Bulletins From BA #23

Bulletins From BA #23

15 febrero 2014

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Ecuador”

Excursión a Ecuador (continuación)

Día Seis - My taxista Raoul picked me up at the crack of 10:00 and we set out on a turístico trifecta. First stop: El Panecillo, a “hill” (3016 m, 9895 ft) on the south side of Quito. The vistas, as you might expect, are sweeping and stunning. Even better, there is a giant (45m, 148 ft) aluminum statue of “The Woman of the Apocalypse,” a Madonna variation from the hallucinatory Book of Revelation. The statue is on a commodious pedestal that you may enter to obtain an even more stunning/sweeping view.

Next up: La Plaza de San Francisco, a major public square in Old Town. The plaza faces La Iglesia y Monasterio de San Francisco, a complex that dates to the 16^th century. Since I had some commerce to attend to, I was not long exploring; although I did note that the church, while suitably grand, looked somewhat worn and in need of attention. The place was packed for Mass, so out of respect (and a nearly total ignorance of Catholic rituals), I ambled while the congregation sat, and stood in silence when they rose. No one seemed to notice.

Final destination: La Basílica de Voto Nacional, the largest neo-Gothic church in the Americans. It is an imposing edifice, as befits its architectural heritage. Construction began in 1887, but since actual completion is rumored to herald the end of the world, no one seems in a hurry to technically “finish” the project.

The church has the requisite vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, and stained glass, and the gargoyles adorning the exterior are fashioned to represent indigenous animals, e.g., armadillos, turtles, and pumas. But the coolest feature of La Basílica is that you can climb all the way to the tiptop of the main tower for yet another stunning view of la ciudad. The ascent is steep and not for the acrophobic. Fortunately, my years of scrambling on shipboard ladders (in the Navy, there are no “stairs”) paid off. It was a terrific way to end my tour of Quito.

Día Siete - For our final day in Ecuador, A.J. and I elected to join a smallish bus tour for an excursion to the sabado (Saturday) market in Otavalo, reputedly the largest textile market in South America. Naturally, there were a few roadside attractions:

Calderon - A town famous for artistic items made from a (decidedly inedible) flour-based marzipan.

Guayllabamba - A roadside stop to sample the cherimoya fruit, a (decidedly edible) pre-Incan favourite.

Cayambe - Specifically, Mira Lago Parador Touristico, located on Lago San Pablo at the base of Imbabura volcano. Muy picturesque. Here we took onboard a young woman who sang songs beautifully in Kichwa, a widely spoken local dialect.

[Horticultural Sidebar - One of the major industries in Cayambe is the cultivation of roses, gazillions of them, primarily for export.]

Otavalo - The textile market, situated in the Plaza de Los Ponchos, is moderately overwhelming. The vendors are constantly hustling the gringos, though not to excess, and we purchased a few very nice pieces at precios (prices) muy razonables.

Cotacachi - Lunch & Leather. Great Ecuadorian food and fairly high-end leather shops. A charming pequeño pueblo.

Cayambe - Specifically, “La Mitad Del Mundo” (“The Middle of the World”). Or, less prosaically, the Equator. Naturally, many goofy tourist photos were taken. (Incidentally, the story of the French Geodesic Mission and the search for the Equator is altogether fascinating.)

Día Ocho - Up at 03:00 for the return flight to Buenos Aires. The plane was packed, including families returning from vacaciones with their screaming children. But after navigating the customary confusions of Ezeiza International Airport, we and our tourist memorabilia made it home in good order. Nuestro viaje a Ecuador fue un gran éxito. (Our trip to Ecuador was a great success.)

Gracias por su indulgencia. ¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #22

Bulletins From BA #22

13 febrero 2014

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Ecuador”

Excursión a Ecuador (continuación)

Día Tres - Next up: Cuenca (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuenca,Ecuador), a three-hour thrill ride from Loja in a rented car driven at very high speed. The mountain scenery is spectacular and varies considerably, from lush greenery to desert cactus, depending on altitude. Regrettably, we couldn’t stop for photos, as that would have been suicidal. (I wish I had a picture of the young hombre on the roadside leading three sheep on a leash while reading a book. Or a smart phone… hard to tell.)

