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Enjoying some mate - so was he! |
Our Patagonian adventure featured more than scenic vistas. We also had the chance to partake in some of the everyday experiences of people living in the region. Sometimes it's the little things that stay with you after a trip.
It's hard to believe, but this first picture was not a set-up. One of the traditions in Patagonia is drinking mate (pronounced maa-tay, not mate). It's a type of tea that, having tried some, is definitely an acquired taste. But the Patagonians get plenty of practice. They begin drinking a version with milk at two years old. It's akin to drinking wine in Italy, with one big difference - mate is traditionally served in a gourd-shaped cup that people drink from using the same straw. (We each had our own cup and straw when we tried it.)
There's a ritual to drinking mate. First, coarsely chopped tea leaves and stems are put into the gourd. Then water is added to brew the tea. Watching our guide and driver, having a thermos of water at the ready seems to be the way to go. The tea leaves are so flavorful they can be used for multiple cups -- up to 15 or 20 according to Google. There's also a particular type of straw for drinking mate that's called a bombina. It's steel with a fine filter on the end so you don't end up swallowing the herbs. While the practice of sharing a single bombina might sound, well, foreign to Americans, it's a sign of community and respect in Patagonian culture. If only mate tasted better...
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With Blinkita |
You probably won't be surprised to learn that horses are a part of Patagonian life. Libbie and I went to a rodeo during our free time in Puerto Natales and saw some bucking broncos run through their (and the riders') paces. We later learned from our trip leader that the term "gaucho" means an illegitimate son of a Spaniard and an indigenous woman. Who knew?
We had a chance to ride our own horses during our time there at Pingo Salvaje Ranch. Despite coming from a family of ranchers and cowboys (really!), I can count the number of times I've been on a horse on one hand. And so it was with some apprehension that I mounted Blinkita for our group ride.
After expressing some apprehension about our upcoming ride, a fellow traveler suggested stroking my horse's nose and talking to her before we headed out to create a rapport. I did as told, murmuring to her quietly while noting how my hands were beginning to smell like horse. It's not the most pleasant aroma to my citified nose. I'm also not sure my ministrations established the bond I was hoping to achieve. Anyway...
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Marcelo with sheepherder at Pingo Salvaje Ranch |
Eventually our group of 20 strong headed out, nose to tail. We'd been given a number of instructions that included not letting the horses eat grass, which of course was the first thing they wanted to do. A firm tug on the reins to show them who was in charge took care of that issue. We had not, however, been warned about the proclivity of some of the horses to lie down while out on a ride. As Blinkita and I were santering along, I noticed that a woman three horses ahead was on the ground rolling away from her prone horse. What???!!! She was laughing, so I knew she hadn't been hurt. But still! Later we learned that three of the horses had laid down during the ride. Everyone -- especially the people from the stable -- took it in stride. I guess Patagonia is not as litigious as the United States.
While there, we also had the chance to see some dogs herding a dozen sheep into their pen. It was pretty cool. Apparently three or four dogs can herd hundreds of sheep when the job requires. All in a day's work.
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Shrine to Antonio - note the beer cans! |
As I mentioned in a prior post, we spent a good amount of time in our bus. The hours passed quickly with one or another of the guides giving us information about what we would be seeing or a bit of history or the like. But the legend of Antonio required a roadside stop -- and a can of beer.
Antonio (also known as "Gauchito Gil") was a gaucho called into service to fight in one of Argentina's civil wars. Not wanting to kill his countrymen, he deserted. Antonio was captured by some soldiers when he was no more than five miles out of town, and they decided to execute him.
Before he was killed, Antonio told the head soldier that his son was seriously ill and would die unless he prayed to Gauchito Gil to save him. Right. Not surprisingly, this didn't alter the soldiers' plans. They killed Antonio/Gauchito Gil and then unceremoniously dumped his body. When the solder got home, his son was on the brink of death. The soldier prayed to Gauchito as he traveled back to the place where they'd left his body. Upon his arrival, he begged for Gauchito's forgiveness and buried his body. The boy survived. So did the story of Antonio/Gauchito.
Today, there are numerous roadside shrines to Antonio on Patagonian roadways to protect travelers from harm. The shrines are always red as a nod to the blood shed by the mythic figure. Often people pour some form of alcohol at the foot of the shrine in Antonio's honor. And so our group of travelers did just that, passing a can of beer from person to person until it was empty. Our trip passed safely, so perhaps Antonio was looking out for us.
Next up: Our time on the expedition ship Stella Australis. Spoiler: It was amazing!