Michelangelo of the Pampa

Michelangelo, meet Miguel Angel, kindred spirit!

Though he works in recycled iron, not Carrara marble, you will recognize him as a kindred spirit.

He does larger-than-life statues, just like you did. One of them sits atop the Cathedral right here in the middle of San Nicolas. In fact, he's done all the important sculptures in this town, including the Malvinas War Memorial and a gigantic statue of the revered educator Don Bosco.

All the same, he is underappreciated. Despite his prodigious ability to fashion iron scraps into art, he makes his living trning out wrought iron gates.

Roberto and I pass by his workshop on our trips from our barrio into town, and I've especially admired the horse. Today I noticed the above singer sculpture perched over his entrance, and within one I'll call Death Calls. Roberto acceded to my entreaties to stop--and then took me inside to introduce me, as he and Miguel Angel have known each other for years. (Why didn't my husband tell me this years ago?)

After tying up his ferocious dog, Miguel Angel, with reticent pride, showed us his work in progress--a huge iron gate for the entrance to his own home. Imagine a huge wrought iron gate whose central vertical bars have been replaced by a sculpture of Earth within an oval,much like a map of the world's continents, flanked by two very pregnant women. When you visit San Nicolas, you will want to drive by his house! And if you know any one looking for great recycled iron sculptures, drop in his studio as well. You could end up shipping home a sculpture of a tennis or basketball player, a pair of eagles, or whatever this genuis creates in the meanwhile.

Those Gorgeous Argentinians

How about that!

In today's msn.com, "Countries With the Best-Looking Locals" puts Argentina up there with Australia, India, Brazil, Venezuela, Thailand, Japan, etc.

To quote the article: "The seductive tango is one of many talents that make the people of Argentina — and the country — so alluring. The beautiful coastline, cosmopolitan cities and world-class wines are some of the other reasons to visit this South American destination."

While I haven't seen too many people in the above tango pose from the article, I'm gonna agree with this....and be grateful for my own charming, handsome "local" husband. I remember the singer Ricky Martin also extolling the beautiful faces, attributing it to the "mix of races." Lots of gorgeous eyes, hair, and bodies....and a certain pride in looking good and moving gracefully. They also learn how to pose with big smiles and even a bit of seduction about the age that North Americans are learning to tie their shoes.

Who else (besides Mark Sanford) wants to come on down and see for her/himself?

Destiny: Closer than Imagined

Last night Roberto and I had our socks blown off by a new tourist destination: El Destino.

No, we did not go to the Big City nor the Andes nor the glaciers nor the seaside. Usually we have to drive at least seven or eight hours to go anywhere worth talking about, with the exception of some attractions in nearby Rosario.

We simply drove a mere 35 kilometers to the nearby pueblo of Ramallo, population 30,000, and known locally for its 1000 meters of natural sand beach. . . and a municipal government which has been thoughtfully developing it. (My years here have taught me the difference between good and bad city government as San Nicolas, long "managed" by Peronists, continues to lag behind Rosario, Villa Constitucion, and even little Ramallo, all run by Socialists and Radicalistas. Is this a pattern?)

The old road paralleling the beach has become a well-lit, palm-tree studded avenue, lined by several brand new clusters of cabanas--log cabins for summertime visitors. Totally by accident we stumbled upon the newest bistro, La Playa Blanca, and wondered if it would be as good as the tried-and-true Lo de Cacho, justly famous for its grilled fish, or the vanguard cuisine at the new Howard Johnson (yes, HoJos!).

In fact, it called us like moths to the flame with its pristine Cape-Cod white building among a small grove of towering trees. As it is mid-winter, it was easy to park near the entrance: a gazebo leading to a serpentine elevated bridge that connected with the multi-level deck of the be-windowed restaurant. Just getting to the door was a wonderful little foray through the tree branches, and around a trunk that the designer and carpenters left right in the middle of the walkway.

The chatter in Spanish assured me that I was not in Provincetown despite the sturdy plain white tables and Shaker type chairs, each one with a small fishbowl of alstromeria and a nautical candleholder. The outdoor panorama--the Parana at dusk and the lush greenery all around--was sufficient decor for us!