Upon arriving in Cuenca, we repaired to the Hotel Crespo on Calle Larga. I love this place: lots of aged wood, great art on the walls, and the best trout I have ever eaten. A.J. had an appointment, so I took time to walk about and tend to a commercial matter, to wit, a hat.

And not just any sombrero. I was in the market for a genuine, real deal, Made-in-Cuenca Panama hat. After strolling around the town and spending some time in the Nueva Catedral de Cuenca (one of the most ethereal places I’ve ever encountered), I arrived at my destination: Barranco’s Panama Hat Factory, a family-owned operation since 1942. Now, it is possible to spend a small fortune on one of these things, but I opted for a $45 custom-made, natural color fedora with a brown band. Sharp. Very. Sharp.

[Sociological Sidebar - Practically the only people sporting Panama hats are gringos. Like me. It’s very interesting. Some estadounidense (“Americans”) come to settle in Cuenca, it being a relatively inexpensive, eco-friendly place to live and/or start a business. Others come because it is cheaper to retire and live in “Gringolandia,” where you can save money and pretend you’re in the U.S. We heard tales of estadounidense being quite snotty with the locals, a violation of my personal First Rule of Diplomacy: Show some damned respect.]

Following dinner with the local BNC director at a restaurant located in the basement of a convent, our host escorted us on an evening drive around Cuenca, taking us past many of the area’s 52 churches, including one with a spectacular panoramic view. Cuenca is a lovely place and we wish we could’ve stayed another day or two.

Día Cuatro - Our return flight from Cuenca to Quito was scheduled for early afternoon, so we spent the morning visiting the Museo del Banco Central, that included pre-Columbian, colonial, and contemporary art as well as excellent ethnographic exhibits of Ecuadorean indigenous cultures. Behind the building are the Pumapungo ruins, the remaining foundations of a once great Incan city. Then it was off to the airport.

Travel Summary (short, but brief): Three hour flight delay due to mechanical (not volcanic) trouble, followed by an actual 35-minutes in the air, followed by a 90-minute slog in rush hour traffic to our hotel. Eat, crash, burn.

Día Cinco - Anne was up and off to Embassy Quito early, leaving me to my own devices. Fortuitously, I hooked up with a muy agradable taxi driver named Raoul and arranged a trip to Fundación Guayasamín (www.guayasamin.org), a complex dedicated to the works of Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919-1999), the Ecuadorian painter, sculptor, art collector, and national treasure. Guayasamín was both prodigious and prolific and he left a hell of a legacy.

Two buildings perch high on a hillside overlooking Quito: La Capilla del Hombre, where his large paintings and sculptures are exhibited, and his former home, La Casa Museo Guayasamín, which houses his extensive collections of religious, pre-Columbian, and other art, as well as his studio, where two paintings still stand unfinished. If you ever visit Quito, do not fail to visit this amazing place.

Continuará en Bulletins From BA #23.

Gracias.

Bulletins From BA #21

Bulletins From BA #21

11 febrero 2014

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Ecuador”

Air travel within South America is seriously expensive and that has unavoidably curtailed the number of Anne’s official trips I can afford to tag along on. But since she was scheduled to travel to Ecuador and this might be my only shot, we decided to spend the money.

It was so worth it.

Día Uno - Having arrived round midnight at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport after a long flight from Buenos Aires, we checked into our hotel and promptly crashed. Fortunately, we had a free day before A.J. got down to bidness, so we spent a few hours shlepping around the Old Town area. The high point of the day (not withstanding an Afro-Ecuadorian busker effortlessly juggling seven balls at a traffic stop) was La Compañia, an exercise in gold-leafed ecclesiastical extravagance. We then had a fine lunch at a family-run-hole-in-the-wall, before returning to the hotel in time to watch the Super Bowl. Which was unexpectedly staggering.

[Topographical Sidebar - BA is at sea level. Quito is at an elevation of 2800 m (9350 ft). Welcome to the Andes, where breathing is not always autonomic.]

