tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27775308789470791842024-03-13T05:39:07.440-07:00justpassingthroughtravelAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-5985865979745636082013-04-09T10:26:00.000-07:002013-04-09T10:26:34.578-07:00The Vibrant Club Scene-Tango in Buenos Aires<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3PFX5AFyQP9bL9cJ53m5U-2TTHLmlI1tSP0svP6eYHdA8U3EzAN5nIrqNsLGjkWy6_MErr_lyxOos67i2Ra9Yo7TEuOG6_-TcmqxYvMGmVH5bCdeFM7WXuA9sjawq1VcRm9aGB0N34A/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3PFX5AFyQP9bL9cJ53m5U-2TTHLmlI1tSP0svP6eYHdA8U3EzAN5nIrqNsLGjkWy6_MErr_lyxOos67i2Ra9Yo7TEuOG6_-TcmqxYvMGmVH5bCdeFM7WXuA9sjawq1VcRm9aGB0N34A/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7856.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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An old photo on the wall of a club showing a more formal exhibition style Tango.</div>
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This club was called Salon Canning. A British Men's Club from the last century, it represents a warm and comfortable place to spend the evening. Around Buenos Aires from the center of town out and around all the suburbs are 100's of clubs, large and small, all offering Tango classes daily and open 6 nights a week.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdQ30Zgy713jEs0mJ35pJ88HVUAiyM98-xhe-hSLT7WzolpFWL_v2lgvVmA_nIqijJzD68Z3uv3NnRuKtMIKRlmyzcZrdeWbt39MHbjLxDeXOaMbKK8RxTYJUf19JgpFIuKFVCtvjQtk/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdQ30Zgy713jEs0mJ35pJ88HVUAiyM98-xhe-hSLT7WzolpFWL_v2lgvVmA_nIqijJzD68Z3uv3NnRuKtMIKRlmyzcZrdeWbt39MHbjLxDeXOaMbKK8RxTYJUf19JgpFIuKFVCtvjQtk/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7757.JPG" width="240" /></a>This is Lourdes, a friend who I paid to be my dance partner during lessons. She is a Taxi Dancer with clearly defined lines of employment.Both Men and Woman hire themselves as partners since many foreigners like myself do not feel comfortable asking someone I don't know to dance mostly because I'm uncomfortable with my skill level. Everyone says,"We all were there and the only thing you can do is Dance. You'll never learn to dance by watching".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx8I8PiCbel7gNJEQPgbixii_w__s_Iyr_cJsbO20NTAhdvvZ4Uz4ZJktwPZKcejOIFYklRswoaGnAcY8HGq_DLNQQ1Cq7hr3R3BkyI8G0WPW4pYdtXjMf-hC0lemTSIwIADhF5ftBOc/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx8I8PiCbel7gNJEQPgbixii_w__s_Iyr_cJsbO20NTAhdvvZ4Uz4ZJktwPZKcejOIFYklRswoaGnAcY8HGq_DLNQQ1Cq7hr3R3BkyI8G0WPW4pYdtXjMf-hC0lemTSIwIADhF5ftBOc/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7750.JPG" width="320" /></a>The dance floor early in the evening before the crowd shows up after mid night.</div>
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How is it that a dance form originating in the bordellos of Buenos Aires and Montevideo before the turn of the last century continue to attract new followers? Originally a dance embrace between two men (woman weren't allowed in social gatherings) with roots in African and European musical forms it was extremely popular in the lower class slums of French,Spanish and Italians immigrants.<br />
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In the early 1900's, Argentine musicians, dancers and orchestras travelled to Europe where the craze ignited a widespread following among the upper class. Tango was introduced into the U.S. about 1914. Tango was new, raw, exciting and sensual. All of these elements continued to create a fast boom of excitement and caused military dictatorships to ban or severely limit the dance since it was a 'public gathering'. Throughout the 30's ,40's and 50's the love, hate relationship between governments and public dances such as Tango continued a see-saw, up and down popularity. By the 50's Juan Peron of Argentina supported Tango and once again a resurgence of interest swept the country.</div>
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There are lots of forms of Tango. Many people have seen what might be called Exhibition Tango. Almost acrobatic with twirls, lifts and deep splits marks this form. It is not common but represents a form among certain sectors of dances, many with classical ballet backgrounds. Other forms might be defined by either a loose embrace with lots of room between partners or a close embrace where the upper body of leader,follow is glued together yet from stomach down it is far apart. There is Tango Waltz, Tango Electronico, New Tango and other styles, old or new, that provide a form for new interpretations to be introduced.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDj309uMT7o-MjcCJZ2YGCk3dEaftOnAYlAindWgtGSkB8QgS2jvSfvjrXtKYDkk9Pa58NGEdraIT4p0P6FJquD2ebCA6SsBlDphMz1NRG_pKlV4mFmsBx9S958mU20wMS6LdGvRB7NM/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDj309uMT7o-MjcCJZ2YGCk3dEaftOnAYlAindWgtGSkB8QgS2jvSfvjrXtKYDkk9Pa58NGEdraIT4p0P6FJquD2ebCA6SsBlDphMz1NRG_pKlV4mFmsBx9S958mU20wMS6LdGvRB7NM/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9WkKrHa9yKDbu3AeLVPyPW5o-hc7JIRN3B5uP_nFQsv_3KZdt-MGLwoRmsdgYdSkj01083bftlsLwMp5nMAZLs-a0ELJqAZvlDhsVOrXHncF3dH-p-Z_eaFdzNNdl2YV7J97ndQ7tf0/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9WkKrHa9yKDbu3AeLVPyPW5o-hc7JIRN3B5uP_nFQsv_3KZdt-MGLwoRmsdgYdSkj01083bftlsLwMp5nMAZLs-a0ELJqAZvlDhsVOrXHncF3dH-p-Z_eaFdzNNdl2YV7J97ndQ7tf0/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7758.JPG" width="320" /></a>Tables surround the dance floor. This particular dance was hosted by a live band.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qGa-Q2IvS8NrA3AMcepFGINnbldDHUzHZfngbHyg_h4R2zGc61Fi-3PGhprdN4XvRmDyLiGpPmcNNfADpzBw3FKf3UEmdD2X-RSM1qnaGwR-Gp2_ELHcztaa9q_2o7J7RpFPAdbJPmg/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qGa-Q2IvS8NrA3AMcepFGINnbldDHUzHZfngbHyg_h4R2zGc61Fi-3PGhprdN4XvRmDyLiGpPmcNNfADpzBw3FKf3UEmdD2X-RSM1qnaGwR-Gp2_ELHcztaa9q_2o7J7RpFPAdbJPmg/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7768.JPG" width="320" /></a>One of the Exhibition Couples show off their steps in front of Tango Afficionados.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHNFAtNlw28zpPMQkl6SAlV82oKADxkf9jeS8fH4OYTzvz8Mja8YlmDW3fGc5eCkUBtlTrlIO8T6s4YtKV6vIZJU20vK8TJNFBufDOWPKYnXZhstrFAAkV5KJeJ1ytHuM7Rl436H1UzQ/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHNFAtNlw28zpPMQkl6SAlV82oKADxkf9jeS8fH4OYTzvz8Mja8YlmDW3fGc5eCkUBtlTrlIO8T6s4YtKV6vIZJU20vK8TJNFBufDOWPKYnXZhstrFAAkV5KJeJ1ytHuM7Rl436H1UzQ/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDj309uMT7o-MjcCJZ2YGCk3dEaftOnAYlAindWgtGSkB8QgS2jvSfvjrXtKYDkk9Pa58NGEdraIT4p0P6FJquD2ebCA6SsBlDphMz1NRG_pKlV4mFmsBx9S958mU20wMS6LdGvRB7NM/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDj309uMT7o-MjcCJZ2YGCk3dEaftOnAYlAindWgtGSkB8QgS2jvSfvjrXtKYDkk9Pa58NGEdraIT4p0P6FJquD2ebCA6SsBlDphMz1NRG_pKlV4mFmsBx9S958mU20wMS6LdGvRB7NM/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7760.JPG" width="320" /></a>The dancing continues.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1FPruJpBOhxkF_silVVl6nViONQfTPKgf7LaKD35OgBg0azs7_SbyTdXYhrSt5EFQNrIwKlnAa4c98vAp4GhYPw-d39gdCqXENXc88t5lDVUAvf6ehXx3XB3kHCEpvH9aQkTRhyYIGw/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1FPruJpBOhxkF_silVVl6nViONQfTPKgf7LaKD35OgBg0azs7_SbyTdXYhrSt5EFQNrIwKlnAa4c98vAp4GhYPw-d39gdCqXENXc88t5lDVUAvf6ehXx3XB3kHCEpvH9aQkTRhyYIGw/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7777.JPG" width="240" /></a>Very quick steps and moves are practiced repeatedly. That is why it is exhibition Tango.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6rs1wWbUI_NMQaIIxg9ezGR4j6CALzejPsJV5r4fXoXNtKFpkE1zsGf9HtW-euyrTmlwSl711yRfHSBR7HVoIqDr-j1cgSPocxn4OvQpKbtaFi1bb-_SWEtZefSM_hseDDjoXGKA6DM/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6rs1wWbUI_NMQaIIxg9ezGR4j6CALzejPsJV5r4fXoXNtKFpkE1zsGf9HtW-euyrTmlwSl711yRfHSBR7HVoIqDr-j1cgSPocxn4OvQpKbtaFi1bb-_SWEtZefSM_hseDDjoXGKA6DM/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7795.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVCOvqufJCnUesZ7LW8SFbvLQkj1oRromQD1E1pDHkqngUGWe_F4f5BNgYhvgrTK6HPByFvMTEduALLevQWJQBXu7ApiCQboRxAszOt7SDsTz66O8msLDhShIw4pPzijm0PYj9ih6pls/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVCOvqufJCnUesZ7LW8SFbvLQkj1oRromQD1E1pDHkqngUGWe_F4f5BNgYhvgrTK6HPByFvMTEduALLevQWJQBXu7ApiCQboRxAszOt7SDsTz66O8msLDhShIw4pPzijm0PYj9ih6pls/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7794.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwiNaGjnNY3MBSKn_S5x4Jw7335jo78GcPZqEMXm2jJ3aZTByGRwQU7naWqMkcCELT2189rcM3dv2XFf9j0AI1zyPDdOe7XtDFlzkLGYeqsZsasLgIhVFNDu3O9tfqtX31mP-un7zpC4/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwiNaGjnNY3MBSKn_S5x4Jw7335jo78GcPZqEMXm2jJ3aZTByGRwQU7naWqMkcCELT2189rcM3dv2XFf9j0AI1zyPDdOe7XtDFlzkLGYeqsZsasLgIhVFNDu3O9tfqtX31mP-un7zpC4/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7799.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq9bB1bvfhz9DsE-tcVcdp2n9zPZmbmH6wtKKVyyepa-OtusxCLCCH3HldmihYmALBhoNAYhMaAiOG60F80eGSyM8b0JQWt_gTyL8zZXhhzfnqefuli6E61WiTzmDiyz88QeeYmZcwzg/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq9bB1bvfhz9DsE-tcVcdp2n9zPZmbmH6wtKKVyyepa-OtusxCLCCH3HldmihYmALBhoNAYhMaAiOG60F80eGSyM8b0JQWt_gTyL8zZXhhzfnqefuli6E61WiTzmDiyz88QeeYmZcwzg/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7806.JPG" width="320" /></a>Back to dancing for people like you and me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p3-Th4DUI525SX_WeRKY3JKUcQw1DA4Cp_NA99Ji4c4ym2y0_m85CmToBIaGcN-x6UDivTxI-pF2Cc2alkGgLRwDG5-SpRnflAqghMCtcJv2kv_2BPIUTWJ_SdsWdpn-f_JT79PRyJg/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p3-Th4DUI525SX_WeRKY3JKUcQw1DA4Cp_NA99Ji4c4ym2y0_m85CmToBIaGcN-x6UDivTxI-pF2Cc2alkGgLRwDG5-SpRnflAqghMCtcJv2kv_2BPIUTWJ_SdsWdpn-f_JT79PRyJg/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7852.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I must underline one of the facets of Tango that seems unique. Two people emerge on the dance floor after the man nods, winks, lifts a chin or in some subtle way communicates his desire to dance with a woman. They dance for 4 dances. The Man leads, the Woman follows. Perhaps they don't know each other. She must learn to trust, she will perhaps have her cheek touching her partners'. She might be enveloped by the embrace that is tight though not restrictive. They are so close that personal hygiene is an important value. Mouth fresheners, cologne are used as are perfumes. Nothing should get in the way of the communication between leader and follower.<br />
In the following photos taken in a couple of different clubs, I noticed a number of people I had seen in other clubs over a three week period. We're talking mid week at 1 or 2 AM. These clean shaven men in their 30's, 40's,50's and beyond come to dance as do the woman, some married, some not. Couples or singles, it doesn't matter.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-38692625191152424722013-04-03T20:18:00.001-07:002013-04-03T20:18:32.507-07:00Tango and Buenos Aires= how I wound up in the bosom.<br />
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Moaning sounds, groaning, sounds of enjoyment...Where am I? I look around. I´m sitting in the shade at a beachside restaurant in southern Argentina. I´d driven my motorcycle here to have a beer and suddenly I´m disoriented. I am at a restaurant, sitting outside. I look around and see a couple laughing, making noises of enjoyment as they comment on the taste of their seafood. They are happy. As I look there way, the man turns and comments on my motorcycle. He´s interested in my trip and equally interested in letting me know that in his younger day, he too, rode lots of motorcycles competing in races. He opens his shirt showing his hairy chest and points to the surgery scars from broken colarbones, and tibias. Quite a strong introduction.</div>
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"Where are you headed," he asks. I tell him though I´m still a week or more away from Buenos Aires that, in fact, I´m headed to Buenos Aires, adding,"I´m going to immerse myself in Tango classes, Milongas, the culture".</div>
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He smiles and slowly pulls out his cell phone as if to make a call. Instead, he shows me a video of himself dancing in the Tango World Championships. As he holds the phone up for me to see, I squint in the bright light and see two dancers gliding across the floor with movements and positions that I´ve only seen in other movies. He says, "When you get to Bs. As., give me a call. I teach Tango classes, have an extra bedroom at the studio. You can stay there". Another open opportunity. Where will this lead?</div>
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I like this.</div>
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It happens perhaps more on the road when a connection occurs beyond the normal. I have been blessed to have been invited into more homes and impromptu dinners and offers to stay with them than I´ve ever had before. Is it that I represent something "out of their world", different, challenging in the sense that they can´t conceive of traveling alone, at times, for 35,000 kms.(I must admit, I can´t comprehend it either). Perhaps it is a culture more open and inclusive than my culture where formality is more the rule,where peole make more dates to come over for dinner rather than just show up. Here people show up and they become part of whatever is happening. Here people seem to hang out together informally. Parks are loaded with famiies spending hours together just talking, eating,sharing mate.I haven't been with a group of men who gather a couple times a week eating and lightly drinking until 3 Am talking politics and other subjects. This doesn´t happen with my people. Or does it? </div>
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Maybe I´m left out?</div>
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When I finally arrive in Bs.As. I give Mario a call. He gives me directions and I show up in time for lunch. My motorcycle safe in his garage I survey the environment. Not all that clean, not all that inviting but, we´ll see.</div>
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Thus began my introduction into Tango culture. Mario says,"You need some shoes if your´re going to dance the Tango". We hop in his Taxi(many people seem to do multiple jobs in order to get by and do what they want to do in life) and head for a shop that sells Tango shoes. OK, we´ve committed at least my feet. Mario and I return and he gives me a private lesson, one of many over the next 3 weeks. He is big, many would say fat, yet his movements bely his weight. They are light, soft, smooth. Perhaps that is why he dances 5 nights a week until the wee hours of the morning (without alcohol, I´might add, not because he doesn't like it but because it doesn't help in the dance where balance and quick steps and smooth turns are paramount to being desired as a dance partner.)<br />
That night I get my first introduction to Tango and some insights into the culture that supports, surrounds and encourages the continuation of a dance with social roots in the last century. We go about 10pm to a club called Salon Canning. A former club of the British presence in Bs.As. 100 years ago, the hall is large,lightly pianted white with soaring ceilings, filagree architectural detain in the columns and rows of tables two or three deep around the parimeter.There are , I dare say, perhaps 100 places like this providing a range of Tango experiences 6-7 nights a week. That means MANY people are involved. It cost me about $5.00 to enter and that may have included the class I joined (that was way beyond me).<br />
The dance floor was wood, smooth and as the room very slowly begin to gain life after the Tango lesson about 11pm, the lights dimmed and a few couples entered the dance floor. Smooth movements, eligant attire (more so for the women)and many eyes seeing who is coming in. Kisses abound as individuals saw others they know. These people all shared something in common- a love of dance and more specifically, el Tango.<br />
Older couples in their 70,s and 80´s danced with an attitude of having done this as a social event for many years. Young, voluptous women, mostly slender with sensual dresses danced with men in the 70,s and enjoyed the individual nature of a life time of moves that others may or may not do. Three dances with the same partner then you sit down and wait. That is if you are a woman.<br />
It is a man's world. </div>
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If they didn´t come with a partner they oftentimes sit together at the tables for two that form the inter line of tables closest to the dance floor. Many of these men have come to the same clubs for years. They have "their spot or table" the waitress know what to bring them. Water. Perhaps a beer later or a glass of wine or a plate of salami,assorted cheese and olives to munch on. Not much alcohol. No main course meals. No drunkneness. No boisterous attitudes. This is serious, in a sense, these men are here to dance. And so are the woman.</div>
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They choose their partners by either knowing the woman from other dances or quietly observing which woman can follow a man who might have an intricate or unique style. Those woman who show an ability to adapt to various styles will dance all night. Three dances with one man then another, then another. A nod across the room, a visual gesture, not a spoken request is how the invitation to dance is made. If the woman comes with and sits with a man, they are off limits to invitations to dance by other men. Unspoken agreement.<br />
Tango is usually associated with Carlos Gardel.<br />
There are many others in the holy pantheon of notables who left their mark on the cultural heritage of Buenos Aires. Anibal Troilo,Pugliese. This WAS a man's dance, between two men. Woman wern't seen in social circumstances where dances might have occurred back in the last century. The dockworkers, the itinerent immigrant looking for a new life. The Italians, the Spanish were the predominant immigrant groups from the 1880s´to the 1940´s and to this day their way of speaking and gestures, use of slang and style is emolated by the 2nd and 3rd generation. It is Buenos Aires. Some would disagree but then, this is my story.</div>
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I don´t know how they do it. The steps are basic and simple yet people spend their whole lives working to perfect their moves, learning from others so as to participate, for some many nights in the week.</div>
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I don´t know how they do it. I mean when you go out dancing with a partner or alone to a club at 10 or 11pm and get home at 3 am and go to work in the morning?? And do this several times a week? Well, I´m retired so I can take a 2- hour naps in the afternoon/evening but these people work. They arn´t "dandies", living off the deliquencies of others, these are bank workers and hair stylists, homemakers and car mechanics. I saw men in casual suits with wire brimmed glasses of a professional level who you would never imagine be dancing all night. They look like bank managers, stiff, unimaginative, dry and yet they have the moves. Who woulda guessed? Not me, and my prejudices.<br />
Women don´t usually show up in jeans or minimally dressed. Take that back. Minimally dressed with elegant attire that shows off what curves they work to maintain. Most of these women, young or older are slender and take care of themselves, enjoying the opportunity to dress up and be feminine.</div>
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No smoking and come clean with perhaps a dash of cologne. A mouthdrop would help also. The intimacy of the close embrace puts two people who don't know each other heads touching or cheeks touching and bodies from the chest upward very close while stomach downward is left with distance so the man can lead from his chest and shoulders.</div>
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This was a problem for me. Embracing a woman, even in one of my many dance classes was not easy. Embracing and directing the movements I wanted was even harder. I'm not a directive person by nature. I don't have strong opinions about many things. Thus translates one of my great challenges on the dancefloor. If I don't know where I'm going, how would a woman who is following my lead know? They wouldn't. Thus begins the challenge. Be clear. If you make a mistake, make a mistake but be clear about it!<br />
