Huingan-Cò, Neuquèn

I am in the province of Neuquèn (pronounced Nwe KEN) in the town of Huingan-Co (WinganCO) which is about fifty miles past nowhere. Yesterday, we flew for two hours south from Buenos Aries in an airplane piloted by a re-incarnated kamakazee pilot, an experience I chose to forget as quickly as possible, and then sat on a bus (mini van) for eight hours driving north east into the mountains. I mistakenly mentioned to some of you that it was a dirt road... I was wrong... it did have pavement slapped on it, sort of. Only the last 80 km was dirt. Picture the worst woods road that you have driven on in Newfoundland and then imagine it being worse. That was the road we were on at midnite last nite. If I had not been so tired I would have been scared out of my wits. We arrived here at 1am to a supper prepared by the people who owned the cabins we are staying in. All I wanted to do was sleep and everyone else was in the party mood.

The drive here was beautiful. Mountains and volcanoes all along the route, but we were in what I would call the foothills. The area is extremely dry so there are no trees and only some scrub on the arid hillsides. Most of the area is farmed with goats (cashmere) and sheep. The highway was fenced with a very rugged looking handmade fence for the whole eight hour drive.

Driving down into Localidad de Huingan-Có Provincia del Neuquen the countryside changed dramatically. Even in the dark, we could see the trees towering over our heads. Here is where the story gets interesting. This area was hit with goldmining fever ( not sure when... having trouble with translation.... and, yes Jesse, I know I should have paid more attention to my numbers.) in the late 1800´s, maybe. At the time, the place was completely forested but was clear cut for timber to use in the mines. The climate is so dry and harsh here that nothing regrew. Back in the 70´s the government noticed that all over the younger people were moving away and the town was dying so they called a meeting to see how they could keep the population status quo. They promised schools and health care etc. if people would stay. The problem was that there was nothing here for them to do because the goldrush was over. The principal´s son suggested that because of the slope and wind and water patterns that it would be a good place for forestry industry since years before it had been so heavily treed. With the help of a couple of other people, he planted 4000 hectares of trees, by hand, on some of the steepest hillsides you can imagine. For a time he diverted water from the hillsides and kept them irrigated until one day his system broke. After this he noticed that the trees grew just as well when they were dry so he stopped the irrigation. Today, this whole valley is covered in pine trees and there is a very active forestry industry. The vision of one man has been a truly amazing project. There are still about 10 trees standing on an arid hillside that were leftovers from the past. They look so forlorn standing there all alone.

Today there is a primary school in the town that is devoted to forestry. The children from the surrounding hills live at the school during the week and go home for the weekends. They are unable to travel back and forth everyday because the distance is to great. Some children ride to school on horseback daily. There are about 16 children and there are rough greenhouses behind the school where these children propagate trees and plant them. They are the future.

I wish you could visit this place and see the spirit of the people.

Right now I am in the municipality office. It is the only place in town with internet so they allowed me an office to use. You should have seen me trying to mime what it was that I wanted! All of the employees are gone home for siesta and they just left me here alone. Such trust! Mind you, it pays to befriend the mayor´s girlfriend. She is an angel. I might also add here that I learned this history from the locals and then had to explain it to Sean over lunch. The forestry expert from Canada knew nothing about it!!!!!!!!!!!!! I´m not sure what they are teaching him in that workshop. I am having a lot more fun than him.

The town itself was the home of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when they were fleeing from the law... now I have to watch that movie again. It is built on a steep slope and there is lavender and rosemary planted everywhere. On my way to this office there was an overpowering fragrance of lavender. Such a treat. This is a truly wondrous town with wonderful people.