Friday, March 29, 2013

The Provinces-The Outer, Outer, Fringe of Buenos Aires, Argentina

For lack of a better title to encompass several entries about the Province of Buenos Aires I shall devote some time to a rural, vibrant and rich environment of small towns with upscale restaurants of quality, downhome feeling of small townness and diversity. These towns like Azul, with a population of 63,000... has a vibrant center with homemade pasta places, many bakeries, restaurants, and few supermarkets. People still frequent their speciality shops for cuts of beef and lamb. People connect.
I kept looking at this guy and his younger friend at the Cattle selling/stockyard. Blue eyed, Basque perhaps but clearly a representative of the diverse European backgrounds of the immigrant populations.
My host who invited me along.Following an hours drive to Ayacucho where we dined (lunch) lavishly with a group of cattle breeders, we proceeded to the stockyards and the awaiting cattle whose fate would be sealed as the highest bidder settled the issue.
My host is cobbling together different interests, he's following his father in the buying and selling of cattle right now. I asked him what his long terms goals were and he looked at me as if I was from Mars. "Long term goals?" We work a variety of jobs and go with what seems to offer the best opportunity". Career goals? He just laughed.


 This is immigrant populations with lots of Welsh, Italian,Basque,Slovak and other groups.  Towns like this exist in the rural periphery of Buenos Aires. I should say we're 3 hours away and definitely rural and not relating to Buenos Aires other than all traffic and commerce heads that way. Can't deny it.
The horse drawn carriage with the barker identifying different groups of cattle for sale. All done with a nod, a wink, a raised eyebrow.




 I went to one town for a cattle sale. It just happened to be  full of Basque descendants. They know family lines and history and who is related to whom whether you are from there or not. People are open and friendly and enquire about my trip. They invite me to dinner. They have long lost relatives who left Europe in 1900 and went to America. They feel a connection. We're all immigrants. Families went in different directions. Some went to North America and some to South America. Where else can you still find the largest Jewish community in the Diaspora but Buenos Aires?
Azul was built in 1832 at the direction of Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas as an outpost or fort, on the fringe 'of civilization' where the government attempted to control more and more land that previously was inhabited by wandering indian groups. Argentina did an even better job or subjugating the indigenous populations than we did in the USA.. Hardly any exist today. They 'honor' the indigenous populations by naming streets after them. Sound firmiliar?
Now it is all agriculture and cattle and the people are doing quite well by all standards.Some pictures of cattle stock yards will attest to the continuing investment in cattle, the struggle around planting Soybeans and the ongoing balance of a faltering economy.


Wait a minute. I'm getting way ahead of myself. From Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego up to here is about 3000 kms. All that distance is Pampa, wide open rock strewn territory that is governed in some areas by rabbits, foxes, and sheep and oh yes, oil. Some motorcyclists say it is a boring trip up the coast toward Buenos Aires. Used to rocky,crushed gravel roads which can be difficult in the best of conditions in the south, now it is paved, it is long, it is straight, it is still plagued by strong cross wind which add to the challenge or threat, however you frame it. The coastal dry sand dunes main attraction is the sealife, ranging, depending on the season,to Sea Lions, Penguins, and even touch calving whales, breeding grounds that allow close contact. That is the coast. As we move further north after several days of travel the landscape changes and what was once open rock strewn landscape becomes a little hillier, a little greener, some diversity is noted. Streams flow, grass grows, livestock is seen along the road munching away. All of a sudden you are in a different environment. The same, yes but different. Richer, visually and it excites you as you enter another zone.
I'm heading in this direction because there is a supposed 'outpost' of motorcycle enthusiasts who either live here or gather here and I want to find out what they are about.They live in Azul (Blue)
I'm also here, ahead of schedule, because I bought my 'cuchillos criollos, gaucho knives, hand made steel with traditional handles of deer horn and armadillo tails,etc.in another town close by and here I am.
The motorcycle group consists of perhaps 10-15 middle aged men with motorcycles who like to either talk about a trip they plan or a trip they made. Sound familar? All of this is equally spiced by long winded discourses on politics,etc. of which the Argentines cannot be outdone. Where else can a group of men spend a long evening talking tell 2 AM around a fire with beef and wine? I did this 3 times in a week. The only difference is that I didn't have to get up and go to work the next day. That didn't seem to stop them from connection which is VERY,VERY big here.They are affectionate, touch each other when talking, kiss on the cheek when meeting. Something missing in my life.
So here are some photos of the meals that a group of men put together and the 'clubhouse' filled with momentos and signs of world motorcycle travelers over they years who have passed this way coming or going to Buenos Aires ( 3 hours and a world away).