I'm reminded of a saying I've come across in motorcycle travel literature: "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there". The same goes for Tango. More to come. Stay tuned for more pictures of nightly dance activities.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBzPmqFVus7rXYvL9qycGkEVQGFcahd8u2t-Ymk9mQmPu3Oh7XRciEI4XluAv7O1OB8MuE01YQ8FXVw9ncLVM_w-33DIZgEaynYQEXFDXPuZqOuGc5UNvbj0ralqZs0ls1ncYElBq2u4/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030913_8061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBzPmqFVus7rXYvL9qycGkEVQGFcahd8u2t-Ymk9mQmPu3Oh7XRciEI4XluAv7O1OB8MuE01YQ8FXVw9ncLVM_w-33DIZgEaynYQEXFDXPuZqOuGc5UNvbj0ralqZs0ls1ncYElBq2u4/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030913_8061.JPG" width="240" /></a>Enrique Mario Peralta getting a trim by another man of many talents-award winning hairstylist, Tango instructor,Taxi Driver, Mattress salesman. Anything to do the Tango.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnRWCB2gBOWyrd0zM2zALRQODUkPTK12VucNzpvhn0xvw0s-u-difrPFLwW43vH5K8cNZ16uDiRA-Km8iFdA2J7tOJilljSoN-sqxzv04jqgwkCRbSAlfxyEJ-0yf1dfbeowJFFLuPts/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031413_8006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnRWCB2gBOWyrd0zM2zALRQODUkPTK12VucNzpvhn0xvw0s-u-difrPFLwW43vH5K8cNZ16uDiRA-Km8iFdA2J7tOJilljSoN-sqxzv04jqgwkCRbSAlfxyEJ-0yf1dfbeowJFFLuPts/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031413_8006.JPG" width="240" /></a>Lourdes, Tango aficionada, graphic designer, set designer, masseuse, chef. Taxi Dancer. Dances 5 nights a week.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHub5jWpXvMWuoDrsvsJcoNXrvP6Xn49WR3nuGcxkxWL2_Wbvl33KqHz7CQM_Osy7JIaDCpGJ-kkJeuEc0NrGq4bWTDwJ2enGzbiXOh4XIhdWqZeYUs7RCavzTUt6TXXj7lFbcgIUdmOA/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030813_8087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHub5jWpXvMWuoDrsvsJcoNXrvP6Xn49WR3nuGcxkxWL2_Wbvl33KqHz7CQM_Osy7JIaDCpGJ-kkJeuEc0NrGq4bWTDwJ2enGzbiXOh4XIhdWqZeYUs7RCavzTUt6TXXj7lFbcgIUdmOA/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030813_8087.JPG" width="240" /></a>Mario, the man making the moaning and groaning sounds over a lushes' lunch whom I met far south in Argentina. Dance instructor, Mechanic, Taxi Driver.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhit6s6HWhCXWyVok2iOzZIWNoxT39za7OVPVkjgELLp7EzGlaTE7yo1fhidKvL27oc5CCIrDaSHiBtMhY0On9ArQZqx4H_Y4fKnI1ETN2F7igr4LrqnZE3NnEwho-Gu1u9w61EYJJ-QPQ/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhit6s6HWhCXWyVok2iOzZIWNoxT39za7OVPVkjgELLp7EzGlaTE7yo1fhidKvL27oc5CCIrDaSHiBtMhY0On9ArQZqx4H_Y4fKnI1ETN2F7igr4LrqnZE3NnEwho-Gu1u9w61EYJJ-QPQ/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7935.JPG" width="240" /></a>"Gato(cat)Romero, at 76 he still knows how to dance. One of the many young men of the 50's,60's scene who set a high standard for Tango dancing. Know among 'those who know' as a real dancer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCITokLBM8o7OK0nmeA4l1eODsUbtndsTORzHOrcK3HQdLIGCyXoBc505VcWSEvxKU6bsRL2Lslz6QXAAKaxgMSgGkpY6fPQtAmpucJhby2e4oZiCna0fStlTFXg2Dic4oXZxaefOJAmw/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCITokLBM8o7OK0nmeA4l1eODsUbtndsTORzHOrcK3HQdLIGCyXoBc505VcWSEvxKU6bsRL2Lslz6QXAAKaxgMSgGkpY6fPQtAmpucJhby2e4oZiCna0fStlTFXg2Dic4oXZxaefOJAmw/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7927.JPG" width="240" /></a> Mario loves to laugh. He's just a big kid!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nntOX32cdYS1ReB0D64FD7K2QfuAdwGBqHYr8Pgib2qRWoWPUwPl_XwFS6xCsD7MKlXcEs3_-SjCI194qVyi_2isbTRmVBMMew3Ga_NLgp-XfHhEO4wTIiZJtchM1kc68dT_BkNAF0M/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031413_8027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nntOX32cdYS1ReB0D64FD7K2QfuAdwGBqHYr8Pgib2qRWoWPUwPl_XwFS6xCsD7MKlXcEs3_-SjCI194qVyi_2isbTRmVBMMew3Ga_NLgp-XfHhEO4wTIiZJtchM1kc68dT_BkNAF0M/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031413_8027.JPG" width="320" /></a> Mario's house, dance studio. The painting is of Anibal Troilo a great musician among the many who set forth on a remarkable career in the days of Tango's greatness. Now everyone dances to his music.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGqY4leEz9kbtIt7ykFEiXQSnLEPoS7flW_7ASRXzrVoKTUZL8diV2tIIVbI0O8bCBcWnhyOBt__h4Pptl5QkKXM6tXgbc5RJGv9OqQWe2M1KXxgvz-wHdtqEbWGmr4HDZw45Hah2GuU/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGqY4leEz9kbtIt7ykFEiXQSnLEPoS7flW_7ASRXzrVoKTUZL8diV2tIIVbI0O8bCBcWnhyOBt__h4Pptl5QkKXM6tXgbc5RJGv9OqQWe2M1KXxgvz-wHdtqEbWGmr4HDZw45Hah2GuU/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7953.JPG" width="240" /></a>'Cutting the Rug'. Another guest at this birthday party kept saying, "Do you know where you are? You're in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Do you know why nothing will happen to you? It is because of "Gato". Nobody hurts him or his friends.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzlEM0Tru6q8025CYepQrESlrygEdN2jUSzbkHZySN3_6nDzQguBfVErh9VYABxr-bsM-F9jbguq92gWEQZlnV8htyxM92LKcw4gdcHKBuXCEAcxtwxxpKeFtcZ0kbntvgBSKGt1CQTA/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzlEM0Tru6q8025CYepQrESlrygEdN2jUSzbkHZySN3_6nDzQguBfVErh9VYABxr-bsM-F9jbguq92gWEQZlnV8htyxM92LKcw4gdcHKBuXCEAcxtwxxpKeFtcZ0kbntvgBSKGt1CQTA/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031913_7749.JPG" width="320" /></a>Mario and Lourdes. Best of friends.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTXMbL78R6YWAj595A1I5Mc01wEHzCepfiHO2slXAdeeDFFh6RvoFEyyU_DIF5kLFZBcDW1LjPGCnh0zBYLzZZsc6Y0oH1RuFE-sHZRBVU7VPQzCJIEvbRnXD5KUxsWB1Ta0w0rny06A/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTXMbL78R6YWAj595A1I5Mc01wEHzCepfiHO2slXAdeeDFFh6RvoFEyyU_DIF5kLFZBcDW1LjPGCnh0zBYLzZZsc6Y0oH1RuFE-sHZRBVU7VPQzCJIEvbRnXD5KUxsWB1Ta0w0rny06A/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_031513_7970.JPG" width="240" /></a>Nice way to spend a lovely March afternoon in Buenos Aires.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-11421824211709492072013-04-02T09:18:00.000-07:002013-04-02T09:18:49.548-07:00Junkpile Art makes a national statement in ArgentinaI'd heard about this guy.<br />
His name is Carlos Regazzoni.<br />
For the last 30 plus years he's been working with the junk, the detritus, the left over, the fallen, no good pieces of metal that abound in a modern society. He sculpts. He makes art. He lives and works behind the grand and once more famous train station called Retiro. Perhaps the largest covered railroad station in the Western Hemisphere, the veins of this great city pour out into the suburbs from this station. It's downtrodden now, a reflection of its former self still shows opulence and status. A modern,urban slum nestles next to it. Regazzoni has more work than he can deal with. In fact, his fame has grown from his earliest days as a day laborer selling keroscene from a cart to his invitation by the France government to live in Paris 6 months a year, next to a Train station and warehouses and do his art.<br />
I'd seen metal sculpture of horses and men, indians and lances encountering each other. They were way out in the country at a location without fanfare or even a note indicating who'd done the work.I stopped my bike, went over to view the collection much closer. They conveyed a lot of tension and aggression in the field of battle.<br />
It wasn't until I was in Azul, Provincia de Buenos Aires and saw similar work with the theme of Sancho Panza and Don Quijote. It so happens that Azul has the largest collection of original works on that subject of Don Quijote and Regazzoni was commissioned to do some sculpture of the Don Quijote/Sancho Panza theme. Here are photos of the scenes showing what to me implies fighting on the frontier between indians and troops, whether they be gauchos or army.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-59262837048178605592013-03-29T19:57:00.000-07:002013-03-29T19:57:00.811-07:00The Provinces-The Outer, Outer, Fringe of Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFor 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.<br />
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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.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6V7-qWYAVMVhCFBU3vPJT77Ig33zNfMul7S4lS9Kj9CT2n2deZLS5qE8tZorslT05vClTzkttjjIaTLNIFe2MjKlIn0TGzTKcSC1VdBR3kYLYnNiU6DfUE0znepdB2C1RUaxSQX4oRR8/s1600/Azul+stockyards,2012_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6V7-qWYAVMVhCFBU3vPJT77Ig33zNfMul7S4lS9Kj9CT2n2deZLS5qE8tZorslT05vClTzkttjjIaTLNIFe2MjKlIn0TGzTKcSC1VdBR3kYLYnNiU6DfUE0znepdB2C1RUaxSQX4oRR8/s320/Azul+stockyards,2012_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMI2_CnIp2efzlvXcQ5FncKUzlH9ba0d2dd5CPuoTYvRvPToSufSMMX2rWngYdqmxPq5i-mDsgwLiIP7kgrt7U4qugWSwQZmh6TtgVQwYah8ohlc4Do1Qi_OMiuSOOSLRpphlJXA44nM/s1600/Azul+to+here_022713_9044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMI2_CnIp2efzlvXcQ5FncKUzlH9ba0d2dd5CPuoTYvRvPToSufSMMX2rWngYdqmxPq5i-mDsgwLiIP7kgrt7U4qugWSwQZmh6TtgVQwYah8ohlc4Do1Qi_OMiuSOOSLRpphlJXA44nM/s320/Azul+to+here_022713_9044.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYHeWX_NPawPNnOAfhjKZUXRTf02JPHIhcgeh4nhDK6f7GPh9cYhJ_e_Zt4SnbmTwO0IadLazdCT2KpPgI-0oUoTx6yxhrR1ND3nF2tBLv_XNkd_UVdUsTs815nCPFIdoGm1YrpLMPl8/s1600/Azul+stockyards,2012_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYHeWX_NPawPNnOAfhjKZUXRTf02JPHIhcgeh4nhDK6f7GPh9cYhJ_e_Zt4SnbmTwO0IadLazdCT2KpPgI-0oUoTx6yxhrR1ND3nF2tBLv_XNkd_UVdUsTs815nCPFIdoGm1YrpLMPl8/s320/Azul+stockyards,2012_6.jpg" width="320" /></a>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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8KHWDYlhCIJwF0kjOvw8bLcbrQZXQxNHIPFuXrg5eXvaOwmzts76JUvjEK6vwl6QpowDlXRbPo2SseLFDS4n8nqdC_89ZkRTldI7a4Z22RSTjeNS31fZTVfG3GdIDdd1XwFE8tq2e24/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8KHWDYlhCIJwF0kjOvw8bLcbrQZXQxNHIPFuXrg5eXvaOwmzts76JUvjEK6vwl6QpowDlXRbPo2SseLFDS4n8nqdC_89ZkRTldI7a4Z22RSTjeNS31fZTVfG3GdIDdd1XwFE8tq2e24/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8178.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dHdDmNuxtlbM0c9tlmNmACY5e9sbwjOR8d8K0mCep94YvmB6wMmgNB5e_3S-g4pq5rvqgFaAgWdRw9e5rw0ZqLhWm_I_Wv7SFKf3yBUj1UcelYnpgM0cscx8Fzv-gTIZn4-cYsL7Gx4/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dHdDmNuxtlbM0c9tlmNmACY5e9sbwjOR8d8K0mCep94YvmB6wMmgNB5e_3S-g4pq5rvqgFaAgWdRw9e5rw0ZqLhWm_I_Wv7SFKf3yBUj1UcelYnpgM0cscx8Fzv-gTIZn4-cYsL7Gx4/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8167.JPG" width="320" /></a>The horse drawn carriage with the barker identifying different groups of cattle for sale. All done with a nod, a wink, a raised eyebrow.</div>
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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?<br />
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?<br />
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.<br />
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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.<br />
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)<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA81sbjNSYSkV0MQSa2fKZR0rcT99FidUJiCQ3I8QNe6FmgpKefLTVhNeRy5ZjofY2a0HBIMyP9AyPZvRbYSAQQxLUE67P3sWfR7zfzGQbNa3KJMZydmQhyphenhyphenRX011fkElaR21NhATuuSc/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022113_8225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA81sbjNSYSkV0MQSa2fKZR0rcT99FidUJiCQ3I8QNe6FmgpKefLTVhNeRy5ZjofY2a0HBIMyP9AyPZvRbYSAQQxLUE67P3sWfR7zfzGQbNa3KJMZydmQhyphenhyphenRX011fkElaR21NhATuuSc/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022113_8225.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosqUGprMWyQmZ7SoWYqAzmMOQN2j7Tit9HfgrDfIUIfjb0ZEDxLxZ1T2zwHGQV676YCEIhEtmZBV85e48Gq5IPAmLz3arNcgmrrleEgxATOlm7OmJ5MGQkcpZkOh_mqiAAb06G8rgdv4/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosqUGprMWyQmZ7SoWYqAzmMOQN2j7Tit9HfgrDfIUIfjb0ZEDxLxZ1T2zwHGQV676YCEIhEtmZBV85e48Gq5IPAmLz3arNcgmrrleEgxATOlm7OmJ5MGQkcpZkOh_mqiAAb06G8rgdv4/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8172.JPG" width="240" /></a> 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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNL7YtwzMPMZbvUXy61bPCvCjvib093EaHnkNaBCU5-30bR-G_LUsL44aNEtSU_0v147xFdm3u7ghNfQ99i7nZWxNE9ck8Oq5Y1zMKre9sMLkqTXU58HasJgBtOpGUwEqvNkakxddarL8/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNL7YtwzMPMZbvUXy61bPCvCjvib093EaHnkNaBCU5-30bR-G_LUsL44aNEtSU_0v147xFdm3u7ghNfQ99i7nZWxNE9ck8Oq5Y1zMKre9sMLkqTXU58HasJgBtOpGUwEqvNkakxddarL8/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8181.JPG" width="320" /></a> 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???</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-wU1u4s0qdudBg3Ib0FBJNsmx50hLZPM3s3stDNMoTPGqaSU722lX-Tm1B0N3YyeI9rvVaXYbdgsH1KRCXjH8onrTPt8XWQP8CBA8CK-Z9TsVeHCE7cv8jb8Zi-SqKWOjixiB0WneyA/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-wU1u4s0qdudBg3Ib0FBJNsmx50hLZPM3s3stDNMoTPGqaSU722lX-Tm1B0N3YyeI9rvVaXYbdgsH1KRCXjH8onrTPt8XWQP8CBA8CK-Z9TsVeHCE7cv8jb8Zi-SqKWOjixiB0WneyA/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4JFZEtofxk_8ELwCLS8vLZK8z5QHNf5HKOJ7SGXHm3K9YI1yNPZkHWFv_1ETVgMqmAyJfCKEr5gd8a9MwDxky_Jj4q9LaYBMI-CLRSwOHKv_QzGk_-57hYXjUP-fa_mncPFJ-GIQX3Q/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4JFZEtofxk_8ELwCLS8vLZK8z5QHNf5HKOJ7SGXHm3K9YI1yNPZkHWFv_1ETVgMqmAyJfCKEr5gd8a9MwDxky_Jj4q9LaYBMI-CLRSwOHKv_QzGk_-57hYXjUP-fa_mncPFJ-GIQX3Q/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8hxI32kFm28eIRfiW6SN_ZEM101jAkLN-rRS3qn6bGOEvoWy-9h2HjbUlJcYzXK2xea3gIz1h4pQdXiCVF8NzkFGQHSdcWlQFR26VeHeaNWeXAWuM6qR_DSNL3u8wAxpVx8QOwGReCM/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8hxI32kFm28eIRfiW6SN_ZEM101jAkLN-rRS3qn6bGOEvoWy-9h2HjbUlJcYzXK2xea3gIz1h4pQdXiCVF8NzkFGQHSdcWlQFR26VeHeaNWeXAWuM6qR_DSNL3u8wAxpVx8QOwGReCM/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022613_8206.JPG" width="320" /></a>An early 60's Citroen deux chevier still working and used daily.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBjAsiNHoYod-r34sYR2oWnx-l_oP6GnOWNMg424eTiBVzjwbwsU2coCVS45ALphJpgcU_CsGRb39AxJUiwXmRPVwinmKWE8iFwN_sjI8iiomE3b7t7R3l2QmmdmMfTYDCkFuu5fPxgQ/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBjAsiNHoYod-r34sYR2oWnx-l_oP6GnOWNMg424eTiBVzjwbwsU2coCVS45ALphJpgcU_CsGRb39AxJUiwXmRPVwinmKWE8iFwN_sjI8iiomE3b7t7R3l2QmmdmMfTYDCkFuu5fPxgQ/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8113.JPG" width="320" /></a>The main house at Chacras de Azcona in Azul.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-53883805558675221202013-03-29T18:45:00.002-07:002013-03-29T18:45:47.048-07:00AZUL, Provincia de Buenos Aires- The Motorcycle GangI 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?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilEsvTLWn_JuBuw3at0GyzOHZELP7PC_bjZxoCBV2g1aueoEtMZDrnA_MLuUiPixTGtZp3mWFIMxX6PuowhFXm5IxZQ9BNRhhUgVzmG9ph0d3Kbj3AEqV7QwRI22rPP4CeGdnbv8_S6E/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilEsvTLWn_JuBuw3at0GyzOHZELP7PC_bjZxoCBV2g1aueoEtMZDrnA_MLuUiPixTGtZp3mWFIMxX6PuowhFXm5IxZQ9BNRhhUgVzmG9ph0d3Kbj3AEqV7QwRI22rPP4CeGdnbv8_S6E/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8120.JPG" width="320" /></a>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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNWClIFqzVG8avgC5XLKmhG_8lmafgYtVkzuJRX21quy46xFtJBup6btWwRrVuyk3KaF5NaSkn2BQfRxnSn9weihceXf7U5lkLXifTaiRyDSHp_U45Xtzb86vi8wFk-OUf6cBBX56beE/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNWClIFqzVG8avgC5XLKmhG_8lmafgYtVkzuJRX21quy46xFtJBup6btWwRrVuyk3KaF5NaSkn2BQfRxnSn9weihceXf7U5lkLXifTaiRyDSHp_U45Xtzb86vi8wFk-OUf6cBBX56beE/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8116.JPG" width="240" /></a>up on the rafters go a momento of their visit</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6wNWubpCVy_bdEw232cpLMAkJGCStEPHk06I4VSvW9izo-n-lwzmQMXtqWf3kVoN8ithwjVt9UsPJZ4Pc09Cwxutj6y_XYm-e9PdILz9v5o9hEi7a57EArDS3Pq6RQeYDucKe9L6DyU/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022413_8215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6wNWubpCVy_bdEw232cpLMAkJGCStEPHk06I4VSvW9izo-n-lwzmQMXtqWf3kVoN8ithwjVt9UsPJZ4Pc09Cwxutj6y_XYm-e9PdILz9v5o9hEi7a57EArDS3Pq6RQeYDucKe9L6DyU/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022413_8215.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBISU617bTyPI3YH3RP1m2jpqwLKaaNTbwuPjMDJ5dl0YwUub5sUxNtW-xOsq6h7tArcTmUjXS4hrNS3M8M5Fi2D8zddYGywuWHygyn2CccTWUCDGA2LPZy2RLdZDOkVQEyZ0ga4p5YYo/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBISU617bTyPI3YH3RP1m2jpqwLKaaNTbwuPjMDJ5dl0YwUub5sUxNtW-xOsq6h7tArcTmUjXS4hrNS3M8M5Fi2D8zddYGywuWHygyn2CccTWUCDGA2LPZy2RLdZDOkVQEyZ0ga4p5YYo/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_022713_8121.JPG" width="240" /></a> joining us was a couple from Romania on their motorcycle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh219O4V1Ltju1QJEPDWBKOE7bJspzEinNAlhJIxTbrUQkRMk6wEMUzeDBbj7XIJTdOzmDfoEofVnIC9nwmCbkuTKyIWMFJn7lvt3S39RtM8odbClkfO_qfZWBmH6Lx5wJxJwB54v03dCU/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030113_8099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh219O4V1Ltju1QJEPDWBKOE7bJspzEinNAlhJIxTbrUQkRMk6wEMUzeDBbj7XIJTdOzmDfoEofVnIC9nwmCbkuTKyIWMFJn7lvt3S39RtM8odbClkfO_qfZWBmH6Lx5wJxJwB54v03dCU/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030113_8099.JPG" width="320" /></a> much political discussion takes place. All of these guys live and work in Azul, mostly in agricultural pursuits.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotMXJzgzlPSU0cEa5zNoZvJ-kEBg2f-LazYQBwFykmmpggU1w8GLvJ1O8Bg9jkM5xuo_BFc7Dho-YcZqzcqKTHgiHeLzEhomK57NlGEFP_UE73I6unTiYTbR77xIzycrfC4jeVunqLcw/s1600/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030113_8100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotMXJzgzlPSU0cEa5zNoZvJ-kEBg2f-LazYQBwFykmmpggU1w8GLvJ1O8Bg9jkM5xuo_BFc7Dho-YcZqzcqKTHgiHeLzEhomK57NlGEFP_UE73I6unTiYTbR77xIzycrfC4jeVunqLcw/s320/Azul,Argentina++Bs.As.+2013_030113_8100.JPG" width="240" /></a>What a fabulous meal awaits us!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-76186471849853501712013-03-29T17:58:00.002-07:002013-03-29T19:59:17.173-07:00THE CHANGING FACE OF WEATHER- PATAGONIA<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The Changing Face of Weather- February 2013- Patagonia</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjpHtm2h6kH5HI2toKwAvT2BT_jVVWjwZQoQgyXpV14ydtESIASEt4Qy5BpgetD-ZcNVf2B8NxjMTD8CEM9tpJiXWEHTYJVyK6ANHeOLkFhWwe5V8toct98CRuF8e-keXGicC2NTVlpE/s1600/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021213_6984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjpHtm2h6kH5HI2toKwAvT2BT_jVVWjwZQoQgyXpV14ydtESIASEt4Qy5BpgetD-ZcNVf2B8NxjMTD8CEM9tpJiXWEHTYJVyK6ANHeOLkFhWwe5V8toct98CRuF8e-keXGicC2NTVlpE/s400/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021213_6984.JPG" width="400" /></a> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
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I am currently on Peninsula Valdez,(google map it)(very much
south of Buenos Aires on the Atlantic)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>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. <br />
<br />
Notice the strong and broad winds whipping up across a now dry lakebed.<br />
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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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ECT3nef7QxsmK8KZJyojW34F0uMUlAjMFHsOcmTRZhlsaoYQ4SGdTtW9ZbNPucds2CcC14RthqHgOu8LkdCMdJaUaaJ9b-M4ZPXifKqtKZABnIWISIwgWnl3AkJQx00VkCQpuGjJIQg/s1600/2013Jan29_Comodoro+Rivadavia_6160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ECT3nef7QxsmK8KZJyojW34F0uMUlAjMFHsOcmTRZhlsaoYQ4SGdTtW9ZbNPucds2CcC14RthqHgOu8LkdCMdJaUaaJ9b-M4ZPXifKqtKZABnIWISIwgWnl3AkJQx00VkCQpuGjJIQg/s320/2013Jan29_Comodoro+Rivadavia_6160.JPG" width="240" /></a>A sign on a scraggly tree indicating that one day it will give shade if there is enough water to nurture it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qgxrp-OWp7YPZdQjHUsZLAiTsvwIT5ChYoA-TgjO_MPtZv90-BtnOIRV6kEyng0-sSnMLCROez8YJaiNVQM49gpYuq0WTUDyLo9iCXODJokHddKfvi5jwuPsPb2tJb7pfUs3MVVM_2I/s1600/2013Jan29_Comodoro+Rivadavia_6161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qgxrp-OWp7YPZdQjHUsZLAiTsvwIT5ChYoA-TgjO_MPtZv90-BtnOIRV6kEyng0-sSnMLCROez8YJaiNVQM49gpYuq0WTUDyLo9iCXODJokHddKfvi5jwuPsPb2tJb7pfUs3MVVM_2I/s320/2013Jan29_Comodoro+Rivadavia_6161.JPG" width="320" /></a>The Atlantic coast of Argentina. It is dry, predominately sand and uninteresting.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-18685987768209436232013-02-17T04:58:00.003-08:002013-02-17T05:10:17.607-08:00SHEEP AND THE ESTANCIA-driving 500 sheep<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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SHEEP AT THE ESTANCIA “LOS PINOS” Feb. 2013</div>
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My friend Gerardo and I traveled to la Estancia (farm) of
Carlos Abait to buy 500 sheep and bring them back to Gerardo’s Estancia. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aniceto Cayuñanco, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the peon that lives at Gerardo’s farm
rode two days with his 2 sheepdogs to get to Carlos’ farm. It would be his job
to bring 500 sheep back to Gerardo’s alone. This is rugged country, very rocky
with mountains, valleys and broad flat plains the predominate features. He
knows this country. He was born ‘up the road in a village of 40 people. His
nickname is ‘choique mora’meaning ‘black ostrich’, a common bird found around
here. A Mapuche-T Indian who has worked his whole life on sheep farms, he
thought nothing of the task. He took an extra horse to carry his few positions,
his one working sheep dog and set out. He would have to move the sheep
according to the weather and would bivoc where he could locate shelter from the
rain and strong winds and let the tired sheep settle for the night. It was a 60
km drive from one Estancia to the other. It would take him 3 days to get the
sheep from one place to the other. </div>
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When we arrived at Carlos’ Estancia we were warmly greeted
since few visitors ever come by. He was expecting us. </div>
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With no phones or electricity communication is done by
radio. Radio, the old way. People living in very rural areas send messages to
the radio station in town (150 plus kms. away in this case) where they are
broadcast to others who sit by their radios in the morning or at night
listening for news. A typical message might be “ Juan and Maria are coming to
visit Gerardo Viviers at the Estancia Los Sauces on Tuesday next” or “Juana had
a baby boy in Sarmiento last Friday and will be returning to Estancia Los
Sauces next Monday’. Most all messages originate in towns rather than Estancias
unless the Estancia has power and some communications. Cell phones don’t work
out here and fixed line phones don’t exist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carlos’ farm is 23,000 hectares (2.2 acres per hectar)(over
50,000 acres of land) and he has 8-9,000 sheep roaming the rocky landscape. He
looses about 10% per year, mostly to foxes and mountain lions. This is an
ongoing issue and involves hunting and poisoning to try and limit the wanton
destruction of the sheep. A mountain lion will kill and partially eat a sheep
but kill 50 more as that is its nature. The same behavior goes for foxes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fox skins can bring 150 pesos or(about $25.00) as they are
sold. The other animal found in this area is the Liebre (rabbit). When the
population of rabbits is high, the mountain lion and fox hunt them, when low,
they go for sheep. I am told that a company was out shooting as many rabbits as
they could and the meat and pelts were being shipped to Germany. The unforeseen
consequence of this business was to greatly reduce a favored food source for
predators and increase sheep loss since fox and lion will hunt and kill what is
available.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gerardo is paying $100.00 (U.S.) per sheep. They are 2 to 4
years of age and will live about 8 years. Gerardo figures that if he can
increase his own sheep population to 2000, he’ll get 10,000 kilos of wool each
year from the sheep. He’ll get $3.50 per kilo (depending on quality) which
gives him $35,000.00 a year. He’ll also get another $10,000.00 for meat sales.
