San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén, Argentina
This blog is an occasional dumping/sharing ground for random thoughts and ideas, mainly relating to birding, photography, travel, the English language and the teaching thereof and assorted verse and doggerel. I am a retired teacher/lecturer and now work as a language and education consultant with an interest in evaluation and testing, quality assessment and moderation. I divide my time between homes and families in San Martín de los Andes, Patagonia and Manchester, UK.
Still at starting point – in a mountain valley just outside San Martin de los Andes
Occasions continue to inform against me. After conversations with family, friends and neighbours and a visit to Vialidad I have decided the roads are not quite safe enough so have delayed my departure/start by one day. The plan now is to leave for Chos Malal tomorrow (Friday) morning, when the sun gets its hat on.
“To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough, November, 1785” is a Scots-language poem written by Robert Burns in 1785 – hoc dixit Wikipedia.
As Mick and Keef, vaguely paraphrasing Burns, wrote and sang: ‘You can’t always get what you want’. But no sweat, I’m in a cosy cabin with wine, food, a good Internet connection and my recently loaded Kindle (thanks, Mimi) together with a spectacular view from my window; these have effectively vanquished the prospect of a first day’s drive of 487 km to Chos Malal along snowy mountain roads northwards.
Room with a view – steps up to my little cabin.
So, no blog today, just an explanation. Fingers crossed and Deo volente I’ll be listening to Canned Heat as I drive away tomorrow morning.
Here’s hoping the roads will be a little better tomorrow …
No, not a Canned Heat homage, but a return to my wildlife travels around Argentina. For the record, since 1969, I have always started my trips with a quick burst of the great travel song (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QexOuH8GS-Y).
Three years ago, I planned a month-long trip through north-central Argentina. I had previously visited the north-east (see here) and the north-west (unblogged) and this new trip would plug the gap between the two. Formosa was the only Argentine province I had not previously visited, and I was greatly attracted by a region in the Argentine Chaco known as ‘El Impenetrable’, no translation needed.
Purple and green at the top are my prime locations. The blue cross is my start and end point.
But this trip was not to be, and attempts to resuscitate it failed, twice. Occasions –mainly Covid19 related– informed against me. It was expensive. The rental cost of a 4WD SUV for a month was outrageous and there was a limit to how much useful travelling stuff I could bring with me to my starting point, originally Resistencia. Yes, I had an ageing Jeep Cherokee down in Patagonia but it was in its twenty-third year and not reliable enough for a 12-15,000 km journey. And Jeep spare parts, when you could get them, were costly and notoriously slow to arrive, even in a city, and I wasn’t intending to be spending much time in cities.
Time, then, for some fresh calculations, which changed the basic premise: now I simply had to get a decent SUV, carry everything I needed in or on it, and live in it and from it as I would. I could carry a tent, cooking equipment, a cooler box, a folding chair, etc. Argentina is strong on camping sites, mostly with shower and barbecue facilities, and many are free so that would offset the cost of the gas. And I would have no other flights or surface transport costs at all.
The Toyota SW4 (left) meets and replaces Silver, the Jeep Cherokee Sport
I sold the Chero and bought a Toyota SW4, basically a Hilux with an enclosed back, seven seats and spares available everywhere. In some countries they call it the Fortuner. It was the ideal vehicle. I tried a couple of short (2,000 km) trips in it and it was a dream to drive; high on the road and screaming safety. I slept in it one night, just in the front passenger seat, seat-back reclined. It was a lot better than my economy flight, and I hope to implement a much more comfortable emergency sleeping position. It has a great music system too, and I’ve been stockpiling podcasts and playlists for a while now.
So, the plan looked good on paper, and the revised estimates (allowing for a few hotels and restaurant meals here and there) seemed just about doable without digging into savings. There would be some preparations to the SW4 and in the general planning, but there would have been anyway. I revised the itineraries and finetuned things a bit to allow me to stop by and say hello to more friends along the way. I extended the duration of the trip too, from four weeks to eight, to allow me to revisit Iberá (where new ecolodges have opened) and parts of Misiones (always a great place to visit).
