as far as a sea lion reserve, where through looking pathetic we managed to get in for the nationals admission rate. It is a few months past birthing season so there are several illegally cute young babies tottering around, but slightly fewer loud fat males making a nuisance of themselves, though those that remained seemed to be trying to be extra obnoxious to compensate or something.*
There was a surprising amount of wildlife around, many nesting shags and an amazing grey hawk eating a little furry thing that we got really close to.
The cycling was an enjoyable change of pace and we really enjoyed not having to wear all our clothes at once. With our hosts we also had tasty platters of meat and a herby alcohol called fernet that is really big in Argentina, though we think it might be because it is like an alcoholic yerbamate. When we hitched north we entered the Pampas which are Holland-like in flatness though probably France in scale and where a lot of the beef, wine and soya Europeans consume is grown. We were lucky and made it all the way to Córdoba in two days, being fed more grilled meat and wine** along the way.
Córdoba is the second largest city in Argentina, though like Guadalajara in Mexico, there is a BIG gap between first and second. Córdoba has just over one million people next to Buenos Airies with 16-17 million. Tired of not being taken seriously, Córdoba decided to mark the bicentenary of Argentine independence by building a lighthouse. If that doesn't seem stupid in and of itself, the city is located 500 miles from the sea.
Just a tourist attraction we are told. But we prefer to think some town planner delcared it essential and ever since has been insisting that he was right because since it was built, not one ship has run aground in Córdoba. Which is true.
Aside from that we've been taking it very chill. Our plans to take the super-cheap train have been scuppered but we hope to be able to catch one on Sunday from Rosario to Buenos Aires. In the city we have been taking advantage of cooking facilties to make cooked picnics and even cottage pie for dinner one night as an example of British cooking for our host. When shopping for mince, we couldn't see it anywhere and eventually asked the butcher in the supermarket if there was a half-kilo of mince. "Sure," he said, chopped off a chunk of prime loin steak and minced it there and then. We were impressed.
People might have seen in the news last week that the last military dictator of Argentina, Jorge Videla has died. He has been in prision since 2008 along with many others responsible for the "Dirty War" in which many tens of thousands of people were tortured, killed or disappeared with full support of and large weapons sales from American and Israeli governments. We visited the Museum of the Memory, based in an old "Clandestine Detention, Torture & Extermination Centre" located right next to the central plaza though there were many in the city. Like the museum in Santiago, it was a very powerful experience, especially being in the same cells and rooms where the torture took place, the police photos of those who died or who were disappeared looking so normal and familiar (except for the 70's hair on a few). Though the dictators die, it is important to remember the system they built and were a part of remains.
On a completely different note we've also been watching some more movies, which have nothing to do with Argentina but were good. Goodbye Lenin is the hilarious and also moving story of a young man forced to convince his sick mother that the Berlin Wall never fell and they still live in a communist East Germany. It's also available free on Youtube if you're into that sort of naughtiness and we strongly recommend it for everyone. Teeth is not really suitable for young uns but is also very very funny and clever in a different way, challenging male dominance and sexism and telling a weird and at times gruesome tale of a very special young girl growing up. Don't watch it during dinner.
We're tired enough at the moment to spend a lot of time curled up watching films. We both feel drained and ready for a break with the kind of conversation you can only have with people you know, a bit more personal space and less hours spent hitch hiking. We're also excited to get on with things that we need to be in one place to do. Basically we're ready to come home. But this is good, because we couldn't afford to change the flight anyway! Before we do though, we'll let you know how things go in Buenos Aires.
-------------
* Sometimes it's great when animals act like humans, sometimes it's not.
**mixed with cola, the red wine, not the meat. We are told white wine is mixed with lemonade or fanta. It's weird, especially in a country so into their wine.
No comments:
Post a Comment