From Argentina With Love

Argentina Photo of the Week: Parque San Martin, Mendoza

Parque San Martin, named for the general who led Argentineans in revolt aginst Spain, covers over 500 acres of land in the heart of the city of Mendoza.  Majestic gates of curly-cued wrought iron lead into the park, which has everything from a rowing lake and 'yacht club' to an ungroomed forest with a camping area. 

Gravel footpaths lined with park benches and palm trees make the perfect place to read the paper, cafes and foutains dot areas of the park covered in giant oak trees.  Elegant promenades through rose gardens and open knolls are the perfect place for a picnic and afternoon stroll.

Students gather for study groups and to drink mate, young couples seek out secluded places to smooch, bus loads of tourists come though armed with requisite cameras.  A map is reccommended to get to all the best things the park has to offer, whether you have kids in tow that want to hit the playground, or the zoo and science museum is more your style.

Don't miss the Cerro de la Gloria--the highest peak in the park, which offers a panoramic view of the city of Mendoza.  It's also where the week-long festivites take place during the Fiesta de la Vendemia--the grape harvest festival.  Every year in March, a Harvest Queen is crowned from a group of contestants from the region.  Along with the pagent come parades, traditional music and folkloric dances, and lots of wine drinking.  Salut!

Reminder:  I'm taking Empanada of the Month entries now!  rebeccatcaroAThotmailDOTcom

Argentina Photo of the Week-The España, General Alvear

The España was the movie theater in General Alvear, but as fewer people went out to see movies and stayed in to watch cable, it disappeared. It's being used to hold Evangelical church services, a re-invented use.  Argentineans are so good at using and re-using and re-inventing, like that old proverb about necessity being the mother of invention.  It makes me pause and think--as Americans we tend to be a 'disposable society'--there are so few good quality things that last, or things that have real value and are kept 'forever'.  But there, they are the ultimate recyclers--they re-use even old movie theaters! 

When I first met Guillermo he was living in a 9-story apartment building in downtown Denver where residents would frequently move and throw away perfectly good things, which he would 'rescue' and bring to his own apartment.  (Because why would you throw away something that's in perfectly good working order?)  He had a large walk-in closet that was great for hiding all these found treasures away, so you can imagine what surprises I discovered when we went to move!  A collection of wayward mis-matched chairs, bulky wood frames (these are still awaiting a good use, but now they are in a different closet at a different apartment.)  It's not that he was using these tossed things, either, but he just couldn't stand the thought of them something being thrown away unless it really needed to be.  (He also still gets a thrill from free samples, whether it's something he needs or no--rather than finding them a nuisance, as I do.)

I try to understand, given who I am and where I come from (and where we live) the lack that some people have there--especially in the rural areas of Argentina.  Coming from a place of such abundance and consumption sometimes it's impossible to understand--so many times I have said "Well, why don't you just buy an 'x' to fix that problem?" And the thing will be unavailable altogether or else incredibly expensive. (Like buying my mother-in-law a microwave, which was going to cost almost $300!)  Or anything that has any possible use (even a different one that it was originally intended for) is snatched up and used.  With that in mind, we try to buy used things whenever possible, re-use what we can and reduce what we buy.

With that in mind, here are this month's Amazon recommendations:

Movie:  The Motorcycle Diaries-starring Gael Garcia Bernal.  If you haven't seen this yet, don't stop until you do, and if you have, take another look.  The story of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara ( 'revolutionary' and 'founding father' of Cuba) as a young man in Argentina.  He and his best friend take a 6-month journey on an old Norton (my father-in-law used to own one with a side-car!) motorcycle throughout South America.  They have many misadventures, but what impacts young Ernesto (a medical student at the time) is the poverty and injustice he sees in the places he visits.

Music: Mercedes Sosa-"La Negra" (because of her dark hair) is Argentina's most beloved folk singer.  She has been exiled and then returned to Argentina and is known as the 'voice of the voiceless'-her songs often reflect the issues of the country's poor and downtrodden.  But her voice will make your soul take wings--deep, throaty and passionate, it soars above it all.

Book: The Motorcycle Diaries-by Ernesto Che Guevara-Read the book that inspired the film!  Guevara kept a diary on that trip.  The book chronicles everything he experiences in a way the film can't.

