Archive for February, 2012

San Rafael, Mendoza, Day IV — La Represa el Tigre

La Represa el Tigre

Last night I was sitting by the pool and staring up at the sky thinking about all the people I know who are no longer here. I don’t know where people go when they leave this planet, but I was thinking about lost souls nonetheless. One of my many flaws is that I can live in the past and that can make me melancholy from time to time. Life is fleeting, and for some of us, too fleeting. As the breeze kissed my face I imagined those who have passed on sitting with me, sharing a laugh.

English lessons with my students have lately been based on the topic of the environment.  It annoys me that humans believe it will be us who will lead to the annihilation (I really wanted to use that word!) of the Earth. It seems so egotistical. The planet survived long before us and will survive long after us. It will no doubt be responsible for our undoing. Earth will find a way to protect itself from the damage we have and continue to inflict upon it, and will rid itself of our selfishness. After we’re gone, it will simply heal.

Why the hell am I talking about this? Anyway, while enjoying my Bianchi wine I noticed how the clouds were merging from all directions and feared the rain would ruin a lonely, yet pleasant evening. My glass empty, I sat myself up and returned to the cabin for a refill when a sudden gust of wind came in and cut off the electricity. No television, no Internet, nothing. The rain came and it was vengeful. I went to bed and woke to a cloudy sky.

Tired from the last couple days of activity I wanted to take it easy and drove to La Represa el Tigre. More rock and water, but an example of how human beings try to control nature. No matter how much we convince ourselves otherwise, all the levies, dykes and dams are ill-prepared against nature’s wrath. How dramatic!

It was a cloudy day

The River Ran Through It

Me

Afterwards I went to the centre of town, ate some pizza and enjoyed some beer. Life, can it get any better?

Plaza San Martin in San Rafael, Mendoza

Madonna and child, carved in wood

What do you call these things?

San Rafael Mendoza, Day II — The Atuel Canyon, Part II

The long and winding road. You can see the Andes in the distance.

Here are the last photographs from my adventure to the Atuel Canyon. In spite of the heat, I had a great time, and would do it again in another couple of years if given the opportunity. Now if you’ll excuse me I am going to go to sleep and try to beat the heat. These jokers called meteorologists are calling for rain. I spit in their faces, how’s that for rain? Chau.

It was a long drive

At the mouth of the Atuel Canyon is the Nihuil Mirror; today it was a little ripply

The bus that gets people around in one piece, allegedly

The Atuel Canyon, one last time!

I took a geology course in university which proved useless on today's trip. $40,000 spent on an education and I can't remember anything I learned!

It's like Mount Rushmore, but not

Rio Atuel

Rio Atuel -- for the last time!

The show stoppper -- Donkeys!

San Rafael Mendoza, Day II — The Atuel Canyon, Part I

The majestic Atuel Canyon

Oh Argentina, how you enrage and dazzle me all at once. I awoke in a cranky mood because there is no air conditioning in this God forsaken place. Luckily there was a lovely thunderstorm last night, and yes, rain did fall. But by morning the sun was murderous. The itinerary for today was to tour the Atuel Canyon, and it did not disappoint – I was floored by how mighty it was.

I could bore you with a history lesson, but I imagine there are countless websites who have done a more thorough job than I ever could. So I’ll leave it to them if you want more information.

The objective of this post is to entertain you with this photo essay depicting my love affair with the canyon. Enjoy.

The Atuel Canyon and me -- it was a hot day! I have to wear a cap because I am losing all my hair and the sun will burn the top of my head. Don't mind my hair loss, I'm finding it all in my ears. Win, win!

The Atuel River and me

The Atuel River and me -- again!

I know I know me and the river again, I swear I fell in love

The Atuel Canyon went on for over 100 km

I was blessed by a wondrous cloudy sky that brought respite from the blistering sun

A white horse grazing!

At the Nihuil Mirror I found a tourist stop, with only cacti to help

Check back for more on my trip to the Atuel River. The Internet here is 1998 slow, so you can imagine how long it takes to upload photographs.  I hope to have everything completed by late evening.