The Reception by Celia Woodruff
Romance was in the air. A gap year had beckoned and as the bride and groom took their places at Guarani, we were reminded of the culinary journey they had enjoyed. No doubt the feast ahead would awaken our senses too! It had been an extraordinary journey – taking in the history of indigenous peoples, European history – and how to live the lives of kings on very little – always a bonus for cash strapped students! The couple’s blog had given us a wonderful sense of the vastness and beauty of the land and its produce.
From its northern most tip with arid desert and scrubland and the stunning rock colours around Humahuaca, the landscape transformed to lush green hills and fertile valleys, providing in abundance for its people. Turning west they had enjoyed weeks of work in the vineyards followed by colourful and noisy festivals with the kena providing a haunting musical backdrop. Bumper harvests were the norm, thanks to the land and weather conditions in the foothills of the towering mountain range which protected their crops.
Then heading east again, they had soaked up the sights and sounds of one of the natural wonders of the world, enjoying the tropical temperatures and the spicy heat of local foods. A sojourn in the central belt brought with it the realisation of a strong European architectural and ‘foodie’ influence and a buzzing metropolis. By the port, artists and sailors met in a heady mix of colour and culture, contrasting with the natural beauty of the land beyond the cities where orange trees lined the streets and filled the air with a heady scent.
With the promise of lakes and rivers to come, horse riding and camping in the hills and plains of this central belt gave them an idea of the early settlers’ excitement for wealth and prosperity in this land of plenty. Cattle and sheep roamed the vast tracts of land. Modern European trends for al fresco dining were cast into the shade by mealtimes around camp fires – with bbqs set up with a whole lamb or a side of beef a common sight for a family gathering.
And as they headed onwards to the land of rivers, lakes, glaciers and snowy peaks with an alpine flavour to their mealtimes, their gap year ended at its southern tip at a place which had been named by the indigenous Yaghan peoples who once lived there. Its meaning is “deep bay” with an abundant supply of fish. It is now a naval base and starting point for seaborne expeditions which, in an earlier century had led to significant discoveries about the nature of evolution and human development.
Romance had blossomed on that adventure, with stunning scenery the backdrop to romantic evenings wining and dining. Back in the UK we knew we were in for a treat, eager to share the happy memories which had led to this, their wedding day today.
Lots of detail here, South America?
From Simon: I like the shape of this, the way the action starts and finishes at the wedding reception. And the narrative voice is a good one, the story being told by someone who knows the two young people and has been following their journey through the blog that they have been posting. The narrator could easily be one of their parents. But it doesn’t matter who it is, their presence gives warmth to what might otherwise come across as impersonal travelogue. The landscape through which the gap year couple pass is vividly evoked. This is good travel writing, providing enough detail for the reader to envisage the countryside described. The tendency of some travel writers, to go over the top, to search too hard for vivid metaphors and similes, is carefully avoided. But we get an impression of the country’s variety, both of topography and climate. The excitement of the young couple absorbing all this novelty is implicit, as is the impact their travels had on their burgeoning romance. In terms of fulfilling the brief, the piece fell short because place names were mentioned. For me, however, that was good news because, if I hadn’t been able to look up ‘Humahuaca’, I wouldn’t have known what country was being so accurately described.