This is before costs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfrS72UKjSeKluNBi7dGPAsA5vO7YQjCQBnp8Tl1RmXNByMheCRraXijw15v9wh_xfEuS7GFjh8tF2AhPbtPdRyquF776isC7G-O6X_uInJ1lZm_dKjbEX8ojlCPVqHxJjJrGTsztCN0/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021013_7461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfrS72UKjSeKluNBi7dGPAsA5vO7YQjCQBnp8Tl1RmXNByMheCRraXijw15v9wh_xfEuS7GFjh8tF2AhPbtPdRyquF776isC7G-O6X_uInJ1lZm_dKjbEX8ojlCPVqHxJjJrGTsztCN0/s320/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021013_7461.JPG" width="213" /></a>Aniceto, the peon who drove the 500 sheep for three days from one Estancia to another.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp-0Ji-NBfuSWeaX-Nf6P_R9Y6mMW_M8AXpjIXKQAuEkB0epGyvaoXMMXxxlWYdDLtKXt9aixh-O68iJ8e_YrfCehn9kW_eLUA4VZq8new3OaZeCfZbNUHKJLdBh_79DBKODaM-5uXzY/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp-0Ji-NBfuSWeaX-Nf6P_R9Y6mMW_M8AXpjIXKQAuEkB0epGyvaoXMMXxxlWYdDLtKXt9aixh-O68iJ8e_YrfCehn9kW_eLUA4VZq8new3OaZeCfZbNUHKJLdBh_79DBKODaM-5uXzY/s320/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7350.JPG" width="213" /></a>Part of the process of marking the sheep for age, gender,and where they go next. 2,000 sheep passed through this process before their bath and injections.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLagqez-hVO0WZfpP_0i_oj16Vbo0aY9rOetdPIqxt8x6CQCFjAkrhXgyRy1_yXCVPl6Lgi3O_PFkpRdsVPp1X4nakfuooORoUBts2Dy-om30eDfZobz7Z1BqzRKOyjbIxFFsPS-hsg-o/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021013_7424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLagqez-hVO0WZfpP_0i_oj16Vbo0aY9rOetdPIqxt8x6CQCFjAkrhXgyRy1_yXCVPl6Lgi3O_PFkpRdsVPp1X4nakfuooORoUBts2Dy-om30eDfZobz7Z1BqzRKOyjbIxFFsPS-hsg-o/s320/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021013_7424.JPG" width="320" /></a>bringing in the sheep from higher pastures to the corral for marking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mPyhpPPmH6kJR2CO_m9yQ6RD1WSDdxID1VgrmBh7cpY1rqEI4qUPARTjDQPJnC8UoKaZY__jjV6PY83rKFzysJBH_rB6ifXzgLss0fAUSQ7-yZLugPz9jrPnldRqronWu9xFzsSkeN8/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mPyhpPPmH6kJR2CO_m9yQ6RD1WSDdxID1VgrmBh7cpY1rqEI4qUPARTjDQPJnC8UoKaZY__jjV6PY83rKFzysJBH_rB6ifXzgLss0fAUSQ7-yZLugPz9jrPnldRqronWu9xFzsSkeN8/s400/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7376.JPG" width="400" /></a> Don Carlos looks on as sheep are marked.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWue16dswgi-VwWH-PQOEpiXmSCVxBFBnowGpynaNGQ_sTpeckIrGgeL1WVJvw3xV-mfXyOg-jKz4CILbDRipidpmKQubTt0UpU79h6N1PWFAjsZZzgqdalrQHiDrTEWFuznpmz3sdTo/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7389.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWue16dswgi-VwWH-PQOEpiXmSCVxBFBnowGpynaNGQ_sTpeckIrGgeL1WVJvw3xV-mfXyOg-jKz4CILbDRipidpmKQubTt0UpU79h6N1PWFAjsZZzgqdalrQHiDrTEWFuznpmz3sdTo/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7389.JPG" width="213" /></a> Aniceto takes a moments rest between marking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaOHyABzj_SKCn-bghNsisLHMXxoG0BJ50l-32NCGHp1nvDeYE9xV6R1iSCh1qjMJHoNps5DxMBttqvw4sb9hWSQx9QThhAeG5uFX5FfggqH53PmdcVwOn2viJHX2dU1IOHO46H5-oCU/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaOHyABzj_SKCn-bghNsisLHMXxoG0BJ50l-32NCGHp1nvDeYE9xV6R1iSCh1qjMJHoNps5DxMBttqvw4sb9hWSQx9QThhAeG5uFX5FfggqH53PmdcVwOn2viJHX2dU1IOHO46H5-oCU/s320/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7382.JPG" width="320" /></a> Giving the sheep their medicine.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryva-evnxCgUaJEtepWJlSO5XDr10b4ocj1CDh1m959tD7UFe2shds3ngCBkDITZnZ98fOcte7yBs2rjzeHsuNaON6Hz1HXfchqruXFwyPX6eKZwM992rMdABtOFFyPD_1NPdBK9pZpg/s1600/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryva-evnxCgUaJEtepWJlSO5XDr10b4ocj1CDh1m959tD7UFe2shds3ngCBkDITZnZ98fOcte7yBs2rjzeHsuNaON6Hz1HXfchqruXFwyPX6eKZwM992rMdABtOFFyPD_1NPdBK9pZpg/s400/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6959.JPG" width="400" /></a> On day three of the movement of sheep from one Estancia to another.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qVLvhhf5DEByS6F-3qq2ExoCsglVqMYwutE9ctzUsuY7JzOBmU-B0bNNj6j_7eiCPOOnHBYK3VvFllnvXT6xps63J1uQYmoVRJE9OgOzYh7VU-qSd_szQlSg1NahDQGjUUmAQKvOJWc/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qVLvhhf5DEByS6F-3qq2ExoCsglVqMYwutE9ctzUsuY7JzOBmU-B0bNNj6j_7eiCPOOnHBYK3VvFllnvXT6xps63J1uQYmoVRJE9OgOzYh7VU-qSd_szQlSg1NahDQGjUUmAQKvOJWc/s320/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7392.JPG" width="213" /></a>Tightly packing the sheep allows them little room to move about.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk-0eAzRsvQuBCWf3U2mhdcXeK5Yj2z45gy8ngDvX9_d6GTSeMgIkCDY1t7YA_u2V7351AkCL6jgmcpaO7ah86F9aA3k5sF4zym-m1fCXH1MktvPstRqsa8BX1ERm6LnS14xeT8BeJRE/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk-0eAzRsvQuBCWf3U2mhdcXeK5Yj2z45gy8ngDvX9_d6GTSeMgIkCDY1t7YA_u2V7351AkCL6jgmcpaO7ah86F9aA3k5sF4zym-m1fCXH1MktvPstRqsa8BX1ERm6LnS14xeT8BeJRE/s320/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021113_7416.JPG" width="213" /></a> Carlos' head peon, adjusts the medicine.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaN9hJiPkJezgJJ2OWpfjz_rmCTPN2hlCVaNyWfa3xLljK1kfwMJTEraCUA9SpePbRX6ObkDGgYMRoNoOa62q8_9_LosQstoC0g_LmOlzttybRKzfxqY1vbsRKpBKV1f7CNTQdQaToM4/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021413_7151_2_3_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaN9hJiPkJezgJJ2OWpfjz_rmCTPN2hlCVaNyWfa3xLljK1kfwMJTEraCUA9SpePbRX6ObkDGgYMRoNoOa62q8_9_LosQstoC0g_LmOlzttybRKzfxqY1vbsRKpBKV1f7CNTQdQaToM4/s400/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021413_7151_2_3_tonemapped.jpg" width="266" /></a>Blustery sunset over the Estancia "Los Sauces".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibopH6uS3FrGce3D6UCPPXIFYDcES5j1VyMgqoQvEhtzBAFMQuFsFYCN4WMbMJiVGYo_eLKmecnXMfCchDciTOztCU8GaTfs4vzEx4hPnry-fLdBYoSL9hbZsys9NT75Ivj3yeVrWRrgo/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021413_7190_1_2_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibopH6uS3FrGce3D6UCPPXIFYDcES5j1VyMgqoQvEhtzBAFMQuFsFYCN4WMbMJiVGYo_eLKmecnXMfCchDciTOztCU8GaTfs4vzEx4hPnry-fLdBYoSL9hbZsys9NT75Ivj3yeVrWRrgo/s400/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021413_7190_1_2_tonemapped.jpg" width="400" /></a>The Sky with strong winds a constant feature. Moving across the southern Pacific and over the Andes drops and creates incredible formations.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10bobZmo7IBmRsRCOv9aKIHwKRZs6e8VniPmycSfLHxNxDi-JB0Pl79_0JJidyk-vFVC-TDsq-vXReHC4Gdq0BiDkXt2RalEkD33XfsRPeDN_aommMMwGVaUxwGL7BGo87-I_II7Pqpg/s1600/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021413_7208_09_10_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10bobZmo7IBmRsRCOv9aKIHwKRZs6e8VniPmycSfLHxNxDi-JB0Pl79_0JJidyk-vFVC-TDsq-vXReHC4Gdq0BiDkXt2RalEkD33XfsRPeDN_aommMMwGVaUxwGL7BGo87-I_II7Pqpg/s400/Los+Pinos,Sheep+Drive,Sky_021413_7208_09_10_tonemapped.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5xKP-QNF4qySEfjw2X2fWOkcnD_IiBvDkWO9ItU55xxPi51ZboydA5-jXvynYqDBwDWxxYhelpwjARu3h9NmkfutQoaOy68I060gYOmmDmrREYQ5sZRFFBjVnTjdZQIa6EAb0VMMkK4/s1600/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5xKP-QNF4qySEfjw2X2fWOkcnD_IiBvDkWO9ItU55xxPi51ZboydA5-jXvynYqDBwDWxxYhelpwjARu3h9NmkfutQoaOy68I060gYOmmDmrREYQ5sZRFFBjVnTjdZQIa6EAb0VMMkK4/s400/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6961.JPG" width="400" /></a> Aniceto on the drive.The threat of rain has diminished and now the fear is high heat. If that happens the tired sheep will just stop creating problems of no water for them for miles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAzY85qe7Gp0RyVoELtgqEwoN3zjPeNEMCe95GQhv63QvYsqX4lC8cCNlzPmaL4z9mDwBstkpdDfGv88aAfqnSPuukJ1uG3xKW2WR-VcQGjdFa2TrVsf2EUk0Y2BOPq-MpvGg0NZEAvw/s1600/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAzY85qe7Gp0RyVoELtgqEwoN3zjPeNEMCe95GQhv63QvYsqX4lC8cCNlzPmaL4z9mDwBstkpdDfGv88aAfqnSPuukJ1uG3xKW2WR-VcQGjdFa2TrVsf2EUk0Y2BOPq-MpvGg0NZEAvw/s320/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6973.JPG" width="320" /></a> The sheep finally arrive at 'greener pastures after three days of walking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWDnY1V_jSqU2iKmlv4j1W7caeGVRoZyloO3nJh5uyEaBeWUKruOgJivwUPqwNCxGqQ6fFVu3FtfVEAuCM7epl4nwxiQPzdVJ2tStfHn3EDnRWyhUHbazhf6Rjx8FFQgulHY1F4QuaH0/s1600/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWDnY1V_jSqU2iKmlv4j1W7caeGVRoZyloO3nJh5uyEaBeWUKruOgJivwUPqwNCxGqQ6fFVu3FtfVEAuCM7epl4nwxiQPzdVJ2tStfHn3EDnRWyhUHbazhf6Rjx8FFQgulHY1F4QuaH0/s320/working+at+Los+Sauces+and+the+Sheep+Drive_021313_6974.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQPZAdiDth6PfFnac5qcpNFjYIisY6oKdn_8stjBrCOiAmRp6Lli_51pd4uzPcefyNDPzlK9T6vs2n5n7kUktHYclHxXnL1KNnPuiUFq7gjGvQpxXOdtwqZwR2XqEwLG50Z2rO5yuXBc/s1600/Estancia+Los+Pinos_021113_6613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQPZAdiDth6PfFnac5qcpNFjYIisY6oKdn_8stjBrCOiAmRp6Lli_51pd4uzPcefyNDPzlK9T6vs2n5n7kUktHYclHxXnL1KNnPuiUFq7gjGvQpxXOdtwqZwR2XqEwLG50Z2rO5yuXBc/s320/Estancia+Los+Pinos_021113_6613.JPG" width="240" /></a>My friend Gerardo. We studied together in graduate school in Bs.As.,Argentina some 40 plus years ago.</div>
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Gerardo’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>peon,
Aniceto gets $10,000 pesos Argentinos a month (currently about 5 pesos to the
U.S. dollar.) Of that 10,000, medical insurance, retirement,etc. takes a big
chunk leaving Aniceto with about $4,300 Argentine pesos a month as ‘take home
pay’. That means he gets a little over $200.00 (U.S.) a month to live on. Not
much. Minimum wage in Argentina is $2,800 pesos a month (U.S. $140.00).</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-8439241221951457452013-02-04T06:04:00.002-08:002013-02-04T06:04:12.725-08:00A DAY ON THE ESTANCIA HERBERTON, TIERRA DEL FUEGOA DAY ON THE FARM-the Estancia in Patagonia/ Tierra del Fuego Feb. 2013 After having reached ‘the end of the road’ I had an opportunity to visit one of the most notable Estancias in Patagonia/ Tierra del Fuego. The expansive sky mirrors the expansive territory that this Estancia encompasses. Nothing is small down here, everything is big and the distances are hard to comprehend. Take for example this Estancia. I can’t get my head around an Estancia that encompasses as far as the eye can see- from the distant mountains to all the islands in the Beagle Channel. We’re talking about 250,000 hectarias (500,000 plus acres). The story of Harberton, the name of this Estancia, begins with Thomas Bridges an abandoned baby found under a bridge in Bristol, England about 1845. He had embroidered on his clothes a “T” therefore Thomas Bridges. He was adopted by an Anglican minister and in a short time (1856) he moved with his family to the Malvinas Islands (Falklands) . Within 3 years some missionaries were sent from the Malvinas to the area around Ushuaia and were all killed during the first religious ceremony they had but the local inhabitants called Yamanas. In 1859 he set out as a very young man and landed in Ushuaia. Soon thereafter he established the Estancia. Since he had grown up speaking the ´Yamana language he was the first white man to live and establish residency in Patagonia. He was accepted by the locals. One of his most outstanding legacies was to create a ´Yamana dictionary of 35,000 words. This work still stands as the only definitive and authorative source for information on this language. He was the first to introduce sheep in the area and also the vaccination of cows. Further information can be found in the wonderful book called “The Uttermost part of the Earth”. I read that book some 25 years ago and so, being in the area, I had to visit and see the Estancia. A number of interesting items can be found on the Estancia including whale bones, animal skins, sheep shearing equipment and of course the introduction of ‘modern technology’ from England in the late 1800’s. For example, the main houses were the first pre-fabricated houses in the Patagonia and beyond. The houses were built in England and each piece was numbered, the house dismantled and shipped to the Estancia where it was re-built. Local indigenous people who had been taught carpentry helped with the construction. They now wore clothing (previously, as noted by Darwin, the indigenous people wore no clothing, only wrapped in Guanaco skins and living a migratory life style hunting and fishing.) (Darwin called the people savages and cannibals. Bridges set out to change the world’s opinion by showing a different side of the culture). Here are some photos of the Estancia as it currently exists. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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A DAY ON THE FARM-the Estancia in Patagonia/ Tierra del
Fuego<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feb. 2013</div>
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After having reached ‘the end of the road’ I had an
opportunity to visit one of the most notable Estancias in Patagonia/ Tierra del
Fuego. The expansive sky mirrors the expansive territory that this Estancia
encompasses. Nothing is small down here, everything is big and the distances
are hard to comprehend. Take for example this Estancia. I can’t get my head
around an Estancia that encompasses as far as the eye can see- from the distant
mountains to all the islands in the Beagle Channel. We’re talking about 250,000
hectarias (500,000 plus acres).</div>
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The story of Harberton, the name of this Estancia, begins
with Thomas Bridges an abandoned baby found under a bridge in Bristol, England
about 1845. He had embroidered on his clothes a “T” therefore Thomas Bridges.
He was adopted by an Anglican minister and in a short time (1856) he moved with
his family to the Malvinas Islands (Falklands) . Within 3 years some
missionaries were sent from the Malvinas to the area around Ushuaia and were
all killed during the first religious ceremony they had but the local
inhabitants called Yamanas.</div>
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In 1859 he set out as a very young man and landed in
Ushuaia. Soon thereafter he established the Estancia. Since he had grown up
speaking the ´Yamana language he was the first white man to live and establish
residency in Patagonia. He was accepted by the locals.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his most
outstanding legacies was to create a ´Yamana dictionary of 35,000 words. This
work still stands as the only definitive and authorative source for information
on this language.</div>
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He was the first to introduce sheep in the area and also the
vaccination of cows. Further information can be found in the wonderful book
called “The Uttermost part of the Earth”. I read that book some 25 years ago
and so, being in the area, I had to visit and see the Estancia.</div>
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A number of interesting items can be found on the Estancia
including whale bones, animal skins, sheep shearing equipment and of course the
introduction of ‘modern technology’ from England in the late 1800’s. For
example, the main houses were the first pre-fabricated houses in the Patagonia
and beyond. The houses were built in England and each piece was numbered, the
house dismantled and shipped to the Estancia where it was re-built. Local
indigenous people who had been taught carpentry helped with the construction.
They now wore clothing (previously, as noted by Darwin, the indigenous people
wore no clothing, only wrapped in Guanaco skins and living a migratory life
style hunting and fishing.) (Darwin called the people savages and cannibals.
