Back in Cordoba

Hello!
I am just back after a trip to the province of Misiones, in Northeast Argentina.
Just stepping off an overnight bus ride, I am quite the image of health, in dirty clothes, a little greasy, a little sleep deprived. Pero generalmente, muy bien.

We left sleepy lil Ascochinga on Thursday morning. The plan- what we usually do- is just walk to the road and wait for a collectivo (big bus) or fonobus (minibus) to hoon by and then we flag it. However our horacio (timetable) gave us some wrong details and we were left sitting there for a good hour. Time well spent, non the less.

The last week in Ascochinga was average. Work is thinning out, no more painting, and we are increasingly having to think on our toes as to how we can occupy ourselves. We spent some time cleaning up the rivers nearby- there is little concept of proper litter disposal here. There is a tip, which is at the house, and as it is open, all of the stuff blows straight out into the river. We did that for a few days, and it was great to get somewhere with it. However after a week it all might be back in the creek again. We´ll see.

As I´m the only woman there, it´s difficult to know what is expected of me. Juan keeps Reuben and Michael full of stuff to do, ´man business´, except most times I´m not invited. I think they don´t want to work me too hard but because of that I have nothing to do. It´s hard to know how to help as well, when there is no sign that anything needs doing.

However, whilst waiting at the bus we thought up some ideas we can do in the last months here for the Chicos. Although stated ours was a ´caring placement´it seems that the authority of the house aren´t really too keen for that, they´d prefer to stick to the status quo (no no no, stick to the stuff you know....)Activity afternoons for the Chicos, playing frisbee and doing craft work stuff and playing music together and going for walks are all things that would mix up their day. Reuben has started writing some scripts for some puppet plays which we could perform for them. Basically at this stage, anything is going to be better for them.
Will keep you updated as to how it progresses.

Finally the bus came and we went into Jesus Maria, then Cordoba. We were headed to Iguazu! We checked out bus times to Puerto Iguazu but they all leave at midday and we were an hour late. No fear, we just stayed in Cordoba that night.

I went for a meander around the streets of Cordoba, which is always a fascinating activity. The trees have got bright green fresh growth on them and the Cañada is slowly filling up with más y más agua.

We checked in to a hostel and got some food to make veggie burgers with. Mmm, fresh vegetables without salt/ oil. SO GOOD.

I checked the internet the next morning and saw that Obama had won the Nobel! HUZZAH!
This put me in a spritely mood to receive the lovely spring morning. I found myself the closest mirador (vantage point- thanks for that one Michael) and wrote in my diary next to the couple making out.

We left Cordoba bound for Iguazu, 23 hours away. It passed quite painlessly actually, as is the wont of Argentine buses (except, I will add, the pain of three Jean Claude Van Damme movies on repeat), and at 11am on saturday we were there. We bumped into the fellow Gappers from Buenos Aires on the main street- GREASH to see them again- and they were heading off to the falls. We told them we´d meet them there.

In a few hours we were at the falls. Holy Moses! Crikey! Cripes! Wow! Hooley Dooley! Antoin! All of these were appropriate. It´s difficult to describe typing, because it was such a crazy experience. There was SO MUCH WATER. It was so loud, and windy. A part of the boardwalk takes you right up to the face of the waterfall and you get absolutely drenched. I went in bathers and did some crazy dancing. Everyone there, on the deck, was ecstatic. People were jumping up and down, screaming, waving, dancing, all with massive smiles on their faces. It was incredible just to watch normal people walk towards the waterfall and suddenly turn crazy once they started getting wet. A great stress release.

Tickets for entry were a bit steep, $60 pesos, but I suppose they can afford to make it pricey. The prices for Argentines are the cheapest, then Latino Americans, then other travellers. We tried to broker a deal being volunteers in Argentina, but they didn´t want a bar of it.

The next day we went on a walk away from the crowds and out to a different waterfall. Initially the sky was looking a bit daunting, but it cleared. The mosquitos were pretty horrendous, so lucky the malaria tablet course is well on its way.
Although it was a bit cold, we went swimming in the pool under this MASSIVE waterfall and had lovely times. We also climbed up behind the waterfall and were in awe as all of the water tumbled down in front of us.
Afterwards we ate fresh bread and AMAZING alfahores, which are an Argentine biscuit which are the bomb. Very satisfying. Later that afternoon we did the tourist thing and went in a boat along the river, to see the falls from the bottom. That was crazy and of course we got drenched.

One section of the park was closed because the river was too high, so I suppose we were there at the most impressive time. It was crazy. The boat just headed into mist and you couldn´t see anything. The river was so strong as well. The engine was growling so loudly just to stay in the same place. Powerful stuff.

That night we cooked some pasta for the Buenos Aires dudes and drank Quilmes and Fanta. The high heavens opened and we were treated to a magical tropical storm with lightning and massive raindrops. It was incredible. Unfortunately our room flooded a little bit and all of Michael´s stuff got wet. Mine was ok but, which is more important.
The night before we had an asado, which the hostel put on. That seems to be the go here, that the hostels put on food for their guests if you pay more money. Not a bad deal, and the asado was very tasty. Not exactly ´all you can eat´, as claimed, but still lovely.

We headed off the next morning, bidding adieu to our Australian friends, bound for the town of San Ignacio, which is home to the best-preserved Jesuit ruins in Argentina.
We got there at sunset and my, what a sight. The buildings were glowing and it was pretty breathtaking.
The Jesuits who set up this place, created their own little civilisation with the local Guaraní people. In other missions they enslaved the locals and also brought slaves over from Africa, but here they constructed a community using both Spanish and native officials. Chiefs were regarded as powerful as the priests, and Guaraní people were elected into office to govern. The Jesuits learned to speak Guaraní language, and the Jesuits taught the Guarani people how to paint and play their music. They created their own freaking genre, Guaraní Baroque.

But it was still colonisation. I was a bit conflicted because it doesn´t make sense how the blending of two cultures could take place so easily. The museum described it as a ´utopia´, except really? It seems pretty hard to believe. They lived there for 160 years together, more than 4000 in this one complex, before the Jesuits got kicked out. The buildings then got taken over by the jungle and were only discovered at the turn of the 20th century by a writer/ photographer Horacio Quigoya. Crazy days.
There was a sound and lights show at 8pm at the ruins which we saw also. That was interesting, although not essential. There was a tour group of German school kids who were very cute. We got headphones to speak to us in English, in a lovely deep English-accented old man voice. Ahh.

The hostel we stayed at in San Ignacio was incredible, with a big veggie garden, an artist owner who was keen to help us out with everything, and lovely beds. We ate risotto and museli and rejuvinated in the jungle. Ahh yes.

So now we´re back in Cordoba. We´ll head to Ascochinga later today, after we´ve posted some letters and written blogs and maybe had some lunch.

It will be a bit difficult going back to life at the casa. Although hopefully I can use this freshness and new perspective from travel into doing some good stuff for the Chicos. There´s not that much time left to go either, so let´s get it happening!

Also, sorry to anyone my email account sent spam to. I´ve changed the password now so hopefully that´s all better. The product really does work though, the price is cheapest and quality is nice!!!!

I hope you lot are all well, where ever you are!
Take care, stay stafe.

¡Goodbye now!
xoxoxox
LLorlla