radish), milking cows (and making ricotta cheese from the fresh milk), feeding the rabbits and chickens that Tay raises for both meat and eggs (the chickens, not the rabbits...), and, yes, even harvesting a chicken myself. Im becoming quite the farm girl!
The most recent chapter of the book was on harvesting the chickens and turkeys they had been raising. Tay told me it was about time to harvest his own as they are quite big now, and he is headed this weekend to pick up baby chicks from a hatchery in his hometown 5 hours north of here (there is another chapter all about raising chicks once they arrive from the hatchery within 48 hours of birth). So in the spirit of trying new things and attempting to live la vida of my hosts, I asked him if I could help. And, well, I did. Chicken is a meat I eat without much reservation (although after reading this book, I may be more picky about where my meat comes from). I am aware at some point it must be killed, so if I feel free to eat the meat, I decided it is only right that I understand how one actually harvests the animal. This is my personal opinion. Feel free to think what you wish! So allow me to be graphic. I did not cut the neck to kill it as I was not sure if I would be able to hold the chicken and the knife at the same time, but short of that, once the chicken had stopped flapping it´s feet (it didn´t actually do any running once the head was cut off, but it was lying down with it´s feet "running" in the air), I did just about everything involed in the harvesting process - pour boiling water over the body to loosen up the muscles, pluck the feathers,
chop off the feet and neck, and stick my hand way up inside of it to
remove the innards - eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwww! The family that I have in Mississippi that still live on their own farm would have been proud...I think...I hope:)!
And, alas, my time with this family must come to an end. The plan is to leave today when my tour guide friend German passes by on his way to Bariloche. Yet, I havent heard anything from him as to when he is passing through, so Im just chilling here. Im definitely in no rush to leave, but I fear if I stick around much longer Ill never want to leave and never see any more of the country! For the time being, Im content with going with the flow and living with a "come what may" attitude. And now I must be off to feed the rabbits... ¡VIVA!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Imagenes de mi vida
Buenos días! I have done it once again - more photos - woohoo! I also added some photos to my previous post below. Enjoy!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2057615&l=c3ca7&id=5901703
I am still living and loving and having a blast here in Junín de los Andes. Yesterday, I went for what turned out to be a much longer bike ride than anticipated as I left the house at high noon on a very hot day to make my way towards Tay´s school high up in the mountains. The idea was that I would meet him as he made his way home and then catch a ride back in his car. However, he ended up having to give some people in the community a ride back to town, so there was no room for me and my bike. So I turned around and biked much of the way home before he came back to get me. A bit longer adn more challenging ride than what I was planning for, but I cant exactly complain. Other than the attack of the Argentinian locust half way through the ride, it was all quite gorgeous. And once rescued by the support vehicle, we headed straight for the río where I drenched my hot stinky self in the crystal clear cool waters (So they were a little murkier after I jumped in) and collapsed on the shore to read and drink maté.
Relaxing and tomando maté by the río!
Im building up quite a tolerance for the stuff and actually really really loving the custom. You go anywhere and families are hanging out with their thermos of hot water and cup of tea leaves. VIVA!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Adventures in Parque Nacional Lanin - the Good, the Bad, the Maravillosa!
Volcan Lanin - This is what I look at each day - Increíble!
Feliz Domingo! It has been a gorgeous weekend here in the Andes! Yesterday, Tay and I headed North to explore a little visited part of Parque Nacional Lanin by bike. It was a gorgeous ride alongside the Río Pulmari which connects a series of lakes en route to Chile. It was MUCH greener up there with mountains rolling over mountains and red rocks jutting out of nowhere at random intervals. I felt so delighted to be seeing and exploring the area. I never stop being delighted, really. The beauty is overwhelming and never-ending. And the big accomplishment of the day? I properly prepared and served maté while en route - i.e. pouring loose tea leave and boiling hot water into a small cup over and over again while bumping along a windy, poorly maintained road. I gave myself an A+! (No need to worry about low self-esteem here!) Oh, and as far as cooking goes. It´s still in the works, although I did help make a pretty freakin´awesome pumkin/sweet potato/carrot/potato puree last night! Small steps. Very very small steps.
Hanging out by the río after a gorgeous bike ride!
Anyway, I want to tell you about the big adventure of last week....
Wednesday, I got up early and headed to the bus station to take the early morning bus to nearby Parque Nacional Lanin to do a 7 hour hike to the base of Volcan Lanin. It was a beautiful, clear blue sky day - a little chilly, but such are the mornings here in las montañas, so I set out with only a long sleeve t-shirt knowing that by the time I got to the mountain the sun would be hot hot hot. I got to the station to buy my ticket and was informed that there was no space for any of the return trips. Hmmm.... I would not be discouraged! No passes back, you say? Fine, I will just hitch hike back. So with my ticket in hand and a backpack full of fruits, veggies, bread and water, I hopped on the bus and we set off for the 60 km dirt road leading deep into the park. And half-way into the 60 km journey, we rounded a corner to set our eyes upon Lake Huachulafquen, a beautiful body of crystal clear glacial run-off - beautiful - and EXTREMELY choppy. I looked behind me to see clouds - lots of clouds - rolling in. Uh oh.... By nature, I am (thermodynamically speaking) a very cold person. I am wearing 4-5 layers long before the next person even thinks of putting on a sweater. I KNOW this about myself. I am ALWAYS prepared. In fact, my bag would probably be 10 lbs lighter if not for all the warm layers I have had to bring. But this day, I left the house with only a light long-sleeved shirt. WHAT was I thinking? And here come the wind and clouds.... Bueno, I would still not be discouraged. Not every day can be a perfect weather day. And so what if I was cold all day? True, I may spend the next 8 hours feeling less than content with my situation, but I certainly was not going to die. So while part of me wanted to beg the driver to just take me back to town, I decided I would suck it up and take whatever was sent my way.
