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Hola Amigos!
Sorry I haven´t written for so long. Its been a busy couple of weeks since my last entry. We have crossed two borders, cycled around the city of Montevideo, explored the sleepy town of Colonia, hitch hiked over 200km, tried mate for the first time (and become hooked), lived life as Gauchos on a ranch for a few days and witnessed one of the Worlds best natural wonders.
Our last few days in Buenos Aires were generally spent having lazy mornings (getting a bit too familiar with MTV Latin America) and going out clubbing with Luz and her friends. We also went to explore some new parts of the city including the Recoleta cemetry which is basically a whole town of tombs! It has a slightly eery feel to it (with some tomb doors wide open) although it is also beautiful and luckily we chose a sunny day to explore it. On Thursday we went to see the Madres de Plaza de Mayo parade around the square- they are the mothers of sons killed during the dirty war and they march around the main plaza at 3.30pm every Thursday to keep pressure on the government to investigate the disappearances and to remember those that were lost. The mothers are now part of a bigger parade of relatives and friends that take part each week.
Katie left on the Saturday before last and Chloe and I made the most of our last day by going back into the centre to catch the Bolivian festival and to share a Chocolate Espeso y Churros (thick chocolate drink, heaven!) at the famous Cafe Tortoni. We also had a memorable and long negotiation session with the mananger of the appartment to discuss the compensation payment for all the problems which ended up getting extremely heated. (Not my fault, of course!) The emotion paid off at least so we set off the following morning with a bit of extra cash in our hands!
Chloe and I caught a ferry early the next day to the sleepy town of Colonia de Sacramento in Uruguay. The town was right by the sea and was so beautiful, a photographers heaven (not that I am one!) We lay on the getty reading our books in the sun before heading to catch our next bus to take us to the capital Montevideo, which is by the sea on the South West coast of the country. We booked into a friendly hostel called Unplugged (would strongly recommend it). Staff were lovely and we all sat down that evening to have mate (a drink a bit like green tea that is extremely popular in Argentina and Uruguay and is drunk socially both in the street or at home). We were taught all the codes and practices associated with the drink, such as if you are offered someones mate then you must not pass it onto someone else before giving it back to them otherwise it will be bad luck and will definetly piss them off! We then went to sample some culture by seeing an awful film (only in my opinion it seems) called Inception! Any one else have any views about this?
The next morning Chloe´s friend Helen arrived. Nice to have a new face amongst the group. All getting on very well! We went for a wander around some markets and sat on the beach on her first day and then the following day, resolved to burning some of the calories we had aquired at the all you can eat chinese the night before, we hired bikes from the hostel and cycled around the city along the sea and into the old town. First impressions of Uruguay were very good and they were only to get better. Great food, such friendly people and so safe. For supper, after working up a nice appetite, we headed for a famous Parilla in the centre of town. We had a meal from heaven of perfect steak, salsa, warm bread and salad followed by chocolate brownie mmmm! Couldn´t really get any better. Or could it?
The following morning, we took a bus up North to a place called Tacuarembo. We were off on an adventure to stay on a real estancia (ranch) and to become real Gauchos helping on the ranch for a few days. Chloe had sold the place to us with the reviews and although neither Helen or I are keen on riding we trusted her. And wow were we right to do so. The adventure started with us finding a tiny hostel/ parking slot/ family home in the small village of Tacuarembo where we would be picked up by Juan, head Gaucho the following day. It was the only place we could find accomodation and it turned out to be perfect. No hot water but that wasn´t something that really bothers us anymore! We stayed with a really kind family who made us feel completely at home. They had a big fire going in the main room and wanted to hear all our travelling stories and about London before us going to bed which I tried my best to explain in my improving Spanish.
