The sad times...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 01/11/08

Hello and Happy Holidays everybody!
It was a long time since I wrote last time. There were several occasions where I actually did and one of these occasion will be posted here as an illustration of how “the path was ready to kill me”. Well, not really the path itself, it is just that a lot of people, in fact most people, think that traveling is fun. And it is, a lot of fun! But sometimes..., sometimes it becomes a burden and a very heavy one. My worst time happened to be in Argentina. It is quite sad, because looking back now I acknowledge the beauty of this country and its people, the wonderful nature and interesting culture. However, back in the days I could only see the negative things, ie: fake Latin-American culture (everybody was white and European), the obsession with meat and horrible pizza and quite strong and annoying accent in Spanish. Ironically, I have adopted this original accent afterwards, to such extend, that later other Latinos I met along the way, including Brazilians, thought that I was Argentinean. Also, because I was so critical and judgemental I was forced to look closer and deeper at everything there was in Argentina and as a result I know this country far better then any other country I have been to (I also spend a lot more time there) and any other backpacker I have met so far. Back then I did not realize that, I was annoyed with everything, from as I called it, “lack of culture” to food, from men greeting each other by kissing on a cheek to the total industrialization of the Argentinean society...
Later I have found my comfort in this country but that happened a lot later and in Buenos Aires, which is another story and already written… in Russian, just waiting for my “editor” for a turnaround, will post is asap.

When I was marooned in Mendoza for over a week I made a decision, despite of my plan, I was literally forced to escape this unpleasant to me country to Chile. Here is what was saved before the lightening took out the electricity… use as a contrast to my future posts. Hopefully there will one after the Carnaval.. Oh Brazil it is almost better then Colombia.

Valdivia, Chile. 10/19/07

It is raining here. Strange, have not seen rain for some time.., the ocean, the lakes and rivers.., there is so much water around I forgot how it is. I have been inland for too long. It feels good to get back to the water... It still rains here, they say that this region gets about 200 days of rain a year but the locals joke that it is actually 200% chance. There is not much to do so I read. “Martian Chronicles” somehow feet the scenery perfectly, it is also strange however, and I have a feeling of déjà vu, must be the Germans. So I am reading my book, drink mate and listening to the rain.., tomorrow is seven months, and I have promised to write more over a month ago. Write about Peru and other stuff… But I can not, doesn’t seem right at this setting...
It is a bit like Germany here. The architecture, the people, the food… Yea, that’s what I am going to start with.
It has become some sort of custom of mine; I have even been accused by some that the purpose of my travels is actually food! Well, it is in a way. I love to eat and I love to eat good and interesting food. For example, today I ate two interesting meals, well, one was interesting another one was good. After a none-significant breakfast I went to the market and picked up something what looked like red bloody hearts but actually were some kind of seafood (octopus or shellfish). I still don’t know what it was, and while eating I have recalled scenes from the Cannibal Lector movie. Then after visiting Niebla Fortress I had a smoked salmon…
Sometime ago I read a book named “Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?”, it was a funny cheerful descriptions of food, killing and killing recipes. I will never come close to that kind of descriptions but trust me that fish was good. Hell with Argentina, I’ll become “pesci-vegetarian” here. Just kidding, there is no better beef in the world then Argentinean. However, who much meat can you eat? They are abscessed these Argentineans. Anyways, this is not the point, the fish and seafood is great in Chile. I have never liked ¨this stuff¨ before, but know, becoming a “gourmet-wanna-be” I could appreciate a fine fish and oysters, especially if they come with German brewed beer. Oh, these Germans, they know a thing or two about their food and beer. If one wants to try fine German cuisine, plus excellent beer and pay much less then in Germany one should go to south Chile…

Hasta la victoria siempre. ¡Patria o muerte! ¡Venceremos! ...

Have just returned from Che’s house in Alta Gracia. I got out in my shorts because yesterday I was sweating I’m my Bolivian fleece in a theater, so I guessed shorts would be more appropriate than pants and fleece in Cordoba. How do you guess the weather here? Anyway, I was debating whether to go or not talking to my espresso cup in a late afternoon today. I decided to go. The bus broke down on a midway to town and a wind was trying to its best to throw us off the road. We were distributed over several buses along the way and finally made it to Alta Gracia, a place where a great Che was razed.

I never thought of him as great. Really, he was a charismatic figure in history, very appealing to the young ¨revolutionaries¨ and fashion companies to market their otherwise unsold shit. So there he was, a black siluet usually on a red background strongly associated with Soviets, Cuba and stupid western or westernized teens. Well, apparently it is not that simple. I’ve learned a bit along the way, heard some people in Latin America, and finally made to his homeland and hometown. Although, he was born in Rosario, his childhood was spent in Alta Gracia. His semi-aristocratic parents brought him here because of his asthma attacks. In any case, the things I learned about Che made me think differently of him. First of all his travels in Latin America, his first means of transportation was a bike, then a motorcycle. I always wanted to do a cross-country on a motorbike back in US. Probably was not meant to be. Also, the movie ¨Motorcycle Diaries¨ are based on this trip. Then he spent a good amount of time in Mexico, one of my favorite countries in Latin America, where he met Fidel Castro.

He is not just a charismatic figure with black curls, a beret, and a cigar. He was an intellectual and father; he loved chess and drinking mate. But none of that was important comparing to the Revolution. His last words in the letter to his older daughter were to be a good revolutionary. Being Soviet born and somewhat raised, it is impossible for me to comprehend. However, Che, being an idealist and to some extent naïve, he just wished that justice would lead the world or at least this part of the world. I was surprised to learn that he resigned all the important political positions he occupied in Cuba and went to Congo to try to make a revolution there. He failed and got back to South America where he died with a ¨coward bullet ¨in Bolivia and was buried in common grave.

Now, you think I’m trying to education you. Well yes I am, and myself too. A famous image if Che in every wall, a T-shirt and even a tie would usually piss me off. Not only because most people don’t even know who he was and what he stand for, but, simply because it was another fashion for them, like wearing Nike sneakers or small black Adidas backpacks.

I’m in Latin America, I too have black curls and smoke cigars. Just need to get a beret and get used to this terrible mate...