One of many coffees to be consumed
I’m planning to leave San Martín de los Andes on 18 August, heading north at first up the great National Highway RN 40. It’ll be great to be off on a proper trip again, one where the aim is the travelling itself, as much as any particular destination. My focus, as is my wont, will be on birds and other wildlife, but I shall be visiting many people too and enjoying local customs, food and drink. It’s going to be good, and I’m really looking forward to it. I hope to blog the journey, day by day, both on Facebook and also on my own blog [at www.eayrs.com/blog]. It’s unlikely I’ll be able to upload every day given the parlous state of mobile signals and the Internet in provincial Argentina and the remoteness of some of the places I’m visiting, but I’ll upload when I can.
So, if interested, feel free to comment, here or on the blog, and if you live along my route and fancy meeting up for a beer or coffee do get in touch. And watch this space.
From 18 August to 15 October I am planning a trip through north-central Argentina. The purpose is to enjoy the people, culture and food and drink of the area, and to see and photograph some of the birds and wildlife of these regions
Overview of the trip
This combination of maps and itinerary give the general plan of where I intend to go. However, I do not intend to be a slave to it so it should be seen as a best intentions rather than set in stone. In particular, I’d be happy to make contact with anyone living on route if they want to get in touch with me.
Itinerary
Stage 1: I start in San Martin de los Andes and drive up to Formosa
Thu 18 Aug………… San Martín – Chos Malal
Fri 19 Aug………….. Chos Malal – Malargue
Sat 20 Aug…………. Malargue – San Luis
Sun 21 Aug…………. San Luis – Villa Carlos Paz
Mon 22 Aug……….. Day in Cordoba Hills
Tue 23 Aug………… Villa Carlos Paz – La Para
Wed 24 Aug……….. La Para – Gobernador Crespo
Thu 25 Aug………… Gobernador Crespo – Resistencia
Fri 26 Aug………….. Resistencia – Formosa
Sat 27 Aug…………. spare day in Formosa?
Stage 2: this is the bulk of the trip, visiting Formosa, the Chaco and Iberá
Sun 28 Aug…………. Meet Ariel – where?
Mon 29 Aug……….. Reserva Guaycolec.
Tue 30 Aug………… Parque Nacional Río Pilcomayo y Laguna Blanca
Wed 31 Aug……….. AICA Misión Tacaglé
Thu 1 Sep………….. Bañado La Estrella (Fortín Soledad)
Fri 2 Sep……………. Bañado La Estrella (Vertedero)
Sat 3 Sep…………… Reserva Natural Formosa
Sun 4 Sep………….. Laguna Yema y regreso a Resistencia Chaco
Mon 5 Sep…………. Resistencia to Mercedes
Tue 6 Sep………….. Mercedes to Carlos Pelligrini
Wed 7 Sep…………. Carlos Pelligrini & environs
Thu 8 Sep………….. Carlos Pelligrini & environs
Fri 9 Sep……………. Carlos Pelligrini & environs
Sat 10 Sep………….. Carlos Pelligrini to Mercedes
Sun 11 Sep…………. Mercedes to Mburucuyá
Mon 12 Sep……….. Mburucuya Park.
Tue 13 Sep…………. Mburucuyá to Loreto
Wed 14 Sep……….. Loreto – Ituzaingo
Thu 15 Sep…………. Ituzaingo / Cambyretá & area
Fri 16 Sep………….. Ituzaingo / Cambyretá & area
Sat 17 Sep………….. Ituzaingo / Cambyretá & area
Sun 18 Sep…………. Ituzaingo – Colonia Benitez
Mon 19 Sep……….. In or near Colonia Benitez – two reserves …
Tue 20 Sep…………. Colonia Benitez – Quitilipi – Pampa del Indio
Wed 21 Sep……….. Pampa del Indio – Pampa de Infierno
Thu 22 Sep…………. Pampa de Infierno – Tantanacuy
Fri 23 Sep………….. Tantanacuy & excursions
Sat 24 Sep………….. Tantanacuy & excursions
Sun 25 Sep…………. Tantanacuy & excursions
Mon 26 Sep……….. Tantanacuy & excursions
Tue 27 Sep…………. Tantanacuy & excursions
Wed 28 Sep……….. Tatanacuy to Parque National El Impenetrable
Thu 29 Sep…………. Parque National El Impenetrable
Fri 30 Sep………….. Parque National El Impenetrable
Sat 1 Oct…………… Parque National El Impenetrable – Reserva Colonia Benitez
Sun 2 Oct…………… Colonia Benitez to Posadas
Stage 3: a few days in Misiones
Mon 3 Oct…………. Posadas to San Pedro
Tue 4 Oct…………… San Pedro to B. Irigoyen
Wed 5 Oct…………. B. Irigoyen – Karadya
Thu 6 Oct…………… At Karadya
Fri 7 Oct……………. Karadya – SS Selva – Ecoparque Urugua-I
Sat 8 Oct…………… Iguazu
Sun 9 Oct…………… Iguazu – Posadas
Stage 5: the long drive home.
