From Parties to Peace.

Once back from Uruguay with a renewed visa we couch surfed for the next three days. This was our first experience with couch surfing and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. At first glance the idea of showing up to a strangers house and staying with them is sort of a frightening concept. But then you realize that you were conditioned to be afraid of all unknown things because of media brain washing from an early age. So you remove the "fear coat and glasses" and find a world filled with genuinely good people.

Of course you come across a few exceptions every now and then, but I've noticed that we usually hold on to the bad encounters much longer than the good. Normally we go through our day with people smiling at us, holding open a door for one another, picking up something we dropped, or laughing at the same person who tripped on the metro.

We are surrounded by these people, but then one person, just one is all it takes, says something rude or drives like a jerk and BAM! Suddenly all people suck. We have such selective memories, but I digress.

We stayed with a french student studying in Buenos Aires named Florian. He was an awesome guy, he even took us to his beginner tango class, where we all tried to dance. He was really generous and we plan to hang out again once we come back to the city.

We made it to the Hare Krishnas! We just arrived two days ago. The farm and campus are very organized and beautiful. The community here is small, with about 25 members. Not counting cats, dogs, birds or children. Right now we are the only volunteers and its very relaxed. We are learning a lot about the Krishna faith, something we know little about. We go to temple with them about twice a day, though we don't make it for their 5am service (whew). The food is great and vegetarian. While their religious customs will take some getting used to, like washing out your mouth before serving yourself a second plate, we get a really peaceful vibe from the place and look forward to the coming weeks here.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Now I know this title may seem confusing for those of you who have been keeping up. I thought you were in Buenous Aires? how did you get to Uruguay? Well friends, its right across the water. We took a day trip there to renue our visas and check out the beautiful little colonial village of Colonia del Sacramento.

We woke up to a dreary day but decided to make the voyage despite it. The ferry ride was three hours and when we docked in Uruguay it seemed that the storm had followed us, the wind flapping and the rain steadly falling. As we were walking down the street, Jameson noticed the holes in the soles of his shoes were having a hard time keeping out the water. Laney´s unhooded jacket was having a hard time keeping the water out of her hair and face. What to do?

Rent a golf Kart with a rain cover!

So we did, felt much better, and spent the day scooting around on the wet cobbles taking pictures as we went.

Side note: Laney broke the view finder on her camera (suprised?) and so now all of our photos are taken blindly.

It seemed impossible to capture the true beauty and mystique of the town though photographs. Think colonial Williamsburg, but liveable... and more colorful...and spanish.

_________________________

Hurry up Otley!

Today we arrived in Buenos Aires after a 15 hour bus ride from Mendoza. The city is massive and full of energy. Despite our lack of sleep we hit the streets to explore, running a couple of errands along the way. We are staying in a neighborhood called San Telmo which is full of street vendors and artist. The story of San Telmo is one of gentrification you may not expect.

Before the Yellow Fever epidemic of the 1870's hit BA, San Telmo was full of mansions and rich people. Once the fever hit the rich left their homes leaving abandoned mansions behind. Landlords came in and converted the many rooms of these houses into apartments and rented them to the working class immigrants and struggling artist. Consequently it is one of the only historic neighborhoods left and is still occupied by artist and crafts men, living in shabbily kept beautiful mansions.

There are so many more places to see, tango dancers, neighborhoods, artist nooks, and museums. We've just skimmed the barrel and already Buenos Aires feels magical. _______________________________

Paloma´s magical fairy party

How we spent Laney's birthday

We have been resting this week. We took a vacation in the city of Mendoza, wandered the streets and ate at various vegetarian restaurants. There are tons of these in Mendoza, which is interesting because all the guide books we read said its hard to find vegetarian food anywhere in Argentina except El Bolson. Seeing as we only found one vegetarian restaurant in El Bolson, that wasn't even in the town, and found about a dozen in Mendoza, our conclusion; is guide books lie.

What is interesting about Mendoza is a lack of distinct culture besides consumption. Although its filled with veggie restaurants and some art here and there its done in a very "I'm in my suit on lunch break trying to eat healthy and this painting would look great in my condo" way. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with this, the city is flourishing no doubt about that. But I suppose we are drawn to something a little more DIY, rough around the edges sort of sub culture. This is hard to find in Mendoza.