The next morning we met Juan at the bus station and he took us in his pick up to Panagea- his family ranch. A big house and large expanse of fields in the middle of nowhere where he looked after sheep, pigs, horses, emu´s, dogs, babies (their beautiful one year old who I adored) and even the occassional armadillo! We were immediately warmly welcomed by his wide Suzann and their other guests- Seb and Joe from London (small world) and Pauline and Roman, a couple from Paris. Juan explained the set up to us- we could come out on either or both of the rides which would start at 8.30am and 2.30pm in the afternoon to help him with the working of the ranch or we could stay and relax in the house or walk in the grounds.
Helen I figured that we should get stuck in with the riding straight away if we were going to do it at all as then we would all get used to it together so we set off for a whistle stop lesson in tacking the gaucho horses and set off for the afternoon which involved herding 2 sets of sheep into an area to de worm all the lambs. It was such good fun and all nerves were shortlived. We had to pick up the lambs and then Molinga (true gaucho helper) and the boys would syringe the liquid into the mouths and then we would mark them! Felt like a real farmer! The next day I didn´t quite make the morning ride- a mixture of exhaustion and too much wine and grappa from the night before but by the afternoon I was raring to go for our next ride which was herding cattle in order for the calves to be de horned and injected. Juan´s theory for beginners is to rotate them on different horses while they are learning which meant that each time we went out it took me a while to acclimatise to the horses behaviour, by the end I would be loving it though.
Aside from riding, the ranch was such a great place. Suzann made us delicious meals, all really hearty with lots of meat and vegetables and salads. Seb, who had lived in Tobago earlier this year also cooked us a delicious caribbean meal for us one night! We would sit by the fire and watch films when the electricity came on for 3 hours in the evening. After that we sat by candleight and enjoyed some good old conversation, wine and grappa! Que perfecto! I also fell in love with their 15 month year old daughter, Darma who loved following me around the house and sit on my lap while I was helping to prepare food! She would come out on the horses and sit with Juan, completelky undeterred and loving it! When she is 3 years old she will be expected to be able to ride unaided to school which is an hour down the road!
Our last afternoon at the ranch was spent going out as a three on our own for a ride and a chance to canter a bit which we rarely got to do whilst herding. Was completely liberating and something I wouldnt have dreamt of being able to do before we arrived, we even caught the horses from the field and tacked them ourselves (yes really, lizy!) We were upset to leave on Monday but after some sad goodbyes we set off for our next adventure- hitch hiking over 200km to the Uruguay- Argentina border! Juan had advised us that it was the best way to make the journey and after experiencing the incredible generosity of Uruguyans we were happy to give it a try. After 3 hours and a few unsucessful attmepts at flagging down cars we finally got a lift and it was very civilised- no cattle or chickens to share the car with. He took us straight to the bus station and even helped us book our onward journey.
We took an overnight bus from there to Puerto Iguazu where we are currently staying. Throughout the whole trip we have heard so many incredible things about the Iguazu Falls. Many people have said that when you see them you are forced to believe in God due to their exceptional beauty. We spent the whole day at the falls today and it was sensational. No words can describe the spectacle that you experience. They are the largest water falls in the world and are found in several different parts which you navigate around via walkways that wind around the falls. I hope I have captured at least part of their beauty through photographs that I can share with you but the sight of them is definitely something that I will remember forever.
We are now back in the nearby town of Puerto Iguazu and travel into Brazil tomorrow. We have planned a last minute trip to the Pantanal, a large expanse of wetland and rainforest which is only 17 hours away from the border in Brazil so we decided it was too close to miss! Very exciting! We then head down to Rio de Janeiro and to Isla Grande for the last two weeks of the trip! It will be sad to finally leave Argentina for good- I will definetly miss not being able to speak the language in Brazil, I really should of learnt some Portugeuse before I came! What is exciting though is that we have finally turned the corner in terms of temperature and are no longer having to wear our coats, scarves and gloves outside! Bring on the Brazilian beaches!
Sorry this has been quite long! Hope everyone is really well and I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks time. No little brother yet but no doubt there will be very soon! Did see four magpies today...possibly a sign, dad?
Love to everyone,
xxx
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