And the first thing to be sent my way - after the wind and clouds, that is - was a nice whopping entrance fee some 3.5 times that of the Argentinians with whom I was bumping down the road - grrrr. But theoretically my enormously inflated fee is going to go to do something good for this place, right? At least that is what I tell myself.... The next issue arose further down the road when I failed to get off at the right stop - no well-marked signs here in the middle of nowhere. But due to the fact that I am an extranjera - further helped by the fact that two other people (also foreigners) had made the same mistake - our driver was ever so kind enough to take us back to the proper point of disembarkment. So I hopped off the bus, signed in with the park guard, and as I headed off on what was to be a solitary 24 km hike deep into the bosque, I struck up a conversación with the other two extranjeros - Pablo from Bolivia and Justine from France, as well as another guy who was also traveling solo - Hernan from Buenos Aires. We started talking and soon the four of us were off on this journey together - 4 people from 4 different countries united by a common desire to see the beauty of this area - this is what I love about traveling solo. You think you are headed off alone, but you are NEVER alone!
So over the course of the next three hours as we hiked along a river canyon deeper into the forest, I learned each person´s life story - I am totally and completely my father´s daughter when it comes to the art of cross-examination! Luckily, the clouds had yet to make their way to the volcano, so the sun was still quite fierce - no freezing would take place afterall! - and we had a nice view of the volcano much of the way up. As we battled the last 2 km which involved a steep 45 degree climb up a very slipperly dirt path, we were there to cheer each other on as we huffed and puffed our way to the base.
We made it!
And it´s a good thing we arrived when we did - we had just enough time to snap some fotitos and rest on our laurels for a few minutes before the clouds completely enveloped the volcano and the wind arrived with such force that it nearly knocked us down. No big deal though because Pablo and Justine had a bus to catch at 3 PM in order to get back to town - they were luckier than I in getting tickets. However, it was 1:20 already, meaning we would need to make the 12 km return trip in 1 hour and 40 minutes. True, it was downhill, but 12 km is still 12 km and we had already just about kicked our butts on the trip up. And although Hernan was camping at the trailhead for the night and I knew I wouldnt be able to take the bus, we wanted to stay together, so without giving it much more thought, the four of us were off running - RUNNING! We slipped and skidded down the steep part and then hopped and skipped and jogged and jumped and ocassionally stopped to breathe and check in with each other as we made our way back to the trailhead. And as we got closer and closer to our destination, the clouds got thicker, the wind picked up, and it started to rain - very cold rain. Now I was experiencing the cold temps I feared earlier! But, of course, running has the positive effect of making you feel very warm, hot even!
And, just as is so often the case in movies, we popped out at the trailhead at 3:03 PM just in time to see the bus pulling away from the bus stop. Pablo yipped and yelled and hollered with all his might, but the bus just kept on its merry way. Weeeeeeeell, SHOOT! I guess that would just meant that I would have two companions thumbing it back to Junín with me... Unfortuantely, when I decided that "thumbing it" would be my method of getting home, I did not take into account how few people would be traveling on this road, and how even fewer of them would actually be making the trek back to town as many were staying the night. So with Pablo and Justine hiding in the bushes (we thought it would be easier to get a car to stop for a single female and then, upon realizing they had space for more, spring upon them the other two pasajeros) and the saddest, most pathetic face I could present to the world, I stuck out my thumb and stood shivering as the rain fell harder and harder as my one long-sleeved t-shirt no longer provided any source of comfort from the cold wind and rain. After who knows how long, a car FINALLY stopped. A car FULL of 5 family members, plus camping gear, food, and clothes for a week. They told me they only had space for one person - maybe two - but, yet, somehow, after shifting around the kids and the coolers, we all piled in and - ¡Gracias a Dios! - were headed back to Junín unable to fully express our gratitude for this family. And then, only 10 km from Junín, we had one of those "everything happens for a reason" moments, when they got a flat tire (Im refusing to believe that it had ANYTHING to do with our added weight!), and Pablo was able to help the dad battle the wind and rain to change the tire while Justine, mom, grandma, and I held true to our proper female roles and cheered them on!
Tire changed, warm in the car once again, we bumped down the road to Junín where after thanking the family a million times over we celebrated our safe and successful return with warm drinks and the yummiest sweet potato pastry Ive ever had! Justine and Pablo invited me to join them next month in Bolivia for Carnaval - hmmm, should I go?! - before heading onto the next town for the night. I headed back to the warmth and comfort of Tay´s house and sat in the bathtub scrubbing myself clean of dirt and thanking my lucky stars for having such a delightful place to return to! Not the most perfect weather or scenario, but still a gorgeous hike, great company, and just a few more reasons to love this country, the people, and the journey I am on! VIVA!
Lighting a Stove, Opening a Tin Can, and other Feats of Cooking in the Andes!