We sat down, and Florencia (as it turned out), smilingly took our order for cappuccinos and an extra glass of water for my Cretacolor watercolor pencils. The coffees arrived, and Roberto took to reading a book on Argentine history while I tried sketching the only other patrons. As the sun set, the indoor candles and soft lighting made for an intimate atmosphere, if not good drawing or reading light. A young couple entered, three boys in tow--and we quickly greeted them as they are our neighborhood pharmacists. We all commented on how delightful it is to have a place as wonderful as this so close (but why not in San Nicolas, we wondered?).

We returned to our table, but our romantic interlude was interrupted by the appearance at our table of a casually elegant 40-something blonde woman. She wondered if we were enjoying the evening. I was suddenly anxious that this was another person I should have recognized, and with some hesitation, asked her if we had met. "No, I'm Ana Lia, and this is our new place."

We offered our compliments and made just one suggestion: that the disco music be changed to something more in keeping with the ambience. At that point we were introduced to her sister and assistant, who explained that today technical difficulties were the only thing keeping them from something more listenable. Ana Lia soaked in our continued felicitaciones, murmuring that it was her dream to live in Ramallo. Then she offered to show us "the rest of the place." We placed an order for fried calamari and a salad of rucula with parmesan and donned our coats.

And that is what astounded us totally.

We crossed the avenue to "El Destino," so named because Ana Lia felt it was her destiny to build it after losing her rosary in the Taj Majal, if I understood her correctly. Although not yet open, the cabanas and service buildings are all up and ready, glistening white even in lamp light. Already tall palm trees grace the pathways. Ana Lia grabbed my hand to lead me through the few dark spots and up the wide porch stairs to the first of the cabins.

Robert and I gasped at the interior: again the clean white luminosity struck us. . . as well as the king-sized bed with white linens and hand-embroidered pillows. We marveled at the natural tree trunk table (a bit like a cross-section of a broccoli stem, with that asymmetrical shape), the carefully appointed bathroom. Everything was perfectly beautiful. . . a rustic statement of art and modern comfort.

We continued cabana after cabana, each one with its special touch: one with wicker picnic basket with stoneware plates and crystal, another with swaths of gauzy white and white wicker chairs, and so on. Our "oohs" and "aahs" were well received, and Ana Lia explained that she had personally ordered the custom-made furniture and art and the premium quality linens. She had already noted that this was not a place for children, and I could see why, and we followed her example in tamping the sand from our shoes as we continued our tour.

The Spa center was not yet viewable, and we can only imagine what visitors will say when they have cross the moat by bridge to enter it. Ditto for the "mirador," the lookout tower, "where you can enjoy a champagne toast at sunset," our hostess smiled. The design of the chapel left me puzzled, so I can't wait to see how it turns out. We continued through the main building with breakfast area, bar, and reception with hand carved art, and up to the reading room with the most beautiful of all the natural wooden tables, which is in the photograph.

Ana Lia's celular rang--our dinner was ready. We tramped back to the restaurant, our imaginations already satiated from our tour. Now fully night, our hostess proudly waved her hand to show us the decks, with two large TV screens (2x3 meter?) beaming the face of a young Paul McCartney crooning. Clearly the music challenge had been met. Daniela, our neighbor, was poised on a step, watching her sons and friend gamboling in the well-lit grassy strip separating the restaurant from the beach. The only thing missing were about 100 other patrons--but they will come!

Finally, we enjoyed a well-prepared, beautifully presented meal (at a very reasonable cost), and took our leave, knowing that this will be one of our favorite destinations from now on.

I absolutely loved meeting Ana Lia—and seeing what passion, vision, and, yes, a million dollars (my wild guess), can do to improve a place. And I believe that a lot more locals could make this a wonderful place to visit as well as live if they’d invest their own passion and vision. . . and it won’t take a million dollars each. And I’ll even offer them professional coaching at a highly discounted rate to make my own contribution to the quality of life here.

Any takers?

Kiss of the Swine Flu

The lovely local custom of greeting with a kiss is now greeted with suspicion as Argentina has become the the epicenter of the swine flu epidemic,with 55 deaths so far. Yep, there is a bit of a panic as health officials tangle with the escalating epidemic.

