Here Passes the Tropic of Capricorn

 

What has living along the line of the Tropic of Capricorn done to me, or changed in me thus far? Hard to say as of now. Due to the ensuing pandemic it has been more difficult to get "out" and really see and feel the geography. One thing is for sure, I now know what it's like to live where thunderstorms converge and bring fury as fast as emotions can rise within the body and bring rage. The vibe here on the line that separates the tropics, from the near tropics, is fine, and the lines one need to walk here in the biggest city in South America can also be constantly shifting. Goals and ideas, are always in flux here, more so in the calm Mediterranean climes I'm more accustomed to. I suppose it will be some time later when I will understand how living along this line of latitude has changed me, if at all, and it may be a change that I will never fully understand. 

As of now I am very disappointed that the pandemic has made it so hard to travel to places such as the Pantanal and Cerrrado regions, where the biodiversity these places harbor would impress any naturalist around the world, and worse so, the fires that have ravaged the Pantanal leave me wondering if I will ever be able to see it as I had imagined. Fire seems to follow me, or at least to follow my dreams and my places of interest, and even my places of deep intimacy. First the Santa Monica Mountains, and now the Pantanal, places that I wanted to get to know, or have known deeply, are now just coming back from the ashes. While the government here and at home do their best to downplay the threats of climate change and disregard the environmental destruction taking place under the auspices of "Growth" I feel I have not done enough to sound the alarm or right the wrongs. I hope to one day soon enter the regions of Brazil's natural wonders and at least, see them for myself. I'm not sure what I can do to try and save them, or even how us Sapiens will be able to do it, but for now I have the Mata Atlantica here at my doorstep and it has breathed life into me, has shown us the neon colors of the tropics, the allure of the leafy green lands under the sun and cloud, the perfect beaches, the struggling communities, all of it juxtaposed together here so beautifully, one has to see it to believe it.

Chile South 2019

 A short trip to the South of Chile to a place we love. Where you will find giant beetles and giant waterfalls at the end of the Austral summer.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, Argentina. November 2018

Being in South America allows me to finally visit many places that have lingered in my minds' wild imagination for years. Probably the city most visualized in my head, and most talked about, as well as most well known in this part of the world, is Buenos Aires. Argentina's capital and once all powerful center of the country's domination of the South American economy. Unlike Chile and other South American countries, Argentina was built upon the great wealth of that country in the late 19th and early 20th century, it's Belle Epoque, and its city center retains a grand elegance. Although it lingers under the cloud of the country's deep economic troubles of recent times, the grand city still exhumes a classic beauty and the people retain their elegance and pride. After all those years about hearing about brass Argentinians who look more towards Europe than South America, with a dialect and flair all their own that many seem to take as snobbish, I now have a deeper understanding and respect for the country and its people. They truly do live in a unique place in a unique way, and when one walks around the city one thinks more of Madrid than Santiago.

I had just under a week to roam around the city as well get out to the edge and take a one day excursion by train to Tigre where we took the typical boat along tour along the river and vast delta. The river tour proved extremely valuable in understanding the geography and the water world of Buenos Aires. A city on the mouth of a vast delta emptying into the sea, with Uruguay and Montevideo just a short ferry ride away. Back in the city I knew that I had lots of art to see, being that BA is home to one of the best museums in Latin America,  Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, or simply MALBA. I made sure to make a full day of visiting the institution and fortunately I hit the museum at a pertinent time for a student of all things Latin America. The main exposition being shown was Latin American Art 1900-1970. The show, still up today, highlights the work of prominent LA artists during a time of monumental works from some of the biggest, such as Rivera, Khalo, Siqueros and many more. On display is also one of Brazil's most treasured works, Abaporu by Tarsila do Amaral, the work of the Brazilian modernist that seems to exemplify a sense of that country in such a powerful and yet understated way. I had wanted to see this one especially, after learning that it is a bit of a thorn in the side of Brazil, the fact that Argentina owns this treasured piece. The show also made clear that the reason for an end to the era of this time in art in Latin America (1970) was marked clearly by the rise of the dictatorships in South America. The same dictatorships that aimed to snuff out any art that even hinted at anything revolutionary or counter to the dominant military culture.

I spent a good deal of the time walking around the city and there are many parks and open spaces that made the place easy to like and move around in. Great large parks are spread about all across parts of the city, at least where I was staying in Recoleta. As well kept and easy as it was to appreciate that part of the city, with all the parks and museums and good restaurants, I couldn't not think about all the news of the declining economy, and I couldn't help but to think of a documentary film I saw in Downtown Los Angeles one night at a non-profits' center whose name I cannot recall at the moment. The film titled, The Take and created by none other than Naomi Klein and her husband, showed how working class Argentinians were loosing their jobs due to government mismanagement, corruption, and globalization, but also how resilient groups of workers were fighting back and bringing to life shuttered factories. A powerful documentary film and a poignant story of a time that seems to drag on for many in that country. An Uber driver told us that his water and electric bills jumped up to 10x of what they were in the past.

