The skies cleared today and our spirits lifted. We see why native people lit all those fires that gave the place its name -- it´s grey and cold here. And we´re (marooned?) here longer than we meant to be.
To keep from going stir crazy, we said damn the rain and went out hiking, and were rewarded with beautiful weather to enjoy the splendors of the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego.
[Oh, but first, a few thoughts on our hostel: Young, dreadlocked, awake at the wee hours. Beyond psyched on the Bob Marley canon. ¨When you´re here you´re family, mon.¨ Not since my years in Santa Cruz -- or our time in Thailand -- have I listened to this many Wailers tunes. If there were a global icon wrestling match between Che and Bob, who´d win? Post up your thoughts.
Now back to the outdoors.]
Chimango: a very odd scavenger-raptor that took a keen interest in our sandwiches
This bird (a southern lapwing) showed no interest in us... but it had green shoulders and red eyes!
The lakeside shoreline, feeling a bit like a golf course
From the interpretive center: happiness is a young girl and her guanaco
Also from the interpretive center. I dare you to find a sexier beast. Fueguian red fox dare!
A couple of days ago, on the way down from a hike to a local glacier, we came upon an Argentine rodeo, replete with twangy country music and guachos dressed to the nines. They were taking a break from their mate to get bucked off low-slung muscular horses.
He did get up and walk away -- eventually -- but it looked like he might have broken a collarbone...
With no bones broken, this guachito seemed be having the best of times
Nice birds!
ReplyDeleteAnd the landscape once again reminds me of California...
Sorry about the music. I'm not sure if it's better or worse than what I have to listen to. At least the bitcas downstairs tend to have some variety.
This is a good time to disclose a new vocabulary word if you have not heard it already: boombachas. Plural, noun. Not sure about the spelling, or if it is ever spelled. It might only be uttered. It means grandma panties and it is derived from the gauchos pantalones. Seems that everyone in Argentinia knows this word. You can guess who learned it to me. Try it in a sentence now.
ReplyDeleteOther personal household favorite derivations are the boombacharia and boombachador.
A good time for that word, huh? Why, do you think that´s how gauchos dare each other to ride bucking horses?
ReplyDelete¨What are you, man, wearing boombachas under that rig?¨
I love the derivations.
The landscape did feel quite San Franciscan at times... like walking along Land´s End.
Definitely Bob as global icon. I find the occasional Che as all encompassing persona -- young 20 or 21 year old guy dreaming of being the renegade while he sips his mate and listens to his ipod while wearing a bandana tied around his forehead. But mostly just a tshirt wearing phenomenon. But Marley followers -- so all encompassing -- shrines, dreads, colors, and of course de marijuana mon.
ReplyDeleteOh, that last one's from Blake...
ReplyDelete