Argentina Photo of the Week #7-Ukrainian Church, Bowen

A couple of months ago, when this blog was as fresh as a newborn baby, Gretchen from Canela y Comino tagged me with a meme to name five interesting facts about myself.  I mentioned there that Guillermo and I were married in a Ukrainian church in Bowen-it's called Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Soccorro-Our Lady of  Perpetual Help. Fr. Ismael, the priest, does mass every week in Spanish and in Ukrainian. 

The church is in Bowen, an area that at one time was populated primarily by Ukrainian and Russian immigrants.  It was the dream of Fr. Basilio, a Ukrainian priest who wanted to minister to the Ukrainian farming community.  He didn't live to see the construction of the church completed, but was instrumental in raising the money to build it, and in getting the  dome made. 

Unlike many other Catholic churches, the adornment in this church is simple-the stained glass windows are blue and yellow cross patterned, the walls are white, and the pews are of unfinished wood.  The exception is the cloth used on the alter and in ceremonies-hand embroidered in typical Ukrainian style with intricate red crosses.  The portrait of the Virgin Mary is in the Byzantine style of Russian icons.

Since I got tagged with that meme in February, this blog has grown like a vine!  Over the past 4 months, I have met some amazing people, and have had readers from all over the world and most of the 50 states-many of whom have sent me emails.  It's just incredible to me to be connected this way.  On another note, this has been an exciting week! 

George, author of Culinary Travels of  a Kitchen Goddess has honored me with this award:

                                                      

Thank you!!   I will be thinking about who else to pass it along to!

I also received another award this week:   Adam Roberts, author of the blog Amateur Gourmet and host of the Food Network show the FN Dish did a show last month about food blogging called Meet the Bloggers where he challenged new food bloggers to submit their pages so he could choose his favorite.   

And guess what?  From Argentina With Love won!  It's Adam Roberts' favorite new food blog!Congratulations also to the two other winners,  The Guerrilla Gourmet and The Arugula Files.  A big thank you to Adam, of course, and to all the other readers of this blog, both returning and new!   

Here's the FN Dish episode that started it all:

WOW!  I can't wait to see what happens next week!

Argentina Photo of the Week #6-Mendoza Graffiti

                  

Whenever I travel, I love to look at the graffiti of a place-it says a lot about where the culture is as a whole.  Some places have elevated graffiti to an art form-it's colorful, a feast for the eyes trying to unlock its pieces.  Others are like this-written on a wall with marker and getting straight to the point.

                                              This says: So much time without love

It's written on the wall of the entryway of one of the old palaces of Mendoza, where General San Martin is reputed to have stayed.  (San Martin is considered the liberator of Argentina from Spanish rule.)  It's now the Museo General San Martin, a museum that chronicles his life.  It's a bit dilapidated and in need of some care-which is what I think the graffiti refers to.

But the majority of graffiti in Argentina is what I would call 'street poetry'-people have written sayings-funny, witty, humble-every-man's philosophy.  (Rather than the 'tags' we get here, themselves with a different merit) I know there have been books published about this type of graffiti-the thoughts of a community, cleverly and quickly scribbled across a wall using chalk, pen, or marker.  Most of them are funny real-life proverbs, they make the reader laugh or stop and think.

In contrast, I have been getting lots of love in the blogosphere lately!  First, I've gotten my first-ever blog award-an award for Blogging with a Purpose, given to me by Gretchen Noelle of Canela y Comino.  Thanks, Gretchen!  I feel so honored-it's wonderful to be acknowledged!  She awarded it to me for sharing the cuisine of Argentina on my blog-I'm so glad my blog is doing what I set out to do-to share a culture I love so much with others, so that they can enjoy it, too!

                                                                        

Also, with the start of the Empanada of the Month event Thursday, I have had so many replies and people who will be joining the empanada-making fun!  That's just been the best part of this blog-it's been such a pleasure getting to know everyone and their blogs-it's opened my world.  Thanks to all of you joining me in the Empanada of the Month event (you won't be sorry-they are tasty!)  and thanks to all my readers, new and returning!

