Find Everything

Blog

Places to visit: Villa Cuidad Parque

I love discovering new places in and around Santa Rosa de Calamuchita. The nice thing about our beautiful valley is that there is so much to see and you don´t even have to drive far! So off with the scooter I went to explore a little town called Villa Ciudad Parque.

I have never been to this town but have driven past it many times on my way to Cordoba city. The entrance to the town boasts an impressive arch. In the front is a little tourist office with very friendly people who offered me a map and information about places to visit.

When I turned into the main street I was expecting to see the town centre immediately. But I was pleasantly surprised to be driving for almost a kilometre before I saw something that resembled a town. I was driving down a double road and it felt like I was driving through a forest. The trees were beautiful and high and little sunlight came through. I loved the smell of the trees.

I got to a very nice park where children could play and where you can sit and relax. There was a little kiosk (A Spanish word for a little shop where you can buy beverages) and it almost looked like a bus stop. A crafter was displaying her goods but she was closing for siesta so I didn´t want to disturb her.

I continued for another 500m when I finally came to the end of the road. I was pleasantly surprised. The road led to the river and here I could see some activity. It did not resemble a town at all but there was some restaurants and people were hanging around. I loved the atmosphere. The river is the same river that is flowing past our hostel but it seemed to be wider this part. I crossed the bridge where I met other visitors taking photos.

The weather here is getting cold and it is not the best time to enjoy the river. But I can see that in summer time this place must be very busy. There are places to have a barbecue or picnic and the view is awesome. Now leaves were lying everywhere and the place had a definite autumn feel to it. I walked around for a little while, took some photos and sat down on a rock next to the river. The view was beautiful but so again so is the whole Calamuchita Valley.

I took a last look at the river and then it was time to go home.

Ivan and his Didgeridoo

Ivan arrived here with a very strange looking pipe. I was not sure if you smoke from the pipe or what exactly you do with it. I thought to myself that smoking could not be a possibility because it was too big. It must have another purpose. But I was so busy and I didn´t get an opportunity to talk to him about it.

The next morning I saw Ivan sitting on a big rock in the corner of the yard and I got the distinct impression that he did not want to be disturbed. He had his eyes closed and was meditating. I tip toed not to make a noise and then suddenly a deep and haunting sound came from the pipe. It was a musical instrument! The sound lasted for a very long time and I stood there frozen, listening and admiring it.

Later after breakfast I asked him what the name was and where it came from. It is called a Didgeridoo. I have never heard the word before and didn´t even know how to spell it! Luckily I was not the only one!

So what is a Didgeridoo?

The Didgeridoo is believed to be the worlds oldest wind instrument. It dates back thousands of years and originated as a musical instrument of the North Australian Aborigine. Ivan however did not get his instrument from Australia but from Indonesia.

Traditionally it is made from one of many species of Eucalyptus branches or saplings. Even though there are hundreds of species, only about 12 are used for Didgeridoo making. The Eucalyptus is naturally hollowed out by millions of termites. It takes at least a year for the termites to hollow a tree out. Harvesting has to be timed so that the wall thickness of the instrument is not too thin or not too thick. It has to be “just right”. Making for the perfect instrument!

The thickness and shape will determine which key the instrument will be in. Shorter lengths have higher pitches and longer lengths have lower pitches. Didgeridoos generally range in keys from a high “G” to a low “A”. A common “C” didgeridoo will be two steps below middle “C” of a piano. The keys of C and D are the easiest keys to learn how to play on the didgeridoo.

The bark is stripped from the outside and the termites removed and a rim of beeswax applied to reduce the diameter of the large opening. Wax also creates a good airtight seal for the mouth and makes it more comfortable to play. The instrument is now ready to be decorated with ochre paintings that symbolize a tribes food and/or totems.

Before Ivan,Jose and Javier left we asked him to pose for a couple of photos. He took positioning on the rock and started to play. It is not an easy instrument to play.You blow down the tube with loose lips creating a vibration that echoes down the tube coming out amplified as a drone.It is very important to stay relaxed because if you try too hard it will tighten your muscles which contradicts the need to create loose lips. Buzz your lips while gently pushing air down the tube.

We stood there for a little while admiring the sound that came from this tube. The wind was rustling through the leaves and the birds were flying in the sky. It was a beautiful autumn morning and the sounds made it even more beautiful.

Jose told me that he bought the instrument as a gift for Ivan in Indonesia. He owned a small furniture company and imported from Indonesia. Time stood still for a little while but then they had to get ready for the long road back to Buenos Aires.

Ivan, Jose and Javier.

When I look at that rock in the corner of the garden I will remember Ivan and his Didgeridoo.

Here is a video clip of Ivan playing the Didgeridoo.

Oktoberfest Argentinian style!

Monica, John, Robbie, Marc, Craig, Adam, Michael,Adam, Jake.

