Memory of Latin America

Last month I made a trip to a part of Latin America. I started my journey in Montevideo, Uruguay, then continued travelling via Colonia and Paysandu to Argentina, where I visited Santa Fe, Rosario and Buenos Aires before flying south to Ushaia and Calefate. Back north from Bariloche I crossed the Andes into Chile, where I visited Valdivia, Valparaiso and Santiago.

It took me just about a month to do so. I wrote a little story in my LJ, nearly every day, though some days twice. Just for those of you who were away as well in August. Or for those who have missed some or all of these stories. Perhaps some of you even want to reread them. The rest of you can ignore this post.


http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=gerbie&keyword=Latin+America+2004&filter=all

Conchita

When I was in Buenos Aires, I decided to pick a movie one night. As I wanted to pick one in English (easier than a whole movie in Spanish, though I did do that later as well), the choice was obvious: Fahrenheit 9/11. I like Michael Moore and I hadn't seen the movie yet.

I'm not discussing the movie here and now (I might later), but I want to recall a moment near the end: a mother of one the soldiers killed in Iraq went to the White House to protest. She spoke to a lady with a very high voice. I recognised her from my own travels:

http://members.lycos.nl/got01/usa02.jpg

Since 1980 Conchita sits opposite the White House in Lafayette Park, protesting against war, corruption, nuclear weapons and violence in general. When I spoke to her (december 1999), she had become a bit paranoia imho, though I'd say it is impossible not to become that, if you've been in a park opposite the White House for 20 years, day and night, and had to suffer threats and police violence. I admire her dedication, her perseverance. She does have her own website, if you want to see more pictures and read the whole story:

http://prop1.org/conchita/