Of ham and volcanoes...

An Oreo is an Oreo wherever you are, right?

Yesterday, while doing what my dad calls “mowing down” on some tasty little sugary crackers (advertised as Grandma’s recipe…so you know it’s good!) that we had started to refer to as “crack cookies,” I absentmindedly started reading the ingredient list, and stopped mid-chew on the second ingredient. “Grasa de bovino.” Beef fat! Oh, what a sad day, when a vegetarian learns that something they love is chock full of cow parts. As I wandered the cookie aisle at the grocery store this afternoon, I stopped to read the ingredient list on each package of cookie in the aisle, and discovered that literally every single type of cookie (except for one type of almond cookie, which is my new best friend) was made with either beef or chicken fat. Even the Oreos!

Part of the adventure that is travelling in a different country is experiencing new cuisine. Argentina is best known for their asados, or grills, where my omnivorous friends can enjoy virtually endless supplies of chorizo (sausage), lomo (steak), and cordero (lamb). Here in southern Patagonia, the calafate berry grows on a shrub, and while a little bitter on its own, makes a lovely jam that is unique to this region. These are some examples of well-known Argentinian foods. However, in my experience, people here love ham, cheese, and anything carbohydrate. Oh, the omnipresent jamón! What’s for breakfast?  Bread and ham! For lunch? How about a ham sandwich? What’s that in your lasagna? Why, a slice of deli ham, of course! Being a vegetarian in an incredibly meat-loving society, I have adjusted to having self-imposed limited options when eating out. Luckily, Argentinians also love their cheese and bread, so I have been able to stuff myself with as much pizza, pasta, and rolls as my heart desires. I have also found myself eating quite a bit more “accidental meat” than I’m used to. For a scientist, I’m pretty unobservant, and apparently even more so when it comes to my food. I recently happily dug into my tortilla, a frittata-type dish of egg with veggies and/or meat mixed in, and got a nice mouthful of…you guessed it…ham! I suppose I have to get my protein somewhere, but if I keep this up, I’m going to have to give in and let Dave cook up that steak he’s been wanting to make for me after all!

Ham bread!

As for the field work, everything has been going extremely well. Part of the week was spent along the Atlantic coast north of Cabo Virgenes, on land owned by a giant sheep ranch, Estancia Condor. The other part of the week was spent farther inland, near Estancia Bella Vista, which is not only famed for the giant sea-run trout that swim in the Rio Gallegos, but also for the volcanos that erupted lava in the form of flows and scoria cones all across the landscape. While trekking across the terrain, I can’t help but compare the views to those around Las Vegas, Nevada, where I spent the four years prior to moving to Vancouver. Both regions have experienced volcanism in their geologic past, and exhibit expansive valleys dotted with dry lakes in an arid climate. I find it to be an interesting exercise in geomorphology, to consider that two landscapes can look so similar, but have such drastically different processes that shaped them. It is difficult to believe, while standing on these dry desert plains, that glaciers once marched by, with giant meltwater channels extending from their mouths to the sea. Isn’t it a beautiful thought…that our landscapes are ever changing? 

Rosario Mar, at the southern border between Argentina and Chile. There is a flock of flamingoes in the center of the lake.

Sampling basalt from the rim of the Rosario mar. Left to right: Justine Cullen, Hugo Corbella, John Clague (after illegally crossing into Chile). In the distance is Olav Lian, the law-abiding member of our crew, still in Argentina.