Mon 10 October……… Posadas – Bonpland
Tue 11 October…….. Bonpland – Gualeguaychu
Wed 12 October….. Gualeguaychu – Ceibas
Thu 13 October……. Ceibas
Fri 14 October….. Ceibas – Trenque Lauquen
Sat 15 October……. Trenque Lauquen – PN Lilué Calel
Sun 16 October…….. PN Lilué Calal – Plottier
Mon 17 15 October……. Plottier – San Martín de los Andes
And that’s it. If you live along my route and would like to meet up do get in touch. I’m sure we can work something out.
Lolog is a lake located some 12 km from the town of San Martín de los Andes, a town in northern Argentine Patagonia. It can at times be a very windy and inhospitable place. This Mapuche legend tells of its history.
Many years ago, in the valley where today lies Lake Lolog, there was once a much smaller lake known as Paila Có, surrounded by marsh and wetlands. The name of the lake in the Mapundungun language means calm water, and look though you might, a more peaceful place you would never have found. A Mapuche family lived in a nearby cabin, and they had the most beautiful darkhaired daughter who would spend her evenings combing her hair at the edge of the lake.
One chill autumn evening the young girl heard a voice calling her from the waters of the lake. Across the waters drifted the words “Come with me … I’m a king, young like you, and I’m lonely …. all alone in the lands I rule … come and live with me and let me make you a rich and happy queen”. And shortly a handsome young man emerged from the water and stood in front of the young girl. Bewitched by his shining apparel and captivating voice and oblivious to the pleas and screams of her parents calling to her not to abandon them she followed him back into the waters of the lake.
A year or so later the young girl appeared at her parents’ cabin, resplendent in rich clothes and sumptuous jewellery. “Don’t mourn for me”, she said, “I’m happy with my King and I’ll come and see you every year. The only thing missing in my life is your love for me”.
And with that, she turned and walked back towards the waters of the lake. Her father in his desperation grabbed his daughter fiercely by the arm to prevent her from leaving, saying: “You are our daughter. You belong here. I’ll never let you go without us”.
Such were his words, and they were to be obeyed. At that very moment a strong tremor shook the peace of the valley and the girl was carried back into the water by a hurricane wind. The cabin where her parents lived slowly sank into the soft marshland, taking her parents with it. The water levels rose, and the cabin and its surroundings were submerged forever.
It is said today, by those who still remember these things, that on Lake Lolog on a calm day, not that there are many of them now, the waters clear enough to reveal the cabin and its inhabitants deep below. And whenever, nostalgic for their lost green lands, the girl’s parents leave the lake to revisit the green lands of their past the waters of the lake once again boil and unleash storms that shake the land all around so much that no one dares to come near the lake or sail on its waters.
Time to hit the road again; it’s been a long time since my last one. Cabbages got in the way!
So, this time a three week trip planned for the Provinces of Salta and Jujuy, starting next weekend. May touch The Province of Tucuman too. Main emphasis will be wildlife, birds essentially, but also a bit of cultural diversity and Tourism. And FOOD.
Planned itinerary – may change.
The map shows my route, and I’ll try to post a daily blog though it’s not always easy. At least this time I should have a decent Internet connection.
So, watch this space. And if interested you can see previous trips to southern Patagonia (here), Southern Chile and Welsh Patagonia (here) and Northeast Argentina and Paraguay (here).
