Let me start with what I actually think right away....Ushuaia is just like Bali only cold and South American. I know that doesn't really make sense, but it does, trust me. Let me explain. Both are small islands that rely heavily upon the tourist industry to drive their economy. The locals, while clearly having their own identity, have a rather confusing past to an outsider. Not to them of course it makes perfect sense to them. But just as in Bali trying to remember who lived here first and who conquered who is no easy feat. Another way they are similar....they are both places of mountains and ocean. This is something I hadn't really experienced until Bali and haven't experienced again until my trip here. How one group of people can be so comfortable going for high altitudes on land to sailing the sea is beyond me but both the Balinese and local Ushuaians do it without a blink of an eye. Another similarity is how the island actually breaks down. Basically part of the island is completely overrun with tourists. Behind that some ways is the part of the island where most of the locals live and or work. Further back than that is simply uninhabited and remains a place to show off to tourists. Its fascinating to me how to seemingly very different places are so very similar in such fundamental ways.
Here is a picture that I think sort of truly represents Ushuaia....a combination of both see, that crazy hill, and the mountain beyond.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you think you are a genius?? I know this sounds ridiculous but I mean one of those moments where you think of something and are sure you are the first person to think of it which is absolutely preposterous but you still want to think it was your idea anyways.....well I definitely felt that way in Ushuaia....This place is the PERFECT place to start a green energy initiative. It is small enough that it would be easily manageable. The fact that everyone who is not in the tourism industry struggles to really make it working at some factory so there is an ample work force. They have the longest days of any place in South America because of their southern location. The winds here are crazy strong. And they have a huge energy office here on the island. I don't understand why this hasn't happened yet. They could easily have solar panels that rival Germany and wind turbines unlike anywhere else in the world. I'm sure I am not the first person to think this but sometimes its fun to think you are a genius and are the only one who see the big picture.
The most important thing I got out of Ushuaia though is the fact that I really am more comfortable here in Argentina than I thought. I have definitely taken a piece of Argentina with me. The fact that it is raining right now and I just decided to stop at a café to keep my computer and stuff from getting wet. The fact that English speaking tourists won't talk to me because they think I am Argentine and twice have spoken to me in broken Spanish to ask for directions. Even the idea that I am just perfectly okay with milling around one street while I wait for my 5:30 pick-up and drop off at the airport.....I really am taking a part of the laid back atmosphere home with me. Will I be as laid back as they are as a whole....absolutely not...my life dictates otherwise. But I will have the ability to calmly just enjoy a few hours doing nothing more than sitting drinking a coffee or sipping maté every once in a while. Well it has stopped raining and my computer is running out of battery life.
Chau...tal luego....
No comments:
Post a Comment