We arrived in Cordoba after an all night bus ride from Tucuman. The bus was a double decker in which the seats folded down flat into beds. The sway of the bus put most of us to sleep in no time, although I had several dreams I was falling. I was amazed at how comfortable the bus was to sleep and travel in, and unlike the domestic flights, on time! I will post a photo of Gretchen, our Fulbright leader, sleeping in her bus bed.
Immediately upon arrival, the Fulbright Commission gave us the rest of our travel stipend. Unfortunately, I took my eyes off my back back for a minute in a restaurant and the backpack, with all my travel money, was gone. A restaurant crowded with customers and servers and nobody saw anything. While I was quite upset, my travel partners came through and replaced a lot of what was stolen; restoring my faith in humanity.
The main thing to tour in Cordoba were the Jesuit churches and estancias. The Jesuit churches and ranches were built sometime in the early part of 1600. Many of them still had original walls and frames and were very interesting to look at. I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see a working estancia. I did find it intersting that after awhile, in the 1770's the Jesuits were expelled from Argentina and the estancias fell into ruin. Altogether we toured 4 Jesuit estancias with the most beautiful one being Santa Catalina, that is still privately owned by a local family.
We then were graced with a day and a half of free time and I visited some art museums in Cordoba and took in a fabulous craft fair with amazing locally made crafts of all kinds. I finally found my mate cup and spoon and will soon be looking for some yerba mate to drink.
We are now in the best hotel of our entire trip, the Hotel Modern in Mendoza. More about that later.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Cachi and Cafayate
We visited several very remote high mountain villages while in Salta Province. The first one was a 3 hour drive from Salta and was accesible by a narrow and very windy road. At the top of the road I saw an Andean Condor. A very large bird with an impressive wing span. I felt fortunate to see one fly by us (maybe 50 feet away) just as we got off the bus. The road was probably the scariest mountain road I have ever been on. I'll post a picture to show how windy and high we were.
Once in Cachi, we met with a woman from the local group of indigenous people and she talked to us about her culture both past and present. We felt really fortunate that she was willing to spend time with us, although she was reluctant to say anything that put the government in a bad light. We know that it has only been recent that the Argentine government has recognized most of the local groups of indians as being a distinct cultural group with important significance to Argentina's history.
The next day we went on the Cafayate, another small indian village that has grown large due to the tourist trade. It was a very pretty town with a delightful restaurant where I ate the local special of Argentine grass fed beef. The owner of the restaurant, Eduardo, waited on us himself and insisted while I was there I speak only in Spanish. While I tried my best, I finally suggested (in Spanish) that he could practice his English with me, he told me in perfect English he didn't need to practice, he was an English professor. Then, while I felt a bit foolish, we all had a good laugh and when we departed we said goodbye as good friends with an Argentinan kiss.
After lunch, we headed on to Tucuman via another very narrrow, windy and bit scary road. Although, it was unique geography, as we left the high desert area and entered a yunga, which is a mountain rain forest. Unfortunately, my camera battery gave out on the way over and I only have video. It was really interesting landscape as there were all these parasitic plants that were atttached to the trees. They looked like the plants you can buy in the U.S. called air plants. Aside, from having to get out of the bus periodically, to get our blood moving according to our tour guide, we were changing altitude rapidly, our trip was uneventful and we eventually arrived in Tucuman.
Once in Cachi, we met with a woman from the local group of indigenous people and she talked to us about her culture both past and present. We felt really fortunate that she was willing to spend time with us, although she was reluctant to say anything that put the government in a bad light. We know that it has only been recent that the Argentine government has recognized most of the local groups of indians as being a distinct cultural group with important significance to Argentina's history.
The next day we went on the Cafayate, another small indian village that has grown large due to the tourist trade. It was a very pretty town with a delightful restaurant where I ate the local special of Argentine grass fed beef. The owner of the restaurant, Eduardo, waited on us himself and insisted while I was there I speak only in Spanish. While I tried my best, I finally suggested (in Spanish) that he could practice his English with me, he told me in perfect English he didn't need to practice, he was an English professor. Then, while I felt a bit foolish, we all had a good laugh and when we departed we said goodbye as good friends with an Argentinan kiss.
After lunch, we headed on to Tucuman via another very narrrow, windy and bit scary road. Although, it was unique geography, as we left the high desert area and entered a yunga, which is a mountain rain forest. Unfortunately, my camera battery gave out on the way over and I only have video. It was really interesting landscape as there were all these parasitic plants that were atttached to the trees. They looked like the plants you can buy in the U.S. called air plants. Aside, from having to get out of the bus periodically, to get our blood moving according to our tour guide, we were changing altitude rapidly, our trip was uneventful and we eventually arrived in Tucuman.