 my camping spot on Peninsula Valdez. The next site was this lovely 130 year old mansion in Azul. Built by a Brit with lots of money, it has many, many rooms, a huge pool and an assortment of cattle, horses, llamas and other critters on 120 acres. Small by comparison.




 Chacras de Azcona. My "digs"for 5 days longer than I intended to stay. Why do I have to put up with these meager dwellings???



An early 60's Citroen deux chevier still working and used daily.

The main house at Chacras de Azcona in Azul.

AZUL, Provincia de Buenos Aires- The Motorcycle Gang

I originally headed for Azul, a 'small town' of 60,000 some three hours outside the fringe of Buenos Aires to visit an 'outpost' 'la posta' de motoqueros, a small self supporting excuse to gather and tell stories, eat, drink and make friends. That I did. I was welcomed by Jorge, "El Pollo", his nickname meaning chicken, why, I have no idea except nicknames are common and used among friends. It is in his two car converted garage that this club house gathers. The walls are covered with writings, pictures, mementos from world wide motorcyclists who have stopped here over the years. It is a comfortable place especially when the parrilla fire is going and steaks and other meats are cooking away and the fresh bread, wine and salads cover the table. The place starts getting crowded. I'm the guest and everyone wants to hear stories and tell their own from years of motorcycle travels in Argentina and Chile. Here are some photos. I participated in three asados in one week. I wondered what their wives thought?
A German Couple (right side)each on BMW motorcycles. They've been on the road for several years. They settle when funds run low, work then continue on their way

up on the rafters go a momento of their visit


 joining us was a couple from Romania on their motorcycle.

 much political discussion takes place. All of these guys live and work in Azul, mostly in agricultural pursuits.

What a fabulous meal awaits us!

THE CHANGING FACE OF WEATHER- PATAGONIA


The Changing Face of Weather- February 2013- Patagonia

The lament of farmers everywhere, not just here, is how the climate seems to be changing. It was a common theme in conversations across the expansive Pampas of Patagonia. Lakes are drying up, sandstorms whip across the broad expanse of land, springs that once fed pasture are reduced in volume.
Four seasons can happen in a day and frequently do. Further south in Tierra del Fuego where the unceasing wind howls, people are complaining of not enough sun and summer fun has been curtailed. In an area already starved for warm weather it is bleak to imagine such a shortened season. It is still beautiful but too reminiscent of the Pacific northwest with gray skies and, well, you know the rest.
 

I am currently on Peninsula Valdez,(google map it)(very much south of Buenos Aires on the Atlantic)  that narrow isthmus of land that juts out into the southern Atlantic Ocean. The narrow spit bursts into a bubble of land that is a tourist destination for anyone interested in seeing Whales up close, Orcas that have developed ways of beaching themselves to gobble up unsuspecting baby seals. Sea Lions, Penguins and a host of land based animals like the Ostrich, Guanaco (llama like in appearance), armadillos, fox and hare. Sheep are also found here.                                                  

                                            Notice the strong and broad winds whipping up across a now dry lakebed.


Windswept barren landscape that is a World Heritage site, the ‘bubble of land’ has an almost enclosed golfo San Jose probably 40 kms across yet only open by 1 km. and several large depression salt flats in the middle of the Peninsula that are 100 feet below sea level. The Peninsula is cris- crossed by several gravel roads that lead to the predominate calving grounds of whales, sea lions and penguins.
A sign on a scraggly tree indicating that one day it will give shade if there is enough water to nurture it.

The Atlantic coast of Argentina. It is dry, predominately sand and uninteresting.