patagonia

“‘Patagonia!’ He cried. ‘She is a hard mistress. She casts her spell. An enchantress! She folds you in her arms and never lets go.’”
-Bruce Chatwin (In Patagonia) -The book I am currently reading…thanks Anna!

There is dust, dirt, barren ground, minimal creature comforts, and oh my god the wind…but I don’t know what it is that makes me want to go back oh so badly to Patagonia. It was a place that almost immediately took hold of my heart and hasn’t let go. Only a few other things that I can think of have had that effect on me; fly fishing, especially for steelhead here on the Olympic Peninsula, for a time the Florida Keys, my first dog Biscuits, Pate of course, and one I’ll leave out that may be the reason I cling to the aforementioned things.
　

Trying to put my figure on what I love most about Argentina is like trying to pick one favorite song. It could be a Jimmy Buffett song like the relaxing way of life. Work hard when its required, relax when its not. Siestas are a daily necessity, every shop in town closes for at least 2 hours, the hustle and bustle grinds to a halt and everyone just relaxes. It could be a Bob Marley song, the fun loving generous people who are always smiling, willing to give you the clothes off their back, and always making you feel at home. It could be a John Denver song, Country Roads or Rocky Mountain High. The Argentine Andes being very similar to the Rockies minus the urban sprawl. The untouched beauty surrounds, emerald green lakes and rivers, snow capped peaked, Andean Condors soaring above. And how about the food, simple like a country song. How many days can you have steak in a row?…in Argentina the answer is a lot. And each one will make your mouth water and leave you craving more. The fish are there to, sleek and strong, graceful and elegant…Norah Jones? Always another around the next bend demanding more exploration and one more cast. There’s even some Willie Nelson in there…the Gauchos, Argentine cowboys hardened by the wind and the dust, who remind you that life doesn’t have to be so complicated. And then there is Bob Seiger of course, that miserable wind that will push you to the brink of insanity but somehow makes you feel free and know that you are alive. I suppose my beloved Taylor Swift may be missing but I guess you cant always get what you want.