NOWHERE, ARGENTINA…

I don’t know if I have ever been somewhere where I felt so out in the middle of nowhere, so far away from everything, that I couldn’t even point to where I was on a map.  Our trip to Córdoba changed that.  Córdoba, the city, is the second largest city in Argentina, but we didn’t visit the city so I am referring to the province.  After a 12 hour overnight bus ride (which I am getting used to) we arrived in Capilla del Montt and from there took a very rickety old van for an hour drive down very curvy, rocky, washboard roads to arrive at the Ongamira Estancia…I felt like I had been dropped into a history book.  The estancia was established in 1597 by Spanish settlers that came to the area and it is now run by Europeans and a chef from Australia.  It was small and cozy and with 19 people in our group we had the entire estancia to ourselves.  For the next three days, we huddled by the fire whenever we could to keep warm, enjoyed the best homemade food (including pizza, lemon cake, grilled veggies and meat, and yogurt and oatmeal with fresh fruit and dulce de leche for breakfast), and trekked across central Argentina exploring the outdoors. 

Day 1 – After the rickety van ride…we set out on foot for a 4-5 hour hike.  It was great exercise.  Especially the last part, when we started up a mountain and every time we thought we were at the top we would have to continue climbing, it was a vicious cycle but the views were worth it in the end.  Along the way we stopped for lunch by a stream and there were horses there that kept us company.  After the hike, we came back to the estancia, enjoyed dinner, and gathered in a circle to sing and play the guitar.  There were actually some very talented people in our group.  One of which happened to know an old NSync song that was a favorite amongst all the girls and we all sang along.  Then, I had briefly mentioned to one of my friends that earlier this year my brother taught me to play a few lines of Johnny Cash “I Walk the Line” and she feels the need to speak up and say “Audrey, play Johnny Cash!”…ha…to which I politely reply “NO.”  I was not about to sit there and pick out a whole 6 notes of Johnny Cash after NSync was such a big hit.  One more thing to note, I slept the best I have slept since being in Argentina while we were at the estancia.  No sirens, no dogs barking, no children screaming, no horns honking. Just silence.  It was awesome.

Day 2 – We pile back into the rickety old van and head for the salt flats.  This is where the “nowhere” part really comes into play.  It was a three hour ride there, the direction I couldn’t tell you, and when we arrive there is nothing. Nothing.  For miles and miles and miles there is only salt.  It makes you feel so small, just a speck, in an ocean of salt.  You could scream and stop and the silence would be immediate because there is nothing for the sound to bounce off of.  Juan our guide, told us to just walk and enjoy it because chances are we will never be somewhere like that ever again…but he also added don’t go so far that you can’t see the fire to get back.  We were there at sunset and you could get awesome silhouette photos.  I tasted it, and yes it tasted like salt.  We walked for probably a couple of miles and stayed out until the sun went down and the stars appeared.  Some of the brightest stars I have ever seen.  After dark, we all gathered around the fire and made a homemade stew and played some more on the guitar.  It was a great evening…one of my favorites for sure here in Argentina.

Day 3 - I try to hide the nervousness I have for riding a horse to the top of a very tall mountain.  After all, considering half of the people I am with it seems have never even been on a horse, I am one of the more "experienced" ones although I am really not "experienced" at all.  I rode some in middle school at my aunt and uncles house...on flat land...in a pasture.  Not up a mountainside.  But, after the first 15 minutes I felt pretty good.  And, after the entire ride up and back down again I felt like a pro.  The thing is though that these horses have probably walked the same trail up and down the mountain several times and because there were over 20 of us with the guides they were pretty much just following the leader.  But still, I felt like a pro!  The only trouble I had was not being able to get back on my horse after lunch...not because I ate too much!...just because my legs are too short!  We rode up the mountain in a little under 2 hours, parked our horses, and began to climb (and this time I literally mean "to climb") up to the top peak of Colchiqui Mountain.  After that I felt not only like a pro horse rider but also a pro rock climber :) .  At the top, we ate lunch, Juan shared with us the history of the mountain and the indigenous people of the area, called the Comechingones, and we saw some of the Condors that live there.  The views were incredible and I wish we could have spent more time at the top.  But, after scooting down the mountainside, having help to get back on Picasa, and after Picasa returned me safely to the bottom of the mountain, we got back in the rickety van to head to the bus station. 

What a weekend.  There really aren't enough words for it.