Día Dos - We arose at 04:00 (That’s right, 4 AM - forget that whole “glamourous Foreign Service lifestyle” nonsense.) to meet with the Director of the Embassy Quito IRC (Information Resource Center) and catch a plane to the small city of Loja. At the airport, pandemonium was the order of the day. Seems that Tungurahua volcano had inconveniently erupted, necessitating the cancellation of a boatload of flights. But we did finally make ours, and arrived at Ciudad de Catamayo Airport where we were picked up and whisked across the mountains to Loja.

Since Loja is not a major tourist destination, tagging along with Anne seemed to be the more entertaining option. After meeting with the muy amable couple who operate the local BNC (BiNational Center), it was time for almuerzo (lunch) at Mama Lola Restaurante, a terrific place serving local Ecuadorian food. We especially enjoyed the horchata, a drink made from flowers. Our gracious hosts then took us to a shop where we acquired copious quantities of bocadillo, a delicious candy made from sugar cane.

[Numismatic Sidebar - The U.S. greenback is also the official currency of Ecuador, although Ecuadorians use $1 coins and .50 pieces extensively. The $1 bill is, thankfully in my opinion, a rarity.]

Our final stop in Loja was the American Corner located at UTLP (La Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja), a lovely campus located on a hillside overlooking the town. I enjoyed sitting in the shade, luxuriating in the gentle breeze, and casually observing the impossibly young estudiantes.

Continuará en Bulletins From BA #22.

Gracias.

Bulletins From BA #20

Bulletins From BA #20

22 diciembre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

[Housekeeping Note: Those of you who are new to this mailing list can catch up on previous postings at www.rodgerfrench.blogspot.com.ar.]

                                     

A.J. and I are halfway through our official tour of duty in Buenos Aires, an appropriate time to comment on some things I like about the place and other things, not so much. So, at the risk of redundancy, here are a few quotidian items for your consideration.

Sí - Nuestro Apartamento

We are muy afortunados to have scored a swell apartment. Though not humongous, it is capacious enough to comfortably accommodate us and occasional out-of-towners. All the mechanicals work and the landlady, portero (superintendent), and security guards are muy amable and look out for us. The barrio, Palermo Chico, is one of the safest and most convenient neighborhoods in the city and our balcony overlooks Avenida del Libertador, a 10-lane boulevard lined with large trees and many public parks.

Since the Embassy and all our basic shopping needs are within walking distance, we haven’t needed a car and the attendant headaches. And, we have no green space to mow, trim, rake, groom, or generally waste our time with. (To paraphrase Mary Randolph Carter: “A well tended lawn is the sign of a misspent life.” We do have a plant. We call it “Fred.”)

[Also worth noting… we live one block from an heladería that regularly features 2-for-1 kilos of unreasonably sublime ice cream.]

No - Inflación

Though not as dire as during the depression of 1998-2002, inflation is still a major problem in Argentina. For us, it is particularly noticeable compared to inflation in the United States, which has been at historic lows for years.

Sí - Tango

Tango is not hard to come by más o menos anywhere in the world. But in Buenos Aires, it is permeating: Tango radio, Tango TV, Tango theatre, Tango festivals, Tango turistas, Tango buskers… Tango is everywhere. And, at the risk of lapsing into fluent cliché, Tango really does get to the heart of this city.

No - Comida

It pains me to say this, but the food is Buenos Aires is, well, boring. Not bad, just aburrido. Porteños like what they like and are not particularly adventurous in their dining habits. (In most cafés and restaurants, the only seasoning you find on the table is salt. Period.) There are exceptions, of course, notably lomo (beef tenderloin), chimichuri sauce, and the aforementioned helado (ice cream).

Sí - Taxis

Buenos Aires has a very good public transit system, but we really like being able to hail a taxi at any time. As gringos, we’ve been exploited now and then; but, in general, our experiences with the local taxistas have been positive. I have had many interesting conversations and more than a few downright enjoyable wild rides.

No - La Embajada de E.E.U.U.

The people who work at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires are great, but the building itself is ugly, overcrowded, and unhealthy. And, since Argentina is generally considered a less than high-priority post, we make the best of it.