Argentina Photo of the Week #5-General Alvear

Driving west out of Bowen, fields of alfalfa or grapes slowly give way to feed stores and warehouses.  An ultra modern Shell gas station sits as a sentinel on the south end of town.  As the road gets wider and is lit by street lamps, traffic becomes more congested-soon, you're weaving in and out of traffic like a local.  Lanes are virtually disregarded, scooters and cars intermingle with trucks from area farms. 

Bicycles are everywhere-along the shoulder of the road, or mixed in with the cars; crossing into traffic.  It's not uncommon to see a young mother, riding a bicycle with her child sitting sideways on the cross-bar or on the handlebars of the bicycle .  Often the 'driver' is also smoking a cigarette and has her shopping bags dangling from the handles of the bike.   

The downtown area of  General Alvear  is a time warp.  As these photos show, everything was built in a Peronista flurry of prosperity, and has been more or less preserved and kept up, but not modernized.

The flower shop above is where I got my bridal bouquet-a clutch of  salmon and white anemones-for about $7.  The shop is full of black buckets of cut flowers, silk and real plants, and along the wall behind the register, picture upon picture of saints and the Virgin Mary, (with the occasional family baby photo) almost to the effect of wallpaper.  Silvia the florist lives in the back of the shop, which is not uncommon-the store front gives way to an apartment that looks totally different than the shop.

Alvear has many things Bowen doesn't: shoe stores, cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and specialty shops, florists, heladerias, bookstores, furniture shops, a casino, a nightclub, fabric stores, clothing shops. There's a university, too, where my brother-in-law teaches business and economics.  The town is divided by a man-made irrigation ditch that has been made into a scenic attraction by adding a water wheel to it. 

The photo above is of the main round-about in the center of town.  It's near the municipal buildings, town square, church and bank.   This town is almost unknown to those from outside (it's not exactly a destination), and except for the occasional passing tourist on the road to Mendoza, no one bothers to come here. For the people in the surrounding rural areas, the city is their link to the rest of the world.   

Argentina Photo of the Week #4-Plaza Pelligrini, Cuidad de Mendoza

 

This beautiful little plaza is just around the corner from the Sheraton Hotel in Mendoza.  Palm trees, a gazebo covered in flowers, and a fountain-it's just picture perfect!  There's a flea-market (see the tables?) every Thursday through Saturday, where you can pick up some great things at bargain prices (as long as you still have room in your suitcase).

I think this is one of Mendoza's most romantic spots (though there are often cars whizzing by), and I would have loved to get married here!  If I lived in Mendoza, this would be a hard place for me to resist-flea markets are a weakness of mine, and I'd love to just people watch here with a coffee or read a book and listen to the fountain, soaking up some sunshine.

This plaza to me represents a lot about how Argentinians view the world:  even if cars are going by,  people are bustling through, business is happening, there's always something beautiful to rest your eyes on and take a moment to enjoy life.

Argentina Photo of the Week#3-Museo del Inmigrante (Immigrant Museum) in Bowen

Argentina's rail system has been defunct since the 1990s, and when I win the lotto, I'll invest my winnings in reviving the whole thing, just so I can travel the country by train.  There are limited train routes running for tourists, but most of the old routes are not operational.

The rail system used to run cross-country, bringing tourists, travelers and cargo from one place to the other.  Mendoza produces grapes, wine, plums, apples, quince, olives and olive oil, peaches, and vegetables.  These goods still go out all over the country, but are now transported by diesel truck.  Many a Bowen resident drives a rig, because Bowen is a good in-between place to live.

The door on the left says 'sala de espera, boleteria'-it was a waiting room and ticket counter.  The door on the right says simply 'JEFE', which means 'BOSS'.  I find that very humorous, don't you?

The door is tall-probably 8 feet or more.  I just imagine the 'boss man' being a short, persnickety man with a Napoleon complex, working in this little farming village and going in and out of his own special BOSS entrance every day with an air of disdain.  Probably a complete fabrication, but nonetheless, I wish I had a door that said JEFE on it!  (even if the only thing I'm the BOSS of is the housework!)

