We are busy crossing the flatlands of Northern Argentina’s Great Chaco wilderness.
There aren’t officials rest areas which is a drag. Gas stations have space to park which helps, roundabouts come up now and again and often have open space though not very scenic. Some of the best stops are with El Gauchito Gil:
Gil was a gaucho (cowboy) born in Mercedes Argentina in 1847. He was murdered there in 1874. His romance with the daughter of a local big wug might have something to do with it. He has become the patron saint of truckers and travelers and his red shrines are everywhere often under a tree which makes them a good spot to park and have lunch.
Later we drive a section of highway that illustrates the difficulties of modern Argentina and its failing economy. The section of road we were driving was going to be turned into a four lane freeway and it’s been paved.
They even built the bridges and then the new government of President Miley took office and he slashed government spending and fired vast swathes of public employees. Work not finished was abandoned.
Inflation plummeted and the government’s spending is within budget without deficits but unemployment is rampant and relevant poverty.
Argentinians are famous for scraping by with self deprecating humor and surprising resilience. And they have had awful economies for decades so voting for something completely different came easy. But the peso keeps sliding against the dollar; good for us and bad for them.
A forty trillion dollar deficit is making headlines in the US and I fear some slashing and burning at home will be justified by the numbers. I doubt the people at the top will suffer and I fear those further down lack the qualities Argentinians summon up when faced with catastrophe. We shall see. The other moment that set me thinking was crossing the mighty Paraná River and how shrunk it is become.
The city of Corrientes in the background, a surprising urban agglomeration in the wilderness.
91 degrees a dry heat but it still felt hot. The solar panels were putting out forty amps almost as much as the engine and our batteries were charging all right. Even smaller rivers are low in the heat:
Great town names we saw: The Lioness, Resistence, Reconquest.
The road was to bad which is surprising for Argentina where potholes, ripples, bumps and lumps are the norm.
On and on it goes. Be glad it’s not you this week but at least we are moving and that’s great.
Air conditioning that runs all night on our batteries is great too. Our new system will be excellent when the last glitch is ironed out.
Our stop for the night a ten dollar campground with hot showers. All we need.
No comments:
Post a Comment