Bridges set out to change the world’s opinion by showing a different side of
the culture).</div>
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Here are some photos of the Estancia as it currently exists.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNsXxiYaOgi1eltwd7oMUprDYVcY9wlKhhRH1Xkb3ihOfZjymRI9Q0e6rUtEMvz8m6p5EjHcIqPT_qhqYQXulOhtzPF6_NUL8xaruJXyFJj4nsx80QZ0fs9Vb_Miwl73KldB8TZCJ5pg/s1600/2013Jan27_6093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNsXxiYaOgi1eltwd7oMUprDYVcY9wlKhhRH1Xkb3ihOfZjymRI9Q0e6rUtEMvz8m6p5EjHcIqPT_qhqYQXulOhtzPF6_NUL8xaruJXyFJj4nsx80QZ0fs9Vb_Miwl73KldB8TZCJ5pg/s400/2013Jan27_6093.JPG" width="400" /></a>The garden with seasonal flowers, strawberries, lettuce and other veggies you'd find in a northwest garden in summer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjux_ZeNkS_SH5_ewRgP0pTWq899EBPtNtPPHTnq7g-naW9LLq0-qY9bdQUHssrq4MTjJm-irwgDCLWlIR1MYMWAfQnIcxF172Gk7A6RoSjkTRk9cTd2g6O1tC_dERVTkSAyPgoLkQFqH8/s1600/2013Jan27_6096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjux_ZeNkS_SH5_ewRgP0pTWq899EBPtNtPPHTnq7g-naW9LLq0-qY9bdQUHssrq4MTjJm-irwgDCLWlIR1MYMWAfQnIcxF172Gk7A6RoSjkTRk9cTd2g6O1tC_dERVTkSAyPgoLkQFqH8/s320/2013Jan27_6096.JPG" width="320" /></a>The pre-fab house built in England, taken apart and shipped with numbered pieces. Pretty good for the 1870's.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh00KrE83UtD0shuK_Ok0Ya-tUVAC_mon6iS3Uvn52E8N6VtG5c_Iw7LMNk_bCbZct12cURK9zCaaQ0w5njLgKd-PI_UnHN94UF4SQo2r_hrd-k7vJD6AWAd6s1Q3o1XRFaCJza-ycK5I/s1600/2013Jan27_6099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh00KrE83UtD0shuK_Ok0Ya-tUVAC_mon6iS3Uvn52E8N6VtG5c_Iw7LMNk_bCbZct12cURK9zCaaQ0w5njLgKd-PI_UnHN94UF4SQo2r_hrd-k7vJD6AWAd6s1Q3o1XRFaCJza-ycK5I/s320/2013Jan27_6099.JPG" width="240" /></a>A boat built by one of the sons and a Condor with a 9' wingspan in the barn at the farm.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L6NUtftnCUzudQKjaULY2XXH9PERKJc7CAG_tsMiRQZ30iXpnD2jLnZ4q_x2vm5bWXlUDza1DgdrI_WADR_PzJmfi-4MYA_VZbonizFwXy95wTKCjLp1jIy_cPc1Ym3QiiPMwgNemtQ/s1600/2013Jan27_6108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L6NUtftnCUzudQKjaULY2XXH9PERKJc7CAG_tsMiRQZ30iXpnD2jLnZ4q_x2vm5bWXlUDza1DgdrI_WADR_PzJmfi-4MYA_VZbonizFwXy95wTKCjLp1jIy_cPc1Ym3QiiPMwgNemtQ/s320/2013Jan27_6108.JPG" width="320" /></a>A view up the hill.Many outbuildings for a flourishing farm of yesteryear.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5-XoUrgbJiBiDCRj2ELMnlA4qgDherqv_89dAvgqVXjX016nAFImXWQJjmeueOQvnM2fZHxzoLKhjuaRMZ1VhMZs1DESC-M8m4gxQsgZJaE5ZZuEQou6HxnmomD8cKolSWsC3Utbkgo/s1600/2013Jan27_6107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5-XoUrgbJiBiDCRj2ELMnlA4qgDherqv_89dAvgqVXjX016nAFImXWQJjmeueOQvnM2fZHxzoLKhjuaRMZ1VhMZs1DESC-M8m4gxQsgZJaE5ZZuEQou6HxnmomD8cKolSWsC3Utbkgo/s320/2013Jan27_6107.JPG" width="240" /></a>Wood is the prime source for heating. You can never have enough though it is very plentiful . This pile was about 12' high.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGumskPFhT_-RxkX21VTDnXG98u0qUXCcKRshcmddVh4kDKRpFZawDLI5jbhwHvYVIZ3nBJ_z8Hzix5EfqI4Ysq5T8R35ojo5RwWP3_TRl_d4Q9y1hbp2oNMmJayX-wdbq5TwqVNeo6U/s1600/2013Jan27_6111.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGumskPFhT_-RxkX21VTDnXG98u0qUXCcKRshcmddVh4kDKRpFZawDLI5jbhwHvYVIZ3nBJ_z8Hzix5EfqI4Ysq5T8R35ojo5RwWP3_TRl_d4Q9y1hbp2oNMmJayX-wdbq5TwqVNeo6U/s400/2013Jan27_6111.JPG" width="400" /></a>A view looking down on the harbor. Although there is a road (85 kms.of dusty road) it is sometimes easier to avoid the mountain pass (had snow on it last week) by taking the launch through the Beagle Straits to Ushuaia.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0s-_UpzY6iwGO0jy7sJSaJmW4FbhJ6k9vypRHCDxLX2LpjrxTmFpa23UysZ7_BP_mO7FFmjBJK1EQC7ONKeLDtURfXXO7LCzoo6k6P79YIgQBrYm5UdS7rAYyTEQGHSR1xjnjf8Q0gE/s1600/2013Jan28_Estanciaof+Harburton,Tierra+del+Fuego_6086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0s-_UpzY6iwGO0jy7sJSaJmW4FbhJ6k9vypRHCDxLX2LpjrxTmFpa23UysZ7_BP_mO7FFmjBJK1EQC7ONKeLDtURfXXO7LCzoo6k6P79YIgQBrYm5UdS7rAYyTEQGHSR1xjnjf8Q0gE/s320/2013Jan28_Estanciaof+Harburton,Tierra+del+Fuego_6086.JPG" width="213" /></a>The walk way between the main house and the barn and other storage buildings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtZYYO5FSRek-FPmbbgYz5DcHE_iyYxAteFnnBOAErS6S_1jNPlvf2y3R-SmJUtHk86u7w06vwKkU7yD_Sn9-PuWEIqra_yzo6SuvqkSNUQjnqP8ShiePzpzoo3T3GnEGxRu2PJTNGis/s1600/2013Jan26_6136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtZYYO5FSRek-FPmbbgYz5DcHE_iyYxAteFnnBOAErS6S_1jNPlvf2y3R-SmJUtHk86u7w06vwKkU7yD_Sn9-PuWEIqra_yzo6SuvqkSNUQjnqP8ShiePzpzoo3T3GnEGxRu2PJTNGis/s400/2013Jan26_6136.JPG" width="400" /></a>you never know what you'll find down south.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6MSd7OR99IffJ5ca_NQ3Ih9vesgOjGYOXFtqqSezwS-ZK6LUXiVulhvUDynt7akMIiOzrYwnv_IAiB7AQ7FHVd8k7zqL5ldxtZXSSeJZhAt8tqqrj8R7qFSAeF1QZo0sOMUs4xSulI0/s1600/2013Jan27_6117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6MSd7OR99IffJ5ca_NQ3Ih9vesgOjGYOXFtqqSezwS-ZK6LUXiVulhvUDynt7akMIiOzrYwnv_IAiB7AQ7FHVd8k7zqL5ldxtZXSSeJZhAt8tqqrj8R7qFSAeF1QZo0sOMUs4xSulI0/s400/2013Jan27_6117.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ5lEQlX7vw1lDt0fsSR-0qRydtc6TFRWwrIEFuH3EC6brbE1iwFj8HiYM2vzm7xmc29smqRPl3TyH9rjbF0N-LJzaGxhlY-SofxyMlTYn-I-WlNWdHt_jiC0u-_-CxrjZXCtTV3U1vM/s1600/2013Jan28_Estanciaof+Harburton,Tierra+del+Fuego_6051.CR2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ5lEQlX7vw1lDt0fsSR-0qRydtc6TFRWwrIEFuH3EC6brbE1iwFj8HiYM2vzm7xmc29smqRPl3TyH9rjbF0N-LJzaGxhlY-SofxyMlTYn-I-WlNWdHt_jiC0u-_-CxrjZXCtTV3U1vM/s400/2013Jan28_Estanciaof+Harburton,Tierra+del+Fuego_6051.CR2" width="400" /></a>The wind shapes the landscape.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-30890880492424727932013-01-31T12:41:00.000-08:002013-01-31T12:41:14.882-08:00THE FINAL PUSH -JAN. 26th THE END OF THE ROAD<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The FINAL PUSH- today, January 26, I make it to the end of
the road !</div>
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I connected up with an Italian guy Franz, yesterday afternoon. We
were both headed into a town called Rio Grande and searching for a Hostal. A town along the eastern shore of Tierra del Fuego that is dedicated to 'black gold'.(oil) Lots of young people come looking and getting work in a far off place and try to save their money for their dreams. So different that late teens, early 20's in many a community in the states. These kids work, save and then establish themselves back where it counts. Some stay and start families. It is the immigrant story happening around the world quietly.<br />
We
shared a bedroom and a meal together. He comes over and rides around south
America for 3 months a year. He leaves the bike in different places rather than
ship it back and forth.</div>
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Franz and I set off at 9
AM from Rio Grande heading toward Ushuaia, the southern most city in the world.
Amazing that the wind wasn’t blowing. Amazing that as we skirted the famous
Straits of Megellan, the water was as calm as a Sunday morning on Puget Sound
when it is quiet and still.</div>
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Thankful that no appreciable rain was forecast we headed
south. Smoke on isolated farm buildings was circling straight up, not going
sideways as it normally does. The sun shown and the mountains that loomed up in
front were freshly dusted with summer snow. Guanacos chewed grass in the
fields, sheep and cows intermingled. A very peaceful sight. Could I trust it to
continue in this unpredictable environment where four seasons can happen in a
day?</div>
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Circling through the mountains we then caught sight of
Beagle Cannel ,named after the pet dog that accompanied Darwin on his famous
exploration trip.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since it was still
mid day we decided to go to the end of the road, as far south as one can drive.
We paid a price to do so. Once again buses loaded with tourists coated us and
our bikes with a fine dust.</div>
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Arriving at the end of the road was a muffled emotional
experience. I would have preferred to arrive early in the morning. To have had
time to feel the breadth and depth of emotion that might have emerged. I choked
up as a flood of feelings still came.The force of exertion I put out and all
the other unexplainable feelings that have emerged on the trip. 26,000 km
(16,000 miles so far) </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, we
were circled by busloads of German tourists who wanted photos of us and our
bikes. All well and good. Not the quiet time alone to reflect and ponder on 5
months of travel.</div>
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Now another task looms as I reconstitute. I made the journey
to the end of the road. Now what? Is it all downhill from here? Is it just a
matter of returning home, the goal having been met? Does meaning come from
choosing another goal? I don’t want to wander aimlessly (where does the value
of being/not being aimless come from?)<br />
I'm still swimming in this and enjoying a couchsurfing experience in Ushuaia.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZb70oohvndclW6SaccfqasYkyejjpAMBQB2_HVqxuhyphenhyphenXXuUhyOhAPTH4Px8tYn8-yXtrLDXxoU86bgCfgIL1fKZrWC7H0uctJym6Lp9HL5hsLHrna_3F61QZvswXdmTXZxFI6kyBm1g/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZb70oohvndclW6SaccfqasYkyejjpAMBQB2_HVqxuhyphenhyphenXXuUhyOhAPTH4Px8tYn8-yXtrLDXxoU86bgCfgIL1fKZrWC7H0uctJym6Lp9HL5hsLHrna_3F61QZvswXdmTXZxFI6kyBm1g/s400/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5909.JPG" width="400" /></a>The entrance to Ushuaia, a town that has grown quickly and without much (if any thought) as to how they want to constitute themselves and be seen by the world. It reminds me of many a 'boom town'.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2633_9RyY0xt6mLWMtCgnJjdNi45pmdZXnx0h5umUifdWfzf9i_ydQEjNzWbLzX_2n1fWErK1ftHg6Yl9edFLy5NZUUFextoECxUQRXe0jgc_CL8adambDXQFq8FoZ606AtUSPY9izYs/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2633_9RyY0xt6mLWMtCgnJjdNi45pmdZXnx0h5umUifdWfzf9i_ydQEjNzWbLzX_2n1fWErK1ftHg6Yl9edFLy5NZUUFextoECxUQRXe0jgc_CL8adambDXQFq8FoZ606AtUSPY9izYs/s640/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5913.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The 'end of the road'. You can't go any further south than this. I find it interesting that I have logged over 16,000 miles from Vashon and the sign says 17,848 kms from Alaska to Ushuaia. If you remember your math, you'll recall a km is .62 of a mile. I think they used straight lines from south to north and not how the roads run.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9DmOUOkvGuxhRUm9H8ub5y4cE19K8a0xj1BZWJSWPEqms6IUrptWU7l4AG8u-iRRL8C3ETo1U9jClAiM_ESwLnWykw45TcCXrJxI4lGKIz1ZPWEDcAyrlhoYP6NzqDboQbNvvZl9C6k/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9DmOUOkvGuxhRUm9H8ub5y4cE19K8a0xj1BZWJSWPEqms6IUrptWU7l4AG8u-iRRL8C3ETo1U9jClAiM_ESwLnWykw45TcCXrJxI4lGKIz1ZPWEDcAyrlhoYP6NzqDboQbNvvZl9C6k/s320/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5925.JPG" width="320" /></a>Many a gawking tourist wanted photos.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7xpkm7eqfhjUjq61QNmZLtUELgfx_YQ7pbz9QHualGIok6XdOHlHHrn_kg6omLqJe5OQCDlmZgCZgGpw0VmsEh178-02iUFWgw3cPvGeY16ian8leyhTUKwOmBHRy9tbu7Ia8zeXnm4/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7xpkm7eqfhjUjq61QNmZLtUELgfx_YQ7pbz9QHualGIok6XdOHlHHrn_kg6omLqJe5OQCDlmZgCZgGpw0VmsEh178-02iUFWgw3cPvGeY16ian8leyhTUKwOmBHRy9tbu7Ia8zeXnm4/s640/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5926.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
A sunny and happy afternoon albeit full of many emotions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBuePm0Tvog9Y1YOoDD25jDKd9ewO5Nsgk07MtDc_5fC2OjKhbiQf9In_az3uEf-Tb9uVV6LGgOaqjy20drptL0V887xxZNVXVWVMOdznm4OJUizSjRnm2omD6jG3oEkFJyZ_oJYt6Ho/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBuePm0Tvog9Y1YOoDD25jDKd9ewO5Nsgk07MtDc_5fC2OjKhbiQf9In_az3uEf-Tb9uVV6LGgOaqjy20drptL0V887xxZNVXVWVMOdznm4OJUizSjRnm2omD6jG3oEkFJyZ_oJYt6Ho/s320/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5929.JPG" width="240" /></a>My milage from satellite. When it isn't on it runs a direct line which means the road is even longer than what is shown.</div>
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The Pampa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3hmD-8JDJSZxLwRycJDuU6WF1y0SZf3mXJrP0G1VhR-TLJoB733T6oLFqHhprQIfzGNzTXGsaCVII_XPeI08Jf2wTOwQIw9uCxn64y3G_HrC-2SW4MG0t5OqfZyBeLWwlP-cM99JhRA/s1600/The+Pampas-wind+and+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3hmD-8JDJSZxLwRycJDuU6WF1y0SZf3mXJrP0G1VhR-TLJoB733T6oLFqHhprQIfzGNzTXGsaCVII_XPeI08Jf2wTOwQIw9uCxn64y3G_HrC-2SW4MG0t5OqfZyBeLWwlP-cM99JhRA/s640/The+Pampas-wind+and+light.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLt2JobaCqSCfBwuCwT7EpXkcL2SuUfR6T472olEV_XD7OKuu75Hat-YFamOY3t0qQm7kCZRAXwHcXCHwKKMtMfyQRISG1bUqHB2bKBtyhnoQFuVeTYGgG5SN9QqvYduUH_ET_N5UXqW0/s1600/2013Jan12_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLt2JobaCqSCfBwuCwT7EpXkcL2SuUfR6T472olEV_XD7OKuu75Hat-YFamOY3t0qQm7kCZRAXwHcXCHwKKMtMfyQRISG1bUqHB2bKBtyhnoQFuVeTYGgG5SN9QqvYduUH_ET_N5UXqW0/s320/2013Jan12_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5173.JPG" width="240" /></a>typical roadsign. Always long distances which require you carry extra gas cans.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4ivf1SKKNiD1hQ7vFMANZ9LIzx6-h8zXF1YtHfD9182MlJlohU5-qiwQ93OWkh5zfc2pzjz0psJAWfKoaHvjdLhdsiSHT2ZdR2Maw0IRNx4hEzP895x64MkT1lnZ0aoBJS_1pOMZC6U/s1600/2013Jan26_6140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4ivf1SKKNiD1hQ7vFMANZ9LIzx6-h8zXF1YtHfD9182MlJlohU5-qiwQ93OWkh5zfc2pzjz0psJAWfKoaHvjdLhdsiSHT2ZdR2Maw0IRNx4hEzP895x64MkT1lnZ0aoBJS_1pOMZC6U/s320/2013Jan26_6140.JPG" width="240" /></a>Another sign although not for roads but pointing to several beyond most peoples ability to get to these islands to the south of Ushuaia.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ3DrFmvTG5FZH3r0kDZbf3oUqRbT_9FghFPlPtzrbektYlxknJNEGp7MO4jT7rUyIAfhXYpmus-vhyGYVaXEFv9njFGWRjk_u0V-OSIqMuh7IvefAOKjevElSLUCtGdYc39N-jxjmZw/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ3DrFmvTG5FZH3r0kDZbf3oUqRbT_9FghFPlPtzrbektYlxknJNEGp7MO4jT7rUyIAfhXYpmus-vhyGYVaXEFv9njFGWRjk_u0V-OSIqMuh7IvefAOKjevElSLUCtGdYc39N-jxjmZw/s400/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5904.JPG" width="300" /></a>Franz, Italian friend adjusts his helmet camera for some shots on the moving road.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-29838855585484555432013-01-28T17:01:00.003-08:002013-01-28T17:01:46.394-08:00SOUTHERN PAMPAS- Jan. 25th<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Southern Pampas Jan 25<sup>th</sup></div>
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This morning I left Punta Arenas. Chile where I stayed with
Ivette for two days. Punta Arenas is an interesting collection of historic
buildings that show the opulence created by the Tierra del Fuego Exploration
Company toward the end of the last century. The buildings are immense, of
European architectural flavor and are found close to more modern versions of
someone’s home. Tin is used a lot here and much of it, though over 50 years old
and rusted still seems to hold up although sometimes flapping in the wind.</div>
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As I left town and headed off the pavement and back on to
dirt and gravel roads heading toward Argentina and Tierra del Fuego, the cold
and relentless winds whipped at my backsides. Off the southern Pacific Ocean
and noted for their ferocity, in this area there are no mountains to provide
shelter and the windswept pampa or grassland is subject to daily winds that can
reach over 100 miles an hour. They were not that strong as I fought to control
the motorcycle from the sudden gusts on top of the steady 60 mph wind. With
white knuckles from holding on tightly I’d sometimes stop in the lee of a rise
of land seeking a respite from the wind. Sometimes I couldn’t control the bike
at a stopstill as the winds blew stronger than I could retain the bike.</div>
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The big trucks coming in the opposite direction create a
blast of air that pushes you sideways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Always tricky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coming<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>around a sweeping
curve with the wind blowing from the side I lean strongly sideways to retain
control. I’m being forced sideways by the intensity of the wind only to find
myself closing in on a big truck coming toward me. I’m already too close to his
lane. I lean harder hoping not to lose control on the pavement and say
“shit,shit,shit” as I pray. Why am I here? What am I doing this for? Oh well,
too late to change anything right now. Let’s just get past this truck!</div>
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Long stretches of gravel road point in a direction and you
get use to the wind from that angle, then you have a long sweeping turn in
another direction and the wind is right on your nose. It is hard to make or
keep a steady speed while going into the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next comes another turn and all of a sudden the wind is at
your back and it is silent and with a 60 mile an hour wind at your back you
make fast progress with little effort.</div>
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The trip from Punta Arenas, Chile to Tierra del Fuego
involves taking a ferryboat from Chile mainland to Chile Tierra del Fuego. Been
here, done that. However when I approached the landing area (cement ramp down
to the sea) and saw the size of the waves, felt the strong wind blowing
sideways and wondered how was that Captain ever going to land that boat on the
beach. A couple of tries and a couple more and the front ramp of the boat
dropped and cars and trucks started disembarking quickly as the boat fought to
retain position again both waves crashing on its side and wind trying to push
it. Then we loaded. I was scared since the metal ramp was slippery and narrow
and the side wind was howling.’ Give it plenty of gas and power the bike up the
ramp and onto some semblance of safety’. That is what I told myself. I did it,
my anxiety dropping until we departed and I had to hold onto the motorcycle so
it wouldn’t fall over from the violent up and down wave action coupled with big
waves coming over the front and dousing me with salt water. Luckily I had my
helmet on so it was just like rain, but salt rain.</div>
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Getting off the ferry was easier and back on another 100 km
of dirt and gravel roads but this time with other vehicles that kick up plenty
of dust. I waited for about 15 minutes eating some old salami and yogurt to let
everyone race 100 km. to the border crossing into Argentina. Good choice. Not
so bad. Wind kept up, all alone, last one off the ferry.</div>
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To throw in a little spice to this road is to add piles of
gravel that mound up on either side creating tracks for the tires to run more
smoothly. It is OK as long as you are able to stay in the rut. When the wind
blows you into the mound of gravel you can easily loose control. Already
reduced to 25-30 mph for the next 100km you have to go slower on turns and when
the wind wants to send you across to the other side of the highway.
