A Breath of Fresh Air

Last weekend I was struck by an ill case of Wanderlust again. Wan-der-lust- n - "a strong longing for, or impulse toward wandering."

More or less I had to leave at some point, my passport stamped by Argentina upon my entering limited me to only 90 days in the country - the only ways to extend my stay would be to pay $140 or leave the country and return. I chose the journey to Uruguay.

That's Uruguay back back behind me, past the far River Uruguay.

Looks different doesn't it.

Uruguay neighbors Argentina, bordering it on the Eastern seaboard of South America. I arrived in Concordia Thursday night, the last city in Argentina before the river

in this region.

In the morning I traveled to Salto by ferry, crossing the Uruguay river, and then heading 20km south to camp at the Hotsprings of Dayman.

Salto is in the top left corner of the country, but still about 800 miles south of The Brazillian border.

After a night of soaking, socializing, horseback riding, Uruguayzing (I just made that word up) I caught a bus back to Rosario, along the way achieving the new 90 day stamp that had set out for.

Politics are a kick.

The Tuesday before I was given the remarkable opputunity to sit down talk with one of the local Politicians or Rosario, Argentina. Mariano Roca is The Treasurer of The City Council right now, but has intentions to become a State Congressmen with much patience and sacrifice.

Mariano is the man on the left.

98% of the Cities budget is under the control of City Hall, that means keeping laws enforced, the streets clean, and maintaining the integrity, beauty, and oppurtunity for education of the city. 27% of this is specific for three main areas in providing free Public Health, accesablle transportation, and functioning garbage and sewage desposal.

So why is this something that I would want to write about?

Because that 27% is not an area that is by The Constitution supposed to be provided by the Province. But the province has not stood up to its side of the bargain. It was seen that the job was not being done to provide adequate services in those areas, and about 20 years ago The City agreed to take responsibility. The City had to intervene in behalf of the good of the people, but think about how large a percentage 27% is to be taken out of a total budget for maintaining an entire City?

After hearing this the doubts about leaving fleed my mind. I needed a vacation from my vacation.

And oh, it gets worse.