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President Bush wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2024 12:56 am Argentine president Milei dissolved the country's tax collection agency a few days ago, shitcanning over 3000 state employees including I don't know how many at the commercial facility here in Uspallata at Commercial Customs. Government is out to dismantle state bureaucracies, this one is the latest.

Immediate result was many many kilometers-long lines developing on the highway coming into town on the highway from Chile. FL and I had to avoid heading up that way so as not to take the chance of getting stuck in the jam of commercial trucks coming out of the high mountains.

But today... nothing. It's the weekend. Maybe Chilean commercial exit customs closed, dunno. Took the opportunity to head up the road to hit a trail up towards Los Penitentes rock formations. Steep, windy trail, FL stayed at the bottom.


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Left side of photo 2 looks like a giant rock chuck.

Big old rock sitting next to the trail. Hiking boots not what you need in this area, on loose dirt and small stones they slide. Three beautiful young Argentinians in running shoes blew past me going back down.

We're out of here tomorrow, down to Mendoza to turn in the car and catch a late afternoon flight to Buenos Aires.

Sorry to see your travels in South America end Prez. I have enjoyed them immensely although vicariously, as I'm sure many here have. Thank you both!

Now: Stay healthy or you know what's coming. Don't make me clean off my 'dead body kicking boots.'

Just curious: Was it sensible to come home before treatment considering theirs is as good as ours but lots cheaper?: Not trying to pry here, but clearly a decision was taken to return to the land of the Greed Pigs and over paid health care system run by lawyers and bankers.

Curious about the reasoning behind it other than you were scheduled to return anyway.

Best to you both.

sparks wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:30 pm Sorry to see your travels in South America end Prez. I have enjoyed them immensely although vicariously, as I'm sure many here have. Thank you both!

Now: Stay healthy or you know what's coming. Don't make me clean off my 'dead body kicking boots.'

Just curious: Was it sensible to come home before treatment considering theirs is as good as ours but lots cheaper?: Not trying to pry here, but clearly a decision was taken to return to the land of the Greed Pigs and over paid health care system run by lawyers and bankers.

Curious about the reasoning behind it other than you were scheduled to return anyway.

Best to you both.

Fuck no, we weren't scheduled to return. Next two months had a couple places lined up in Bariloche, Argentina, area... called a lake district it is basically northern Patagonia.

End of December we were to have jumped over to nearby Puerto Montt, Chile, pick up a rental car for 2 1/2 months and down the road through the Chilean Patagonia. Did a lot of research, was going to be great.

I could go on, we had zero plans on when we might return to the Unted Snakes.

But I'd like to last another 10-15 years. I probably need follow-up radiation treatment, shouldn't' have detectable PSA like I seem to after having the prostate out. Residual cancer apparently lurking.

Colombia has the best health care system in SA, could have the radiation done there, in Bogota maybe Medellin. But US is state of the art with lots of experience at that kind of thing, not to mention Medicare will cover virtually all costs especially with all the deductibles on it and the supplemental having already been met from the shit that's was done back in Jan-April. Plus I have a hernia hanging, that shit doesn't get better by itself, will have that repaired, too.

I was self-employed virtually my entire adult life, meaning I paid double into the Social Security/Medicare system what conventionally-employed paid in, ie I had no employer matching the FICA taxes. You fucking know it I will let the system take care of me now.

All my medical stuff already lined up in Tucson, not a bad place to land if you gotta be in the United Snakes with winter approaching. Could be a fucking nightmare to be dropping back in right at the election. I'm just going to ignore the goddamned thing much as I can, maybe just as well to be there should I feel I have to make financial changes because of what may come down.

Already have airline seats lined heading back to Colombia, Cartagena, come January 25, 2025. Colombia is where we're going to end up long term way it looks now, it has a lot going for it, AAA.

Thanks for asking.

Godspeed.

thanks... in Bolivia former president (and potential 2025 candidate) Evo Morales and his team counting out the number of shots fired at him today:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBouIbry ... NmNXFjemN3

Most likeable country ever, always an adventure.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/ev ... 36438.html

Planning to settle down?
Sombrero, boots up on railing, spliff smoldering...maybe a parrot?
Ever stay somewhere for a long time since adulthood?
My brother is a world traveler, and he does serial settling down.
Builds house and garden; gets restless, goes to Nicaragua; comes back, moves to new place, builds house, etc.
Been doing it for 60 years. Not by plan, but a decent lifestyle.

Maybe you'll see Kari Lake.

more remnants of the old Transandine Railway we saw yesterday, well below the pass...

Picturesque to be sure, but rough in terms of maintenance. One shot there shows track that has been abandoned. What about the buildings in the other shot?

sparks wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 4:52 pm Picturesque to be sure, but rough in terms of maintenance. One shot there shows track that has been abandoned. What about the buildings in the other shot?

All abandoned, though some of the old housing still being used. Clean, intact, rather charming. Railroad not active since 1984.

Chile and Argentina discussed refurbishing the line twenty years ago, never happened. Same railway I posted pics of on this thread a few weeks ago, in the snow up by the pass into Chile.