Tucuman
Tucuman is a large, densely packed urban city. It is surrounded by thousands, maybe millions of acres of sugar cane plantation. Unfortunately, after they harvest the sugar cane they burn the fields and the whole city smells like smoke. And, the air is visible with smoke and pollution.
We met with an administrator from the ministry of education today and I am impressed by the level of dedication and passion she displayed for her profession and for education in this province. In fact, it appears to be one of the best educated provinces in all of Argentina. That may account for the masses of humanity I have encountered on the narrow sidewalks. We visited a local secondary school where they were handing out netbooks to all of the students and teachers. Very impressive!
Tomorrow we will be heading off for an all day visit to 2 reserves that are run by the University of Tucuman and appear to bring researchers from all over the world. I will be sure to fill you all in on what they are researching after the visit.
We met with an administrator from the ministry of education today and I am impressed by the level of dedication and passion she displayed for her profession and for education in this province. In fact, it appears to be one of the best educated provinces in all of Argentina. That may account for the masses of humanity I have encountered on the narrow sidewalks. We visited a local secondary school where they were handing out netbooks to all of the students and teachers. Very impressive!
Tomorrow we will be heading off for an all day visit to 2 reserves that are run by the University of Tucuman and appear to bring researchers from all over the world. I will be sure to fill you all in on what they are researching after the visit.
Friday, July 8, 2011
The Province of Salta
We arrived in the bustling capitol city of Salta, in Salta Province on Tuesday at lunchtime. Salta has about 700,000 people in it and is highly influenced by Spanish colonialism.
Our first stop was an amazing museum call MAAM. The Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Motana. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of three Incan mummies that were found in March of 1999, by a team of Archeologists from both South and North America. It is one of the most important discoveries in recent times. There were three children found, two girls a 9y/o and a 15y/o and one 6y/o boy. They were part of a ceremony that took over a year to complete and were eventually given a narcotic substance that put them to sleep and then they were wrapped, placed in a burial chamber with many sacred and everyday objects and left to die of exposure. Because of the volcanic soil and the sub 0 temperatures the bodies were perfectly preserved including all the organs, the blood muscle and skin. Even the fabrics they were wrapped in retained their brilliant colors. It was quite remarkable to see the boy mummy in the same state he was buried in. For security, the museum only displays one mummy at a time, but they show videos of all three mummies. If anyone ever gets to Salta, this is a museum that shouldn't be missed. I do think there is some controversy surrounding the mummies having been disturbed. Members of the indigenous groups felt they should have been left where they were.
Our guide, Edgar, then took us on a city tour which took us to the top of San Bernadino Hill. Many things here are named after Gen San Bernadino. He was a local hero during the revolution that freed Argentina from the Spanish rule. There are many statues and monuments dedicated to the people who fought in that war. The top of the hill gave us an amazing view of nearly the entire city. Although it was a bit hazy especially in the photos.
I have enjoyed our time here as we have been allowed our first free day with no requirements from the Fulbright commission. We are planning on seeing some more of the sights around the city and then going to a restaurant with some Baile Folklorico (folk dancing) and a traditional pena which is a sing along and anybody who wants to brings there guitar and just start playing and singing folk songs of Argentina. I think this is part of the gaucho culture.
Our first stop was an amazing museum call MAAM. The Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Motana. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of three Incan mummies that were found in March of 1999, by a team of Archeologists from both South and North America. It is one of the most important discoveries in recent times. There were three children found, two girls a 9y/o and a 15y/o and one 6y/o boy. They were part of a ceremony that took over a year to complete and were eventually given a narcotic substance that put them to sleep and then they were wrapped, placed in a burial chamber with many sacred and everyday objects and left to die of exposure. Because of the volcanic soil and the sub 0 temperatures the bodies were perfectly preserved including all the organs, the blood muscle and skin. Even the fabrics they were wrapped in retained their brilliant colors. It was quite remarkable to see the boy mummy in the same state he was buried in. For security, the museum only displays one mummy at a time, but they show videos of all three mummies. If anyone ever gets to Salta, this is a museum that shouldn't be missed. I do think there is some controversy surrounding the mummies having been disturbed. Members of the indigenous groups felt they should have been left where they were.
Our guide, Edgar, then took us on a city tour which took us to the top of San Bernadino Hill. Many things here are named after Gen San Bernadino. He was a local hero during the revolution that freed Argentina from the Spanish rule. There are many statues and monuments dedicated to the people who fought in that war. The top of the hill gave us an amazing view of nearly the entire city. Although it was a bit hazy especially in the photos.
