“Striving is more important than being successful. Striving is a means of transforming.”
Mike Colter aka Luke Cage
I’m still rolling along in wine country.
International Perspective
The aftermath of the U.S. Presidential elections are being felt here in Argentina. The national congress shut down in Buenos Aires the week of OUR elections! People are shocked and amazed at the American voters. This election reminded me of my nine month overland adventure through Latin America in 1988. At that time, most of Latin America was under some sort of military/US installed and backed dictatorship. I remember thinking how lucky I was to live in a “free” country. Not yet knowing that our perceived freedom came at a cost to other countries and races.
Coincidentally, in 1988, while I was in a hospital bed for a month in Buenos Aires sick with Typhoid Fever there was also a U.S. presidential election. That year we elected George Bush Sr.
In the 28 intervening years, Latin America has made a grand turn-around in terms of economics, “democracy,” education, and equality. The changes are significant and commendable. I haven’t really got to sit down over a glass (bottle) of wine and talk politics with a passionate political junky here, but it is on my “to do” list. I wonder how the Argentinians (or Chileans or Bolivians or Peruvians, etc.) would advise U.S. citizens to move forward after living through so much political turmoil and division themselves over the past couple hundred years?
And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Food
A few blog posts back, I mentioned that I had entered the land of milk and honey when I entered Argentina. I’d like to add just plain old white sugar to that list. If you divided my plate up into fourths on any given day or meal, one-fourth would be cookies, one-fourth chocolate/candy, one-fourth white bread and one-fourth broken down further into the protein group of cheese, salami, eggs and something resembling tuna. That’s it. Now, over 1,000 miles into the ride, my body has learned to thrive on toxins. Sugar is the fuel that propels me. I will have to come up with a plan to slowly reintroduce fruits and veggies back into my diet so that my body doesn’t reject the foreign objects and self-implode. It seems every store closes from 1pm – 5pm or 7pm daily. All I manage to get to are these little kiosks that sell junk. That’s a twist. I thought I was fat due to capitalism and two many choices. It turns out socialism doesn’t help your waistline either.
Clothing
I think I planned well in this category. I’ve worn everything I brought so far. Sometimes in the same day! Most of the items I’ve brought someone gave to me. This was by design because these special articles represent love, support, home and a sense of “the village” so to speak.
Lodging
This has been a eclectic mix of camping, dorm rooms, shacks, hotels and houses up until now. I never know where I will be that night until I cruise into town and start asking for a place to stay. Just last week, for example, I stayed at this whimsical camp ground right out of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang one night and the next night I stayed in what felt like the Munster’s house. As I move south to bigger towns, I hope to do some Couch–surfing and Warm–showers.
Still loving following your adventure Denise!
Regarding International reaction, I was in China and Malaysia the week of the U.S. election. Post-election, every (and I mean *every*) person, from cab drivers, to retail cashiers, to business executives, to bartenders, could barely contain their mirth. No doubt there was some nervousness below the surface, but the visible and unambiguous response was to laugh, sometimes uproariously, at…….us. Sad.
Thanks Thatcher! Incredulous laughing seems to be the global response! Mr. T. Is no doubt having the last laugh. And yet the world keeps spinning (for now!).