February 11, 2000
Day 112 San Ignacio: ruins of a monastery
Our little alarm clock we bought in Buenos Aires wakes us up at 6am. We ferry our stuff to the elevator and down to the lobby where we re-assemble it all on our bikes. There is a small restaurant attached to the hotel where we eat our included breakfast of coffee and croissants.
Then... back on the road cycling again.
We ride out of the city on the long wide street we came in on from the bus station. Then when we reach Route 12, we load look for Iguazu, about 300km north of here. Leaving the city takes a while with lots of traffic, noise and ugliness. This area looks a lot poorer, many shacks and poor looking people.
The road has a nice wide shoulder, but it also has speedbumps across the shoulder probably to keep maniacal drivers from using it as a passing lane. Nevertheless, the shoulder is appreciated. Even more when it disappears, and we have no other option than to ride the white line. The road can handle two cars passing at our location, but not two buses or trucks. Patrick rides behind Rachel to shout to her to get off the road if there is a need. It's not much fun, and on top of that the heat. Why do we do this again?
The last 20 km are hard for Rachel, but we make it to San Ignacio, a small town with a perfect grid of sand streets. Amidst all that is a famous Jesuit monastery, ringed by a wall, that we will visit later.
First, we go to a Hospedajes that also has camping. The woman and man that run the place speak German so Patrick can communicate with them. Her grandfather came to Brazil, she was born in Paraguay, he came from Austria as a baby. The place is immaculately kept, "grund lich" in German for thorough. Even though camping area looks very nice, we get for $15 a room with a fan and bed. Nice to spend the hottest part of the day inside to read and journal writing.
At five we walk to the ruins. After a couple of empanadas and a shared liter of beer, we pay an entry fee and visit the grounds. The walled area is fairly large with a great grassy plaza surrounded on three sides by Indian quarters. On the fourth side stands the leftovers of a large church and monastery. All is built of big, squared chucks of lava rock and harder flat slabs of brown rock. Many of the paths and inside of the monastery are still paved with tiles. There are some nice carvings at the door friezes and styles, but nothing like what we saw in the Yucatan. The whole complex seems to have been constructed more for use than eternity like the temples. It is impressive though.
On our way back we have dinner at a sidewalk restaurant. There is a tourist bus in town and it seems like that attracts begging children and a pitiful mother with a baby. The main square is fenced off tonight. There is a carnival that has an entrance fee. We don't feel like partying all-night, tomorrow we plan to hit the road early again for another short ride before the heat gets to oppressive.
Before we retire in our room, we speak with a French couple from Paris that are on their way t Buenos Aires to meet their daughter cycling around the world with a girlfriend.
Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 3,664 km (2,275 miles)
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