I have enjoyed our time here as we have been allowed our first free day with no requirements from the Fulbright commission. We are planning on seeing some more of the sights around the city and then going to a restaurant with some Baile Folklorico (folk dancing) and a traditional pena which is a sing along and anybody who wants to brings there guitar and just start playing and singing folk songs of Argentina. I think this is part of the gaucho culture.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Purmamarca and Tilcara, Remote Indian villages
The past 24 hours have been the most amazing part of our trip so far. We arrived in Purmamarca several hours late as Aeorlineas appears to have trouble keeping to a schedule. Fortunately we do not have to fly for another week or so. The first thing we did upon arriving was walk to a woman's house. Her name is Laura Vilte and she was the prinicpal of the local elementary school here in town. She also had taught at teacher college as well. She was a remarkably informed and well spoken woman. Honestly not what I expected to find in such a remote area.
She began by telling us a bit about her father who had built her home and about the village and the children who go to school there. She said, "now that there is so much tourism here the mothers do not stay home with their children and the school has to take care of them. She complained that the kids ate junk food and did not get enough good food to eat. Which sounds very familiar to me.
Next, she told us about the importance of retaining the villagers cultural heritage which is the Purmamarca group of the Omahuaca. This is one of the 100s of indigenous groups that still exhist in Argentina. They can trace their roots to a group of people that lived in the area 10,000 years ago. And they are descended from the Inca. This is about the furthest south that the Inca's traveled. In the town square there were many booths set up to sell sweaters, blankets, hats, and other woven goods made from mostly llama but they were not made locally. All the goods there came from either Bolivia or Peru. Most of the arts and crafts of the Purmamarca people were no longer being practiced. But she told us a few places to go where it was still made by local people in the traditional way.
Laura then talked to us about the time of the "Disappeared" and that her sister was one of the disappeared. Her sister had been instrumental in rallying teachers in the teacher union and the dictatorship did not want the workers to work together. So, they arrested her, but they let her go after a short time. But then this woman went outside the detention center and sang copla's which are a traditional way of singing for the purmamarca people. She made up her coplas and they were condemning the treatment of the detainees and she eventually was arrested and Laura never saw her again. Laura told us then of a young man who had been among the disappeared who's remains have just recently been recovered. She talked about being with the mother when she was told of this. Then Laura was crying and so were the rest of us. It was such an amazing experience because we had visited the memory museum but it was such a sparse empty space with nothing to personalize it. But when Laura told us her story we all felt very touched and emotional and got a small glimpse of what it must have been like to live in that time here in Argentina. We were able to put a face to the "Dirty War" a real life victim who is still suffering because of what happened to her family and I feel I have a much greater understanding now.
Finally, to lighten the mood I think, Laura finshed by singing some coplas for us and they were fantastic. She sang a traditional love copla that was about her lover and how he was fantastic in the day but even better in the night. She sang one for all us women that was about how we didn't reallyneed the men and they should just stop talking. That brought quite a few laughs and she sang a really sweet one for her sister who was disappeared. And then we all kissed in the Argentinean way and said goodnight. So far this has been the quintessential event in my travel.
The next day we hike through the hills of seven colors and I will put some of those pictures up. We also visited another village call Tilcara where we met a young man named Mariano who owned a shop that sold traditional crafts from a group of indians named wichis. They have created a cooperative to try to help these indians retain their rich culture and traditional way of life. Their products are a bit more expensive but they are so much more beautiful and it felt good to know we were helping out a local indigenous group. They worked in wood, silver and leather mostly. I bought a beautiful pair of silver earings with the zuri image on it which is traditional iconery meaning earth and rain.
We finished up our day with an unplanned visit to the local school in Tilcara. The principal and teachers were all incredibly friendly and were excited to show us their students. The kids were typical kids of that age. As soon as they had a new audience they got extremely silly, but the teacher began singing a song and they immediately settled down and sang along. It was a beautiful bit of classroom management. The teachers then gave us an impromptu tea with a local made apricot marmalade on crackers and gave us a copy of their school calendar that highlighted important dates, photographs of the students and student work. I will never forget the kindness and compassion we have received from these people that many people discriminate against in Argentina. All in all, an indescribable experience. I am hoping when I get back to the US I can get my students to help organize a book drive to send books in Spanish to the students at the schools we have visited.
She began by telling us a bit about her father who had built her home and about the village and the children who go to school there. She said, "now that there is so much tourism here the mothers do not stay home with their children and the school has to take care of them. She complained that the kids ate junk food and did not get enough good food to eat. Which sounds very familiar to me.
