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Other entries in Buenos Aires

Ernesto´s shadow...

We had about 10 days left before going back to Buenos Aires to sort out the bikes flights. We spent only 2 days in the lovely town of  Mendoza ( and did a quick oil change) before riding further south to San Rafael. The weather turned stormy and we spent 2 days holed in a hotel.

We rode to the nearbye gorges but decided against camping! The weather was as dark as my mood. The trip seemed finished and aimless,just days to spares but no more adventures....

We decided to ride to the mountainsWest of Cordoba. That took 2 days,under pouring rain! There was one last important stop before we ended this trip. It was time to meet one of the most famous argentinian of all times! 

About 4 or 5 years ago, I went to lunch with one of my previous bosses, catching up on news. As I announced my intention  to motorcycle around South America, his immediate question was “were you inspired by the “Motorcycle Diaries?”. The movie was just out on the big screen, it was well before “Obi Wan Kenobi” and his ”Pulling wheelies Charley” mate went on their “long Way Round” free package holidays. 

Motorcycling around South America, you are always under the shadow of “El Che”. His aristocratic family moved to Alta Gracia when he was 4. He was suffering from asthma and it was thought the air of the mountains would be healthier for him. The house where he grew up is now a museum,that was even visited by Fidel Castro and his Venezuelan mate Chavez last year!

The place was filled with photos, books and objects of his childhood. We also discovered a bicyle that he fitted with a tiny engine. He did 4000kms around south america ith it! Well before the motorcycle trip! It wasallvery interesting stuff, but I was looking for something very special...and then in a room there she was! La Poderosa! (=The Mighty One). A perfect replica of the Norton 500cc used during his motorcycle trip. I was ecstatic!

So, at the very end of our trip, it was nice to pay our respects to an icon, but also to the most famous motorcycle traveller: Ernesto “Che” Guevarra.  

The mountains west of Cordoba  are beautiful and very touristic. We left Alta Gracia and our hotel “The Ritz”(!) for another nearby town, Villa Belgrano. There we found a very nice place to stay for few days. The resident little sausage dogs kept us entertained for a few days.  Villa Belgrano is supposed to be a "German" town.  A replica of a German alpine village. Some of the crew of the Graf Spree, a German battleship sunk during the 2nd world war in the Rio Plata, settled there and apparantly some are still living there to this day.   Unfortunately, it feels like Disneyland.  Advertising is everywhere and nothing feels real, mearly put there for tourists. As the weather was sunny and hot once again, we were also able to work a bit on our tan, lying by the swimming pool! We cannot come back from a one year holiday all pale and white after all! 

Then it was time to go back to Buenos Aires. We rode straight to Dakarmotos and pitched pour tent in the garden. We spent a week  there before delivering the bikes to the airport. That´s it, they are gone! I hope they will turn up at Heathrow!!!

At Dakarmotos we were reunited with few old friends from the road: Chuck, Sebastian, Carola, Daniel... all riders that we kept meeting here and there since Bolivia or Buenos Aires last November! All waiting for parts of repairs....

The next few days were spent sorting the flights for the bikes, having few asados and drinking a lot of red wine!

Sorting the bikes was easy. We delivered the bikes to the cargo area in the morning and after meeting with our shipping agent got the customs to search our luggage. After that, the bikes were strapped on pallets and covered in plastic sheets.

 So that was it, they were gone. We moved into downtown buenos aires for our last 3 days in South America. The atmosphere was thick with smoke. It seems some farmers clearing lands with fire had got it out of control some 50 miles from town. Massive giant out of control fires were causing a huge amount of smoke and problems. It was horrible to breathe. So in a way we were glad to get on that plane finally!

So we went back to Dakar Motos fo one last Asado and to say goodbye to all our friends there. I hope they all get back on the road soon!

For us, we are now back in the UK, the sky is grey, it's raining, same old stories and rants in the newspapers... nothing has changed.  Time to get reaquainted with traditional English food, i.e. Chicken Madrass!

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