Uribelarrea: Anatomy of the pampas
Some friends called us; wanted to do something together this weekend. "Where can we go?”, I asked. No doubt the people of Uribelarrea proposed. It is near Buenos Aires, has nice restaurants and lots of history to see and feel, ideal for a getaway. Not that I was interested in both the history of this town in particular but rather it is a place that reflects very well what happened in Argentina pampas.
We left early and he drove the nearly fifty miles that separate it from Buenos Aires, some of the people we read. Its name comes from a wealthy rancher, devoted to politics, had donated land for the founding of an agricultural colony. We looked ... the good lord would have become rich before entering politics, after or ... during? We smile suspicious. As it was, in appreciation of the colony took the name of so generous Mr.. Thus was born the village of Uribelarrea in 1890.
It is a place that reflects very well what happened in the pampas of Argentina
After an hour we ran into an old warehouse roof shed in which was read the town's name in huge white letters. We were opposite the old station Uribelarrea, it stopped working long ago but, has recently, was converted into the area's agricultural museum. While we wanted to get off immediately take pictures, decided to go first to the famous Macedonian restaurant to reserve a table for lunch.
At the entrance, two old gas pumps seemed to invite us to a trip to the past that was completed by opening the door. Its interior is set in the thirties. Behind an old cash register, a girl scored our names to book the last available table. We went out and walked the twenty yards separating Macedonian railway station.
The station remains as it was opened for 120 years, to the waiting room where traveling waiting for the train in harsh winter days
A fine nineteenth century, Argentina had already solved "the Indian problem", euphemism that means that these had been swept; therefore, aimed at making the country the vast fertile plains of the pampas be productive. The strategy was to found colonies, that there were but small towns, nucleaban the services that the local courses needed to run. In this sense, the railroad was key to bring production to consumption centers. The Argentine government had delegated the investment in British companies. So "the iron way" came to this town in 1892.
The station remains as it was opened for 120 years. Waiting room where traveling waiting for the train in harsh winter days still has separate seats for men and women. The platform is neat roof for rain protection to travelers and their bags. Everything is so neat to swear that any time you come a convoy widths descend dressed ladies and husbands with thick mustaches.
From the 60 comenzaron several houses to be empty, especially when the children of the original settlers land inherited
We left the station and walked down the tree-lined streets to the square.
The area is populated by Basque settlers who engaged in what they did best, produce milk. Dozens of inns surrounded Uribelarrea. Many dairy farmers chose to sleep in the village, with more amenities than their fields.
Every twenty or thirty yards we stopped outside a house of twenty or thirty years. Many of them in poor or directly abandoned. What would have happened? On the one hand, which over the years came electricity, telephone and water to the fields. Other, the road that connected with Buenos Aires Uribelarrea was paved and cars became faster. Who needed to be in the field to monitor the work early chose to live in it with the conveniences that brought modernity. And those more concerned with the services of the big city and they just needed to monitor your stay now and then they went to live in Buenos Aires. Living in Uribelarrea and did not have much sense, was neither fish nor fowl. So it was that from the sixties when several houses began to be empty, especially when the children of the original settlers land inherited.
Something similar happened with the railroad. Improving roads caused the trucks to go to the door of the fields to remove milk, livestock, wheat or corn, as was the production of each stay. The train eventually lost customers and service rose.
Abandoning Uribelarrea was key in its rebirth. In recent 15 years tourism found in this town environment 80 years back
So, Uribelarrea was being abandoned, not because the power lost Argentine countryside, quite the contrary, but because the modernization of the country made the services of a small town not needed for the field to produce.
Paradoxically, Uribelarrea abandonment was the key in its rebirth. In the last fifteen years, tourism in this village found atmosphere of seventy or eighty years ago. Some of the residents understand the great change and saw an opportunity. So, places like Macedonio, with its atmosphere of old grocery store early in 1900, comenzaron receiving visitors from all sides.
As we served a roast unforgettable read that the village was chosen for films like “Juan Moreira” the "Evita", seeking to be set in the past Argentine. Also Jorge Frasca, famous painter of pictures that evoke the past, had been inspired to paint houses Uribelarrea its rural landscapes. In the restaurant hung a copy of one of his paintings, Macedonio himself in late 1800.
While we were served roast a must read that the town was chosen for films like "Evita"
Before leaving the town wanted to buy salami and cheese from the famous local production. This showed us the small business that operates within one of the glories of Uribelarrea. Shortly after the founding of the people order the Brothers Salesians opened the doors of the first South American agro-technical school. Boys still come across the Province of Buenos Aires to boarding school for education geared specifically to agricultural production. At the entrance of the school was the statue of one of the most famous students of one of the Salesian schools, Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá, son of a famous Mapuche cacique. I stopped to take a picture to remember this boy that deserves an article in this blog.
With the car we took one last walk around the village and then, with our shipment of photos, salami and cheese, volvimos in the house. We had just done an interesting journey into the past.