Next, she told us about the importance of retaining the villagers cultural heritage which is the Purmamarca group of the Omahuaca. This is one of the 100s of indigenous groups that still exhist in Argentina. They can trace their roots to a group of people that lived in the area 10,000 years ago. And they are descended from the Inca. This is about the furthest south that the Inca's traveled. In the town square there were many booths set up to sell sweaters, blankets, hats, and other woven goods made from mostly llama but they were not made locally. All the goods there came from either Bolivia or Peru. Most of the arts and crafts of the Purmamarca people were no longer being practiced. But she told us a few places to go where it was still made by local people in the traditional way.
Laura then talked to us about the time of the "Disappeared" and that her sister was one of the disappeared. Her sister had been instrumental in rallying teachers in the teacher union and the dictatorship did not want the workers to work together. So, they arrested her, but they let her go after a short time. But then this woman went outside the detention center and sang copla's which are a traditional way of singing for the purmamarca people. She made up her coplas and they were condemning the treatment of the detainees and she eventually was arrested and Laura never saw her again. Laura told us then of a young man who had been among the disappeared who's remains have just recently been recovered. She talked about being with the mother when she was told of this. Then Laura was crying and so were the rest of us. It was such an amazing experience because we had visited the memory museum but it was such a sparse empty space with nothing to personalize it. But when Laura told us her story we all felt very touched and emotional and got a small glimpse of what it must have been like to live in that time here in Argentina. We were able to put a face to the "Dirty War" a real life victim who is still suffering because of what happened to her family and I feel I have a much greater understanding now.
Finally, to lighten the mood I think, Laura finshed by singing some coplas for us and they were fantastic. She sang a traditional love copla that was about her lover and how he was fantastic in the day but even better in the night. She sang one for all us women that was about how we didn't reallyneed the men and they should just stop talking. That brought quite a few laughs and she sang a really sweet one for her sister who was disappeared. And then we all kissed in the Argentinean way and said goodnight. So far this has been the quintessential event in my travel.
The next day we hike through the hills of seven colors and I will put some of those pictures up. We also visited another village call Tilcara where we met a young man named Mariano who owned a shop that sold traditional crafts from a group of indians named wichis. They have created a cooperative to try to help these indians retain their rich culture and traditional way of life. Their products are a bit more expensive but they are so much more beautiful and it felt good to know we were helping out a local indigenous group. They worked in wood, silver and leather mostly. I bought a beautiful pair of silver earings with the zuri image on it which is traditional iconery meaning earth and rain.
We finished up our day with an unplanned visit to the local school in Tilcara. The principal and teachers were all incredibly friendly and were excited to show us their students. The kids were typical kids of that age. As soon as they had a new audience they got extremely silly, but the teacher began singing a song and they immediately settled down and sang along. It was a beautiful bit of classroom management. The teachers then gave us an impromptu tea with a local made apricot marmalade on crackers and gave us a copy of their school calendar that highlighted important dates, photographs of the students and student work. I will never forget the kindness and compassion we have received from these people that many people discriminate against in Argentina. All in all, an indescribable experience. I am hoping when I get back to the US I can get my students to help organize a book drive to send books in Spanish to the students at the schools we have visited.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Puerto Iguazu and Parque Nacional
Today we spen the whole day in the National park of Iguazu. I am not going to say very much about it as words really cannot do it justice. I have spent quite a bit of time in the Columbia Gorge Scenic area which has hundreds of waterfalls, but the falls of iguazu make those look like little puddles. I have a great video of our tour guide explaining about the Parana River and all the falls on it. I will let that and the photos show you what I experienced.
El Tigre, San Isidro and Teatre Colon
Well, we spent another whole day on the bus driving around the Buenos Aires Province, particularly San Isidro and El Tigre with the incomparable tour guide Carrina Correas. We were really taken with how much slower the pace was once we left the city of Buenos Aires, although the towns we went to were really considered suburbs. The feel was quite a bit more comfortable for those of us from smaller towns or cities. Our first stop was to a very old and large cathedral in San Isidro. It was very large and clearly influenced by Spanish colonialism.
Then we went on to El Tigre to the Museo De Artes of El Tigre a beautiful art museum that is for all ages. They had a section where they held classes for yong children. The artist, Lockett, that was on display was super fantastic. He used mixed media with very bright colors and very childlike images of mostly children. He was originally a skateboarder who had created his own line of skate clthes, but eventually discovered his talent for art at around 50 years old and was completely self taught. We also learned about other more classical artists from Argentina. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos inside the museum and they didn't have a gift shop where we could buy reproduction. I will try to find some pictures on google images of some of these artists.