”Shit,shit,shit” my riding buddy Stan used to say as he would describe a hairy
road situation like this. White knuckle time again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAKw2eQyx5OZQip1lq48W0NmNNZtergbFIFtnjHfYm1NCLEZhOTvHdGozZcnusbJfkLP441aJuCrIi7Eptx1qaO5Map3yIASW-SdSyo9pyIZ-cCjZ7Y35Sx2DUalyl89Lu0M6bRL0Zf8/s1600/2013Jan22_At+Ivette's+house_5894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAKw2eQyx5OZQip1lq48W0NmNNZtergbFIFtnjHfYm1NCLEZhOTvHdGozZcnusbJfkLP441aJuCrIi7Eptx1qaO5Map3yIASW-SdSyo9pyIZ-cCjZ7Y35Sx2DUalyl89Lu0M6bRL0Zf8/s320/2013Jan22_At+Ivette's+house_5894.JPG" width="240" /></a>A bus stop out in the middle of no where to protect one against the wind.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPxR5TX7CT77NRbSoZhB31tgYG3uiFlebyQtpYdeKMLdecg-vHn5XFE7rjcPBhmI5pDpBmEwVEc6rUqiwTz5d2a3dIfFI270wmUK0adVZgGOYW9n3a-2Ew2Jqpcl0LLVk1n7kDMLg5EM/s1600/2013Jan24_At+Ivette's+house_5891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPxR5TX7CT77NRbSoZhB31tgYG3uiFlebyQtpYdeKMLdecg-vHn5XFE7rjcPBhmI5pDpBmEwVEc6rUqiwTz5d2a3dIfFI270wmUK0adVZgGOYW9n3a-2Ew2Jqpcl0LLVk1n7kDMLg5EM/s320/2013Jan24_At+Ivette's+house_5891.JPG" width="320" /></a> Ivette who was my host in Punta Arenas, Chile</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6ptGXBd-YXROj6g_DjLpf7iE0yitCGgGWB25gnL31YmqkEW3mH9MLPDz4kxQ-XwxJjOvlRQ43CyLzkPenxju1UtyyTNlrWsdWEn52ZFVGc0F8TKmhtzjIPEwoSpAqyAICAfVZtILRUg/s1600/2013Jan24_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6ptGXBd-YXROj6g_DjLpf7iE0yitCGgGWB25gnL31YmqkEW3mH9MLPDz4kxQ-XwxJjOvlRQ43CyLzkPenxju1UtyyTNlrWsdWEn52ZFVGc0F8TKmhtzjIPEwoSpAqyAICAfVZtILRUg/s320/2013Jan24_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5930.JPG" width="320" /></a>One of the typical farm compounds in the isolated and desolate pampa</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2Pp7mxl4l1ZNNHkqjLxMMEAATyfcrulMRyGIIFYWA_nAQ80f6UWYf4jEkpTDuWqWwlIsQzhoQTreJ7c1gnmHNtBd3U0u8Tomol0GIwm8VHI8KBsbEqCoSiqpAOFKkSZ62DXNRRDl6NY/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2Pp7mxl4l1ZNNHkqjLxMMEAATyfcrulMRyGIIFYWA_nAQ80f6UWYf4jEkpTDuWqWwlIsQzhoQTreJ7c1gnmHNtBd3U0u8Tomol0GIwm8VHI8KBsbEqCoSiqpAOFKkSZ62DXNRRDl6NY/s320/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5896.JPG" width="320" /></a>The Straits of Megallan was surprisingly calm like Puget sound on a quiet, windless morning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIwaSC0xeL2gjrqNy0t09TWTJDMZ6IzzxgbobzfAH1Q_sNbl_rFbW_-HwqAw10hAX4vn3MXmla4IcphroHGT62MKwRKN2h_joPE_kgFlbF_IDy07wezBkdRtcn-W9quFW-DBO5R3ur5w/s1600/2013Jan24_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIwaSC0xeL2gjrqNy0t09TWTJDMZ6IzzxgbobzfAH1Q_sNbl_rFbW_-HwqAw10hAX4vn3MXmla4IcphroHGT62MKwRKN2h_joPE_kgFlbF_IDy07wezBkdRtcn-W9quFW-DBO5R3ur5w/s320/2013Jan24_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5952.JPG" width="320" /></a>The ferry that took me from the mainland to Tierra del Fuego. Landing on the beach with cement as the ramp, the boat had lots of difficulty maintaining position to disembark and load. Big waves and strong wind didn't seem to bother the Captain or the crew.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTq7q9hyGj0lDU1I_iaExnsVSktLJM82J0ai_Bv9gFM46BZft9IgEGvzOgfFn8YPjK11fbihtz-94T4dSw00aK4jDCBoUG0h9_8aJRnE46CVS-e1q04uAdbNC29JQR4pryP8YsRNynrU4/s1600/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTq7q9hyGj0lDU1I_iaExnsVSktLJM82J0ai_Bv9gFM46BZft9IgEGvzOgfFn8YPjK11fbihtz-94T4dSw00aK4jDCBoUG0h9_8aJRnE46CVS-e1q04uAdbNC29JQR4pryP8YsRNynrU4/s320/2013Jan25_Rio+Grande+to+Ushuaia_5905.JPG" width="320" /></a>I'm I dreaming? Is this Washington or Tierra del Fuego?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3hmD-8JDJSZxLwRycJDuU6WF1y0SZf3mXJrP0G1VhR-TLJoB733T6oLFqHhprQIfzGNzTXGsaCVII_XPeI08Jf2wTOwQIw9uCxn64y3G_HrC-2SW4MG0t5OqfZyBeLWwlP-cM99JhRA/s1600/The+Pampas-wind+and+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3hmD-8JDJSZxLwRycJDuU6WF1y0SZf3mXJrP0G1VhR-TLJoB733T6oLFqHhprQIfzGNzTXGsaCVII_XPeI08Jf2wTOwQIw9uCxn64y3G_HrC-2SW4MG0t5OqfZyBeLWwlP-cM99JhRA/s320/The+Pampas-wind+and+light.jpg" width="320" /></a>The desolate and beautiful Pampa.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-49741987438338655202013-01-22T11:23:00.003-08:002013-01-22T11:23:23.635-08:00TORRES DEL PAINE, JAN. 21st<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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SOUTHERN CHILE-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perito Moreno Glacier and Torres del Paine<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jan. 16<sup>th</sup>-17<sup>th<o:p></o:p></sup></div>
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Sitting at 10:30 pm looking across a still reflective lake
at the famous Torres del Paine I am aware of the quietness, the late night
light, the quiet chatter around a distant campfire.</div>
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This is a lovely spot…and for free. Most everything is very
expensive here ( we just had a beer here for $5.00, 3 day park fee is $38.00.(One hour drive through is also $38.00) Gas is about $7.00 a gallon) We are isolated, everything is brought in .
Lettuce and tomatoes from northern Chile. Tropical fruits from who knows where.
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We’ve been hanging out in our special spot on Lago Azul for
three days. Naps, walks in the hills above the lake, dinnertime at dusk (11pm).
A real pleasure and a much needed respite from continuous travel. Tomorrow we
head toward Puerto Natales and further down toward the island of Tierra del
Fuego. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMRphsDjZqPLHRMY8PvDI8c6eTp_O-6kMHak-mExCpicqpg_c2qAKfL3dODKP-bO6sGRYk8_psPtcXtLY6Hh4SDXUS7mLN9ZA7llgodLw6JtBzUOxSzm8M1V6tOPheYN2WAFRuP7_t54/s1600/Torres+del+Paine+from+Lago+Azul_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMRphsDjZqPLHRMY8PvDI8c6eTp_O-6kMHak-mExCpicqpg_c2qAKfL3dODKP-bO6sGRYk8_psPtcXtLY6Hh4SDXUS7mLN9ZA7llgodLw6JtBzUOxSzm8M1V6tOPheYN2WAFRuP7_t54/s400/Torres+del+Paine+from+Lago+Azul_2.jpg" width="400" /></a>Our campsite on little used Lago Azul. We spent 3 nights and days just gazing at the lake and mountains.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Zos-HkkfaTfyevpfLzP0cxL0z2o771YQANaUbGCbTFYBZxmvnYye-PjlSMuCaJMgnHaHyPy8Ti5JQrpv_khR4Kzp4FB-iLp-Q4wzNBpnniet5W3Uo08mgx8q9MDu4NRWCV8mpVX7gSI/s1600/Torres+del+Paine+from+Lago+Azul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Zos-HkkfaTfyevpfLzP0cxL0z2o771YQANaUbGCbTFYBZxmvnYye-PjlSMuCaJMgnHaHyPy8Ti5JQrpv_khR4Kzp4FB-iLp-Q4wzNBpnniet5W3Uo08mgx8q9MDu4NRWCV8mpVX7gSI/s400/Torres+del+Paine+from+Lago+Azul.jpg" width="400" /></a>Another view of the Torres.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS24zdckBMFpdi9AjmY42mCRHZGHPaJSOMdFnvyCdYX4OBpYF6HvMqFSNPlm5TQpaxTdPcLlr17WM2mxYuQal7NgiZVvlQMtODuJx6vp_93WyNWN57MlhNrD9oKNrOcfnKyGkgNUycpA/s1600/Torres+del+Paine+from+Lago+Azul_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS24zdckBMFpdi9AjmY42mCRHZGHPaJSOMdFnvyCdYX4OBpYF6HvMqFSNPlm5TQpaxTdPcLlr17WM2mxYuQal7NgiZVvlQMtODuJx6vp_93WyNWN57MlhNrD9oKNrOcfnKyGkgNUycpA/s400/Torres+del+Paine+from+Lago+Azul_1.jpg" width="400" /></a>The remnants of an old dock on the lake. Only manmade evidence of former times. No lights other than the stars.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk86SoK0TXD21qgfNLQP7-bg0v1dMJ_Y_qC4trQjSV21SPa0ZxP5BmozAzNmi2JHOICZkKEQwGiRPTkad18ny0NI3gte3lZa79WLNVfY4KyV5GZIv9qrYxVWRSRicaYDSJEhXqw4u975I/s1600/2013Jan20_Toward+Puerto+Natales+from+Lago+Azul_5855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk86SoK0TXD21qgfNLQP7-bg0v1dMJ_Y_qC4trQjSV21SPa0ZxP5BmozAzNmi2JHOICZkKEQwGiRPTkad18ny0NI3gte3lZa79WLNVfY4KyV5GZIv9qrYxVWRSRicaYDSJEhXqw4u975I/s400/2013Jan20_Toward+Puerto+Natales+from+Lago+Azul_5855.JPG" width="400" /></a>As I rode out of the park the views from different locations change the perspective. It is quite a place!</div>
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I am tired. I’d like not to be packing up every day or two.
I feel psychically drained and need to re-invigorate myself with doing nothing
or staying in a nice place and just going for walks. I am close to Ushuaia
which in most people’s minds is the end of the road. Most motorcyclists return
from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires and ship their bikes back home-be it to Europe or
the States. Since I still have a good half years my intention is to turn
northward from Ushuaia and visit a friend on his large Estancia and settle in
for some serious cowboy (gaucho) time riding the range, eating lamb over an
open fire, drinking maté and learning a bit about gaucho lore. It is very strong
here, and very much alive, unlike American cowboy lore which has faded with
history.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLXFmVHLN21Z1aOFwmk4sbEMNjFaOfDgMSCj8A4gcSk1sWHibhz7XBlmFFqq39LHf3He4B4f2nAWZqeV2X8qxhyphenhyphenCffa46lSefv2Nqbcw0aQH2dvGTWLVLe20SzVanNDHoKZWX9_YenDM/s1600/2013Jan14_Enter+custom+name+hereChalten+to+Calafate_5380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLXFmVHLN21Z1aOFwmk4sbEMNjFaOfDgMSCj8A4gcSk1sWHibhz7XBlmFFqq39LHf3He4B4f2nAWZqeV2X8qxhyphenhyphenCffa46lSefv2Nqbcw0aQH2dvGTWLVLe20SzVanNDHoKZWX9_YenDM/s640/2013Jan14_Enter+custom+name+hereChalten+to+Calafate_5380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
This is Chalten, half a days drive further north from Torres del Peine. The picture above and below are from Perito Moreno and Glaciers National Park.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31nDUinzjdK49HXZNmTuxn2LIjZbqY44JXLsCbAu3uYO53WlhQ_X4QDOSq32baN9jjSvouCK1B5f8r-bX64jKSFRZRmveX-g2lsClZkVT70tGEsY9ZQDTlJXwiNNQq999GJAYajm81rI/s1600/calafate_glacier_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31nDUinzjdK49HXZNmTuxn2LIjZbqY44JXLsCbAu3uYO53WlhQ_X4QDOSq32baN9jjSvouCK1B5f8r-bX64jKSFRZRmveX-g2lsClZkVT70tGEsY9ZQDTlJXwiNNQq999GJAYajm81rI/s640/calafate_glacier_1.jpg" width="640" /></a>You can get quite close and when the calving starts it is a shaking experience. These ice pieces are 150 feet tall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57XiUL7NlTqY4H_YAOjkSFLS1SymKAAaewPTBJZ2LGR0SCIhWI1TbNzx2gQdBmw_wuRG0NfnccRJA1IEeWqiLRNyD9IYnMDLUOiPtfQS0y9ZvHmR4VynMCbPsKVqe4xFhZYoyq2JGNT8/s1600/2013Jan14_Enter+custom+name+hereChalten+to+Calafate_5373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57XiUL7NlTqY4H_YAOjkSFLS1SymKAAaewPTBJZ2LGR0SCIhWI1TbNzx2gQdBmw_wuRG0NfnccRJA1IEeWqiLRNyD9IYnMDLUOiPtfQS0y9ZvHmR4VynMCbPsKVqe4xFhZYoyq2JGNT8/s320/2013Jan14_Enter+custom+name+hereChalten+to+Calafate_5373.JPG" width="320" /></a>Mountains everywhere as you skim down the spine of the Andes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoeyFyQo4eubK9Wf8I4lvlHe99pK0UMrIHJlcjgqqzazTAWsNch2qkbXSXrMi2R4jMHWheJlRg0bz4bTAbwjgBJD3RB9Ng9xyF_EcWJWoCQ4M_Cp9AEw6gZob9yGStAjTEeM_dOGXHUI/s1600/calafate_glacier_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoeyFyQo4eubK9Wf8I4lvlHe99pK0UMrIHJlcjgqqzazTAWsNch2qkbXSXrMi2R4jMHWheJlRg0bz4bTAbwjgBJD3RB9Ng9xyF_EcWJWoCQ4M_Cp9AEw6gZob9yGStAjTEeM_dOGXHUI/s640/calafate_glacier_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Everything here has a tilt. Not just the jagged peaks but the buildings. I can't tell if it is because of the strong winds that come off of the southern Pacific oceans intermingling with the 1000's of Islands or passing over the Andes and descending onto the plains. It seems built into the architecture. Some would call it sloppy workmanship. Others would say they are doing the best they can with limited and expensive supplies, in either case the mark of early immigrants can bee seen everywhere. The Welsh, Croat and northern Europeans who came here slightly over 100 years ago left an indelible mark.Evidence of even earlier settlements extend back 10,000 years.<br />
Nature rules though. The roads remain unpaved except in towns and travel is slowed by strong side winds.<br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-45075936271311309832013-01-21T14:15:00.000-08:002013-01-21T14:15:20.074-08:00TIME PASSES-even when you're having fun and without internet connection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5muZbhdGT4FOhpIaVyQk0xAdtK9BpYJg4CniUf3BcYwqcn6E8-EODAzrNBORxaMoV8B5OWZgY2C4mEEirS47bUv5y6j1X4n-xJx74A6C9CGA3OuL3p1l3usjTpHSr0Cugh8aOqcEo78/s1600/2013Jan11_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5muZbhdGT4FOhpIaVyQk0xAdtK9BpYJg4CniUf3BcYwqcn6E8-EODAzrNBORxaMoV8B5OWZgY2C4mEEirS47bUv5y6j1X4n-xJx74A6C9CGA3OuL3p1l3usjTpHSr0Cugh8aOqcEo78/s320/2013Jan11_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5188.JPG" width="240" /></a> A roadside site of adoration of "Gaucho Gil"a farmworker in the 1870's who fell in love with a wealthy widow and when her brother's found out about the affair, tried to kill him. He "escaped" into the army and fought against the Paraguayans then returned to be captured, tortured and upon his final breath swore that the killers son would die if he killed Gaucho Gil. He did and upon returning home found his son deathly sick and asked the spirit of Gaucho Gil to save his son, which he did. And so, even beoyind the grave, the forgiving spirit of Gaucho Gil lives on in popular culture. This is for real.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsZqohqkmqoZkyPvmtCU4UtmIPcqhjOhXulRfIfdT_YP2Bosac7E_YhHL7uOHZ-WKpOZ6NWcZuaPBna30Ca2d1jXKDLj9XCYjfG9DRMd9eyRalPom6Knp664weqls_N1j5G1F-ldRw5w/s1600/2013Jan12_Enter+custom+name+hereChalten+to+Calafate_5399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsZqohqkmqoZkyPvmtCU4UtmIPcqhjOhXulRfIfdT_YP2Bosac7E_YhHL7uOHZ-WKpOZ6NWcZuaPBna30Ca2d1jXKDLj9XCYjfG9DRMd9eyRalPom6Knp664weqls_N1j5G1F-ldRw5w/s320/2013Jan12_Enter+custom+name+hereChalten+to+Calafate_5399.JPG" width="213" /></a>Another roadside adoration site in Chile to San Sebastian . Lots of truckers, bus drivers, people of the road stop for a moment of reflection and request. What do we do in the U.S.?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IC6QSloTEyDLUzfMmbtyUJI9e8H3J-dBI9ey7eb574zn3KY4dHy0HjAVyc0Vo52uCX4D40uRMakE09QHL5DmIUngIF2TWX1lo3QrVZOsdRm6bwmtLgX7oyVE5kihDPsWYaeg1hg-DUo/s1600/2013Jan12_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IC6QSloTEyDLUzfMmbtyUJI9e8H3J-dBI9ey7eb574zn3KY4dHy0HjAVyc0Vo52uCX4D40uRMakE09QHL5DmIUngIF2TWX1lo3QrVZOsdRm6bwmtLgX7oyVE5kihDPsWYaeg1hg-DUo/s320/2013Jan12_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5173.JPG" width="240" /></a> A typical sign on Ruta 40, the fabled kin of the U.S. Route 66 pointing out long distances with little in between. Gas and filling up isn't determined by your gas milage gauge (I don't have one), it is determined by WHEN and WHERE gas is even available. That is why on this and on other rural routes, people carry extra gas 'cause it don't exist' out here.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwALy4IPf_ljzicmEVlm-luGKL02WlaVnMshS_P_qwcPOyOWW3MqbKWT9UJo_z3FIdG6W3pbYHsXyJyoASDHmRnG1IivmcqmN10CcTRbcW1qDfl63FQMmQ0fCnYVJQbp1FUrPekyJCkLE/s1600/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwALy4IPf_ljzicmEVlm-luGKL02WlaVnMshS_P_qwcPOyOWW3MqbKWT9UJo_z3FIdG6W3pbYHsXyJyoASDHmRnG1IivmcqmN10CcTRbcW1qDfl63FQMmQ0fCnYVJQbp1FUrPekyJCkLE/s320/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5103.JPG" width="320" /></a> Once again, in long deserted stretches of Ruta 40 the road conditions change dramatically and rapidly. From asphalt to gravel then hundreds of miles of gravel with different characteristics depending on the weather and composition of the subsoil. In this case the gravel had built up into a loosely composed pile and if you got 'outa da rut', you'd be in deep shit. Needless to say, another truck came by within an hour and helped me up. This is where the aloneness kicks in and I scramble to regain equilibrium(psychologically) (I can't regain equilibrium on the road since the bike is down). I've learned a lot about how to try and ride in these conditions but it remains a charged endeavor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcG_5glR-AYIlt_fE0HFak-2nToYJaK9Z79kP2bmhKMhvUFWXXkkO_tX_ybAULa6X_EPNVTzQvyxcL3Myr-4aZ1tk8i6X3-LYrTaFO3e5Jzr3LQm0xKhXqzKPM8ix60FCYkQhkcs59KxU/s1600/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcG_5glR-AYIlt_fE0HFak-2nToYJaK9Z79kP2bmhKMhvUFWXXkkO_tX_ybAULa6X_EPNVTzQvyxcL3Myr-4aZ1tk8i6X3-LYrTaFO3e5Jzr3LQm0xKhXqzKPM8ix60FCYkQhkcs59KxU/s320/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5108.JPG" width="240" /></a>Well, how long had I been traveling with this nail in my tire? Was I going 75 mph on the asphalt section and 20 on the gravel section and for how long? Was the nail all the way through the tire or embedded in the outside? Did I dare try and fix it out in the middle of nowhere or keep going on until I arrived at a town where I might get some back up help if I can't fix it myself? I chose the latter since I wasn't loosing air pressure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnC1FGz05UOSEDQPaDjcUJyKhqcDBvwzXMmRJqg-BXgE73iSCPEj9XvyQEYesx37KVT80ldJzdcmSuESdM-CEcriiKt_T0Rw_aBQg_fwuD2m59VqaTTot1fdZ-iUbXCnoP2Y3V7l2wNU/s1600/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnC1FGz05UOSEDQPaDjcUJyKhqcDBvwzXMmRJqg-BXgE73iSCPEj9XvyQEYesx37KVT80ldJzdcmSuESdM-CEcriiKt_T0Rw_aBQg_fwuD2m59VqaTTot1fdZ-iUbXCnoP2Y3V7l2wNU/s320/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6UmrDdBHTfJc4EnBFbkZMr9PwYGyrtubTHvNz-B4EBA4qLR7OPgmj-wP2wTJvHqDPLHVRDFX2288YsGjOOD6K0iDXe3OqCbf_YBuYrYEJBtRJGbLfpWvLwGdItPHpXE-UVVS4Pg4z2c/s1600/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6UmrDdBHTfJc4EnBFbkZMr9PwYGyrtubTHvNz-B4EBA4qLR7OPgmj-wP2wTJvHqDPLHVRDFX2288YsGjOOD6K0iDXe3OqCbf_YBuYrYEJBtRJGbLfpWvLwGdItPHpXE-UVVS4Pg4z2c/s320/2013Jan13_Gauchito+and+Tranquilo+to+ChaltenMt.+Fitzroy_5112.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXHhc6X4S0l1UPbE7Wa92LtpA27e9YOssiQ0wosEDhWWtfM3OJ6dCu0S3mqUY7GnATIaP5WtFGGDHQnN_ZsgZ7HlXjlFpbY0_6xsujPTYaJESYDFJ6MqloAnUsQTJ08k9gOfG7Ke_SIU/s1600/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXHhc6X4S0l1UPbE7Wa92LtpA27e9YOssiQ0wosEDhWWtfM3OJ6dCu0S3mqUY7GnATIaP5WtFGGDHQnN_ZsgZ7HlXjlFpbY0_6xsujPTYaJESYDFJ6MqloAnUsQTJ08k9gOfG7Ke_SIU/s320/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5311.JPG" width="320" /></a>Cooking over a communal fire in Chile where dinner doesn't even start until 11:00 or so. Fire tending is an art and not to be taken lightly.</div>
OK, In an attempt to get 'caught up" (what the hell does that mean?)I've had soo many new experiences I can't keep track of them. Of course that is one of the problems I've encountered in traveling- things get mixed up, dates, people, places and the 'markers' (to use my neurologist friends lingo) are weak and don't provide enough time or stability to help structure events in sequence. Not that it matters to anyone. So here are a few photos over the last week with lite comment.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-78668843335153926472013-01-21T12:59:00.000-08:002013-01-21T12:59:12.432-08:00ACROSS THE BORDER AND INTO ARGENTINA, Jan.14th<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Across the border to Argentina Jan 13<sup>th</sup>, 2013</div>
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Whoa, what a day… full of excitement as I left Puerto
Tranquilo on Lake General Carrera (as known to the Chileans- Lake Buenos Aires
as know to Argentines)… but in either case, the second largest lake in all of
South America. I left after a nice breakfast with Nellie on the lake and ahead
of any traffic hit the road by 7:30 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pure clarity but with dust when a car passed the other way. Not a
problem. I did the exit from Chile at the border and entered Argentina. I ran
into Randy and his wife at the customs office. On we went through the
procedure. They hadn’t prepayed the $160.00 it now costs to enter Argentina. I
had last night. While I proceeded through customs and importing my bike into
Argentina, they headed back to the closest town to get on line and pay their
entry fee. I was two hours ahead of them. The road was now paved as opposed to
dirt and rock and I sped ahead. Hitting 75 or 80 on new asphalt is wonderful. I
carried on until, once again the ‘ripio’ as gravel over dirt is know began to
interrupt the smooth trip but what the hell.That is what the trip is about.
Route 40 used to be all dirt and gravel and ran from the north to the south of
Argentina. It still does but as progress, progresses more and more is paved.