The train station sat vacant and abandoned all this time until about a year and a half ago, when it was converted into an Immigration Museum, (Museo del Inmigrante) documenting the different immigrant groups (mostly Ukrainian, Russian, and Italian), that settled and farmed the area around Bowen.

Someone also lives there!  One area that was part of the train station has been converted into a living space, the 'caretaker' lives there for free in exchange for taking care of the museum.  When I say converted, I don't mean refurbished, as they do in the US, when they convert an old funky warehouse into a set of loft residences.  It's more like squatting, and I'd guess they probably chose the side with plumbing.  They also keep chickens, which are busy running around pecking at the dirt outside behind the museum. They are truly free range!

Argentina Photo of the Week #2-Lake Nahuel Huapi

Have you ever been someplace so beautiful it's overwhelming? 

Lake Nahuel Huapi is one of those places.  Located in Argentina's s Patagonia region, the lake is surrounded by mountains and dotted with islands.  The mountain town of Bariloche, known for its Swiss-chateau style buildings and chocolate shops, borders the lake. 

We went there in 2006 after our wedding.   Everywhere I turned my eyes and senses were filled with astounding scenery and perfection.  I commented to Guillermo many times that I could live there, and do nothing but take pictures--it would be possible to never get the same image twice and to see something new every day. 

It seemed there was a new photo to be taken at every moment, something amazing taking my breath away.  I didn't want to miss a second without photographing it, when I look back now I just think we don't have enough pictures, or pictures of some of the things I remember.  In the end, I was even a little disappointed-none of the photos we took did the place justice-it's just glorious!!

My Lake Nahuel Huapi Top 5 Things:

1. The gondola ride up Cerro Otto.  The ride takes you to the top of  the mountain where there's a 360-degree view and a revolving restaurant.
2. Ruta de los Siete Lagos-The Seven Lakes Route takes you barreling down unpaved roads through forest and pasture, with seven breathtaking scenic lakes as stopping points along the way.
3. Taking the boat tour of the lake.
4. St. Bernard Rescue dogs in the town plaza.
5. The scenery, everywhere you look.

Argentina Photo of The Week #1-The Aconcagua

The trip from Denver to Mendoza takes at least 18 exhausting hours and includes 2 stopovers, various passport stampings, and a trip through customs.  The longest flight is the 9 hours from Dallas, TX to Santiago, Chile, which if you're smart you've booked as the overnight part of the flight; and if you're lucky, isn't full so you can sprawl out across the 3 middle seats and sleep. 

The last leg of the flight is the best: it's the 35-minute long jump across the Andes Mountain range from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina.  After flying for so long, on this flight you hardly get a chance to let the ice in your drink melt before you're on the ground again. 

This part of the trip is where I start to feel as if I'm really in South America-we fly LAN on this leg, and the flight attendants, in their perfect hair and makeup, are all young and glamorous and Chilean. (Which makes me feel just that much more rumpled after traveling for that long, thankyouverymuch) Most of the passengers are South American, too, the class of people who can afford to fly-all very well dressed and well mannered, and the shift is visible.  It's like warping back to the golden age of travel.

Naturally, flying over the Andes can be a little scary-the movie 'Alive', based on the true story of a Uruguayan soccer team's horrific crash and survival, happened here.

Once, I turned to Guillermo while we were flying over the mountains, the peaks below us like a bed of nails, and I said "Honey, if we crash, can I eat you first?"  (Anxiety makes me think and say really stupid and inappropriate things. ) And Guillermo, in his cool Argentino way, stared at me with an utterly blank expression on his face, said nothing, and then returned to reading his paper.  I guess that's my answer.

The reward for suffering the interminable trip is seeing the sun rise over the Aconcagua.  At 22,000 feet, the Aconcagua is the highest peak in both North and South America.  Crossing over the Andes in the  just as the rosy fingers of dawn start to creep over the mountains is one of the most stunning and spectacular sights I have ever seen.

This is the first of a weekly photo series I'll be posting.  Argentina has a rich culinary tradition that I love, but I think it's impossible to really get a feel for the cuisine without knowing the country.  Every week I will be showing and telling my way through this rich and varied place that is my heart's home, with some good stories along the way.  I hope you'll share your impressions and your own stories with me, too!