I get settled into my sweet room back at Hotel Tunquelen on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi. Excited to see what will unfold today, feeling some magic in the air. I want to go into town to buy some gifts for the family: beer, wine and chocolate. A little thank you for all they’ve done for me. I write yesterday’s post and it takes so long as there is so much to digest after my 6 days on the island, after 42 years on this planet this go around.
One of the cousins is headed near town to a Carneceria, to get some meat for an asado (barbecue) for friends that are attending a wedding at the hotel tomorrow. After 6 days on the island I am dreading a bit the thought of going into a bustling city…but this Carneceria is located a bit outside of town. I will head in with him to get the beer and he can take it back in his car while I take the bus into town for good chocolate. We arrive and it’s a grocery store and I realize I can get almost everything I need here so I will not have to go into town. Thank you universe.
This is one of my favorite things to do while traveling: grocery shopping. I am delighted to wander the aisles, finding the big bottles of local Patagonia beer, a good bottle of Malbec for the uncles. I help the cousin get things he needs for his BBQ: aluminum foil, eggs…trying to find sweets for his grandmother and I love this. I love doing these everyday things in a different country.
And so I tell him I would be happy to help with the asado…after so many days of being so inwardly focused I so desire to be of service and to do something simple like cut tomatoes. When we get back to the family’s house we unpack the groceries and he takes me out to the outdoor fire pit. A thing of beauty. This creation for asado. Bricks. Out in nature. The bottle of the Malbec is opened for us to enjoy as we start preparing the fire and food. I am sent off with one of the younger cousins to gather wood and pine cones. I am chopping ham and cheese to scramble with eggs and put into green bell peppers that get wrapped up in aluminum foil and cooked in the fire along with potatoes. Some guests arrive. I find a large candle and then pick some flowers and greens for the table to make it beautiful.
More cousins arrive and we end up in the kitchen making empanadas with blood sausage, cutting bread, tomatoes, laughing, I am being teased, the music is playing, the cousins are dancing together. Total, complete joy. Something even better.
This is it. This moment is what it’s been about for me. This moment of hearing different languages, sounds, tasting new foods, helping create them. Opening bottles of wine for guests, getting things from the kitchen for the chef outside. Bringing more glasses out, talking with new friends. Hugging people, putting one woman at ease who feels she shouldn’t be there because she is a cousin of the groom..I tell her I’m a hotel guest so she should definitely be there. I meet a soul sister and we sit on a bench talking for a long time. I am brought bites of food by her date, he is making sure I am taken care of too and I am so grateful for that gesture. There is a dance party in front of the fire and at the end of the night there are hugs.
And so it doesn’t matter that I don’t have a home. I got to do some of my favorite things in the world today. I got to help create and receive communion, beauty, delicious food. I got to speak in several languages (badly, but done), meet a soul sister, laugh with new friends, dance outside.
I got to give and receive love.
And it is such a beautiful reminder for me to follow my wild ways. To keep trusting this is the life I am here to live. To keep using my heart, pleasure and intuition as my guide.
Thank you universe. More please.