Buenos Días! It´s another beautiful - yet somewhat chilly - morning here in Junín de los Andes. Im afraid they may have to force me to leave this gorgeous place and the cozy comfort of their house. So, in an effort to do something around the house other than wash the dishes, help feed the rabbits, clean the toilet, and sweep, I have actually attempted to make dinner. As in many houses in the States, work is very much divided here - women cook and clean, men work, cut the grass, and fix things that are broken. However, in the last week and a half during which the only two people in the house have been Vanina´s brother-in-law and myself (Noelia and the kids are with the fam in Pasman), against all the values of my Southern upbringing (you´re right, mom, I guess I SHOULD HAVE gone to cotillion!), I have not been pulling my weight in the "female chores" department. Thus, the decision to suck it up and try to cook something edible...
And folks, I cannot even begin to express to you how much the idea of cooking stresses me out. First of all, I swear I have no cooking skills whatesoever. And, unfortunately, my usual meals of cereal, simple salads, sandwiches, and/or meals out of a box do not seem like a fair exchange for the homemade from scratch meals I have been served recently. Second, just to use the tools in the kitchens here requires skills which I seem to utterly lack. For instance, I must open the gas and then light the stove with a lighter. I am pretty sure I can count on one hand the amount of times I have used a lighter. Combine lack of actually having tried to light a lighter (which may be easy for some people, but lord have mercy on my soul for how much trouble I go through just to get a flame - I even had a 5 year old - FIVE YEAR OLD - showing me how he adeptly lights it with one quick flip of his finger...) and a somewhat fierce fear of fire and, well, you may manage to create a picture of the funny scene that ensues each time I must light the burner. I have taken to putting a bit more space between myself and the fire by lighting the end of a paper towel and then introducing the flame to the gas. However, when not done quickly enough, I definitely find myself running quickly to the sink (or one time outside) to throw down the paper towel and put out the flame before the whole thing goes up in smoke. Yep, pretty pathetic. But, hey, I like to think it´s moments like these that make one really appreciate people who can pull off such skills. I will NEVER take someone who can manually light a stove for granted again. And to add fuel to the flame (har har), the tool used to open a can here is basically a sharp point that one must jam with all her strength into the tin can and then manually saw her (ok, my) way around the lid. That is the description of what it looks like when I use it. All others I have seen using it, do it so smoothly and quickly that I didnt even have a clue for the challenge I was in for. Needless to say, I try to engage in these activities (lighting the stove/opening a can) when NO ONE is around to witness the folly. And finally, I do not even understand how one uses many of the ingredients in the kitchen. I hardly cook as it is with the ingredients we have in the States, so imagine my look of complete confusion when I search through the pantry and do not recognize ANYTHING.
So night Number 1, I gave in and bought a box of risotto. I figured if I cant make anything from scratch, I will at least make something Tay´s never had. I threw in a few random veggies and (after getting help lighting the stove - Tay was standing next to me so I didn´t feel like playing the "how-ridiculous-can-I-look-trying-to-light-this-thing" game)managed to prepare a rather tasty meal. Tonight, however, I am going to try so very hard to step up my cooking to the next level. Seeing as how breakfast (and the food we typically associate with said meal) is not consumed by 99%of the population here and it just so happens to be my favorite meal, I am craving super tasty breakfast foods like no other, so we purchased some sweet potatoes with the idea that I would make some sort of baked good with them. Im thinking sweet potato pancakes. If you do not think this is going to be quite a feat for me, then please go back and read what I previously wrote!
I´ll report back and let you know how they turn out. Hasta entonces... VIVA!
And folks, I cannot even begin to express to you how much the idea of cooking stresses me out. First of all, I swear I have no cooking skills whatesoever. And, unfortunately, my usual meals of cereal, simple salads, sandwiches, and/or meals out of a box do not seem like a fair exchange for the homemade from scratch meals I have been served recently. Second, just to use the tools in the kitchens here requires skills which I seem to utterly lack. For instance, I must open the gas and then light the stove with a lighter. I am pretty sure I can count on one hand the amount of times I have used a lighter. Combine lack of actually having tried to light a lighter (which may be easy for some people, but lord have mercy on my soul for how much trouble I go through just to get a flame - I even had a 5 year old - FIVE YEAR OLD - showing me how he adeptly lights it with one quick flip of his finger...) and a somewhat fierce fear of fire and, well, you may manage to create a picture of the funny scene that ensues each time I must light the burner. I have taken to putting a bit more space between myself and the fire by lighting the end of a paper towel and then introducing the flame to the gas. However, when not done quickly enough, I definitely find myself running quickly to the sink (or one time outside) to throw down the paper towel and put out the flame before the whole thing goes up in smoke. Yep, pretty pathetic. But, hey, I like to think it´s moments like these that make one really appreciate people who can pull off such skills. I will NEVER take someone who can manually light a stove for granted again. And to add fuel to the flame (har har), the tool used to open a can here is basically a sharp point that one must jam with all her strength into the tin can and then manually saw her (ok, my) way around the lid. That is the description of what it looks like when I use it. All others I have seen using it, do it so smoothly and quickly that I didnt even have a clue for the challenge I was in for. Needless to say, I try to engage in these activities (lighting the stove/opening a can) when NO ONE is around to witness the folly. And finally, I do not even understand how one uses many of the ingredients in the kitchen. I hardly cook as it is with the ingredients we have in the States, so imagine my look of complete confusion when I search through the pantry and do not recognize ANYTHING.