Mixed blessing. For those of us in search of a little ‘old school’ and
toughness, it is a shame… but if you lived here or as my sore butt chimes in,
we’d both love a little more pavement…especially after dumping the bike in
grooves of hard packed dirt with large piles of gravel to the side. Well I
wound up in the pile of gravel after surving several times, swearing that oh no
… here we go, watch out and I felt my foot get caught backwords under the side
of my bike then release only to suerve the other way and fall off. I quickly
got up unscathed other than for the dust but the bike I couldn’nt lift or move
so I waited for the next vehicle to come by. It did and lifted me up and I was,
once again on my way. I would rather be traveling with another rider to help
out in such circumstances but no other riders seen around .</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioTTfFymY269LDjCbfkedHjKUgSJPyU78rZWBwaGC8zOzjTYBrE8q3WnNvtJ4xXsALY_1LxhtpbX9D2JvSJ4K104bw3fm-qPd9BO5agGy0SLGId_vPIisEH9M6FAm1d_cHPyErN_3d-g/s1600/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioTTfFymY269LDjCbfkedHjKUgSJPyU78rZWBwaGC8zOzjTYBrE8q3WnNvtJ4xXsALY_1LxhtpbX9D2JvSJ4K104bw3fm-qPd9BO5agGy0SLGId_vPIisEH9M6FAm1d_cHPyErN_3d-g/s320/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5301.JPG" width="240" /></a>A camping site in Chalten with communal cooking over several open fires. Here is Randy, wife Cindy and new friend Stan, from the Netherlands.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bwxudC-1uK4YwPsUcEDbeuI-3xnuuKfl-rWsAu-ybtJGGB5zD_xVcVuvi90fujAvQSZk12QE88ksNIbH4qC1AiL96kOlbCmACx3qrEq9hKtwGX4AQW0ZObih95UkfRmlBlooMy2qYMY/s1600/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bwxudC-1uK4YwPsUcEDbeuI-3xnuuKfl-rWsAu-ybtJGGB5zD_xVcVuvi90fujAvQSZk12QE88ksNIbH4qC1AiL96kOlbCmACx3qrEq9hKtwGX4AQW0ZObih95UkfRmlBlooMy2qYMY/s320/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5296.JPG" width="240" /></a>"Over the top" is what I'd call this tent. Can you believe it? Randy and Cindy travel in comfort. I met Randy in Nazca, Peru and we traveled together to Santiago, Chile</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVVxFn1Q9EuDQS84yLlG1U3LXTLDP4vUTBNjAfh_31nBg8L3ztrZYGaN9-fjCvkZ67gQCN-Q-4zJkQ9_Pppcrlp_6V3excrM7kzk-6Zg1Dix7ik7epoaW6J-MBI6U8kUT7dlzCfHga-Y/s1600/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVVxFn1Q9EuDQS84yLlG1U3LXTLDP4vUTBNjAfh_31nBg8L3ztrZYGaN9-fjCvkZ67gQCN-Q-4zJkQ9_Pppcrlp_6V3excrM7kzk-6Zg1Dix7ik7epoaW6J-MBI6U8kUT7dlzCfHga-Y/s320/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5282.JPG" width="320" /></a>Cindy flew down to join Randy from Santiago, Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkV_P2eNobXX_zyM5juoyA1xs3B2JWDBa5L7Urkk8RY6PVaO3bC9l1d78Giojc-L5YOqyfnLu8v-Uh68hK4kKwkELTbBbwEAUdW0t80VnvlGg9XVZaCALTXSDI-5hCnEZtB4Lvcl85eo/s1600/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkV_P2eNobXX_zyM5juoyA1xs3B2JWDBa5L7Urkk8RY6PVaO3bC9l1d78Giojc-L5YOqyfnLu8v-Uh68hK4kKwkELTbBbwEAUdW0t80VnvlGg9XVZaCALTXSDI-5hCnEZtB4Lvcl85eo/s320/2013Jan15_Chalten+to+Calafateglaciers_5289.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-64340503941896282952013-01-17T10:57:00.000-08:002013-01-17T10:57:16.353-08:00From Puerto Tranquilo Chile, Jan.12th
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<div class="MsoNormal">
From Puerto Tranquilo, Chile Jan 12<sup>th</sup> 2013</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I finally escaped from Coyhaique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t easy. Nor was it simple. Left
with ‘unfinished business’ with my motorcycle, I mean I returned to my
mechanics work space early in the morning (by early, I mean 10 AM)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He showed about 11 AM, my bike was
packed and ready to leave town and go south but first he had to check his
unfinished work from yesterday (my perspective since something had broke since
he’d worked on it) and the fact that I now had NO SPEEDOMETER nor DISTANCE
calibration. We took the parts and looked them over. He did his work but to no
good result. I left feeling that he’d done all he could do and the sun was
getting warmer, my desire to leave stronger and in the end I’d figure out what
I would need. I could use my GPS to give me distance so I would know when I
needed to refuel. (In these areas it isn’t that simple. You fuel up when you
see a gas station. It might be 200 kms until the next. Literally.) They are few
and far between cause nothing exists between these places- other than beautiful
terrain).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I left town, packed and excited. I had my ear plugs in well
and couldn’t even hear the sound of the wind swishing past my helmet. It was
clear sky and sunny. Beautiful. I was in my head. Mind chatter. Need to slow
down this process. So happy to be back on the road. It had been a week. A week
of waiting. I don’t do waiting very well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alone, moving through the curves, slow down. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I stopped to take<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>pictures but on one occasion I stopped and dropped the bike and had to
wait for someone to come along the road and help me lift the bike. Always
embarrassing but what the hell. It just looks weird to see a fully loaded
motorcycle over on its side in the middle of a road in the middle of nowhere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After 125 kms of dusty, dirt roads<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and some cars passing me and some I left in the dust, I
emerged into Puerto Tranquilo, a small settlement on Lake General Carrera/ Lago
Buenos Aires (as the country line passes in the middle , you use the name that
is appropriate in each country-it should be mentioned that this is the second
biggest lake in all of south America- after Lake Titicaca).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I could have taken the ferry that would have cut out at
least 8 hours of dusty roads around the lake, but then this trip isn’t about what
is fast or more convenient, it is about the beauty the environment provides,
the road challenges and ultimately just the experience.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pulled out the notes and map and noted that Puerto
Tranquilo, a little town whose focus seems to be ‘eco travel’, whatever B.S.
that is. Boats leave from here on the lake to see the famous marbled caves
where glacier waters reflect on white stone walls in the water creating
beautiful images and blue marble tones on the rocks. I was here for other
reasons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I) I was tired </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2)I’d made the decision to go around the lake to visit a
woman I’d only heard about. I’d stayed with her mother on Chiloe Island some
weeks before, taken lots of photos of the old lady and now I was about to meet
her daughter. Nelly left Chiloe Island some 8 years ago and settled in Puerto
Tranquilo, managing a resort on the lake front. She wouldn’t hear any idea
other than I stay in one of their beach front cabañas, money aside. Beside the
mother had called and told her I’d be coming with pictures of her and the
daughter should treat me with the best services possible. No complaint on my
part. It was interesting to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hear
her perspective to hear of how her 13 year old son has to live 300 kms. away to
go passed the 6<sup>th</sup> grade. Law says a school must exist in each
community every 100 kms. But quality or level isn’t clear. He lives with
another family, supervised but essentially without<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>family after
13. To his benefit he’s extremely intelligent, can compete with kids whose
preparation is better than his and still ranks 1<sup>st</sup> out of 41
students. He’s home for summer vacation helping his Mom run this resort. Lots
of woman running things. Nothing new. Been happening since forever. The man
plants the seed and the woman raises it . Not a formula that is perhaps best
but then reality sets in. Abortion is non- existent here in Chile. Birth
control is next in line, meaning next to non existant. Interesting. Especially
when there is a very strong ANTI DEVELOPMENT/ ANTI DAM<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>attitude down here. Take control? Take
control of environment? Take control of self? Humm.Some things don’t jive. What
else is new?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyT_auYYgGknxXXSXCopjzXuUHBeOrLrSNi4XtXekijgktZwTfFP8rptv5uHj4GCe4LANfDztYgtbN0boUPI38XyxcEFzTiqMaYLA9F2Gypf-1m3hL_kBJbqMyDiXsGEALFT2ZfhcKoM/s1600/2013Jan12_Puerto+Tranquilo,+Chile_5043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyT_auYYgGknxXXSXCopjzXuUHBeOrLrSNi4XtXekijgktZwTfFP8rptv5uHj4GCe4LANfDztYgtbN0boUPI38XyxcEFzTiqMaYLA9F2Gypf-1m3hL_kBJbqMyDiXsGEALFT2ZfhcKoM/s320/2013Jan12_Puerto+Tranquilo,+Chile_5043.JPG" width="320" /></a>Nellie and her son Ignacio,14, and living in a residencia some 100 miles away so he can attend school. Nellie is the daughter of Sonja who lives on Chiloe Island. Nellie knew I was coming with lots of pictures of her mother so she put me up in one of her lakefront cabanas. That was a nice treat!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rqgI7uSuqhjM3wr89UxK7-b7fEzszv_EjqpepXFfrQ7Gx9g4f21qgsFWOufrAWBIrzXHJEqQy0jsw-_XmCedhOTNPvlK_JPFTWVS-BU5THyz3syf7QTHsG5QQVRlT2r_UVIxMlYka3M/s1600/2013Jan12_Puerto+Tranquilo,+Chile_5053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rqgI7uSuqhjM3wr89UxK7-b7fEzszv_EjqpepXFfrQ7Gx9g4f21qgsFWOufrAWBIrzXHJEqQy0jsw-_XmCedhOTNPvlK_JPFTWVS-BU5THyz3syf7QTHsG5QQVRlT2r_UVIxMlYka3M/s320/2013Jan12_Puerto+Tranquilo,+Chile_5053.JPG" width="320" /></a>lakefront</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmnWChQWySasol6p8oWrhcP0VJ9w9IRG0IpRwef7x5u9WYH_nJKAAEgn8Ti0xc_6gAC0F2gaF1w5TXkI-c0TfdY1qQ0cr24vP2vxO0vIBSMhXKEke4Dr6c1pH4gdM0uMYJLC94wD86Yk/s1600/2013Jan12_Puerto+Tranquilo,+Chile_5039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmnWChQWySasol6p8oWrhcP0VJ9w9IRG0IpRwef7x5u9WYH_nJKAAEgn8Ti0xc_6gAC0F2gaF1w5TXkI-c0TfdY1qQ0cr24vP2vxO0vIBSMhXKEke4Dr6c1pH4gdM0uMYJLC94wD86Yk/s320/2013Jan12_Puerto+Tranquilo,+Chile_5039.JPG" width="320" /></a> the cabana I stasyed in</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX77bFkEYAKNp5kuk62134aepU_o9izVZx-yhhGZmMXzffpTupd_DVEIeVg7b4xYXmefZJ3hG1CKeUQLzyJDoyLfY2RzSVCQhB0bsovgtIcjyqAt42spLg2qb_22Duv8p9UA6dCD9v3O0/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX77bFkEYAKNp5kuk62134aepU_o9izVZx-yhhGZmMXzffpTupd_DVEIeVg7b4xYXmefZJ3hG1CKeUQLzyJDoyLfY2RzSVCQhB0bsovgtIcjyqAt42spLg2qb_22Duv8p9UA6dCD9v3O0/s320/Sonya+Andrade_4753.JPG" width="240" /></a>Sonja, the mother of Nellie back on Chiloe Island.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another border crossing coming up tomorrow. This is
different though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentina has a
deep and long connection for me. I’m coming home in a way. Early traveling
memories. Early memories of graduate school in Buenos Aires, memories of
running from the secret police who thought me<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a ‘person of concern’ since I worked in a shanty town. Old
friends from 40+ years ago that I will see again. Maté that I will drink again.
Steaks and lamb that I will eat around the fire on the distant hacienda I will
stay at with old friends. So this is a different crossing, not like most of the
other difficult, tedious, frustrating crossings in Central America. I’m excited
and preparing for an early departure, though I must admit I could settle in
here for another day…but I’m desirous of Argentina<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and all that it holds. Open roads of long barren distances
in dirt and rock with not much to see, distant gas stations that might not
exist or be mirages and where to camp? All fun right now. I would like to
connect up with another rider though. Haven’t come across any heading my way.
All is good. All for now.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-84210256270978036102013-01-17T10:45:00.001-08:002013-01-17T10:45:24.274-08:00Getting Unstuck in Coyhaique,Chile
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<div class="MsoNormal">
STUCK INSIDE OF COYHAIQUE,CHILE Jan.11<sup>th 2013</sup></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it has definitely been a long week of cold and windy
weather, difficulty getting the parts I need to repair the motorcycle and the
ensuing frustration when things don’t go as hoped or planned. There have been
some ups- like some of the pictures will show. It hasn’t been all bad, but it
has and continues to be a taxing challenge to keep my spirits up and not get
depressed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve had some experiences where people (mechanics) said they
would do something then didn’t. Promised to be somewhere at a certain time and
didn’t show. Told me something, anything they thought would appease me with no
intention of following through. After 50 years of travel down here, you’d think
that I would have learned. I guess right now the stakes just seem a little
higher. I’m anxious to get back on the road and not ‘waste another day’ walking
around town. Thanks for listening, I needed to blow off steam.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now for some
stories and pictures. The first two in-house pictures are of my room (any flat
surface is open to be used)and a one nighter couple’s chimney stack used, quite
ingeniously, as a heater to dry clothes that got washed with no time to dry
them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being on a motorcycle and heading in a southerly direction
with few avenues heading in that direction means you might run into people
you’ve seen or traveled with before.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m walking down the street and look into the window in a
restaurant and there is Randy and his wife Cindy. My jaw drops. Randy and I met
thousands of miles north in Nazca, Peru and traveled together to Santiago,
Chile where he left me for his wife who flew down to join him for a month on
his motorcycle. So here we are. I get to meet her face to face, rather than
hearing her voice over Skype as she and Randy conversed when he and I traveled
together. That was a wonderful upper to run into them. They were also stranded,
waiting for delivery of a new motorcycle tire so they could proceed further
south as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another upper?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I arrived in town a week ago, I was checking out where
to stay and as I mounted my bike a voice called out asking if I’d come down to
Chile from Washington State. Not an uncommon question though usually in
Spanish. This was clearly a southern tinged English. We chatted, he gave me his
card saying,” let’s get together for lunch”. Mid-week I called and went to
visit his house under construction about 10 kms. out of town in a beautiful
valley. He was approaching retirement age but as a teaching medical physician
he loved his work and didn’t want to let it go. His wife, a former fly fisher
guide in Chile<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and tour leader was
equally energetic and they’d decided to settle in this valley for part of each
year. They were lots of fun, gave me space to talk and flip flop between
English and Spanish since both were fluent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So here are some pictures when the sun came out and we did a
day drive in the direction I will head as soon as my bike is fixed OR I just
decided to go forward without getting it fixed, whichever comes first.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj53i5J9F4cCWf2vTx1zTquvWgHZUq0ZQa42s1fZfBnsRaO1yWl3X3LEZdHG83EWaxBjjiuVbwbLoydDAEEMSi8CuV5jOIh4smHqH0LLIigVWLLz7LM3V8hpImaTmrgfalD0_144ZaIYw/s1600/2013Jan06_Coyhaique_4954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj53i5J9F4cCWf2vTx1zTquvWgHZUq0ZQa42s1fZfBnsRaO1yWl3X3LEZdHG83EWaxBjjiuVbwbLoydDAEEMSi8CuV5jOIh4smHqH0LLIigVWLLz7LM3V8hpImaTmrgfalD0_144ZaIYw/s320/2013Jan06_Coyhaique_4954.JPG" width="320" /></a>I ran into Randy and his wife Cindy in Coyhaique. Randy and I rode together from Nazca, Peru to Santiago, Chile. Randy left me for his wife who joined him at Christmas time in Santiago. They are riding together to Ushuaia.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ksiSOyA3d1Zw3OPgNRdp0MbiY-IWKhCcsFck1Yqjy3tdHAbPpSNgvFpvL0-G8ZYvRjMGZIDZUW4l1sXH6utLAZzeeCmjbJSwSwq-CUbfeA9Q3ERxDnei1y_1NoSRoVjUiKh0FK70j4k/s1600/2013Jan07_Coyhaique_4949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ksiSOyA3d1Zw3OPgNRdp0MbiY-IWKhCcsFck1Yqjy3tdHAbPpSNgvFpvL0-G8ZYvRjMGZIDZUW4l1sXH6utLAZzeeCmjbJSwSwq-CUbfeA9Q3ERxDnei1y_1NoSRoVjUiKh0FK70j4k/s320/2013Jan07_Coyhaique_4949.JPG" width="240" /></a>The hostal I stayed in had the heater chimney going through the adjoining room. I thought this was an ingenious way to dry clothes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqZKn1Fk8ToshzYUEsdsqJQIU7Mt_8iJUdEiCvMl7mzNErcX7ViaLeBJ0rFxVMQ28uy_yKFV2Oaes0hbwy5GAbZJNdjBVZIYGn5KnmYLab5p-YE1TE3IafAQXJtRN2p8gYtk2dqfcejw/s1600/2013Jan05_Coyhaique_4956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqZKn1Fk8ToshzYUEsdsqJQIU7Mt_8iJUdEiCvMl7mzNErcX7ViaLeBJ0rFxVMQ28uy_yKFV2Oaes0hbwy5GAbZJNdjBVZIYGn5KnmYLab5p-YE1TE3IafAQXJtRN2p8gYtk2dqfcejw/s320/2013Jan05_Coyhaique_4956.JPG" width="320" /></a>My bedroom- any flat surface gets used.</div>
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Two more things I’ve experienced. This is not a small town
(45,000) and yet most every store and there is a substantial downtown closes
from 1-3 pm. Amazing and refreshing. The other is people stay up late, eat late
and don’t get going early in the morning. Stores don’t open tell 10AM at the
earliest. Is this the 21<sup>st</sup> century? There is also a strong movement
against dams and large scale industrial development. They seem to want to
preserve what they have and quickly point to other parts of the world that have
swallowed the ‘development pill’ and are no better off than they were before.