This afternoon it was announced that all the live theaters in the country will close for 10 days starting now, notes the Argentine national paper Clarin; attendance has already dropped by 80%. Meanwhile Bolivia is seriously considering closing the border with Argentina, according to its national newspaper, La Razon.

Even here in our little city, life has changed in the last two weeks. For example, Roberto just returned from downtown. . . and said the usually crowded sidewalks are nearly empty (with some pedestrians wearing the now familiar blue "barbijo" mask), although there is some car traffic. The flu is the first and foremost topic of conversation and news reports--not football! (And no one noticed Sarah Palin's bombshell announcement.)

My teacher friends are all home, even those with private English studios. Schools throughout the city and province of Buenos Aires, which usually close for the last two weeks also closed the schools, the sports clubs, community centers, discos, and any gathering place. Restaurants (for reasons I don't get) are to remain open only during lunch and dinner hours (which was declared to be 8 pm to 1 am).

Retailers are considering surgical masks, or "barbijos" as they are known, although the national Health Minister Juan Manzur says it can be counterproductive. In some places bus drivers already use them (and no doubt the ladrones who rob them will as well). The masks were distributed to poll workers in last week's elections as well. I just googled "barbijo, influenza, argentina" and found over 2,500 hits, including a lot of ads, and the two photos above, from Hogar de Noticias. So the marketers are already milking this one!

The Buenos Aires Herald reports 55 deaths in the country from the H1N1 influenza, with 2,409 confirmed cases. The federal Health Minister estimates as many as 100,000cases. Sources say young people, especially school age, are at more risk than the over-50 crowd.

As "gripe" (flu) also happens to be the local catch-all term for feeling sick (as it is in the US), I know many people who claim to be suffering from it. Some no doubt are, but my own hunch, unconfirmed of course, is that many of these cases are food poisoning, colds, or other. So the confirmed cases of the H1N1 influenza will probably be a small percentage of the self-diagnosed cases.

Advice abounds on how to avoid infection in all the media. People are being urged to avoid congregating and to wash their hands thoroughly and often with soap. The kissing and mate customs are on the endangered cultural habits list. And, the Health Ministry advises, the prolonged school closures should not be see as an opportunity for extra holidays to crowded places. So families can practice a lot of togetherness at home, which is one of the things I like best about Argentine culture. (You don't have to leave home or ditch the parents to have fun.)

Maybe something good will come of all this. For example, I dream of a public that insists on and uses public bathrooms equipped with toilet paper, soap, and towels or dryers. Maybe the germ theory of illness will catch on.

Sometimes I am surprised by the absence of basic sanitation and the paucity of elementary knowledge about disease and contagion at all levels. Everywhere people continue to leave food out that should be refrigerated, even in shops that sell prepared meals. Unless I intervene, nearly everyone I see washes dishes in cold or at best tepid water (hardly sufficient to kill bacteria). Folks eat in public without washing hands (and I always feel terribly conspicuous when I'm the only one in a group who leaves the table after ordering to go wash mine). But I digress.

I think I'll go wash my hands!

I Love Lexulous!

Want to know the REAL reason that I need high-speed internet: Lexulous!

Have you tried it? Sure, the "real" board was better back when the site was known as Scrabulous, but playing faux scrabble is almost as good.

It's still about being clever with English words, which just means a lot to me as I never meet a native speaker here in my small city.* I love silly words like ZA and QI and ULU, or show-off ones like ZYGOMATIC (really, I played it once!) and ABACII.

Of course my opponents have stupendous vocabularies. And even more amazing is that I get to play--and chat with--women and men of all ages from all over the world. There are always hundreds, even thousands, of people on line, as well as a few robots, if you prefer a machine to someone from Canada, England, Australia, India, the Philippines, South Africa, Jamaica, Scotland, Haiti, Chile, Venezuela, or Peru, just to name a few of the countries of my recent opponents.