So night Number 1, I gave in and bought a box of risotto. I figured if I cant make anything from scratch, I will at least make something Tay´s never had. I threw in a few random veggies and (after getting help lighting the stove - Tay was standing next to me so I didn´t feel like playing the "how-ridiculous-can-I-look-trying-to-light-this-thing" game)managed to prepare a rather tasty meal. Tonight, however, I am going to try so very hard to step up my cooking to the next level. Seeing as how breakfast (and the food we typically associate with said meal) is not consumed by 99%of the population here and it just so happens to be my favorite meal, I am craving super tasty breakfast foods like no other, so we purchased some sweet potatoes with the idea that I would make some sort of baked good with them. Im thinking sweet potato pancakes. If you do not think this is going to be quite a feat for me, then please go back and read what I previously wrote!
I´ll report back and let you know how they turn out. Hasta entonces... VIVA!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
When in Argentina...
Buenas Noches! The full moon has risen over the Andes mountains! I am still in Junín with little plan of leaving. I may just have to move here. Seriously. Friday, I went to buy groceries on a bike Tay (Vanina´s brother-in-law) lent me and biked from the fruit market to the veggie market to the pharmacy never once having to lock my bike when I went in to buy fresh foods and lotion for my ridiculously dry skin. Everyone gets around on bikes and spends much of their time paseando (like in Pasman, but here there are actual stores to shop in and quite a few more people to run in to and chat with). It feels like a town out of a 1950s movie. I love it!
Plus, yesterday in the course of 18 hours and all within 50 km of the house, I hiked along a path of sculptures depicting a combination of Mapuche legends and Christian events to a cross high above the city with an amazing view of the surrounding mountains, kayaked along an 8 km stretch of completely undeveloped river with nothing but the hulking Andes in my view and the sound of the rushing water - no people, no cars, no buildings, and watched the sunrise from high in the mountains while sipping maté with Tay and his friends after a hunting expedition with "the guys" that involved James Bond like tactics to avoid the police as we headed off in the van to do what dad describes as the great Redneck tradition of "shootin´ from da road." I have never once had any desire to go hunting. Ever. But you know what they say, "When in Rome (or Argentina, in my case), ..." So off I went. And somehow, being a Redneck in Argentina just feels so much more glamorous! So, yep, Im in love with this place.
And on the "When in Argentina, ..." note: I have now been in South America for 9 weeks, and the majority of that time has been spent in Argentina. And in this time I have learned a thing or two about what one (typically) does when in Argentina. I will share such little tidbits with you now...
1) Argentinians do not stop at stop signs. Why? Well, there are NO stop signs in the entire country (ok, so maybe Im exaggerating a wee bit, but I mean a very teeny tiny wee bit because I think each town Ive been to - including hulking Buenos Aires - has one token stop sign). How can that be? Hmmmm, I continue to ask myself the same thing everytime I meander through an intersection looking both ways and praying I make it through alive and wonder how there aren´t accidents at every turn. But somehow it works.
2)Argentinians eat LATE. Very late. And now, so do I! It´s a miracle of ginormous proportions, really. I like to eat. And I like to eat on some sort of schedule. But what the experts say is true, the body can adapt. And after nearly four weeks of living with an Argentinian family, my body has adapted. I eat lunch around one, and dinner no earlier than 10:30 (last night we didnt eat until after midnight). And the miraculous part is somehow I make it until this hour without feeling like I am going to die of hunger - go figure!
3) Argentinians stay up VERY late. The babies, the teens, the middle age folks, and the oldies but goodies. Late late late. And seeing as how I am currently writing this at 2 am and didnt go to bed until 6 am last night, it looks like I also stay up late - woohoo!
4) Argentinians drink maté like it´s their job. I have yet to build up a tolerance for the HIGHLY caffeinated beverage, but have learned how to properly prepare it, as well as drink it in moderation. More than two to three rounds and I am jumping off the walls, but again, the body in adapting....
5) Argentinians (and again, this is in MY experience) love to mix alcohol with soda or juice. And in ways that I never even imagined one would think of drinking. For instance, red wine with coke (and ice sometimes). I have yet to try this combination, but Ill report back.
6) Argentinians LOVE to eat lots of mayonaise. And I mean LOVE it. A salad isn´t a salad without a nice glop of good ole hellmann´s mayonesa. And I HATE mayonesa. But in the "When in Argentina" spirit, I have succumbed on more than a few occasions to inhaling large amounts of the white creamy stuff.
7) Argentinians eat TONS of red meat. And this is where I have had to draw the line. Due to the fact that I often have a very sensitive stomach, I have opted to stay away from red meat. But I understand that I am missing out on one of the richest parts of the culture and, perhaps, will change my ways in the weeks to come. But this has not kept me from developing a healthy appreciation for their wholehearted devotion to red meat. I have been to some 10 asados in the last 4 weeks and find myself in awe of just how much they LOVE red meat.
8) Argentinians make some of the best pizza and ice cream on this planet. These two surprised me. I have eaten more pizza in the last 9 weeks Ive been here than in the last 2 years back in the states. And this is saying A LOT because I ate far mroe than my fair share of some super tasty pizzas as the Bangert casa last year:)!
I think that about sums it up for now. Tomorrow, Im off to do some biking to a nearby glacial lake. VIVA!
Plus, yesterday in the course of 18 hours and all within 50 km of the house, I hiked along a path of sculptures depicting a combination of Mapuche legends and Christian events to a cross high above the city with an amazing view of the surrounding mountains, kayaked along an 8 km stretch of completely undeveloped river with nothing but the hulking Andes in my view and the sound of the rushing water - no people, no cars, no buildings, and watched the sunrise from high in the mountains while sipping maté with Tay and his friends after a hunting expedition with "the guys" that involved James Bond like tactics to avoid the police as we headed off in the van to do what dad describes as the great Redneck tradition of "shootin´ from da road." I have never once had any desire to go hunting. Ever. But you know what they say, "When in Rome (or Argentina, in my case), ..." So off I went. And somehow, being a Redneck in Argentina just feels so much more glamorous! So, yep, Im in love with this place.