For Laney's birthday we decided to go to the termas cachuetas, hot springs in the mountains outside the city. Laney's mom offered to pay for wherever we wanted to stay the night. (Thanks mom, it was a great gift). We found these stone cabins by the river with a fireplace and fire heated hot tube out on the deck.
It was wonderful! See attached picture above.

We spent the day playing at the hotspring, which was really half spa half waterpark. They kicked us out of the kiddie pool. So we found an adult sized waterslide that used heated thermal waters and went down is about 20 times. We were being too mischievous though, playing bumper cars in the tube and using each others bodies as surf boards, that they sent a lifeguard to monitor our activity. Too much fun for a "spa".

Later that night, back at the cabin we drank a bottle of locally made wine in the hot tub and saw two shooting stars. Later we played rummy by the fire. In the morning we took full advantage of our late checkout. Jameson made us breakfast in bed and took the rest of the morning trying to reorganize Laneys bag. She's still in the process of figuring out where everything should go.

Today after three days of exploring and relaxation we head back to the farm and go back to work. We won't have any electricity there so don't expect to hear from us as regularly.
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The difference between us.

Jameson:

Laney;

But really... I´m working on it.

-Laney

Working working working

We were as good as amish; hand drill, hand saw, machetes, and homemade ladders.

We finished our project!

View from outside

Veiw from inside

Roof

Fence

Day 100 in South America

This is the progress made on the corral so far. I know it doesn't look like much but trust me its big and fences are hard work. The projects slowed for a couple of days when I was sick from bad water, but rest assured I am well now.

For about a week on the farm we were the only volunteers here. During this time we really got to know the family and the children. They are wonderful spiritual people. It also gave me an opportunity to work on my spanish, something I really want to get better at.

But then a large group of United Statesians came and ruined everything. Now the whole farm speaks english and the family completely avoids meal times. I'm sure things will get back to normal soon, you know how Americas are, always on the go. In reality a lot of the new comers are very cool people, sometimes you just miss the "cultural exchange" feeling you get when its just you and the family.

Now about the food... Wow. The first time my mind was blown was when Azucena (The mother and jefa) made this warm dish with pears, apples and ricotta cheese. We have homemade wheat bread nearly every day. She makes this fried hot peppers dish and roasted potatoes with cheese sauce.
In the days when we were the only two volunteers we were welcome to search in the chicken pen every morning for fresh eggs for breakfast, and tomatoes from the garden.

Life is still good here. We sleep in a loft above the dormitory. Our hot showers are heated by fire wood. The work is manageable. We are by no means slaves like we were in the oregano fields. We will get used to all the people too, I'm sure. Just have to switch into a different social mode.

-Jameson & Laney

Our Current project

We are building corral for the three beautiful horses that the family owns. For those of you city folk who don't know what a corral is, its the place where the horses stay at night. A space with a shelter where they don't have to be tied up.
We've had this problem recently on the farm where the horses get loose from where they are tied and go tromping in the neighbors garden. It has caused too many quarrels.
Hopefully we will be finished building the thing next week. Then we can start on fencing in the rest of the property.

Jameson has learned how to catch chickens.

Madre Tierra

On a farm 45 minutes outside the city of Mendoza lay a geographic oddity, which is now where we work.
The work is not difficult, just different.

Right now we are covering a hand made structure with a "stucco" type compound called "barro". Barro is a mixture of dirt, ground rock, saw dust, water and horse shit. That's right folks horse shit, which is applied with our bare hands and mixed together in a giant pool with our bare feet. Strangely enough though barro does not carry a poor odor or feel like what one would imagine poop feels like.
The structure is built by grounding tree branches as posts and weaving sticks in between the branches. Then filling in the spaces with hay, wine bottles and old car shields as windows. Then it is sealed with the barro.
They end up looking really cool, like little mud huts.

The overall vibe on the farm is strange for various reasons. One, is the farm has many different projects going on simultaneously. This means we never really finish anything. I truly admire the ambition, but there is something to be said for finishing what you started.

The food here is Amazing, usually vegan, but always vegetarian. The farm is run by a family which consist of a father, mother and two young free range children.
We are really enjoying ourselves here. Some of the basic principles of the farm, like building a fire to get hot water and having a compost pile for a toilet, really help you appreciate luxuries you sometimes take for granted. I think we may learn more from the attitude of the farm than from our "on the job training".