Red Plate Bed Wetting

Bariloche, Northern Patagonia, Argentina, 5.Jan.2008

Bariloche, Northern Patagonia, Argentina, 5.Jan.2008

(Juergen: a bit delayed, some notes about the last days, in English): We spent the new years eve sort of romantically on (an inhabited) mountain hut in the Andes montains (see the pics earlier in this journal, there is 1 sleeping room for up to 30 hikers,and, if need be, even more). It was quite a strengous ascent, esp. since we noticed after 1 3/4 hrs that we had to return and take another route. then 4.5 more hrs of ascent!
However it was something. After a happy but again tiring descent on the 1st of Jan. we happily arrived home :-), where I slid from the stairs and hurt my knee (bruise with big limp), so that I am still limping a bit today :-( Shortly after that I got stung in a toe by a small species of scorpions, when I wanted to shower. ;-( ;-(

Hence we made the days after quiet, just a bit of strolling thru town. Sabine's sister Ilka has arrived yesterday, and her partner Roberto (which we stay with) is happy. Accidentally they chosed a bad bus company, old bus, bad food, and the moter of the bus broke down on half way, and it resulted in a long and much delayed journey.

Now each day, for a couple of days, there are (short) free concerts in the city's cultural hall, a big part of them played by Roberto, partner Claudio, and Ilka. I like the music very much. A mi me gusta mucho ese music.

So, as you see, we are relaxing, but might also undertake some excursions, until we fly home on the 10th.
Tomorrow we will drive to a community of the indigenous people Maluche, who advertise to show some of their culture each weekend.

Yesterday evening was a demonstration of the Mapuche in the streets of Bariloche, especially they demanded freedom for Mapuche which are in jail in Chile, deterred under laws against terrorism from the Pinochet era, as the demonstrators wrote.

The demonstration ended circling around the sqare in Bariloche which is 'decorated' by a monument of general Roca (on horse), the general which led the 'desert war' of Argentine in the 1880's, which, to my knowledge, killed most of the Indians in this area, and thus paved the way for white settlers here and the foundation of this town in 1903. And this monument is still in the center of town today! I believe I heard the name 'Roca' in the shoutings of the demonstrators. (As I heard there are discussions about the monument among the citizens here)

As a contrast, in the catholic church here we read quite thoughtful words, in general terms admitting faults of the white people, the goverment, and the church, against the indigenous people.

Asta luego!