Friday, November 11, 2011

PICTURE POSTCARD FROM ROSARIO

                                                image.png
EARLY FRIDAY MORNING-ESTANCIA PERES
 We arrived at the ranch Wednesday afternoon and
got acquainted with the owner, 4 tourists, and the cook(who would quickly become our friend)
Jose Ganzales (Pepe.)  It was wonderful to meet someone who had been a close friend of
Mario's, although Pepe was twenty years younger. He shows us the postcard above, which
he believes was from Mario in 1990. The message side was blank and it was addressed to Pepe
Gonzales, not Jose.  As we talked in the kitchen we watched him make Argentine stew for
Wednesday night dinner.The ingredients were on the counter. Dried
apricots, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, squash, tomatoes, corn, and  chunks of beef. Because the beef
is so tender, the cooking time was only about an hour.  Carmine, Beanie, and I were probably in his way,
but it was fun to to help peal, chop, and help prep! It was a perfect way for us to get to know each other.

Thursday was a wonderful day.
The tourists left for an all day outing by horseback. Juan and his wife left on errands. So Pepe
had more free time than usual.  We walked some but mostly sat on the porch. In every direction you can look, it is gorgeous!!
v
 Carmine told Pepe about the year Mario was a sailor in Memphis.  She told him about her wonderful husband who had recently died.  Lately she had come
to feel SO OLD; then the memory of her sweetheart came to her and the wish to find Mario. It
would be proof that she once was young. She thought that just a cup of coffee and a short visit
would give her a little of her youth back, if only for a couple of hours.


"I guess this sounds silly to you, Pepe."


"Not at all. I understand completely," he responded.  He told us about the life Mario had on this
very ranch. Mario once said he would like to go back to the states; but he could never leave la
Pampa. This life gets in your blood. Pepe  felt the same way.


As we looked all around us and felt the dry crispness of the air, we could understand. 
Carmine said, "I am so happy that Mario found a special place here where he could feel so
free."


At lunch time we persuaded him to have the leftover stew since only four of us were there. The only thing he added was raw salad vegetables. Soon he needed to prepare dinner for everyone. When it was ready and waiting, we went back to the porch.
Like us Pepe liked to talk. We were interested in the gaucho life Pepe had dreamed of for himself.
But he didn't have the stamina. Sun set....everyone was returning.
v  vv
We had another fine dinner. We all sat at the table together like a family.
l We are so glad Pepe is not thought of as a servant.

After dinner we pitched in and helped with the dishes. Then we had homemade cookies  and mate by the fire. The exhausted tourists went to their rooms early.

The computer was on the sidewall of the living room.

We asked Juan if we could use it for a little  research. "Of course." We knew so little about Argentina
history in general and nothing about the "dirty war."  It was so complicated it was hard to understand.
It was during a dictatorship and thousands of people (like Mario) disappeared. We learned there were
300 places around the country used as detention centers, where victims were interrogated, tortured,
and murdered!!! We found a picture with some of the victims. Mario was not there. 
Then we found a large map showing where the detention places were.


ROSARIO WAS ONE OF THOSE PLACES!!  Was that post
card a hint?
So last night we were wondering if we should go to Rosario. How would we get there? Where would we look when we did get there?
When we KNOW more, we'll tell YOU more. 
IT IS FRIDAY...AND A NEW DAY...
Love, Carmine, Beanie, annie, and Pepe too!!
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1 comment:

  1. We all loved Pepe; it would be hard to leave him because he was like an old friend now. But he gave us important news that perhaps Mario is alive!!

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