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So after a long drive through the Pampas yesterday, where we saw a lot of pampas grass, cows and flat, flat landscape, we spent the night in a small town called Mercedes, in the real Gaucho country. The shops in the town sold saddles, gaucho hats, and great big ornate silver belt buckles, as well as the ubiquitous leather covered flasks and drinking cups for 'hierba mate' tea. We had a walk round the town, which had some nice colonial style architecture, then another group meal in the evening. We all seem to be getting on really well. it's also nice in the truck, as there's lots of room, so we can all have our own space.
Our first stop today, after leaving Mercedes, was at the shrine to Gauchito Gil, a 19th century gaucho, who became a 'Robin Hood' type outlaw, but had an untimely death and now has numerous miracles attributed to him. There are small shrines to him all along the road from Buenos Aires, with red scarves and banners attached to trees, and you have to sound your horn when you drive past them as a sign of respect.
The place we went to today, is a major pilgrimage site, with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims coming each year to light red candles or hang red ribbons if they're asking for something, and place small brass or silver plaques with their thanks engraved on them if their prayers have been answered. I thought it was all a bit 'tongue in cheek' till we got there, and saw how seriously people take it! He obviously answers a lot of prayers, as there were people queuing to touch or kiss his statue, more queues to place the lighted candles, and 'thank you' plaques attached to any flat surface, everywhere you looked. People also leave gifts for el Gauchito, so car number plates, wedding dresses, babies' dummies or christening robes, small model houses, and for some reason half empty bottles of wine and half smoked cigarettes! Then there was a market place of stalls selling Gauchito memorabilia, and a barbecue area with people cooking massive legs of cows and sides of pigs! I've now started to feel that we're in South America!
From there, it was only about a 3 hour drive to the Ibera wetlands, and our lodge at Carlos Peligrini, where we have a 2 night stay. En route we drove along unsealed clay roads, so kicked up a fair amount of dust, and saw our first capybaras, which were grazing in the roadside ditches, as well as a lot of colourful birds.
The lodge is lovely, very rustic, log cabin style. The walls are adorned with gaucho hats, various animal skulls and an armadillo. There is also a large open fire burning, and a swimming pool outside. Tony went in it, but there were too many twigs and leaves for my liking, as well as large ants running round the poolside area.
After lunch, we went out in a boat, and saw lots of capybaras, caimans and some marsh deer. There were also plenty of birds, including some called 'cattle tyrants' who hitch a ride on the deer and capybara, eating their parasites - handy for both parties!
Spent the evening relaxing with our group and trying to get an Internet signal, which didn't work, so it's now Wednesday and I'll try to send this again.....
Hasta Luego
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