And on the "When in Argentina, ..." note: I have now been in South America for 9 weeks, and the majority of that time has been spent in Argentina. And in this time I have learned a thing or two about what one (typically) does when in Argentina. I will share such little tidbits with you now...
1) Argentinians do not stop at stop signs. Why? Well, there are NO stop signs in the entire country (ok, so maybe Im exaggerating a wee bit, but I mean a very teeny tiny wee bit because I think each town Ive been to - including hulking Buenos Aires - has one token stop sign). How can that be? Hmmmm, I continue to ask myself the same thing everytime I meander through an intersection looking both ways and praying I make it through alive and wonder how there aren´t accidents at every turn. But somehow it works.
2)Argentinians eat LATE. Very late. And now, so do I! It´s a miracle of ginormous proportions, really. I like to eat. And I like to eat on some sort of schedule. But what the experts say is true, the body can adapt. And after nearly four weeks of living with an Argentinian family, my body has adapted. I eat lunch around one, and dinner no earlier than 10:30 (last night we didnt eat until after midnight). And the miraculous part is somehow I make it until this hour without feeling like I am going to die of hunger - go figure!
3) Argentinians stay up VERY late. The babies, the teens, the middle age folks, and the oldies but goodies. Late late late. And seeing as how I am currently writing this at 2 am and didnt go to bed until 6 am last night, it looks like I also stay up late - woohoo!
4) Argentinians drink maté like it´s their job. I have yet to build up a tolerance for the HIGHLY caffeinated beverage, but have learned how to properly prepare it, as well as drink it in moderation. More than two to three rounds and I am jumping off the walls, but again, the body in adapting....
5) Argentinians (and again, this is in MY experience) love to mix alcohol with soda or juice. And in ways that I never even imagined one would think of drinking. For instance, red wine with coke (and ice sometimes). I have yet to try this combination, but Ill report back.
6) Argentinians LOVE to eat lots of mayonaise. And I mean LOVE it. A salad isn´t a salad without a nice glop of good ole hellmann´s mayonesa. And I HATE mayonesa. But in the "When in Argentina" spirit, I have succumbed on more than a few occasions to inhaling large amounts of the white creamy stuff.
7) Argentinians eat TONS of red meat. And this is where I have had to draw the line. Due to the fact that I often have a very sensitive stomach, I have opted to stay away from red meat. But I understand that I am missing out on one of the richest parts of the culture and, perhaps, will change my ways in the weeks to come. But this has not kept me from developing a healthy appreciation for their wholehearted devotion to red meat. I have been to some 10 asados in the last 4 weeks and find myself in awe of just how much they LOVE red meat.
8) Argentinians make some of the best pizza and ice cream on this planet. These two surprised me. I have eaten more pizza in the last 9 weeks Ive been here than in the last 2 years back in the states. And this is saying A LOT because I ate far mroe than my fair share of some super tasty pizzas as the Bangert casa last year:)!
I think that about sums it up for now. Tomorrow, Im off to do some biking to a nearby glacial lake. VIVA!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Milking Cows, Sleeping in Caves, Long Car Rides, Sipping Maté with the Mapuche, and Making New Friends in Patagonia!
Buenos Dias! Where am I?!? I am currently in Junín de los Andes, a very cute mountain town located in Parque Nacional Lanín which home to one heck of an amazing volcano. This is also the home of Vanina´s sister and her family. So I have the pleasure of staying in their home for a few days - woohoo!
But let me rewind a bit because quite a bit has happened in the last week. (And if you check back in a day or two, I will add pictures on here. Currently, I have no way of doing so..) In the last week, I have traveled from the campo in Pasman, to the Sierras of La Pampa, back to Pasman, to Junín de los Andes in Northern Patagonia, to the Mapuche community of Nahuel Mapi, back to Junín, to San Martín de los Andes, and, finally, back here to Junín - so there is much to report (so forgive me for the length!). And as a new opportunity presents itself and a new experience unfolds, I continue to be overwhelmed by just how lucky I have been and blessed I feel to be here right now.
I went to the campo thinking I would only stay a few days, but every time I thought about leaving, the family INSISTED I stay! And in the end, I stayed in the tiny town of Pasman for 17 days, met some 60+ family members, almost every resident in the town, in addition to numerous friends, spent both Christmas and New Year´s celebrating with the extended family (both celebrations involving the consumption of an entire pig, as well as loads of torta con dulce de leche), and on my last night got to celebrate the youngest granddaughter´s 1st birthday with almost every person I had met in the previous 2+ weeks. And in between all these family celebrations, I had the opportunity to milk a few cows, go for some great runs through the endless farmlands, and speak lots and lots of Spanish. Speaking so much Spanish has been great for me, but it has not come without enormous challenges, as well as some rather humorous moments. As I became tired of constantly having to ask "What did you say?" and "What does that mean?," I started to make a game for myself out of trying to understand new vocabulary. I became very good at knowing when to laugh and smile so that everyone THOUGHT I could understand, and after a few days of hearing the same word over and over, the true meaning of the word would occur to me and I would feel all the more proud of myself. True, it would probably be easier just to ask, but where´s the fun in that?! Anyway, in the process, I spent several days trying to figure out why the family cared about NAFTA as they are so very far from any of the countries affected by this North American agreement before realizing that NAFTA is gasoline - very funny thoguths ran through my head for a few days... Plus, now I know far more words that have to do with farming, planting, animals, and plants that I ever thought I would need!