This eponymous album was the first by Crosby, Stills & Nash, released at the end of May 1969 by Atlantic Records. It was a very strong album for a debut, and (with an on/off relationship with Neil Young) they became legend. Their first public performance of some tracks off the album was in 1969 at Woodstock, a legend in itself. The album cover curiously shows the three from right to left, but hey, who cares.
I heard this album for the first time in 1969, in a Holiday Inn in Acapulco. I have memories of sitting lotus on a bedroom floor, one in a circle of people, passing the joints round and digging the new music. As one did. I also have memories of being thrown out of the hotel a little later but back then that was par for the course.
Good memories, and rehearing it today a good album. The harmonies still work, the lyrics still please and even without the weed it still takes me away.
We had an early breakfast. Caroline took a taxi to the bus station at 09.30 to continue her journey North. I hung around the hotel catching up with emails, etc., had lunch there and then took a car to the nearby airport for my [afternoon] flight to Buenos Aires and thence to Neuquén.
End of a successful trip. Next trip with Caroline will be southern Argentina and Chile (Tierra del Fuego) in October 2018. Watch this space
An overcast day, cool much appreciated. We dropped off the rental car and took a taxi straight to Posadas bus station (Missions, Argentina) to buy Caroline’s ticket to Iguazú where she was continuing her journey alone.
Final border crossing of the trip, and back into Argentina
Then to hotel, same one I stayed at a couple of weeks earlier, where we dropped bags and went into the city for lunch and a walk around.
Posadas – City Centre
Posadas is the capital city of the province of Misiones and has much more infrastructure than in Paraguayan cities – but for some reason almost everything was closed. Maybe it was siesta time.
This is the size they call a ‘tanque’ (stock photo)
We had pizza for lunch (I ate too much) served with the largest ‘tanque’ I have ever seen – perhaps a 2 lt. stein? Then back to hotel for siesta and relaxed until supper (which we had in the hotel). Both a bit exhausted.
From Encarnación we drove down to two reductions at Trinidad and Jesus. Very impressive sites, the latter somewhat restored. Signage to both sites was poor, especially considering their world heritage status (although in southern Paraguay signage is a little better than further north and west), but we got there in the end.
Another very hot day. We had lunch at Trinidad, in fact leftovers from a large party that had just left after a barbecue. Chorizos, morcillas, salad and boiled mandioc; cheap and tasty.
Back to hotel for snooze and shopping – and an evening meal in a delightful Japanese restaurant (Hiroshima) – first upmarket meal of the trip and a good contrast to lunch.
WE splurged at the Hiroshima Restaurant – first swish meal for a long time
Paraguay has been a very cheap country for UK travellers – tonight was [relatively] a very expensive restaurant and we paid PYG 200,000 (about £27) for two meals, 1 dessert, wine, and coffee. A farewell meal, as we leave Paraguay tomorrow.
Up early for breakfast; I stole two bananas from the sideboard and went to feed the [howler] monkeys in the town square. There was a family there, with some very young; all very tame. One of the younger ones was happy to take a banana from my hand and sit on the bench with me to eat it.
Breakfast with monkeys ..
We visited the town museum in Santa María. It was very interesting, and full of bits and pieces from the old (1669) church, with many hand carved statues. The Jesuits taught the Guarani how to carve, and some really took to it.
Main entrance to Capilla Loreto, Santa Rosa
We left Santa María by a secondary road for Santa Rosa. It was a lovely drive, an attractive road, very red and dusty, as was Sta. Rosa with its old Loreto chapel, and the remains of an old church and clock tower. On to Coronel Bogardo, the Chipá capital, where we had meat and chicken stuffed chipas with beer – very tasty. Chipá is the thing here – and I love them.
Chipa, tasty bread rolls made with cheese and cassava root flour
Drove on to Encarnacion – an open city, with modern waterside development for tourism and lots of parking for the beaches, but not today. We checked in to a hotel where we had ice creams, beer and a shower/siesta. The request for beer was met with a puzzled look (why would we have beer?). Strange hotel.
Encarnación is a major beach resort, but not apparently in September
It had been another very hot day. We had supper in a local Italian Restaurant. Scheduled for tomorrow: Jesuit Ruins.