Our first group from Buenos Aires arrived yesterday in a very cold, windy and wet Calamuchita. I waited for the guys at the bus terminal. The disappointment was written all over their faces when they got off the bus! The first question they asked me: “Is this weather normal?” I laughed and replied: “Not for this time of the year!” I think I would have felt the same. But despite of the blistering rain and cold, nothing could damper their spirits. They are here to experience the Argentinian Oktoberfest and that is exactly what they are going to do! Our second group arrived later in the afternoon from Mendoza. Both groups are from different parts in the United States.

When we arrived at the hostel the guys asked me what the big deal was with the Oktoberfest. Good question! People on Facebook are probably tired of me going on and on about it. But here in Argentina it is a major event with a long history. The Oktoberfest in Villa General Belgrano goes back to 1964. The festival is not just about the beer. The celebrations pay tribute to the German origin. Every year, during the month of October, the mountain range district of Villa General Belgrano dresses up to celebrate the traditional National Beer Festival.

In Argentina the event is celebrated from 1-11 October in the beer garden (a venue especially designed for the occasion). We explained to the guys that they each need to buy a “chopp” (a giant beer mug) which they clip into a belt worn over the shoulder. Then they need to get the feathered hat and they are set to enjoy the festival! At the Oktoberfest in Argentina main beer trademarks are sold including red, clear, honey, green and black beer.

But not everything is beer at the Villa General Belgrano Oktoberfest, in the beer garden there are also several stands with traditional German dishes, such as Frankfurt sausages, the mandatory leber-wurst, smoked pork ribs and the well-known sausages with chucrut. When it is time for dessert, there is hardly any hesitation; the selva negra cake (chocolate sponge cake with cream and morellos fruit) and the Apfelstrudel (apple pie with puff pastry) are applauded by everyone.

At times, the celebration moves onto the centre of the city, where there is a parade of the communities that have contributed to the formation of the present cosmopolitan identity of Villa General Belgrano. Thus, delegations from Germany, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, the Canary Islands, Yugoslavia, Sweden, Portugal, Brazil, Greece, Italy, Armenia and Ukraine proudly show off their typical costumes.
One of the high points of the event is the election of the National Queen of Beer, who is chosen among twenty applicants who have been previously selected in several points all round the country.

With all of that in mind the groups set off for the opening ceremony of the festival. But unfortunately the weather was very bad and people did not attend the first day as expected. Some returned early to the hostel and others stayed on until later. Marc and Craig got ripped off when the taxi apparently could not find the hostel! They took it in good spirit though.

Entrance to the Beer Garden.

The weather forecast promised a beautiful day tomorrow!

We found land!!!!

We met with the owner today who are selling several pieces of land in Santa Rosa De Calamuchita. The land that he had available was just outside the town centre in Villa Adelina. It is an unspoilt area close to the Santa Rosa river and surrounded by mountains. We started to negotiate only to find that the prices that he advertised are not the same prices. I have later learned in Argentina that “prices are always rising”, especially when you are a foreigner.

Andrey and I took a very good look at the land available and decided on a corner piece of land. We took pictures of the land and told the owner that we would get back to him. In Argentina you need to be very careful when you buy land. People will pressure you to pay a deposit or sometimes the full amount. You always need to work through lawyers and not be pushed into a transaction. He insisted that we pay a deposit but we refused until we have seen some paperwork. He contacted us the same evening and told us that we could meet at an attorney in Cordoba to inspect all the paperwork.

Places to visit: Via Crucis Hiking route

We always recommend places to visit while staying at Hostel Tinktinkie. One of these places is Via Crucis.

Via Crucis is a hiking route in Santa Rosa de Calamuchita where 14 crosses have been planted. It is +- 150m from the base to the top of the hill where you have a panoramic view of the beautiful Calamuchita valley. From the top of the hill you can see the winding Santa Rosa river.

I have been to Via Crucis a couple of times. The first time was in August 2008 when Andrey and I climbed it for the first time. August was a good time to climb the hill because it was not very hot but the river was very dry. The rain season only starts late September. It is not a very difficult route to hike. Climbing down was more difficult because there are a lot of small rocks and it can be slippery. I do not suggest you climb the route when it has been raining. There are also alot of places where you can rest when you get tired.

When you reach the top of the hill you find the last cross. Normally people leave some souvernirs here, like pieces of material, a coin or water.

The 2nd time I did not go with. My family was visiting from South Africa and the women decided to stay behind. It was only Andrey and my brother-in-law that went. They loved it! They both had their cameras with them and took a lot of pictures of the fauna and flaura. You also find a lot of different bird species while you are climbing.

A view of the Calamuchita Valley with the Champaqui Mountain range in the background.

The 3rd time was when my daughters visited from South Africa. They are two very active teenagers and couldn’t climb the hill fast enough. But we chose a hot day and I got a lot of muscle cramps. This time I did not make it to the top as I was in too much pain. Mariska waited with me until Nadine and Andrey came down. I also recently went with my friend Monica. We had a lot of fun!

It is very easy to find the hiking route. You follow Ruta 5, go past the hospital and you will find the entrance to Via Crucis. It is marked with a wooden sign and you cannot miss it.

The winding Santa Rosa River.
Nadine at the last cross.