Sí - Perros

There are few things as entertaining as watching a paseador de perros (dog walker) with a boatload of leashed dogs headed to the park to do their doggie bidness. We especially enjoy the breed-specific packs (e.g., beagles, miniature poodles, labs). Also noted: In eighteen months of walking the streets of Buenos Aires, I have stepped in caca de perro exactly never. It is one of my proudest accomplishments.

Anne and I are now looking forward to our second expat Christmas in BA. So, in the spirit of the season and in consideration of the illusory “War on Christmas” currently being waged on the battlefields of some small caliber minds back home, permit me to proffer a possibly helpful suggestion. When someone wishes you a “(positive adjective followed by specific occasion),” the appropriate response is simplicity itself: “Thanks. And the same to you.”

“Gracias. Igualmente.”

¡ Saludos del Solsticio, Felices Fiestas, Feliz Navidad y un Próspero Año Nuevo!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #19

Bulletins From BA #19

16 noviembre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Cachi-Cafayate”

A.J. and I were keen to return to Salta Province in northwest Argentina, having visited briefly during the triumphant BNC Tour (Bulletin #14). So when my best friend from high school and his lovely wife (W&E) decided to visit Argentina for the first time, we determined that a return to Salta would be just the ticket.

With the invaluable assistance of Ricardo, our go-to tour operator, we booked a car and driver to shlep us around a circuit that began in Salta and proceeded west to Cachi, south to Cafayate, and finally north back to Salta: 6 days/5 nights. It was a great trip. Cue the highlight reel.

Altitude - Varied from Salta (1187 m/3894 ft.) to Piedra del Molino (3347 m/10,980 ft., where we saw Andean condors at close range. At the higher altitudes, I had to occasionally remind myself to actually, you know, breathe. But the use of coca leaves really did make a difference.

Ruta 40 - The longest road in Argentina, running 5140 km/3194 mi., parallel to las montañas de los Andes. In many places, the road is paved; where we travelled, not so much. We found ourselves mostly on dirt surfaces, often wide enough for only one vehicle. (Our reliable driver helpfully informed us that the biggest hazard we faced was the possibility of encountering a reckless Israeli tourist in a rented 4x4.)

Scenery - Looks much like areas of the American West, and is fraught with spectacular geological formations with colorful names such as Los Castillos (The Castles), Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), and Quebrada de las Flechas (Gorge of the Arrows). We also saw muchos cactus in bloom, especially in the Parque Nacional Los Cardones.

Commerce - Local artisanos set up shop along the way, selling all manner of goods, much of which is of very high quality. Particularly memorable was a side trip to Seclantás to visit the familia Guzmán compound. The Guzmáns are renowned weavers, specializing in cubrecamas (bedspreads), chales (shawls), and ponchos (ponchos), including a magnificent red numero made expressly for el Papa (Pope) Francisco. We saw the photos; he looked good in it.

Los Niños de Llullaillaco - Five hundred years ago, three Incan children journeyed to the 22,000 ft. summit of a volcano near what is now the Chilean border. From The New York Times:

“The children were sacrificed as part of a religious ritual, known as capacocha. They walked hundreds of miles to and from ceremonies in Cuzco and were then taken to the summit of Llullaillaco (yoo-yeye-YAH-co), given chicha (maize beer), and, once they were asleep, placed in underground niches, where they froze to death. Only beautiful, healthy, physically perfect children were sacrificed, and it was an honor to be chosen. According to Inca beliefs, the children did not die, but joined their ancestors and watched over their villages from the mountaintops like angels.”

Their mummified remains are on display and their haunting story is told at the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña (MAAM) in Salta. One wonders what the Incan gods make of that.

Los Niños de Autobús Tourístico - We found ourselves on the same tourist route as a group of about a dozen very nice 5^th graders and their chaperones. Turns out that one of the muchachos had won a logo design contest for a Salta tourism campaign, “Una Sonrisa para un Turista” (“A Smile for a Tourist”). As a reward, he and his whole class were treated to una gran excursión. Muy cool.

For us, this was the last major Argentine aventura until 2014. But W&E will be staying on for another week, all the better to explore Buenos Aires. Anne and I also have plans for a modest Thanksgiving that includes neither turkey nor “Black Friday.”

¡Adelante!

Rodger

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