These are an independent people, used to being considered ‘step children’ by
the government in Santiago. Prices are high, most foods have to be brought a
great distance either over water or by roads subject to frequent problems. Very
expensive area.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-51661478028166461632013-01-06T05:16:00.002-08:002013-01-06T05:16:32.704-08:00CHILOE ISLAND, CHILE 1/06/13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIa2d-jVECXuqiS7IrO4y-YRHkkLY02n6hN4nmCkM_STvJTVgsSTmtnIKDiHeOX_DShWhREEqTST7hYTZeN2J610hWvSa2js6RUPOkeqQQUhbhOd1wBD3BD858hU8jKSFQP1S7DjG3LY/s1600/2013Jan03_4922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIa2d-jVECXuqiS7IrO4y-YRHkkLY02n6hN4nmCkM_STvJTVgsSTmtnIKDiHeOX_DShWhREEqTST7hYTZeN2J610hWvSa2js6RUPOkeqQQUhbhOd1wBD3BD858hU8jKSFQP1S7DjG3LY/s320/2013Jan03_4922.JPG" width="320" /></a>Fishing and seafood still are the major sources of income on Chiloe.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieple038fJAceuo5auIIbHFswQOkTC6-Qj1idQKpAelP3syR7mgPXHoZ0n4DbtgpV0zGdeqr8fMDhCTD4RQsyDR1tIGOA19ekShHSObqhFbsJ85jw5srP9BVlmhp-RrRhn7s_W5FqCuU/s1600/2013Jan03_4928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieple038fJAceuo5auIIbHFswQOkTC6-Qj1idQKpAelP3syR7mgPXHoZ0n4DbtgpV0zGdeqr8fMDhCTD4RQsyDR1tIGOA19ekShHSObqhFbsJ85jw5srP9BVlmhp-RrRhn7s_W5FqCuU/s400/2013Jan03_4928.JPG" width="400" /></a>The unexpected eruption of Vol. Chaiten not too many years ago left the town stranded and volcanic ash and river water swept through the town. That is someones bed "floating"on volcanic ash inside the house.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCz-dEG8X5UWyNz3q0WO1b3JBdhLgWxpNJcfIb4kXc-baf0SQwRSsvluR9MITegEFtO2w2ztArceVVjXAEHtvd6R9ifXmdUSSH2ZU3FAwWc79CltalbGm7fG-vabRG1GV29ynPbUS-c4/s1600/2013Jan03_4936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCz-dEG8X5UWyNz3q0WO1b3JBdhLgWxpNJcfIb4kXc-baf0SQwRSsvluR9MITegEFtO2w2ztArceVVjXAEHtvd6R9ifXmdUSSH2ZU3FAwWc79CltalbGm7fG-vabRG1GV29ynPbUS-c4/s320/2013Jan03_4936.JPG" width="320" /></a>Fjord like scenery everywhere.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2wjNjIKaMfxyZK_gGBULllLRzAzuW7c-VVl89sm_eXGcCsph-w1VHmZCrgrfU6IBDXSK-sjPn5hXKD9S2lzq-6fFz8EZAS5M58m5bIibkxFOvGVgebk-5-_x1PI7MVbeaAJBS_z1O9w/s1600/2013Jan03_4942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2wjNjIKaMfxyZK_gGBULllLRzAzuW7c-VVl89sm_eXGcCsph-w1VHmZCrgrfU6IBDXSK-sjPn5hXKD9S2lzq-6fFz8EZAS5M58m5bIibkxFOvGVgebk-5-_x1PI7MVbeaAJBS_z1O9w/s400/2013Jan03_4942.JPG" width="300" /></a>rushing rivers with glacial colored water.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQ330_7nt6wDzMZOA83LHUPlvW9WhCeSWA0cdBZySmHPwEb8NAL5SsCAnkV329XUYzXxkvmMCkGWcpUZU_HUHZfebH5R-jRkn_MRDGgNN7Qkc9I4m56Xq6R3vwSKjXWUVNslIJ09muAc/s1600/2013Jan03_4925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQ330_7nt6wDzMZOA83LHUPlvW9WhCeSWA0cdBZySmHPwEb8NAL5SsCAnkV329XUYzXxkvmMCkGWcpUZU_HUHZfebH5R-jRkn_MRDGgNN7Qkc9I4m56Xq6R3vwSKjXWUVNslIJ09muAc/s400/2013Jan03_4925.JPG" width="400" /></a>One of the many destroyed houses from the volcanic ash and river water. Note the level of the inundation.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawtunILYRKu1e3cQpc0f7uJhCV9g7cAKsWGRfRM9CeAeukbBkyduorRkZxuVhmNR5zaFY-TsM74WC28IybO7WU5wRWly0VpOoZUbgqNnf54-yFAx1JkACoOSlFIZV1lbX9QhgJUIl9L0/s1600/2013Jan03_4944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawtunILYRKu1e3cQpc0f7uJhCV9g7cAKsWGRfRM9CeAeukbBkyduorRkZxuVhmNR5zaFY-TsM74WC28IybO7WU5wRWly0VpOoZUbgqNnf54-yFAx1JkACoOSlFIZV1lbX9QhgJUIl9L0/s320/2013Jan03_4944.JPG" width="240" /></a>The Menu at "Mi Casita de Te" with full meal selections of homemade soup, roasted lamb, fried Crab, steamed Chicken, or roasted beef.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaoU8w1MaXY1x765dBY73pbybFEyw7gKMZRukTLif1zvbI8-SfpANQPU-xDtW9p4EBf8nP9Nc84vx9ohI77qnfFMts45CHcKBtSm_-bWA-Jv6G_TlYiFU66mT52ISL9UxdlFQ7fDZJ8s/s1600/2013Jan03_4945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaoU8w1MaXY1x765dBY73pbybFEyw7gKMZRukTLif1zvbI8-SfpANQPU-xDtW9p4EBf8nP9Nc84vx9ohI77qnfFMts45CHcKBtSm_-bWA-Jv6G_TlYiFU66mT52ISL9UxdlFQ7fDZJ8s/s320/2013Jan03_4945.JPG" width="320" /></a>The gravel roads can be dicey, even for a car with 4 wheels. They past me and then we came upon them. Lost control on the 'marbles'(rocks). No one was hurt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHYRCWxqd_-M1rX4eXvEHF4G0RLUCwHgrNcd1y_KVnaez0TLYlxR9TCUt5ZCSOgQIP-SYE21Zae4ZSVecWDcwEj_JCbj8Fmag-eXk_R23WOSEFfIo3zbqQi8wLMsJE5TzZAnjupKStbk/s1600/2013Jan03_4943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHYRCWxqd_-M1rX4eXvEHF4G0RLUCwHgrNcd1y_KVnaez0TLYlxR9TCUt5ZCSOgQIP-SYE21Zae4ZSVecWDcwEj_JCbj8Fmag-eXk_R23WOSEFfIo3zbqQi8wLMsJE5TzZAnjupKStbk/s320/2013Jan03_4943.JPG" width="320" /></a>Mi Casita Tea House. Good food AND WIFI! out in the middle of nowhere!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoKVD5YMNKxG9ImrQBOCh0YxWUvt7lETG_vy5uLa9crIWajpMduSSVG150kiO_9LNm61RzY2PNADz9yOKBwMXDmMjmgrnNX_4AlUNlfeUrIdHos5EmIXOGHB3Rn8HmiVkp6dlaWllc-g/s1600/2013Jan03_4923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoKVD5YMNKxG9ImrQBOCh0YxWUvt7lETG_vy5uLa9crIWajpMduSSVG150kiO_9LNm61RzY2PNADz9yOKBwMXDmMjmgrnNX_4AlUNlfeUrIdHos5EmIXOGHB3Rn8HmiVkp6dlaWllc-g/s400/2013Jan03_4923.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA1fQzOUqdseKPU2XDrdZgQ303kXUfwnz1gH4739rivhgX9DMtDyvczX-YnDGtBpc-CItZMAq3Beq2Wm68Jm2fzLpnwt1TCZpXxy5wNCCG64lP-qSSxLo-r5_A1DYloSO7wPc4LKtrzk/s1600/2013Jan04_4906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA1fQzOUqdseKPU2XDrdZgQ303kXUfwnz1gH4739rivhgX9DMtDyvczX-YnDGtBpc-CItZMAq3Beq2Wm68Jm2fzLpnwt1TCZpXxy5wNCCG64lP-qSSxLo-r5_A1DYloSO7wPc4LKtrzk/s320/2013Jan04_4906.JPG" width="240" /></a>fishing boats and the Austral Highway 7. It got really narrow at times. This is the only north-south road in these parts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3YvjI2xxrIO4gIjh_2jV9jb2whB0GAZPP1CczfnzXxF8fJT0fXhlIy9xlg5uHfceo9Z2sp13uYw1hVq1i6NRuF-qFqp8SDCC-Z1wTrIJEhyuxpkyDyqksULvt_gpkdLEvUJKz6H10FI/s1600/2013Jan04_4907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3YvjI2xxrIO4gIjh_2jV9jb2whB0GAZPP1CczfnzXxF8fJT0fXhlIy9xlg5uHfceo9Z2sp13uYw1hVq1i6NRuF-qFqp8SDCC-Z1wTrIJEhyuxpkyDyqksULvt_gpkdLEvUJKz6H10FI/s400/2013Jan04_4907.JPG" width="300" /></a>As I'm looking out of my motorcycle helmet at the pelting rain and gravel road with no one around for miles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1G1EXii1XOEWMvYcQSRUZc7SLEPboUUL_hgSism1MjXdtzs6eyKVZQRb-ufKGSFrAZky3kI6cvHPktRZps1MYCemAm7PV-6KdHHUChpDVzDWM4ejWJoYdpHsJofxyRzEogymadgkcwc/s1600/2013Jan04_4911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1G1EXii1XOEWMvYcQSRUZc7SLEPboUUL_hgSism1MjXdtzs6eyKVZQRb-ufKGSFrAZky3kI6cvHPktRZps1MYCemAm7PV-6KdHHUChpDVzDWM4ejWJoYdpHsJofxyRzEogymadgkcwc/s400/2013Jan04_4911.JPG" width="400" /></a>This is what happens when you stop,put the kickstand down and lean over . I waited 1/2 hour for help in getting it lifted. I had to unpack it to reduce the weight.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26g5nkreeg_Lz-MjybVY924gXpP019imTZdKag04X24pxkY5HxPob8mhnFJ8SNU1qLluWL447GzMx2pTw7M8kAGLM3ugZHAbTe2LzXW6cEQVTFovGOsIT_UgppxH_DdA-S7aD-xAbV30/s1600/2013Jan04_4908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26g5nkreeg_Lz-MjybVY924gXpP019imTZdKag04X24pxkY5HxPob8mhnFJ8SNU1qLluWL447GzMx2pTw7M8kAGLM3ugZHAbTe2LzXW6cEQVTFovGOsIT_UgppxH_DdA-S7aD-xAbV30/s400/2013Jan04_4908.JPG" width="300" /></a>A nice part of the road. Very wet and beautiful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87TqlM8nTd4Wp5U6wGx9KvjinB1opRpP9byfkIFnQ6l35zpu_dmvbpID3Lqw1Fq2BICi5Iqh9RVCg2ejCQ5G6i4Oif6PaRwDUK4GWtTeVniocz-0kYV0Pa0NYfomqgYDXW_TYMREApMU/s1600/2013Jan04_4915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87TqlM8nTd4Wp5U6wGx9KvjinB1opRpP9byfkIFnQ6l35zpu_dmvbpID3Lqw1Fq2BICi5Iqh9RVCg2ejCQ5G6i4Oif6PaRwDUK4GWtTeVniocz-0kYV0Pa0NYfomqgYDXW_TYMREApMU/s320/2013Jan04_4915.JPG" width="320" /></a>unpacking and waiting for help.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IsrGGDEry2fxWF1a4xJWD6iouDMCZdHFSvLTojx6Z9TEZcSU5dp8PSOfL7DiIDcJpR7DxeLWD_reS8qc7pVC-OyuWKEVl13M_7ORWJEkHJyB9EZvlj5zG8B88EliEMB8zNilTcQWtHs/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IsrGGDEry2fxWF1a4xJWD6iouDMCZdHFSvLTojx6Z9TEZcSU5dp8PSOfL7DiIDcJpR7DxeLWD_reS8qc7pVC-OyuWKEVl13M_7ORWJEkHJyB9EZvlj5zG8B88EliEMB8zNilTcQWtHs/s320/Sonya+Andrade_4815.JPG" width="240" /></a>Sra. Andrade wanted me to take her picture in front of the motorcycle. In another era she'd have wanted to go traveling also.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Chiloé Island</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
250 km long and 50 km wide with a population of 116,000
,most of the people live on the sheltered eastern side of the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The western edge faces the relentless
southerlies which batter the coast from noon onward and drop rain making it the
wetter part of the island. The eastern shore characterized by many small
islands is drier but cloudy and yes, windy. Fishing and forestry remain the
mainstays of the island economy though tourism<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>brings thousands in the summer. It seems like everyone has a
sign out advertising cabañas or camping. We stayed in a small town, mid island
for $5.00 with marginal camping facilities but a killer view.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With stores small and carrying only basics, my diet has
revolved around bread and peanut butter, perhaps a yogurt and pasta for dinner.
Oh yes, don’t forget the instant coffee. I’m currently riding with a buddy who
only camps and seems to forgo most amenities. I, on the other hand, need a
shower now and then…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve spent a good deal of time on dirt and gravel roads
here on Chiloé going to even more isolated beaches and ‘caletas’ or fishing
villages. Now it is time to take the 11pm ferry and cross the Golfo Corcovado
to Chaitén arriving at 7 am. Evening passage is the favored time to limit the
influence of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>strong winds and
rough seas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chaitén is the small town<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on mainland Chile where we disembark. We then start down the
Carretera Austral or highway 7 that runs a total of 575 kms. The road abruptly
halts at a small settlement and beyond that are the Glaciers and Fjords that
prohibit further road travel. Boat travel remains the primary means of access
into many remote areas.This rough area has only recently been open enough to
make the trip and it still remains one of the remotest areas in Chile as well
as the rest of South America . Rain is fairly constant and an average of 2000mm
a year fall in this area. Needless to say, it is green and windy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
look at a map, you’ll find Lago General Carrera and at that point we cross the
lake and cross into Argentina at the lonely outpost of Chile Chico. Much dirt
and gravel roads await this next leg of the trip. Exciting, daunting and
challenging I’m anxious and wanting to face the challenge. I’ve never been in a
more remote area and the daily things I take for granted, (like medical
help)just aren’t around. So here we go!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After an all night boat trip (think sleeping on the
ferryboat!) we unloaded at 7 am and headed down south on smooth,paved roads
with looming mountains jutting up all around us. The it happened…dirt and gravel
and DUST. After 125 km of riding in dust with mixed road conditions I ducked
into “Mi Casita de Te” (my tea house) in a small junction outpost. Thinking tea
I was surprised to be offered roasted lamb and fresh potatoes for lunch
followed by a rhubarb compote. Since I’ve been existing on bread and peanut
butter, yogurt and whatever else I can grab, this was special.</div>
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After a night of camping by an unknown lake I discover that
my front forks( front shocks) were leaking oil…not a good sign, especially when
I’m a long way away from any service that could address this issue. Carry on.</div>
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In the morning I set out ahead of my riding buddy in an
attempt to make a 5 hour dirt road trip shorter. It wasn’t to happen. The mist
came, then the rain and soon the dusty roads of yesterday became the new mud
roads of today. Slow going but not slow enough…(see photo)</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Arriving at a town with the name of a
mechanic I was hopeful that someone could consult with me about what to do. The
end result is that Monday early I will call Santiago, Chile and hopefully get the parts flown down so I can be back on the road in a week.</span><!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-84220107889081072442013-01-04T08:41:00.003-08:002013-01-04T08:41:55.964-08:00Chochi, a small town in the middle of an Island
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Chonchi, one of many towns on Chiloé Island, Chile<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>January 3, 2013</div>
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A late afternoon warranted a search for somewhere to put the
tent, get settled, have dinner and to bed. We settled on Chonchi since that was
the closest berg in the otherwise expansive pasture and salt water inlets. The
guide books indicated that camping was around. An old man painting the roof of
the tourist information house (closed for the season) responded that “Yes, Mrs.
Andrade had camping and you can find her house up by the cemetery. We headed in
that direction confident that the old man knew something others didn’t. We came
upon Cabañas and not camping and talking with a young lad were led to believe
“No, there is no camping up here only Cabañas” Asking another person<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>led us in another direction but we did
find camping, in someone’s back yard. Hardly a flat spot to be found and no hot
shower but… we were starting to get tired. When I mentioned I’d love a hot
shower he said “You can get one at Sra. Andrade’s house” “ What, Sra. Andrade?””<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lives around here”? No, she lives
up on the hill by the cemetery” . Befuddled, we headed back in that direction
asking around as we went. “Yes, No”, a litany of responses. Turning around in a
small dilapidated street I spotted a small faded sign in a house window,
“Camping”. I rang the bell and yes…it was Mrs. Andrade who quickly took us
around back for a beautiful view and a place to put tents. She only had cold
water showers outside but when I told her who sent us, she quickly offered her hot
shower inside.</div>
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Sra. Andrade must be in her late 70’s. She had a great
grandson living with her and I met at least three workers who boarded with her.
That meant she cooked two large meals a day because the life style here still
demands that everything shuts down for two hours mid day.</div>
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The house was old though she claimed it was built 50 years
ago. The floors swooped and swayed, give under the weight of my feet and I felt
as if the house was kept together by the linoleum on the floors. Definitely old
and harkening to a different era as well. </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
At the turn of the 20<sup>th</sup>
Century, Chonchi was the largest and most vibrant economic center on Chiloé
Island, mostly due to the fishing industry and the greatly protected harbors.
Now it is ram shackled as are many communities on Chiloé. Tilting buildings,
shingled siding with designs from another European era curled and twisted,
faintly stained. New houses are small, very small, and duplicate designs make
development look ‘ticky tacky’. Here are some homes in a 'typical' zone (whatever typical means! Do you know a typical Vashon house?)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg580CoLTs5DcmGaJWHgo_aJuB8_nsAS2Zw3Y9h1O7D3Q_30x8POn2DrXiBy4cNKBMIbO2hMyL4T9GxfyajcLZe_jmlbxcWoRYyGgJ9wGFO01M0CPzij1WGNAAmPdwHkkFriw_A5pwVhdQ/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg580CoLTs5DcmGaJWHgo_aJuB8_nsAS2Zw3Y9h1O7D3Q_30x8POn2DrXiBy4cNKBMIbO2hMyL4T9GxfyajcLZe_jmlbxcWoRYyGgJ9wGFO01M0CPzij1WGNAAmPdwHkkFriw_A5pwVhdQ/s320/Sonya+Andrade_4758.JPG" width="320" /></a>A house on piers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatWoQyXI0mWsr0axHD43yXrIrHUGh4Lafaaej9qjWnJubsbCSan_YBS9CVSfI288021z9aNHVJHSkgZHxhpw4M9EUPa26CZQqgREsCBLITG4s1eEO5nF0Ddq6slb3Z3lX2gTbJ8wGluQ/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatWoQyXI0mWsr0axHD43yXrIrHUGh4Lafaaej9qjWnJubsbCSan_YBS9CVSfI288021z9aNHVJHSkgZHxhpw4M9EUPa26CZQqgREsCBLITG4s1eEO5nF0Ddq6slb3Z3lX2gTbJ8wGluQ/s320/Sonya+Andrade_4751.JPG" width="240" /></a>Sra. Andrade of Welsh/Brazilian heritage from an immigrant family back in the early 20's</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXJKAMsgdm2gcnU4IAPjw-T9imXyznQQjxEL4YTm2oiEhA3Ni765ew2c2y-7a3rdhaOrXozkSIsH6755wpTu9-VVnvvdwD3Vu-v5iXZYIYiPRsdQ6ZbBVLPYd-8dS0S0eHjNd2QLWVRQ/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXJKAMsgdm2gcnU4IAPjw-T9imXyznQQjxEL4YTm2oiEhA3Ni765ew2c2y-7a3rdhaOrXozkSIsH6755wpTu9-VVnvvdwD3Vu-v5iXZYIYiPRsdQ6ZbBVLPYd-8dS0S0eHjNd2QLWVRQ/s320/Sonya+Andrade_4759.JPG" width="320" /></a> A typical 50 year old home on the street</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMW_PjVrQbIsCcOwbEI4P4ucysE6Y3mfs4nzOstty-F0NbKfCV4aoMjGsTeDHkrtmNJnDeE5oTZ8O5AVOv8XRc36gB9D0yFMUpFnAOY2tmXn1AIiWITNObbrbKEUNPTz0TEAJzkBRcYc/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMW_PjVrQbIsCcOwbEI4P4ucysE6Y3mfs4nzOstty-F0NbKfCV4aoMjGsTeDHkrtmNJnDeE5oTZ8O5AVOv8XRc36gB9D0yFMUpFnAOY2tmXn1AIiWITNObbrbKEUNPTz0TEAJzkBRcYc/s400/Sonya+Andrade_4762.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw0xC1tHjRESYAmjtITvHStJFuHe36-eVmRBRjXkUlYqX0C6o5G2CHPcOxX132fU8OKjgOHqdSHd6SL-djHc1uNDL6cYPUZAoMVAUGUw15sThOWY6AZ0liQpeP3VRpNd8a46XDaokTJc/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw0xC1tHjRESYAmjtITvHStJFuHe36-eVmRBRjXkUlYqX0C6o5G2CHPcOxX132fU8OKjgOHqdSHd6SL-djHc1uNDL6cYPUZAoMVAUGUw15sThOWY6AZ0liQpeP3VRpNd8a46XDaokTJc/s320/Sonya+Andrade_4761.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiifcwLcjEdcn6fkFegcEoXrynzYVpzr5F_uil3yFcvhoU6F3H02dF0Co4W81ptZ6R38J1sFiCKsYMPw4G_Z1BTGvbX3D3pxXPzuibcPSpiuoddPzfvl84cEr6ewN6zI13uTtjux4p6vU/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiifcwLcjEdcn6fkFegcEoXrynzYVpzr5F_uil3yFcvhoU6F3H02dF0Co4W81ptZ6R38J1sFiCKsYMPw4G_Z1BTGvbX3D3pxXPzuibcPSpiuoddPzfvl84cEr6ewN6zI13uTtjux4p6vU/s400/Sonya+Andrade_4760.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCSity2FXXVYIhMRr1-XyDjWtuQgRPrQl1wURxpvwYg2RZF3xlROlZ7LxMWTAQFWkTrwcs9kDlMPUQlNz8gvi5UJoF-uPZbLnJCYkzWP6I1Tp8ADML0QtwvN5x3Nd3TfFvELswnYoaTY/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCSity2FXXVYIhMRr1-XyDjWtuQgRPrQl1wURxpvwYg2RZF3xlROlZ7LxMWTAQFWkTrwcs9kDlMPUQlNz8gvi5UJoF-uPZbLnJCYkzWP6I1Tp8ADML0QtwvN5x3Nd3TfFvELswnYoaTY/s400/Sonya+Andrade_4798.JPG" width="300" /></a>Sra. Andrade has moved up from wood though most houses on the whole island still heat with wood. It is so plentiful and free and even in the summer the thin whisper of smoke rises from the tin chimney.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYdE2Tx5PRHWHlyJSuUFkEFEsb6eKehNBMLZ0EHau7vD_Oy2K_5MOKvSbDBG8JoMFl4lqmU66UJCle0Su42UVnar_UwTBCMyTC48ETSDg2oLR6N5ZOMfoAfDpDK1cP9WQNaMan4FLTtY/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYdE2Tx5PRHWHlyJSuUFkEFEsb6eKehNBMLZ0EHau7vD_Oy2K_5MOKvSbDBG8JoMFl4lqmU66UJCle0Su42UVnar_UwTBCMyTC48ETSDg2oLR6N5ZOMfoAfDpDK1cP9WQNaMan4FLTtY/s400/Sonya+Andrade_4767.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xCV59JFlj3DSkJrpug3HmgQNkl3d-gU8wIJ2uV5QhoqyYW47Dxji3i9R89pfoK8VA-nX4EhB2xG-csmITlNxoO2YsqN_ld_SLFdezNmGT8xK4zndGYEHjgmFGZhfh8Xb-DieIV56I2M/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xCV59JFlj3DSkJrpug3HmgQNkl3d-gU8wIJ2uV5QhoqyYW47Dxji3i9R89pfoK8VA-nX4EhB2xG-csmITlNxoO2YsqN_ld_SLFdezNmGT8xK4zndGYEHjgmFGZhfh8Xb-DieIV56I2M/s400/Sonya+Andrade_4801.JPG" width="300" /></a>daily wear and tear.Variety of linoleum used and 'holding the house together'.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4pQ3_F255p3RBPnan8RXsPDpbQgLLqk73IGuwNKv8bXy5jpvmcTl31hMIEKQeG-mZfddPLv5sU_dNdCFE9UtkdpKemj80G2k_WurxUPkTCMo_Q3ZEEjtK6NpJmTfnzj_0OlIJ2bUWPI/s1600/Sonya+Andrade_4807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4pQ3_F255p3RBPnan8RXsPDpbQgLLqk73IGuwNKv8bXy5jpvmcTl31hMIEKQeG-mZfddPLv5sU_dNdCFE9UtkdpKemj80G2k_WurxUPkTCMo_Q3ZEEjtK6NpJmTfnzj_0OlIJ2bUWPI/s400/Sonya+Andrade_4807.JPG" width="300" /></a>This is the kind of kitchen my grandmother might have had.</div>
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Here are pictures!</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-90200979136400729302012-12-29T13:14:00.002-08:002012-12-29T13:14:59.548-08:00The world around Pucón, Dec. 29th
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POCÓN, Lakes District, Chile, Dec. 28<sup>th</sup> 2012Alpes</div>
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This is the northernmost area that I feel has a semblance of
the Northwest (Western Washington) and, at the same time, the European Alpes.
There is something about the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>deep
blue sky, steep hills with lots of trees, open pasture with cows and valleys.
Signs offering fresh cow or goat cheese, homemade marmalade and honey, camping
by the side of a small lake. It is all here. And it is used. From January 1
tell early March, this place and many more like it are packed to the gills with
urban people doing their vacations either at the shore (as in the post on
Papudo)or in the mountains of Chile.</div>
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One of the spectacular landmarks in the area<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is the Villarica crater, a cone shaped
mountain that only rises to 2840 meters (under 8000feet ) but is snow covered.
