A heart

When somebody tells you about an island that looks like a heart, you can believe it and imagine a piece of land with a vaguely familiar figure. In the middle of the Mascardi Lake, close to Bariloche, that island really exists: green, alive, surrounded by the turquoises waters of the lake, it exceeds any attempt to imagine it.

These pictures are from a couple of hours hiking to the viewpoint over the island, in March 2009. That day the yellowjackets were a little bit irritable; four stings are really painful...

"Ah, well, if the little lady were only here with me in the boat, I should not care for any darkness."

The Brave Tin Soldier, Hans Christian Andersen

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Sunshine

A sunny afternoon in the backyard, flowers and something more...

The last picture is my first try (rather poor) at HDR photography.

"You'll remember me when the west wind moves Upon the fields of barley You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky As we walk in fields of gold "

Fields of Gold, Sting

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Humans in nature

I've already posted some pictures here of a very nice place in the mountains near Bariloche called Laguna Negra. A couple of months later, at the beginning of 2009, I went again with some friends and we continued up to the 2000 meters summit of a near peak. The Cerro Negro, just to the south of the small lake, offers an unrivalled view of the National Park. This time, however, I won't focus on the nature around but in the harmonious presence of the people on it.

Do you wonder were is the relation to human beings in the last picture? I didn't say it was obvious....

"There wouldn't be an observation tower – or something? I mean, in the open air."

Foundation, Isaac Asimov

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Dreaming awake

"-Last night I dreamed-, said LVX-1, calmly. Susan Calvin said nothing"

Robot Dreams, Isaac Asimov

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López's panoramas

The López mountain is a typical excursion of Bariloche. The access is easy (urban bus line), it's short (2:30hs to the shelter) and it offers incomparable views. But if you really want to be in the top of the world you must continue to the mountain's ridge, until the so-called tourist peak. From there the free view in all directions is spectacular.

"Que den las campanadas a deshora, que salga del armario la cultura, que el Corán no se enfade con la Torah, que apeste menos la telebasura."

Wishes for the New Year (This Mouth is Mine), Joaquín Sabina

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Dakar 2009

The sound of the engine comes from far away, behind a gentle hill in the road. Grave and deep, it announces its arrival much before you see it. Slowly, from the roof to the huge wheels, it appears from behind the hill. Motorbikes and cars have passed by all the morning, but this is different. Your blood freezes and you feel small when the 8 tons, 3 meters high thing passes you at full speed, just meters away. A bit later the engine drops down the revolutions and the big mass waves a little under the powerful braking, but not for long: a quick turn to right and it accelerates again to disappear in the distance. Welcome to the awesome spectacle of the Dakar's trucks...

After calling off the 2008 edition of the traditional raid París-Dakar due to terrorist threats in the African part of the route, the organizers (ASO) took a risky decision: to move the 2009 edition to South America. Organized together by Argentina and Chile, the Dakar 2009 went through the wonderful landscapes of both countries in a route that took it from Buenos Aires to the Patagonia, through the Andes and to the driest dessert in the world, and back to the departure point two weeks later. Two weeks that will stay in the history of the competition because the risk taken by ASO was rewarded with a resounding success, specially between the public: in a country where motorsport runs trough the veins of the majority, millions rushed to the roads to see the passing of motorbikes, cars and trucks. I was among them and this is a little sample from the last stage for you to enjoy.

You are warned, however: you can see, listen and read everything at your disposal, but nothing and nobody can transmit you nor prepare you for the power of a massive truck in full competition...

"A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind."

Thierry Sabine

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Misery Quartet

Half-way through the year a group of friends took part of a swimming competition at a local club. It was an hour with relays every one hundred meters; and under the name of 'Misery Quartet' they managed to arrive in a very respectable third place in their category, less than 100 meters from the second. This is my tribute to such a venture:

Incidentally, this was also my first incursion at indoor sports photography without flash, armed of only high-speed film (1600ASA). The result isn't stunning (too much grain), but it's acceptable as a last resort.

"Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim."

Dory, Finding Nemo (PIXAR)

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