May 3-4 - After a day-long bus ride from Iguazu Falls, we met with our next hosts from the small Rotary Club of Virasoro.
Here we have Lisa and Melissa with my hostess, Carlotta (center), wife of Rotarian Juan.
In Virasoro, we toured the most important yerba and tea plantation and processing facility in Argentina - Las Marias, a well-maintained and very successful enterprise in a pristine natural area. They produce under the brand name Taragui, a Guarani word.
We followed the process for yerba from propagation to harvesting and processing, then tried several varieties of yerba mate. We all agreed that yerba mate is an aquired taste and needs practice and experience to appreciate (we could handle the product intended for children). The tour was followed by an Rotarian-hosted asado at Club Taragui, an outdoor grill on the plantation.
My young host family of five, the father a new Rotarian who never heard of GSE, welcomed me into their home and we had two great evenings. The club is very small (11 members) and struggling, so later club president Alberto proposed that my club and theirs become "brother" clubs - without obligations!
Kelly Talbert adds:
Outside Virasoro, we visited Las Marias yerba mate production facility. This national beverage is such a staple and is a sign of friendship, as the mate (gourd that you drink from) is meant to be shared. Las Marias even has its own machine (photo) that dispenses hot water directly into your thermos so you'll never be caught without access to mate. These can be found at gas stations and restaurants all over the country!
Small chapel on the grounds of Las Marias
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