People love to climb it in a day then go to the many thermal bathes that abound
throughout the area. I’ve never seen so many camping sites, big and small, set
off in remote areas as well as within the city limits of Pucón.</div>
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So the town, though a dead berg for 8 months a year, starts
waking up before the first of the year and it is non-stop tell March. That is
how they make their money. I’m fortunate enough to be camping amid trees in a
large open pasture area with new showers, a swimming pool, plenty of room to
spread out and relax, do day trips and plan the next leg. Here are some photos
of the area. Doesn’t it look like parts of the PNW?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXhYJb51PAMwEfG62LgeScgitJ9-YSHA2YchOouwHdHJpuZlynag81VrN4bFoILljbJKfkuNEBW_GzoZgwiqAjd-RzJSsMOX-GAeZllxIKYMtHFke28vzanRKl2JoqNeKNRhuJP1pumw/s1600/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXhYJb51PAMwEfG62LgeScgitJ9-YSHA2YchOouwHdHJpuZlynag81VrN4bFoILljbJKfkuNEBW_GzoZgwiqAjd-RzJSsMOX-GAeZllxIKYMtHFke28vzanRKl2JoqNeKNRhuJP1pumw/s320/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4302.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This reminded me of the northwest<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDl9L5BmH9wbj-ztVK3_g-PXjD-yTJtiG6cQSA5ulcClmFVdKH4cE07vWK4soWLsVsQi9ZxVHZccMwmNxeJlUFBGWvcfL5JqdaNcBEAUSW_3CmAK4aQs7-Ev9_c1pm1wUEg2BOarECFc/s1600/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDl9L5BmH9wbj-ztVK3_g-PXjD-yTJtiG6cQSA5ulcClmFVdKH4cE07vWK4soWLsVsQi9ZxVHZccMwmNxeJlUFBGWvcfL5JqdaNcBEAUSW_3CmAK4aQs7-Ev9_c1pm1wUEg2BOarECFc/s640/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4309.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
My campsite for several days-everything I need- a pool, warm sun, new showers. Won't you come join me?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL3o1mJ20yHeVAXxT7YjxJ0L4_tsvk47XyhLjzZbxbNVjPoL7jtDA2PdLXMnBFK7dtJwApHzzHPIRWpeW5A5A6wvI9F9H8Jo0kKrzvZKI70aaJg4OdMwFO48navrYv3aPCKyIUwAIDH0/s1600/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL3o1mJ20yHeVAXxT7YjxJ0L4_tsvk47XyhLjzZbxbNVjPoL7jtDA2PdLXMnBFK7dtJwApHzzHPIRWpeW5A5A6wvI9F9H8Jo0kKrzvZKI70aaJg4OdMwFO48navrYv3aPCKyIUwAIDH0/s640/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4315.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B2Kz44sESuuHybbzBMUoOIFj-U1wDhg1YYt0Ou6SXGXQpMqp8LHil9fktNc_1P3_2MDouhdBGRYKZqPnTvBd-1SPgMW_zIdzHbSz5EhShEb7vGbvJlPxAeq7xpQt1FAqorvY14BQCCI/s1600/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B2Kz44sESuuHybbzBMUoOIFj-U1wDhg1YYt0Ou6SXGXQpMqp8LHil9fktNc_1P3_2MDouhdBGRYKZqPnTvBd-1SPgMW_zIdzHbSz5EhShEb7vGbvJlPxAeq7xpQt1FAqorvY14BQCCI/s400/Puco%CC%81n+and+environs_4332.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The houses in the rural area around here are hard to define. Try and capture a picture of the 'typical house' in Seattle. Impossible to do. Same here. There are some definite styles like low incline roofs and since it doesn't really get very cold here in the winter, the houses lack insulation.<br />
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Animals are still used for all kinds of jobs.<br />
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Again the northwest struck me sans the Alpaca. (We're about 1,700 feet so it is pretty low)<br />
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Wood products and tourism are the two mainstays. Everyone with a house and any space offers camping or cabanas.<br />
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My indoor parking space. People don't think twice about offering their outdoor hallway as a place to store your bike overnight.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-31579084525092653282012-12-28T10:48:00.001-08:002012-12-28T10:48:17.059-08:00I Met A GYPSY TODAY- Dec. 27th on the road<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The Road Less Traveled…. December 27<sup>th,2012 (but remember, I'm just passing through)</sup></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I met a Gypsy some 40 years ago in Argentina- on the road,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wagon wheels and camping, another
world…, definitely another world.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I met a gypsy today, in fact two or three… (They are
supportive women-helping each other).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Been many a year… Always outside my round of daily
activities… Provocative women, who would say no?...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charming, dancing, or at least slightly moving, as they
spoke. I was intrigued… Wouldn’t you be too?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Touching me ever so slightly as they talked rapidly as if I
understood what they wanted and were offering.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Want?”… “$ for
my baby on the ground next to me .So she can have some bread“” She needs
something.” I look down and what youngster doesn’t look hungry at 8 AM ?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O.K. give her some $ for the young
child.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m sitting on
my motorcycle) getting the tank filled with the Attendant filling my gas tank
at my side. I give him a glance and he looks down. Not interested in making a
comment and he has to put up with this form of request from the Gypsies all the
time. Who knows, maybe he’s the Pimp?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Pumping Pimp? </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any case I
am enticed outside the gas filling lane to an area still inside the gas station
grounds<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but…not in the way and
she…never caught her name. (I’d given her $ for the poor child name.) Was it
given?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes? No?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But since I was such a” sensitive
person”… to the needs of others she’d tell my fortune for nothing…well… </div>
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I could be gracious if I approved of the Fortune… </div>
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Well, with all my clothes on… I mean with all my motorcycle
gear on… and my motor running… I wasn’t sure I wanted to get into a prolonged
interaction with this sexy young woman who kept contact with my wrist as she
spoke….oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Frankly, I’ve
never met a Gypsy who didn’t know how to do fantastic things with wrist touch…
haven’t you?...)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It always
involves more $$... Ya,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>well she’d keep her finger on my<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>palm while she gave me a blessing and asked 10 questions, half of which
I couldn’t understand. But I could feel her finger moving around ever so
slightly…. I was disoriented.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
remembered a movie I’d seen last week and the message had three elements two of
which I currently remember( not bad I’d say…) </div>
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one was :1) Distract the enemy. . Get their attention
elsewhere away from the money. Keep ‘em focused elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Disorient them so they don’t know what
is happening…</div>
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2) Since you, as the Sorceress, know that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they don’t want to look bad in public,
you’ll provide them an opportunity to not display there ineptitude<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in public. Just a few more $ and I
leave you to go but…” you can’t leave right now while we’re in the middle of
this fortune telling<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>process…This
is serious. Processes are happening beyond my powers… This would be a serious
travesty and with consequences I would not be responsible for…” </div>
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<br /></div>
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bang..frustration. ackward feelings.. of wanting to flee and
not wanting to be here but there is such a velvet clutch around me…it is hot
and getting hotter, my white silk scarf that should be flying in the breeze, is
getting damp…</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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“ OK give me my $, I say, that you are holding in the palm
of your hand.”(As you bless it)… Here’s something else for the kid.. I’ve got
more important things to do, like continue my trip without feeling fleeced…too
often….”</div>
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<br /></div>
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I was left with the words ringing in my ears that “ You
foreigners are wound tight and don’t want to help…, you won’t even give me
money for a cigarette”!.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That quickly
took me to beach activity in South America 40 years ago.. could have been
anywhere in the world where someone from outside has something ($) and the
locals, they don’t ,but both want to party…so how pays?... It winds up that
those who have , give and those who don’t , benefit, as do all of us in that
situation.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Next time you pull into your gas station, stay away from a
young, swaggering , long skirted, slightly disheveled, sexy woman who wants to
offer you your dreams for a few pesos…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On second
thought, who knows where a trip like that might have led?...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Campfires with Flamenco singers,…
Dancers illuminated by the flames of the fire,….or just another round of
screaming, unkempt and needy children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t have the answer because I didn’t go there…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But isn’t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that always the choice… The road less
traveled..?</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-67878739337408223642012-12-26T12:36:00.001-08:002012-12-26T12:36:44.129-08:00Holiday season in Papudo, Chile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fXj0I58ua3k7ro2uGrfI3nIxU3MxMlqfI15XlsSpfS-LdnorJyQF6BkiJpcWjG6-AI3-9qN0t1xvLW_JFO8iCxZO8EWe31HqI8tsIPSzuYvl0iVUXbc2TL7_B9NzoE0qmx7HLYyHkXk/s1600/Ride+South+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fXj0I58ua3k7ro2uGrfI3nIxU3MxMlqfI15XlsSpfS-LdnorJyQF6BkiJpcWjG6-AI3-9qN0t1xvLW_JFO8iCxZO8EWe31HqI8tsIPSzuYvl0iVUXbc2TL7_B9NzoE0qmx7HLYyHkXk/s400/Ride+South+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You caught me with my mouth full! Oftentimes breakfast comes after an hour or so on the road at whatever resource one can find. These happened to be cheeze and ham empanadas along with a big cup of instant coffee.</div>
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The beach at Papudo, Chile<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VhBEl220Lzpc6F0f0Qhoaz0cDpXBPbJuu9lzLk08xqCbVLOrqQBC_HO8FaIZFQRPeetHCuAGmP9UOS_FJab8tcXWUj_DJNba67f_s6184BBye1hzyKO00BlhUiip0y_oFgqs3n_B49c/s1600/Papudo+and+environment_4277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VhBEl220Lzpc6F0f0Qhoaz0cDpXBPbJuu9lzLk08xqCbVLOrqQBC_HO8FaIZFQRPeetHCuAGmP9UOS_FJab8tcXWUj_DJNba67f_s6184BBye1hzyKO00BlhUiip0y_oFgqs3n_B49c/s320/Papudo+and+environment_4277.JPG" width="320" /></a>Randy was concerned about his fuel system and he decides to do some diagnostics on the road. He has a 38 liter tank which means he should be able to go 500 miles without a refill (my max is about 170) Always something to fiddle with.</div>
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Another food picture taken at the other end of the day while camping on the beach. Richi, a Colombian paraglide enthusiast joined us for a couple of days. Great attitude and at 43 decided to live his dreams now.<br />
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Housing is a big issue in many parts of the world. Peru and to some extent Chile have situations where 'squatters' have taken over private lands, erected a house made of reeds(symbolic only since there is no water or electricity or anything even around these dry desert dwellings.) This building is for beach use. Light weight,thin wood,easily put up, the interior frame was made of wood strips about 1"x2 1/2 ". Hardly any structural rigidity but in an earthquake zone?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMl0EQonlVzdgI3ElKS9XLDfap-J61gw65K3RcGyiygGjUDkRYNUeZxxLKL1zgKdhKt61xW_GZ9_jXOHVU0g73TxFnduXdJN18NEjTglQBXbzQRhu4aQ6UFCYBtm-8BHhdfoW1RpWYJWo/s1600/Papudo+and+environment_4250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMl0EQonlVzdgI3ElKS9XLDfap-J61gw65K3RcGyiygGjUDkRYNUeZxxLKL1zgKdhKt61xW_GZ9_jXOHVU0g73TxFnduXdJN18NEjTglQBXbzQRhu4aQ6UFCYBtm-8BHhdfoW1RpWYJWo/s400/Papudo+and+environment_4250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The Albatross are well fed on the beach at Papudo.<br />
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Early morning snack set up on a beach you had to pay a higher price to visit. Since this was in an 'exclusive' area with many mansions old and new, they didn't want just anyone showing up...so it costs more to go to this beach.<br />
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An artist intent on his work gets his best light and fewer interruptions in the morning before more people arrive.<br />
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An amazing number of houses are shuttered up 9 months a year. After January 1st everything is full until school starts again in March<br />
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Lovely beach at Zapear with hillside houses dotting the landscape.<br />
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Randy, my riding buddy sharing dinner with Valeria Opazo de Lawling,our hostess in Papudo (Valeria also lives on Vashon Island,well Docton, to be more specific)<br />
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Christmas morning I had to go jog and see if I still had the legs. Everything still works fine and what a lovely place to jog. The Xmas tree on the beach was a suprise.<br />
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The original text written in 1545 claims Papudo to be of extraordinary quality standing out in all the new world. I believe it, so do lots of others for while Papudo's 'recent hayday' was in the 1920'-30' with large stately mansions lining the Malecón, condos are going up all over the hills, a sure sign of a growing economy in Chile.<br />
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notice the walkway in front of the homes on the lower slopes. Valeria's place is in the area toward the point. I was conflicted about staying or leaving and put off the decision so I could stay for Xmas eve and Xmas day. Sometimes just getting on the bike and hitting the road is a strong push. This time my butt got a couple more days of rest.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-45297318765534559352012-12-20T15:06:00.001-08:002012-12-20T15:06:53.228-08:00Dec. 20th A chance to shower and the beginning of a transitionQuickly approaching the Solstice I'm confused. Usually I'd be at the depths of darkness with gray skies, rain, wind, clogged gutters and yet I find myself at 7:15 pm sitting in shorts with hot sun tempting me to take off the tee shirt or seek shade. All I can say is 'I'm lovin' it" (Hasn't some company already claimed that one?) .<br />
For the last few dayz it has been serious road time with strong head or side winds.Chile is ONE LONG COUNTRY. Always wearing ear plugs to reduce the sound of wind at 60-70 mph or ,on occasion, an MP3 with my jogging music-only latin music please) we move and wiggle the butt frequently, from side to side, re adjusting the sheepskin I received from a fellow traveler in Panama, so as to get comfortable. Usually the AM has the least wind and by noon it gets tough(well not really tough). It does make driving harder. It does make passing trucks harder ( as you approach you're buffeted a lot then as you pass you're sucked into a vacuum then as you emerge you're hit by strong winds again. It just takes knowing what is happening and be prepared as best you can. (life lesson #101)<br />
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Richie, a Colombian, jointed us for a couple of days. Six months into his trip with his girlfriend from Colombia, he'd sent her ahead on the bus, due to strong winds and rough conditions. It gave them both a 'breather' of being together day and night and he got some 'male time'. He has a para gliding school in Colombia. Leaving his business in the hands of friends, he is 'living the dream' at age 43.<br />
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Camping on an isolated beach. Papa tent, Mama tent and baby bear tent. (Guess which one is Mr. Minimalist's tent?)<br />
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If you couldn't guess then here I am. One person, one person tent. Beautiful scenery. We were approached by 'locals' who said we should move since the tide oftentimes comes up and over this site. Didn't believe him (hey, I grew up with tides in my life) but then he's a local and he volunteered this information out of concern for our bikes, tents and selves.. At late dusk we decided to go for safety rather than our own 'sense'. We moved to higher ground and reset tents in the dark and slept soundly. Next morning. My northwest water sense about tides and information about beaches and evidence of high tides SHOULD have been followed...but then I'm not at home. Better safe than sorry.<br />
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I added this photo because if I were a Martian, I'd have assumed that Chileans, more than any other nation so far, are religiously inclined. It could be considered subtle but the frequency of alters to dead, whether on the highway or elsewhere is remarkable. It almost approaches too much. Especially with the Chilean flags attached everywhere. If I were to do a documentary show of roadside alters I'd take forever to get through Chile. Incredible and it can't be related to the number of deaths on the roads. Chilean pan-american highways are in great shape and not prone to accidents from the conditions of the roads.<br />
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Randy, my California riding buddy, preparing some dinner on the beach near Iqueque, in the north of Chile.<br />
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OK The 'Manos del Desierto', out in the middle of nowhere.<br />
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Are two hands better? Have I won??? Did I overcome something?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3jR2b4q_I6Uw4L-27r2t0wrzoKZ1KB61OgH5Q-PMdlmflU_7C0iskPP_dYuY7-x3cPV2bX4P0j4eQNAuckXz2P_dQfAaoGbNLALBnZyDvfGKP7xqOgQj-iXUReSmL7wMqN6hijLMm9g/s1600/beach+camping+north+of+Papudo,+Chile_4227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3jR2b4q_I6Uw4L-27r2t0wrzoKZ1KB61OgH5Q-PMdlmflU_7C0iskPP_dYuY7-x3cPV2bX4P0j4eQNAuckXz2P_dQfAaoGbNLALBnZyDvfGKP7xqOgQj-iXUReSmL7wMqN6hijLMm9g/s320/beach+camping+north+of+Papudo,+Chile_4227.JPG" width="320" /></a> Well, there is a lesson here.It happens in the oddest places. Without any premonition, under perfect conditions. Who could have predicted that when I got ready to leave and rolled forward off my center stand than the uneven sand would cause me to fall over. I can't pick this puppy up by myself, I'm well off the road and who would come by to help me? My riding buddy! That is one reason that being with someone else gives a little more security for the BIG things and the SMALL things.</div>
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The coast of western South America is like that. From southern Ecuador, all of Peru and so far, half way down Chile it has been desert. Dry, rarely a drop of rain, and wind. All of this has to do with the Humboldt Current that sweeps up from Antarctica along the coast previously mentioned bringing nutrients for fish and cooler waters that affect the coast conditions leaving little variation in the climate. Sun,sun,sun, mist sometimes and fog, sometimes but that is it, from recorded history. So enough words. Here are some pics of camping on the beach on Dec.17th,18,19th all in different places. Free! Plus the 'Manos en el Deserto', a sculpture that is on some peoples'(i.e. motorcyclists) must do list. We came upon it early in the morning, riding before the wind came up, across endless desert with little visual variation and without knowing it was there. Great place for a pic. Plus, I dropped my bike getting back one and since it is over 700 pounds loaded (without me) i asked my friend to help me lift it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-60021349380190695102012-12-17T04:44:00.002-08:002012-12-17T04:44:44.614-08:00Dec. 17th Images of Ekeko, Andean God of ProsperityEkeko, the Andean God of Prosperity is a chubby little man, mustached and carrying a plethora of items thought to bring happiness. You'll see miniature money pinned to his clothing, sacks of seed and grain, musical instruments, cars, trucks, houses, anything of value or desire. I first came across an Ekeko doll in Quito,Ecuador years ago and still own it. I was surprised to see the same figure in Arequipa Peru and have since learned it is found throughout Bolivia,Peru,Ecuador and ? There is an upscale department store in Arequipa,Peru called 'La Casa del Ekeko' from which the large carved Andean Ekeko is located.<br />
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La Casa del Ekeko in Arequipa, Peru. He greets you at the door.<br />
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I'm curious how the image got a mustache since facial hairs is not common in Andean Indigenous cultures.<br />
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At 16,000' the stone Ekeko made from rock and old clothing is full of items left by travelers like myself. Ekeko got some animal crackers from me whenever he needs a snack.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-62239247694388635492012-12-15T19:38:00.001-08:002012-12-16T03:07:49.643-08:00Dec. 14th Colca Canyon, Southern Peru<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Dec. 14<sup>th Friday</sup>
Colca Canyon, Peru- New Heights and Depths<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">On anyone’s list of places to
see in southern Peru is Colca Canyon. Why? well, it is twice as deep at the
Grand Canyon for starters and as you can see from my GPS reading we crossed a
snowy pass to get here at 16,030, the highest yet I’ve been on my motorcycle.
Needless to say, ‘el zorro plateado’ (the silver fox) was sputtering a bit.
Could have been the altitude. I was sputtering also. Just getting on and off
the motorcycle at that elevation was work though it was balanced by the
excitement of being in snow on Dec. 14<sup>th</sup> and seeing lots of Alpaca,
Vicuña, Sheep and Goats being hurded by young 10 year old boys and girls. Their
rosy and wind beaten cheeks belayed a life already set. Far from any school
they are sure to grow up living at 12,000-14,000’ in a house made of stone yet
open to the elements. Tending their flocks ,drinking their milk and finally
eating their flesh. We accept what we’ve grown into as children and as adults.
The old indigenous ways live on- no water, electricity or bathing facilities,
especially at these heights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The sign says "Do not pass"<br />
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Snow abounds. What a suprise! Fortunately I had my long johns on.<br />
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Eikeko, the Incan god of prosperity sits at 16,000'. A pile of rocks with an old jacket, and hardhat he accepts gifts of food and drink and well wishes.<br />
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Terraced lands still in use from Incan times. The whole canyon is terraced. This is extensive ground management.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Moving into Colca Canyon one
is immediately struck by what appears to be terracing across every workable
piece of land for miles and miles up and down the canyon. Yes, it is still
being worked and has been since the Incas and Pre Incas started the long and
arduous task of building rock walls and elevating ground into terraces. It is
visually stunning and remarkable that many different crops were able to be
raised simultaneously just because of the 5-6,000 feet elevation of workable
land within the canyon. Imagine crops that to us would be grown in opposite
seasons being grown at the same time just because they had the elevation and
temperature changes to make it all happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-39951280342437577062012-12-10T18:01:00.002-08:002012-12-10T18:01:37.606-08:00Dec. 9th-Coming into Lima-A change and a new beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The area around Caral is desert and an elevation of 800-1000 feet. Wind swept sand seeks refuge in the crevices of the stone mountains. Not a very hospitable place to develop a civilization of 4000 inhabitants that lasted over 1000 years<br />
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One of the center stones between ritual pyrimids. The pyramids mimic the surrounding mountains and they, in an of themselves are considered sacred, power spots.<br />
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Modern day removal of dried cane sugar from the farm lands. Note the age of the well kept truck.<br />
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Corn, the mother crop, laying out in the sun to dry. Beautiful.<br />
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A house perched upon the top of a HUGE rock in a river. Note the spiral staircase. Anyone interested? Small tax lot.<br />
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The "zorro plateado"(silver fox)in honor of my Dad gets a washinging today and is ready for a 6 AM loading and flying south.<br />
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The Hotel Antigua de Miraflores in Miraflores, Lima, Peru. Two days of luxury with a bath tub, shoes polished by the door and wonderful beds. Not the typical travel mode for me.<br />
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The last few days have been a whirlwind. First a stay on the Peruvian coast, 3 hours north of Lima at Barranca and a day visit to Caral, the oldest civilization in the Western Hemisphere.(5,000 years old) then a calculated early arrival on sunday morning into Lima with its horrendous traffic issues.(And getting stopped and hit up for 'speeding in front of a school'(on a sunday?) Cost me $38.00-street price- wish I had a helmet camera and caught it on film- that would have cost the policeman his job) Then a two night stay at an old and well appointed hotel in Miraflores, the upscale section by the water in Lima followed by a 5:45 departure for Jan to the airport and me toward Nazca 7 hours south. Jan Gunn has been my travel partner for the last month- from Quito to Lima. She's ridden through mud and rain, barren desert and high winds with nary a peep (she told me tonight she meditated ALOT) along the trip. I know that on occasion she also slept cause her helmet would slowly fall on my back. Not to be bothered by twisty mountain roads she moved gracefully through every turn, whether awake OR asleep! A couple of pictures of Caral, the desert civilization that seems to have caused quite a ruckus in Archeological circles since it has caused a re-think of previous interpretations of time,place and development of different cultures of the Americas.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2777530878947079184.post-76837726364324426472012-12-07T17:21:00.000-08:002012-12-07T17:21:09.544-08:00Dec. 7th Leaving Callejón de Huaylas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Llanganuco Lake with its glacial waters and massive rock faces hiding 22,500' Mt Huascaran.<br />
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We were the last people out of the park and when we arrived at the gate, it appeared locked. Jan managed to 'leverage' the two large rocks that allowed for the wooden pole to left and we were 'free'.<br />
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Above Lago Paron the rock just seems to continue up and up. One wonders about the forces of nature when faced with such massive amounts of rock. I wanted to go climb but quickly lost that fantasy.<br />
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Trying to get another view of some of the bigger peaks, we took a road that was under construction but the clouds obscured the massive peaks leaving us to wonder what was there that we wern't seeing.<br />
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When I come across a road sign that warns me the road is only 10 feet wide(with no shoulder)and trucks come screaming around the corner, my heart starts racing. But it was a beautiful view!<br />
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I am constantly amazed at what amount of energy it takes for a road to be built and even more to be maintained in a very unstable area.<br />
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Farming patch work quilt style is seen in the forground. We explored up the canyon to the left with almost vertical walls.<br />
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After an incredible week of varied weather conditions (all without rain!) which allowed peekaboo views of some of the mountains (up to 22,500 feet) we left the valley this morning feeling grateful for what we did see. The best time to visit is in April.May,June when skies are crystal clear and it is warmer in the day and colder at night. We loved the climate as we found it- mild and comfortable at 5-7,000'. At 13,000 we got winded even getting off and on the motorcycle. It was worth it- breathtaking I think is the word. Here are a few shots taken over this past week.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395386612266054884noreply@blogger.com0