Tucuman

Words from Oakley....
Today was a very relaxed day. The final conference activities ended by 11am. At 12pm, Dr. Carlos Sardo picked us up for an afternoon in the country. He and his wife, Sulema, have a 6 hectare place about 20 kilometers north west of the city. (Carlos and Sulema are Pam and Bekah's host family. His grandfather came here from Lebanon. ) They have had it about ten years. It was abandoned, overgrown land and they have cleared it and built a lovely small house and a two-sided shelter that houses the asado (barbecue) oven, bathroom, and storage. They also have a small swimming pool with a fountain. All of it is up on a hill with a beautiful view. We had asado for lunch with about 30 people, mostly family from Sulema's father's side. Good asado, after lunch drinks including an Arabian style annisette, two desserts and coffee. Then a nap in the sun. The air was fresh and the setting relatively tranquil and very comfortable. Carlos and Sulema go there on weekends in the winter. She is becoming a Rotarian and he probably will do so also.
Carlos is a medical doctor and has a private practice, teaches, works a few days in the public hospital, and also at a pre-paid clinic. The highest number of births per population in South America is in San Miguel de Tucuman. In 2001, it was so extreme that there were three women to every bed. The state was contracting with all the private clinics and still it was three women for every bed. They have finally built a new hospital, it opens next month.
After clearing the land, Carlos planted 1,000 plum trees. Somebody came at night and pulled them all out. They were able to find out who did it and got 500 back and replanted them, but the stress was too much and only seven are still alive. Now Carlos has lent the land to a friend of his who plants it in soybeans and keeps the brush under control. They also have been experimenting with other kinds of fruit trees, but the winter to summer temperature extremes are too much for most of what they have tried.
On the way back we passed through lemon groves. The Tucuman province is the largest producer of lemons in the country (maybe in the world?) and they export to many countries. The area also grows sugar cane and cranberries. We passed a large salt mine, La Salina. This mineral deposit of salt is mined and refined right there and supplies most of the salt in Argentina.
We were back in the city by 8pm and most of the group was able to get a good night's sleep.