And while I was in Pasman, I got a call from Milan (Cami´s ex-boyfriend who I spent an evening with in Buenos Aires) telling me that he was with his family in a small town not too far from Pasman and wanted to know if I would like to head to the Sierras with him to do some hiking and camping. Oh boy, would I ever!! I had spent two weeks in the campo staring at these small mountains far off in the distance wondering if I would have an opportunity to explore them and now the chance fell right in my lap - woohoo! I was ecstatic:)! So on Jan 2, Milan rolled into town where he literally had to go door to door asking for the "chica de los estados unidos" as there is no cell phone reception in town and, in typical Argentinian campo fashion, we had done little planning other than saying "Ill look for you when I pass through Pasman." So after getting to know a few townspeople himself, Milan finally found me and the two of us headed to the quaint town of Sierra de la Ventana to pick up another friend, Sergio, and then made our way down the very dusty, bumpy dirt road to the base of Cerro Tres Picos - the highest point in the oldest mountain range in the world (I believe). And at 2pm, in the heat of the day, the three of us set off in the dry desert-like sierras for a cave just below the summit. It was a hot hot hike, but knowing that in just a few hours I would be freezing as the temps fluctuate so drastically in this region helped me find some solace in feeling like I was going to melt into a sticky pile of Cameron goo. Plus, the views of the rolling mountains and the endless valley in the distance were breathtaking! And once we got to the cave some 4 hours later, we had both shade from the sun and a front door view of the summit. In the end, we opted not to do the final 1.5 hour hike to the summit due to time restrictions, heat, and a desire to find a place to go swimming instead. So we spent a delightful (and, yes, cold) night in the cave eating crackers and cheese and playing with the birds that kept landing on my legs and head before heading back down the mountain the next afternoon - again, in the heat of the day. So thanks to Milan and Sergio for a great adventure! And upon returning, I took a quick bath and headed off to join the festivities of Sofi´s 1st birthday where we ate, drank, and hung out until THREE in the morning - you know, just another FIRST birthday party...
The next morning, Sunday, Jan 4, I was lucky enough to get a ride with Tay (Vanina´s brother-in-law) all the way to Junín. Lucky not only to get to travel and spend a few days here with him, but also becuase the journey by bus involves three different buses and some 24 hours of travel. And it only gets better! Tay is a teacher in a nearby Mapuche community - one of the few indigenous communities left in Argentina. The community is far up in the mountains where it is impassable in Winter, thus the students have their vacations during Winter, as opposed to now (which is Summer). And in coming here with him, I would get the chance to go to the school for a couple of days and see the community, meet the students, and visit some Mapuche families. So for the 14 hour drive, I learned all about the Mapuche, their customs, the problems they have faced, the governments lack of attention to these communities, and the changes Tay has seen in the 14 years he has worked at the school. And this last Tuesday, I accompanied him to the community of Nahuel Mapi, 55 km from Junín and any other civilization through steep, winding, arid mountain roads with amazing views of Volcan Lanin in the distance. The school itself is tiny - 23 students in 3 classrooms for grades 1-7. There is a also a kitchen where the students are fed breakfast and lunch each day and two bedrooms for the teachers (most teachers commute each day, but Tay lived there for the first 7 years he taught there where there was no electricity, heat, or running water). We headed up on Tuesday morning and spent the day and night in the school, so I had the opportunity to spend Tuesday and Wednesday with Tay´s 7 students in grades 1-3, as well as wander among the many trails leading to the houses that are spread quite far apart. We visited one Mapuche couple who live in a house made of mud that they built nearly 60 years ago and which is perfectly cool in the summer and cozy and warm in the winter! We also visited the family of one of the students where I got a grand tour of the garden where they grow all their fruits and veggies, as well as the corrals for the goats, the chicken coop, and the stables for the horses. The majority of the families raise goats, sheep, llamas, chickens, cows, and horses to either eat, sell, or use the fur (of the sheep and llamas) to make traditional clothing to wear and sell. I felt so blessed to be there, to meet the families, to learn about their culture and their way of living, to work in the classroom with the students, and drink maté with the teachers. And it was all the more awesome to be going with someone who has truly become part of the community! In many ways, it reminded me of visiting Annelle´s Peace Corp community in El Salvador...
And after two days in the mountain campo, I headed back into Junín to meet up with Víctor (our REI guide) who was headed from Chile to the nearby town of San Martín de los Andes. Dad and I were in San Martín on our trip, but did not actually get to spend terribly much time in the town itself - which is a town that honestly looks like something out of a fariy tale with it´s gingerbread-looking houses surrounded by flowers and fruit trees in full bloom. All the more, the town is nestled in a valley in the Andes mountains on the banks of a glacial lake with crystal clear (and coooooold) waters. So, needless to say, I was excited for both the opportunity to meet up with Víctor AND spend some more time in this town. So Wednesday afternoon, I helped him pack up all the stuff from the REI trip he just completed, and we wandered around town admiring this and that and eating yummy pizza and ice cream. He had to head on back to Buenos Aires on a midnight bus, but I stuck around and spent yesterday going for a run along the lake and hiking up to a viewpoint high above the city and taking a million photos of it all. Later in the day when I was ready to head the 40 km back north to Junín, I decided that rather than take a bus (which leaves every hour), I would hitchhike. I have never hitchhiked before and many people do it on this route. So I decided to try it. I knew I would be fine, but anytime I do something new, it´s a little intimidating at first. But I decided that this would be my challenge for the day and with only a 40 km trip and no town between San Martín adn Junín I was pretty much guaranteed to find someone rather quickly who was heading to Junín. So I walked to a gas station on the border of town and set up shop and tried to look like I had done this before! Two cars stopped that were only headed a few miles out of town, but the third car was a charm and after only 15-20 mins of waiting, I was chatting it up with a real estate agent on my way to Junín - and I have to admit, I felt pretty damn proud of myself - woohoo!