A classic city going through some rough modern times, I hope that somehow the Argentinians find a way to regain some of their economic power and that the rest of the world sees to it that these types of things don't continue to happen and make things even more difficult on the working folks.

Closing up Life Along the Humboldt Current, and Crossing the Andes on to the Next Chapter

As it is now official, I want to let the world wide web and all of the tribe members know, that starting in October, we are making the leap over the Andes to Brazil. We are excited for this new opportunity, but are also saddened to leave our perch here, overlooking the Pacific. There's much to contemplate, and now more to discover. I never got the chance to really explore this coast where I hoped I could contribute some support in the growing effort to preserve this unique coastal ecosystem that harbors Peruvian Booby colonies and endemic plants.

That being said, there will be plenty of time to discover that coast and more here in Chile in the future, but for now our energies are starting to turn towards the Tropic of Capricorn and that massive country along the Atlantic. A landscape and country that holds the origins of so many wild and exotic stories of discovery and natural and cultural history I'm still wondering where I should start. But, like any place, I'll probably start with the streets, the Metro, the people, the language, and go out from there.

Another blog and series of projects may be in the works, so please stay tuned.

Valparaiso Chile

Peru October 2016

From our trip up the northern coast of Peru in October 2016.

Starting out in Lima we walked around the city, ate well, and prepared for our trip north. We enjoyed walking the streets and admiring some of the cool casitas of hip Mira Flores and the modern restaurants including a profound meal at Virgilio Martínez Véliz's Central. After we left Lima we made our way up the north coast pf Peru via bus and taxis. Along the way we visited many fascinating cultural sites, almost all of which I had never heard of until right before I left for this trip. Among the many sites we toured was the largest mud-brick city in the world, Chan Chan. Impressive in its size and complexity the site of Chan Chan is a walk back to a different era. We also visited the royal tombs of Sipán, Túcume, and a few other Huacas, or temples. The Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán, which besides its interesting architecture from the outside, had amazing exhibits inside as well that displayed the many ornaments found in the tombs. Funerary items such as gold and silver chest plates, and face masks of turquoise and gold that resembled the items found in the Egyptian tombs. Also pictured are the temples of Túcume, and at Túcume I found the most interesting museum of them all. The museum was founded by the famous Norwegian archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl, who had successfully sailed an ancient ship across the Pacific from South America to the Polynesian islands proving that it could have been possible for ancient peoples to make long sea voyages. And at the museum the exhibits spoke of the ways the people of the north coast traveled along the ocean, and sometimes made it as far as the Galapagos Islands. Also, there we learned that the people of Túcume still practice some of the rituals of their past, and that they have since blended their ancient practices with those brought by the Spanish and the Catholics. This to me was what was so profound, because the other museums told of how these cultures were eventually conquered by the Inca and their beliefs and rituals re-imagined to fit within in the Inca belief system. And so we hadn't heard much about how these cultures of the North Coast, the Moche, the Chimu, and of the Sicán, also called the "Lambayeque Culture" have persisted to today. Therefore it was super interesting to hear how the people of Túcume have reinvented their identities to fit within our modern world.

We learned about cultures and people of which I had barely heard mention of before our trip. These peoples lived before the Inca realm and lived close to the coasts. These people may also have been the first surfers in the world. And you can still see the caballitos, or reed kayaks, that they use to fish and return to shore surfing the waves back to this day at the beach town of Huanchaco. Near Huanchaco we made the trek all the way out to Puerto Malabrigo where one of the waves I have dreamed of visiting for years is found. Known as Chicama, which has the reputation for being
one of the longest waves in the world. The waves were long, the current was strong, and my energy completely zapped after 2 full days of surfing there. Nevertheless I did probably ride the longest wave of my life.
We finished up the trip spending a nice leisurely week in the beach town of Máncora. That far north the water is warm and the climate more tropical, which suited us just fine. There we also visited the town of Tumbes near the Ecuadorian border where you can find Puerto Pizzaro and the mangrove islands offshore where hundreds of Magnificent Frigate Birds nest. On another island they have a sanctuary for American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus); a unique species in Peru, which is currently in danger of extinction.

Finally we took the 20-hour bus ride all the way back to Lima for one more night in Peru before heading our separate ways, Magdalena to Santiago, and me to Los Angeles. I want to thank my love and best friend now for showing me this beautiful country so rich in cultural history and desert coasts with peeling lefthanders, and great comida at every stop. Muchas gracias por todo amor!