Going to the meeting today

Once a month we go and have the meeting with a lady who lives on her own in a town about 50 kms away.  Sounds close, and it would be in NZ!  But it takes two hours to get there, taking into account a bus combination.  So we leave at 7.30 am (the meetings here are at 9.30 am).  We cross the River Paraná via the tunnel, which takes us into the province of Santa Fe.  (Paraná is the capital city of the province of Entre Ríos).  Santa Fe is a very low-lying area, (Paraná is built up on high banks), and is very prone to flooding when there’s been a lot of rain.  It’s a swampy, area with lots of lagoons, rivers and streams, very, very flat.  Santa Fe was founded in 1573, and the Argentine Constitution was signed in the city of Santa Fe.  Our friend’s name is Zulma, and she lives in a small town very close to the city of Santa Fe.  Here are some photos taken on the way.

Una vez al mes, vamos a la reunion con Zulma que vive en Santo Tomé, Santa Fe.  Lleva dos horas para llegar en el cole (cambiando en Santa Fe).  Así, salimos de la casa a las 7.30 am, y cruzamos el Rio Paraná por el tunel subfluvial.  La ciudad de Santa Fe fue fundada en 1573.   Es una zona humeda muchos ríos y lagunas, y tiene la tendencia de inundarse mucho.  Aquí hay algunas fotos

La entrada del tunel subfluvial bajo el Rio Paraná

El tunel tiene una longitud de casi 3 km y el punto de mas profundidad el techo se encuentra 32 metros bajo la superficie del río

Más o menos 10,000 vehiculos por día lo transitan

Why did they build a tunnel instead of a bridge??  Purely political reasons.  The Republic of Argentina was originally a group of separately governed provinces.  When they united to form the Republic, they gifted all the waterways to the Nation, meaning that the provinces have authority over land, but when it comes to touching the water, they have to get permission from the national government, which is complicated!!  So to bypass all that, the two provinces agreed on building a tunnel, and thereby leaving the water alone!!!!  Complicated???  You bet!!!

¿Por qué hicieron un tunel en vez de puente? Por razones politicas no más.  Cuando se unieron las Provincias para formar la Republica de la Argentina, regalaron los espejos de agua  a la Nacion.  Entonces para evitar tramites costosos, las dos provincias se pusieron de acuerdo a edificar un tunel, lo cual no toca el agua!! Complicado??  Seguro!

Here are some shots on the other side of the river…

Aquí unas fotos del otro lado del Río

Apenas se ve la ciudad de Parana el otro lado del Rio

 Norma’s not as ferocious as she looks in the photo… nice comfy bus, air con











Waiting for the second bus…



On the subject of the Sunday morning bus…Sunday morning is the worst time to be out as it’s just when the all-night revellers are returning home.  So the bus is usually full of snoring party-goers, sometimes the fumes are enough to make one get drunk just by breathing!!!  Miraculously they always seem to wake up in time to get off at their stop.  Argentinians (latins in general) are real party-lovers and go out all night dancing, every weekend.  Sunday morning is far from peaceful and quiet, it’s filled with loud music, yelling and yahooing on the street, and screeching tyres and honking horns…venture out at your own peril!!!!

Here’s dear Zulma, she’s been looking out the window, watching for us to get off the bus so she can open the door for us.  All her married life (husband never interested in meetings, none of her children either), she has lived in this town, the only person who serves God, and she’s kept herself faithful all these years.  Every Sunday has her little meeting on her own, and once a month we go to be with her. 

Aquí está la querida Zulma.  Estaba mirando desde la ventana, vigilando para vernos bajar del cole para que nos abra la puerta.  Toda su vida de casada, ha estado solita en esta ciudad, la única fiel.  Todos los domingos hace su pequeña reunioncita, sola...

After the meeting lunching on  yummy ‘pollo a la sal’ (salt chicken), one of Zulma’s specialties!  Her little house is like an oven in the summer and a freezer in the winter!!

Just to finish off this post, some pretty flowers on the way home…


























































                                                                                                                                                          Norma’s not really this ferocious!!