And a note on where I shall go from here....
The original "plan" (although, after 2 months here, I dont believe much in plans anymore...) was to head on to Bariloche from San Martín. However, Tay has told me I am welcome to stay in Junín for a few more days and there is so much to do here - hikes to the volcano, bike rides along the glacial lakes, and kayaking in the river, as well as returning to the school where he teaches to help out - that I decided to come on back. I dont know how long I will stay, but from here, I will head South to Bariloche to meet up with German, and then down down down until I arrive at Ushuaia - the end of the world! When this date will be is so hard to know, but I am enjoying learning to live life in the moment and let things unfold wihtout worrying too much about the when, where, how, and why. So far, it has worked out beautifully. So beautifully, in fact, that I cant help but be amazed day after day by the places I have seen, the people I have met, and the things I have gotten to do. I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and am happy - truly happy. I was so scared at first to head off into the great unknown (and, admittedly, still am at times), but Im glad I have come here and I am especially glad to have such amazing friends and family who are constantly sending me loads of love and support. So thanks to those of you who made it all the way through this post (it´s loooooooooooooong, i know!). Much love and appreciation from the Andes. VIVA!
But let me rewind a bit because quite a bit has happened in the last week. (And if you check back in a day or two, I will add pictures on here. Currently, I have no way of doing so..) In the last week, I have traveled from the campo in Pasman, to the Sierras of La Pampa, back to Pasman, to Junín de los Andes in Northern Patagonia, to the Mapuche community of Nahuel Mapi, back to Junín, to San Martín de los Andes, and, finally, back here to Junín - so there is much to report (so forgive me for the length!). And as a new opportunity presents itself and a new experience unfolds, I continue to be overwhelmed by just how lucky I have been and blessed I feel to be here right now.
I went to the campo thinking I would only stay a few days, but every time I thought about leaving, the family INSISTED I stay! And in the end, I stayed in the tiny town of Pasman for 17 days, met some 60+ family members, almost every resident in the town, in addition to numerous friends, spent both Christmas and New Year´s celebrating with the extended family (both celebrations involving the consumption of an entire pig, as well as loads of torta con dulce de leche), and on my last night got to celebrate the youngest granddaughter´s 1st birthday with almost every person I had met in the previous 2+ weeks. And in between all these family celebrations, I had the opportunity to milk a few cows, go for some great runs through the endless farmlands, and speak lots and lots of Spanish. Speaking so much Spanish has been great for me, but it has not come without enormous challenges, as well as some rather humorous moments. As I became tired of constantly having to ask "What did you say?" and "What does that mean?," I started to make a game for myself out of trying to understand new vocabulary. I became very good at knowing when to laugh and smile so that everyone THOUGHT I could understand, and after a few days of hearing the same word over and over, the true meaning of the word would occur to me and I would feel all the more proud of myself. True, it would probably be easier just to ask, but where´s the fun in that?! Anyway, in the process, I spent several days trying to figure out why the family cared about NAFTA as they are so very far from any of the countries affected by this North American agreement before realizing that NAFTA is gasoline - very funny thoguths ran through my head for a few days... Plus, now I know far more words that have to do with farming, planting, animals, and plants that I ever thought I would need!
And while I was in Pasman, I got a call from Milan (Cami´s ex-boyfriend who I spent an evening with in Buenos Aires) telling me that he was with his family in a small town not too far from Pasman and wanted to know if I would like to head to the Sierras with him to do some hiking and camping. Oh boy, would I ever!! I had spent two weeks in the campo staring at these small mountains far off in the distance wondering if I would have an opportunity to explore them and now the chance fell right in my lap - woohoo! I was ecstatic:)! So on Jan 2, Milan rolled into town where he literally had to go door to door asking for the "chica de los estados unidos" as there is no cell phone reception in town and, in typical Argentinian campo fashion, we had done little planning other than saying "Ill look for you when I pass through Pasman." So after getting to know a few townspeople himself, Milan finally found me and the two of us headed to the quaint town of Sierra de la Ventana to pick up another friend, Sergio, and then made our way down the very dusty, bumpy dirt road to the base of Cerro Tres Picos - the highest point in the oldest mountain range in the world (I believe). And at 2pm, in the heat of the day, the three of us set off in the dry desert-like sierras for a cave just below the summit. It was a hot hot hike, but knowing that in just a few hours I would be freezing as the temps fluctuate so drastically in this region helped me find some solace in feeling like I was going to melt into a sticky pile of Cameron goo. Plus, the views of the rolling mountains and the endless valley in the distance were breathtaking! And once we got to the cave some 4 hours later, we had both shade from the sun and a front door view of the summit. In the end, we opted not to do the final 1.5 hour hike to the summit due to time restrictions, heat, and a desire to find a place to go swimming instead. So we spent a delightful (and, yes, cold) night in the cave eating crackers and cheese and playing with the birds that kept landing on my legs and head before heading back down the mountain the next afternoon - again, in the heat of the day. So thanks to Milan and Sergio for a great adventure! And upon returning, I took a quick bath and headed off to join the festivities of Sofi´s 1st birthday where we ate, drank, and hung out until THREE in the morning - you know, just another FIRST birthday party...
