Yesterday seems like forever ago. I left Valparaiso in the morning with three girls from Buenos Aires. We were all taking the same bus from Valparaiso to Mendoza. The drive was 8 hours. Being from Colorado, I have learned to appreciate amazing mountain views... and let me just tell you, the Andes are like no other mountains I have seen. Words cant describe! I wish that I could send you photos, but my camera was one of the things stolen. All I had to take pictures of this amazing ride through the Andes was a throw-away camera. Marcus made me a disc of pictures that he took in Santiago and Valparaiso when i was with him, so I will have those to share. When my new check card arrives to the farm, I can go to Mendoza and buy another camera.
SO... I stayed in Mendoza last night. It was my first time not making a reservation in a hostel ahead of time, and I probably wont do that much because it gets exhausting walking around! The hostels in Mendoza are also all bars... and they have pools. Very different from the home-like atmosphere in Chile.
This morning I took a bus from Mendoza to Vista Flores (the town where the farm Im living at is). The farm is called El Peregrino. You can see pictures of it at http://www.elperegrinorganico.com/. When I arrived, they were all eating lunch... so I got to dig in. The food was amazing! Im going to be well fed here... all with food produced on the farm, and by surrounding farms. Heaven for me!
Claire... I couldnt believe the buildings when I arrived on the farm! They remind me so much of earthships because they are made with adobe and bottles!
SO... I stayed in Mendoza last night. It was my first time not making a reservation in a hostel ahead of time, and I probably wont do that much because it gets exhausting walking around! The hostels in Mendoza are also all bars... and they have pools. Very different from the home-like atmosphere in Chile.
This morning I took a bus from Mendoza to Vista Flores (the town where the farm Im living at is). The farm is called El Peregrino. You can see pictures of it at http://www.elperegrinorganico.com/. When I arrived, they were all eating lunch... so I got to dig in. The food was amazing! Im going to be well fed here... all with food produced on the farm, and by surrounding farms. Heaven for me!
Claire... I couldnt believe the buildings when I arrived on the farm! They remind me so much of earthships because they are made with adobe and bottles!
The family is great! Its Maria and Rodrigo (siblings) and their significant others; their mother Anna; and their father whos name escapes me right now (they are divorced... but Maria says the farm wouldnt have been able to continue if they didnt continue working together). They only speak spanish... which Im SO happy about! Ill learn really fast! There are two other volunteers: Laura from South Africa, and Eduardo from Brazil.
The second thing I did was take a ciesta! Then we worked on bottling durasnos (nectarines). We cut some in large pieces for the secadora (where the dry the fruit). It was interesting talking to the family. They had all lived in Mendoza, and both Anna and Maria were very ill all the time. Since they have been living on the farm they have been very healthy. Understandable because this life is so... tranquilo (this world is used a lot in SA... relaxing, undisturbed, slow) They get to pick vegetables with the Andes as the backdrop!
In the evening I was in charge of the fire for the orno (an oven that is outside... and distance from their house). I watched the fire and fed the horses that are tied up to trees within feet of the orno. All with a beautiful view of the sunset behind the Andes (above is a photo of the Andes overlooking the neighboring vineyard)
My time here will be different for sure... with enough time to see an apple fall from a tree and eat it (see picture above of apple tree). I will learn hands on about things Ive only read about. When I was in Urban Servant Corps we always talked about living a simple life. But this... this is the simple life. I wish I had time to tell you all about bottling fruit and composting toilets... but I must rest now. It sounds like Ill have access to the computer the most on the weekends... so thats when you can look for blogs!
Tonight, I go to bed with dirt under my fingernails. Couldnt be happier!
The second thing I did was take a ciesta! Then we worked on bottling durasnos (nectarines). We cut some in large pieces for the secadora (where the dry the fruit). It was interesting talking to the family. They had all lived in Mendoza, and both Anna and Maria were very ill all the time. Since they have been living on the farm they have been very healthy. Understandable because this life is so... tranquilo (this world is used a lot in SA... relaxing, undisturbed, slow) They get to pick vegetables with the Andes as the backdrop!
In the evening I was in charge of the fire for the orno (an oven that is outside... and distance from their house). I watched the fire and fed the horses that are tied up to trees within feet of the orno. All with a beautiful view of the sunset behind the Andes (above is a photo of the Andes overlooking the neighboring vineyard)
My time here will be different for sure... with enough time to see an apple fall from a tree and eat it (see picture above of apple tree). I will learn hands on about things Ive only read about. When I was in Urban Servant Corps we always talked about living a simple life. But this... this is the simple life. I wish I had time to tell you all about bottling fruit and composting toilets... but I must rest now. It sounds like Ill have access to the computer the most on the weekends... so thats when you can look for blogs!
Tonight, I go to bed with dirt under my fingernails. Couldnt be happier!
1 comment:
Wow! What an experience. I can only imagine how awesome your adventures will be as they are taking place in parts of the world you've only previously read about. As an international affairs major, I will be living vicariously through your blog and others of friends of mine who are blessed with opportunities to travel -- muchas gracias por sharing your stories!
Buena suerte!
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