Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Villa General Belgrano, Argentina

I am sitting a hammock on a fall day, listening to the collective sounds of sustainably raised chickens and green parrots nesting in pine trees. I am happy to be reminded that places like this exist. We have settled in Villa General Belgrano, a small town about two hours outside of the provincial capital of Cordoba. The town has a distinctly German character thanks to the German sailors who moved here during World War II after their warship was sunk off the coast of Montevideo, Uruguay. Today the town is most famous for the by-product of its German heritage, great beer.

We are staying at El Rincón, an old German farm turned eco-friendly hostel. El Rincón is enlightening and a destination within itself. The house smells of wood and the floors creak every time you walk up the stairs. With an inviting fireplace and sheepskin seat cushions, the living room feels like a mix between a ski cabin and my dad’s old windsurfing van.

I keep looking out the window,expecting to see the Alps but instead all I see are birch trees losing their leaves to fall. It is low season, and there is only one other person our 12 person dorm room. An older gentleman with a thick German accent that covers his Argentine Spanish accent checks us in and tells us to make ourselves at home (dorm bed, 40 pesos = $10 USD).

I take some time to enjoy the atmosphere while my travel mate/amateur photographer Sarah embraces her artistic side. I lie in the hammock, swing on the thin metal swings, and see how close I can get to the chickens before they cock their head sideways with a look of alarm. Soon enough, it’s time to wander into town, and we manage to find the only grocery store still open before the entire town shuts down for a two hour siesta.

We decide to hike up Cerro de la Virgen, an easy 1.5 hour walk into the hills. For some reason, the trail is sponsored by the cellphone company Claro.

In South America it is common for there to be a cross or Jesus statue overlooking the town. Villa General Belgrano has an effigy of the Virgin that makes excellent use of shadows.

After our relaxed walk, it's time to enjoy some artesian beer. Sarah asks around and the locals recommend Cafe Rissen. We have a liter of Scotch Red Ale for 30 pesos. Delicious.

While there isn't much more to do in Villa General Belgrano, there are other smaller towns to visit nearby. Next post coming soon: La Cumbrecita.

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