Not surprisingly, since I choose to play the US dictionary instead of the UK dictionary, most of my opponents are from the good old USA. And I guess they assume their opponents are there as well, because instead of saying "hello from England," or "I'm in Hong Kong," they say, "Howdy from Atlanta" or "Hi from MI." And some get confused when I say I am in Argentina. One asked me to say hello to the folks in Lima (Peru) or Rio (Brazil). A woman from Pennsylvania insisted that folks here speak Portuguese, not Spanish. One got miffed when I said I'm in Buenos Aires, Argentina. "PUH-leeze, we Americans know where that is," she retorted. I always add quickly that I am an expat so if they lose they don't feel as bad as I did losing to a Chilean (who goes by the name Atacama, for whom English is a second language).

Unless you've lived where you never hear your native language spoken, all this might seem rather trivial. But I love my native language. . . be it spoken, written, or sung! For me, it has been one of the principal ways of connecting with others as well as making a living. Some people like to go running or biking, others pick up a guitar. . . well, I log in to lexulous.com as Iguazu and get into flow putting little tiles on a multi-color board. In fact, I think I'll do that right now!

See you in the Lounge or Coffee House!

*People insist that there are others US folks here, but no one can tell me where to find them. I even have set up two Facebook groups, one for expats here in San Nicolas, the other for English-speaking women in Argentina, just in case someone wants to be found by me. To be honest, I did meet one native speaker four years, a US pastor who was running an orphanage, but he was very uninterested in talking to me. Then again, I bet he never plays Scrabble!

Show Me the Money--Please!

This is my latest experiential lesson in Economics 101. Perhaps more apt than bare trees (you know, the ones that money grow on!) would would be a a chain of dominoes set to fall...representing the zillions of chains of expected payments for bills.

No one ever says, "The check is in the mail." Hardly anyone uses checks or mail as done in the US to pay bills. Bills are often arrive late by mail and get paid even later. An incredible percentage of transactions take place in person and in cash. I've shocked several people by paying my bill early (but some refused to accept it as they had no way of recording it properly!).

Even so, the credit crunch seems to have hit. Where has the money gone? The guy that delivers chlorine for the pool comes by personally. And he is okay about waiting for the current payment while I wait for a steel company and a computer wholesaler to pay me for translations. . . and they are waiting for their customers to pay them. . . and so on.

Roberto would like to pay a couple bills, like health insurance, but he's waiting for the non-profit group Cooperanza that rents his house to make the next house payment. . . and that group is waiting for health insurance companies to pay them for taking care of handicapped children...and the insurance companies are waiting for their clients to pay them.... Cooperanza is also waiting for a major government subsidy--which is more than a year overdue. (One jaded person said the payment would come the week before the late June elections.)

Meanwhile, life goes on. The local grocer and pharmacist keep a running tab for the neighbors who are waiting to get paid as well. . . and the other day I was a couple pesos short, and the veggie delivery guy said, "next time, no problem." (I can't imagine Wegman's supermarket letting me walk out the door with a dozen oranges on the promise to pay next time!)

These are just a few of many examples I could give. This week two people told me stories of how the feds have paid some of their bills to individual citizens or companies with bonds that mature in five or ten years! Can you imagine a defense contractor for the US agreeing to that one? I hear that one of the steel company's subcontractors got so fed up with months of delayed payments that he held one of the steel company trucks hostage in his own parking lot by locking the gate until he got paid...and he did get the cash that day.

At least we are owed more than we owe, we're on top of most everything, and so I just try to keep tabs on it. . . and go on with my day, enjoying my work and play time. . . It will all work out eventually. . . or not. . . and life will still go on. . . without the justice or security one would want. . . but with enough beauty, joy, and love to make it worthwhile.

By the way, that tree is in one of many beautiful groves of an old estancia, now a School of Agriculture, in Zavalla, outside Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe. Just in case you wondered. As for me, I wonder what species it is. . . any ideas? They look like something out of Hogwarts!

Being Green in Argentina

"Verde que te quiero verde."

"Green, I want you green," wrote Federico Garcia Lorca, possibly the most noted Spanish poet, in his poem Romance Somnambulo .

