As some of you might know, I used to celebrate my birthday with a big party or at least do something special for myself. As with Christmas, New Year, Carnival and Easter, there would be no proper Birthday this year either. I just seem to be at the wrong place every time, so I gave up trying.
In Puerto Iguazu there was really nothing more to do. It is not really a party town. There are no proper pubs apart from the hostel bars. Tourists just come to the the falls and then move on. So I decided to catch a bus back south. Instead of going directly to Buenos Aires, I stopped in San Ignacio, a little town in the northern province of Missions.
This place if far away from being a tourist town. It looks exactly like the numerous devastated townships that I have seen from the bus. Maybe 1-2 sealed roads. Mud, garbage piles, decay,, neglect and jungle around it remind my of pictures from African township. As my Argentinian driver the next day put it: “Welcome to the 3rd world”.
So this is where I am going to celebrate my birthday. I was the only one getting of the bus here. I walked through some muddy roads to a tourist point to asked for busses to Buenos Aires. Nobody would speak any English. But I learned quite a bit the last 2 weeks so I got what I needed. I then went through the deserted streets of the town to find my hostel. It looked actually quite nice. However, the door was locked. I knocked. A girl opened the door with a face full of remorse and panic. She gave me a hysteric surge of full speed Spanish. All I got was that there is something wrong, nobody would be here, that she is very very very VERY sorry (not sure what for) and that she doesn't speak English. The following conversation was so far my most complicated approach in Spanish.
Eventually, she would let me stay, but the main door would be looked until tonight. That was not actually a problem since there is a garden door that I could use. Most of the hostel was actually in the garden. There is no running water in the building, but one toiled/shower hybrid cabin with a sink attached in the backyard. It seems rather a comping site. Apart from the main front door there was nothing you could look up in the whole building. Backdoors always open, no room keys, no lockers. But hey, I am the only one here. So why would anyone break/walk in. I left my stuff in the room, hid my valuable between some blankets and went out to the ruins.
It is “famous” for its ruins, Jesuits padres founded an autonomous Christian-Indian nation. Indigenous languages and social structures were preserved but modernized. They founded the richest and most powerful country in South America at the time without slavery or applying the slightest force. Their success and radical social views lead to their annihilation by the church. The settlements were abandoned and are now tourist attractions.
Coming back around 18:00 and met the girl from the reception again who told me that she had some business and would leave now. So there I was. This will be my birthday. Alone with bottle of red wine, some salami and bread and Argentinian biscuits as cake. Probably the most quiet (and depressing) birthday in my whole life.
To be honest, I wasn’t actually depressed, just a bit sad and homesick. Here I have to express my deepest gratitude to all the amazing birthday wishes I received, especially the recordings. they did REALLY cheer me up :D
Here just one example from my flat mates (thanks Rainer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqSyS8kfznE
Thank you all!
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