Then we finished up the tour by learning about a famous writer and influential intellectual from El Tigre; Victoria Ocampo. We visited her home which is now a museum. She invited all the most intellectual people to he home and would have literary discussions. She eventually created her own publishing house where she could publish like-minded writers. She was a contemporary of Eva Peron and worked for women's rights as well. At one point she was inmprisoned for her political views by the military Junta but was released after a month due to all the wealthy and inflential people pleading on her behalf.
The next day we visited 2 more important sites in Buenos Aires. First was the Colon Theater. A very old and very famous Opera House. There was a ballet company rehearsing Sleeping Beauty while we were touring. Many of the world's most famous artists have performed at this theater, such as Caruso and Yoyo Ma, to name a few.
The next stop was a visit to the Memory Museum, which is an old navy institution that had been the place that people in the 70's and early 80's were taken to, tortured and killed. Most of the people who "disappeared" during this period in Argentina's history belong to the political party the Malvinistas. They were opposed to the military dictatorhip and working for workers rights. The military junta would go to their homes and take the activists or their family members and they msotly ended up dead after a period of internment that was incredibly abusive. Children who were born in this detention center were kidnapped from their families and given to miltary families who couldn't have children of their own. They are just now beginning to find some of these children who are now between 29-35 years old. The building we visited is also an active crime scene as they are still prosecuting many of the military men and women responsible for these crimes against humanity. This was a very dark period in Argentina's history called the Dirty War. It was not until 1983 or so that democracy returned to Argentina and the Argentine people have a saying "Nunca Mas" (Never Again) that they rally around.
Finally, that evening we went to a professional Tango show, that was mostly put on for tourist. But it was really fun and the dancers were quite good. Two of the young men did a type of folk dance that was maybe similiar to clogging but it also included the bolleaderos, the rope and ball things the gaucho's used to wrangle the cattle with. I have some video of that I will put up on facebook. And that brought a nice closure to our time in Buenos Aires as the next day we headed out to the provinces.
Then we went on to El Tigre to the Museo De Artes of El Tigre a beautiful art museum that is for all ages. They had a section where they held classes for yong children. The artist, Lockett, that was on display was super fantastic. He used mixed media with very bright colors and very childlike images of mostly children. He was originally a skateboarder who had created his own line of skate clthes, but eventually discovered his talent for art at around 50 years old and was completely self taught. We also learned about other more classical artists from Argentina. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos inside the museum and they didn't have a gift shop where we could buy reproduction. I will try to find some pictures on google images of some of these artists.
Then we finished up the tour by learning about a famous writer and influential intellectual from El Tigre; Victoria Ocampo. We visited her home which is now a museum. She invited all the most intellectual people to he home and would have literary discussions. She eventually created her own publishing house where she could publish like-minded writers. She was a contemporary of Eva Peron and worked for women's rights as well. At one point she was inmprisoned for her political views by the military Junta but was released after a month due to all the wealthy and inflential people pleading on her behalf.
The next day we visited 2 more important sites in Buenos Aires. First was the Colon Theater. A very old and very famous Opera House. There was a ballet company rehearsing Sleeping Beauty while we were touring. Many of the world's most famous artists have performed at this theater, such as Caruso and Yoyo Ma, to name a few.
The next stop was a visit to the Memory Museum, which is an old navy institution that had been the place that people in the 70's and early 80's were taken to, tortured and killed. Most of the people who "disappeared" during this period in Argentina's history belong to the political party the Malvinistas. They were opposed to the military dictatorhip and working for workers rights. The military junta would go to their homes and take the activists or their family members and they msotly ended up dead after a period of internment that was incredibly abusive. Children who were born in this detention center were kidnapped from their families and given to miltary families who couldn't have children of their own. They are just now beginning to find some of these children who are now between 29-35 years old. The building we visited is also an active crime scene as they are still prosecuting many of the military men and women responsible for these crimes against humanity. This was a very dark period in Argentina's history called the Dirty War. It was not until 1983 or so that democracy returned to Argentina and the Argentine people have a saying "Nunca Mas" (Never Again) that they rally around.
Finally, that evening we went to a professional Tango show, that was mostly put on for tourist. But it was really fun and the dancers were quite good. Two of the young men did a type of folk dance that was maybe similiar to clogging but it also included the bolleaderos, the rope and ball things the gaucho's used to wrangle the cattle with. I have some video of that I will put up on facebook. And that brought a nice closure to our time in Buenos Aires as the next day we headed out to the provinces.
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