The next morning, Sunday, Jan 4, I was lucky enough to get a ride with Tay (Vanina´s brother-in-law) all the way to Junín. Lucky not only to get to travel and spend a few days here with him, but also becuase the journey by bus involves three different buses and some 24 hours of travel. And it only gets better! Tay is a teacher in a nearby Mapuche community - one of the few indigenous communities left in Argentina. The community is far up in the mountains where it is impassable in Winter, thus the students have their vacations during Winter, as opposed to now (which is Summer). And in coming here with him, I would get the chance to go to the school for a couple of days and see the community, meet the students, and visit some Mapuche families. So for the 14 hour drive, I learned all about the Mapuche, their customs, the problems they have faced, the governments lack of attention to these communities, and the changes Tay has seen in the 14 years he has worked at the school. And this last Tuesday, I accompanied him to the community of Nahuel Mapi, 55 km from Junín and any other civilization through steep, winding, arid mountain roads with amazing views of Volcan Lanin in the distance. The school itself is tiny - 23 students in 3 classrooms for grades 1-7. There is a also a kitchen where the students are fed breakfast and lunch each day and two bedrooms for the teachers (most teachers commute each day, but Tay lived there for the first 7 years he taught there where there was no electricity, heat, or running water). We headed up on Tuesday morning and spent the day and night in the school, so I had the opportunity to spend Tuesday and Wednesday with Tay´s 7 students in grades 1-3, as well as wander among the many trails leading to the houses that are spread quite far apart. We visited one Mapuche couple who live in a house made of mud that they built nearly 60 years ago and which is perfectly cool in the summer and cozy and warm in the winter! We also visited the family of one of the students where I got a grand tour of the garden where they grow all their fruits and veggies, as well as the corrals for the goats, the chicken coop, and the stables for the horses. The majority of the families raise goats, sheep, llamas, chickens, cows, and horses to either eat, sell, or use the fur (of the sheep and llamas) to make traditional clothing to wear and sell. I felt so blessed to be there, to meet the families, to learn about their culture and their way of living, to work in the classroom with the students, and drink maté with the teachers. And it was all the more awesome to be going with someone who has truly become part of the community! In many ways, it reminded me of visiting Annelle´s Peace Corp community in El Salvador...
And after two days in the mountain campo, I headed back into Junín to meet up with Víctor (our REI guide) who was headed from Chile to the nearby town of San Martín de los Andes. Dad and I were in San Martín on our trip, but did not actually get to spend terribly much time in the town itself - which is a town that honestly looks like something out of a fariy tale with it´s gingerbread-looking houses surrounded by flowers and fruit trees in full bloom. All the more, the town is nestled in a valley in the Andes mountains on the banks of a glacial lake with crystal clear (and coooooold) waters. So, needless to say, I was excited for both the opportunity to meet up with Víctor AND spend some more time in this town. So Wednesday afternoon, I helped him pack up all the stuff from the REI trip he just completed, and we wandered around town admiring this and that and eating yummy pizza and ice cream. He had to head on back to Buenos Aires on a midnight bus, but I stuck around and spent yesterday going for a run along the lake and hiking up to a viewpoint high above the city and taking a million photos of it all. Later in the day when I was ready to head the 40 km back north to Junín, I decided that rather than take a bus (which leaves every hour), I would hitchhike. I have never hitchhiked before and many people do it on this route. So I decided to try it. I knew I would be fine, but anytime I do something new, it´s a little intimidating at first. But I decided that this would be my challenge for the day and with only a 40 km trip and no town between San Martín adn Junín I was pretty much guaranteed to find someone rather quickly who was heading to Junín. So I walked to a gas station on the border of town and set up shop and tried to look like I had done this before! Two cars stopped that were only headed a few miles out of town, but the third car was a charm and after only 15-20 mins of waiting, I was chatting it up with a real estate agent on my way to Junín - and I have to admit, I felt pretty damn proud of myself - woohoo!
And a note on where I shall go from here....
The original "plan" (although, after 2 months here, I dont believe much in plans anymore...) was to head on to Bariloche from San Martín. However, Tay has told me I am welcome to stay in Junín for a few more days and there is so much to do here - hikes to the volcano, bike rides along the glacial lakes, and kayaking in the river, as well as returning to the school where he teaches to help out - that I decided to come on back. I dont know how long I will stay, but from here, I will head South to Bariloche to meet up with German, and then down down down until I arrive at Ushuaia - the end of the world! When this date will be is so hard to know, but I am enjoying learning to live life in the moment and let things unfold wihtout worrying too much about the when, where, how, and why. So far, it has worked out beautifully. So beautifully, in fact, that I cant help but be amazed day after day by the places I have seen, the people I have met, and the things I have gotten to do. I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and am happy - truly happy. I was so scared at first to head off into the great unknown (and, admittedly, still am at times), but Im glad I have come here and I am especially glad to have such amazing friends and family who are constantly sending me loads of love and support. So thanks to those of you who made it all the way through this post (it´s loooooooooooooong, i know!). Much love and appreciation from the Andes. VIVA!
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