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Where we've been:
Trip Progress Map &
Resources
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M A Y / 0 6
Always in Bloom, Quebrada de Cafayate, Argentina
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Thursday May 25 2006
Who the Hell Is Dr Hofmann Anyway?
During our travels Doctor
Hofmann made appearances all over Argentina, and I think I
saw him in Rio de Janeiro too. I saw him on a cement culvert at
the side of Hwy #3 on the Atlantic coast, he eyed me on yellow
and black "curvas peligrosas" road signs, on bus shelters (such
as this one near San Juan) and on beaten-up corrugated steel fences
throughout Patagonia.
Dr Hofmann is a roving global art-project. Named
after the Chemist who created LSD, the Dr Hofmann project is a
new kind of trip. The anonymous creator of several logo-esque
graphics travels the globe stencilling walls, gates, telephone
poles, abandoned buldings, you name it. The "tags" are
photographed and published. She/he also encourages followers to
do contribute to the project by wearing a stylin' Dr H T-shirt
(yup, available online) to a popular landmark, then snapping a
photo and submitting it to the online photo gallery. The site
is a mix of shameless self-marketing, images of mischievous vagabonding,
and psychedelic graphics. Tag on Dr Hofmann!
back to top
Alia Musica from Spain interpreted several original
compositions from Chiquitania in San Javier's magnificent Jesuit
Church.
Going for Baroque
Santa Cruz was humming to the riffs of harpsichords,
lutes and sopranos this past week during the International
Baroque Music Festival. Frank and I took in a bunch of concerts
performed in restored Jesuit churches in Santa Cruz and in the
village of San Javier, a former Jesuit Mission during the 1600-1700s.
Favourite performances were by Florilegium
from Britain, who played with four young soloists and a choir
from Bolivia's music-rich Chiquitania region and AméricAntiga
from Brazil, a handsome bunch of singers and musicians who performed
a lively set of Brazilian early music.
The church in San Javier at sunset.
Colourful paintings in relief rendered in the
folksy Jesuit style, San Javier.
Walls, windows, arches and doorways are punctuated
by decorative frescoes, San Javier.
detail of an exterior fresco, San Javier
Monday May 1 2006
Chao Argentina, Ola Bolivia
Border crossings make me nervous. The crossing
from Argentina into Villazon, Bolivia was a breeze, if not a bit
of a culture shock. Customs didn't even take a peek into the van,
making our attempts to conceal five cases of Argentine wine a
waste of time.
After nine and a half months of traveling, we
have come full circle. We are back in Bolivia. It feels strange
to be back. Santa Cruz feels like home in some ways. I have friends
here, and I know my way around. We planned to be back for the
International
Baroque Music Festival, which is now in full-swing (more on
that later). Now, I am trying to absorb the sights, sounds, flavours,
frustrations and wonders of the previous months... and am asking
myself "what next?". The Grand Albino Rhino Tour will be a tough
act to follow. Stay tuned.
Thanks for visiting.
all photographs lindsay simmonds ©2005/2006
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