I want things green too. So all last week I celebrated Earth Day here in my little house on the Argentine pampa in thought, photo, and deed. The most deeply gratifying thought is that my ecological footprint has shrunk from a size 12 EEE to something like a 7B. As it wasn't all voluntary, so I'm not asking for a pat on the back.

First of all, even with a less visible environmental movement, it is easier to live greener here, more due to necessity and custom than any kind of eco-consciousness. So here's how I've become greener since moving here:

1. I drive less. In fact, I don't drive much at all. I average less than 40 kilometers per week—and that is in a 17-year-old Ford Galaxy powered by compressed natural gas. I do average about two trips a year back to the US—so that eats up any credits I might have earned, I suppose.

2. I hang clothes out to dry—a rather pleasant task beneath the towering magnolia and jacaranda trees. Roberto was insistent that I not buy a dryer, and almost no one I know has one anyway. The sun does a pretty decent job, and I've learned to hang the brighter colored garments in the shade. (You can see the "sun line" on a number of my T-shirts!) In inclement weather, we drape damp clothes over the loft balcony, over doors, on dresser drawer knobs, etc. I wash dishes by hand, but I've read that is not an energy savings. Then again, we don't have to throw one out when it breaks down or just gets out of fashion.

3. My consumer days are over. Here there is less to tempt—and I've discovered that I don't need much that isn't here. (Except great semi-sweet chocolate!) There's no pressure to buy the latest anything, and we have very few gadgets around the house besides a refrigerator, stove, microwave oven, mixer, food processor, and a small vacuum. We have a 15-year old stereo and a sadly ordinary TV for watching videos as we chose not to have any TV service. The average age of our PCs is 6 years, which is a little dismaying actually. Our big thrill is the antenna which allows us to get broadband.

4. The packageless, nearly paperless home. Since I buy less, there's less packaging. Besides, very little comes in those cardboard and bullet-proof plastic packages here. I didn't even get one of those great cartons when I bought a refrigerator—it came with a thin plastic film on the door and a blanket around it. We use maybe one tin can a week and reuse any jars to store food and spices. We get very little mail and almost zip junk mail—no catalogues, no charity requests, etc. Just an occasional copy of the Jehovah Witness pamphlet, Awake! Our notepads are recycled paper--I cut the pages up myself!

5. Slow Food, Local Food. Most of our food is locally produced foods and we grow our own berries. My new German expat friend, Britta, stops by with a crate of organic veggies (see photo) from her farm about two kilometers away. Those crispy gorgeous greens, along with domestic cereal grains and other produce, have become a mainstay of our diet. The butcher cuts up the meat while I wait and puts it all in a plastic bag.

6. The Minimalist Trash Can. We throw out a couple small bags of trash three times a week—it's so little it fits in a driveway-side basket like the one pictured. We use things up, reuse things, recycle things right at home. You never see piles of junk on curbsides (unless it is someone's parked jalopy!). Folks here use cheap toilet paper and reuse containers for economy's sake. . . and I do it for that and to lessen waste.

7. Our Energy Savings. Except during mid-winter, the weather is very hospitable, often absolutely delightful. So our small chalet-style home lacks central heating, though I confess I put an A/C in my loft office for use on the sweaty days. Mostly we rely on fans or just the breezes, doors wide open, especially since electricity costs more here. Since our small gas wall heater only puts out a few BTUS in this poorly insulated house, during the winter I stuff old newspapers in the window cracks and live in my polar fleece jacket, even to bed at times. Amazing what you can get used to! We've learned to take two-minute showers since our hot-water heater is quite small.

8. Simple Pleasures. Entertainment for us and our neighbors and friends usually involves socializing over meals, walking or biking, reading or playing board games, a dip in the pool. We fill the pool with water from our own pump, and it leaks back into the same ground, and then we fill it up again. Our vacations are generally a day's drive to the ocean or mountains for a respite, where our activities are all non-motorized.

Most of the middle and working class folks that I know here live fairly simply, enjoying their family and friends, and never give much thought to their environmental impact, as low as I perceive it to be here on the family level. Of course the farming and crops have taken their toll on the pampa, and deforestation and water pollution are common. So there is definitely room here for more awareness and more action. I hope to be a part of that too.

May all your days be green!