I crossed the mountains into Argentina and could see the difference in landscape. Going from the beautiful lush rainy greens of southern Chile to the desert, rock, thorny, Cordi(cha)ra that is the south for Argentina. After some confusion and a little bit of luck, I found the small small pueblo of El Huecù. Where I stayed for two days with a townie guacho named Jorge. One of the funny guys I've ever met. He was an amazing cook, loved to smoke, drink and laugh his face off. Ashley, El Patron finally showed up at the house, and we were to leave the same day. So we packed up the truck with a trailer, Sky (Ashley's daughter), Gusti (Sky's friend), Becca (Ashley's girlfriend), myself, and two dogs, and the back filled to the top. Pretty tight. Driving in was pretty easy. Got to ride a horse over the river but just going into the Estancia was like going into a different world. No buildings, no roads, no people, nothing, bliss.
Mainly worked construction on the ranch but also learned a bit about cooking too. Have to say I'm pretty damn good at crying when cutting onions. For the construction fixed up a bunch of things, learned about masonry, wood work, carpentry, cement! painting, heat and exhaustion. Also did some Guacho work, pretty much straight man shit, learned to ride a horse a bit, learned to fly fish, addicted to fly fishing, addicted to Mate! learned to do a proper guacho asado, addicted to chivito. I met some awesome people at the ranch, the guachos were always funny, always willing to speak slowly in spanish, the other volunteers were great, it was like we had been friends forever. Its was weird there because the days were slow but the time went by so fast. I loved it really, I enjoyed coming back at the end of the day exhausted and physically tired, dirty, you get some sort of satisfaction out of it. But I would have to say the point at which I fell in love with that place is when returning from dropping my family off. Not because they left but because coming back I had to herd 8 horses with another Gaucho, and I had never ridden a horse so fast for so long or felt more like a cowboy ever it was amazing. Then I had to pull two more horses another 3 hours to the actual ranch, by myself. Alone in the Cordillera, mountains, and a thunderstorm in the distance. No one around, not a sound but the horses hooves, you can see the heat lighting and rain miles away, as well as the Andes mountains of Chile. If I could stay in that moment forever I would. But needless to say all things change. I got very antsy at the ranch for many reasons and for my visit to Buenos Aires to see my grandmother and distant family I decided not to return.
Now going from the desert to the biggest city in Argentina in one day is not the greatest idea. Rode out on horse back, took a taxi from Huecu to another town where we took an over night bus to Buenos. If it wasn't for my friend on the bus with me I think I'd still be lost in Buenos Aires. Talk about total culture shock. So fast, so tall, everything going a mile a minute, and ridiculously hot. The first few days in BA were tough to say the least, I really wanted to go home and it was doubley worse cause it felt so much like home, but instead of walking back to my brothers apartment to sleep, I had to go to a stupid hostel sweating balls. Well thank god for my grandmother and cousins. My grandmother Mama Eileen and Aunt Anita came down to visit the cousins, Grand uncle Ber, Uncle Daniel, Aunt Luli, and my cousins, Gabbi, Vero y Flor. They all were so friggen awesome! Ber probably told the family history to me about ten times and asked me how much asado I ate in the south. Daniel is a complete jokster, and my wonderful cousins are as smart and sweet as can be. I immediately felt like family with them and like my own cousins at home. Saw bunch of places with my awesome grandma in Buenos like La Boca and San Telmo Market, and those old ladies made it through just fine. Buenos was good but also felt a strong need to get out of there. Said goodbye to all and headed for San Martin de Los Andes. San Martin was cool but it rained a lot so wasn't that interested. I then returned to Pucon my home in Chile for six months.
I was welcomed greatly from many friends now living there and it felt all so familiar. Like we had been doing this since the summer began. Beach, sun, beers, empanadas, completos. Vacation city pretty much. And the town from what I used to know it as had completely morphed into a busy beach town that tripled in stores, restaurants, and people. Many of my old stomping grounds were over run by visitors. But I had a blast. I saw my host father and said goodbye to him now for a much more extended period. But the little man looks great, got work, head chef at some new Termas. I hope to return and see him again, as well as Pucon. All the people in Pucon right now thanks for sending me off you guys are the best keep in touch, reunion New Orleans EOD 2011 "Sí po weón", let's make it happen.
As amazing as summer Pucon was a switch flipped in me somewhere a while ago and my traveling bone died. It was time to come home. I had seen and down so much and couldn't be more thankful for that. I took it all in and will never forget any of it. My experience down here has changed the way I look at the world and go about living it. Thus fueling my urge to want to get home to my family and friends.
And I want to ski that fresh pow.
See you all in New York City,
Cansado Patiperro
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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