WEEKEND AT CASA BAMBA, A FORGOTTEN VILLAGE// FIN DE SEMANA EN CASA BAMBA, UN PUEBLO OLVIDADO [En/Sp]

ela.muds(65)

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Recently the Tren de las Sierras (Train of the Sierras) resumed its activity in Córdoba, and I was looking forward to take it and escape from the heat of the city to some river.
After researching its route and stops, this small town caught my attention. Although it is only a few kilometers from the capital, I had never heard of it.

Two hours from the departure station we arrived at this isolated place in the middle of the mountains, the contrast in the landscape is sharp, suddenly the city is transformed into hills and all vestige of big capital disappears.

ESP

_{Hace poco retomó su actividad el Tren de las Sierras en Córdoba, yo esperaba ansiosa poder tomarlo y escapar del calor de la ciudad hacia algún río.
Luego de investigar su recorrido y paradas me llamó la atención este pequeño pueblo que, a pesar de quedar a pocos kilómetros de la capital, jamás habia escuchado hablar de él.

A dos horas de la estación de partida llegamos a este paraje aislado en medio de las sierras, el contraste en el paisaje es tajante, de repente la ciudad se transforma en colinas y todo vestigio de gran capital desaparece.}

The town has barely 100 inhabitants and is part of the Casa Bamba Natural Water and Recreational Reserve.

ESP	_{La localidad consta de apenas 100 habitantes y forma parte de la Reserva Hídrica y Recreativa Natural Casa Bamba}

A few houses are located between the tracks and the river, on the other side the only campsite.

ESP	_{Algunas pocas casas se alojan entre las vías y el río, del otro lado el único camping.}

Entrance to the camping Refugio Macondo

After setting up the tent we set off in search of a river side to enjoy.
At this point we had one more member in the trip. Bruno, who more than a member was like a guide on the way.

ESP	_{Luego de armar la carpa salimos en busca de un costado del río para disfrutar. A esta altura teniamos un integrante más en el paseo. Bruno, que más que un integrante fue como un guia de camino.}

Introducing Bruno

Suquía River

On the way we saw ruins of constructions that seemed to be ovens. When we returned to the campsite and talked to Dario, the owner, we learned that they date from the late nineteenth century, when the town was inhabited by immigrants who extracted minerals from the rocks and cooked them in these ovens.

ESP	_{En el recorrido avistamos ruinas de construcciones que parecían ser hornos. Al volver al camping y hablar con Dario, el dueño, supimos que datan de fines del siglo XIX, cuando el pueblo era habitado por inmigrantes que extraían minerales de las rocas y los cocinaban en estos hornos.}

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It is also the cradle of the first hydroelectric power plant in the country destined for public service.

ESP	_{Además, es la cuna de la primea usina de hidroeléctrica del país destinada al servicio público.}

Fuente de imagen

We spent a night at the campsite and the next day we took a 40-minute walk along a stream that leads to a 7-meter waterfall hidden among the rocks forming a pool of crystal-clear, fresh water that invites you to take a dip.

ESP	_{Pasamos una noche en el camping y al día siguiente emprendimos una caminata de 40 minutos bordeando un arroyo que lleva a una cascada de 7 metros escondida entre las rocas formando un piletón de agua cristalina y fresca que invita a un chapuzón.}

Bruno slept next to the tent all night.

Here Bruno shows us the way to the waterfall.

Finally the refreshing dip

The town is currently in conflict with a mining company that intends to install a quarry to extract minerals on a large scale. This company has obstructed the usual route to enter the town by building a huge wall, so the inhabitants were isolated and the only way to access is through the train tracks.

ESP	_{El pueblo actualmente se encuentra en conflicto con una empesa minera que pretende instalar una cantera para extraer minerales a gran escala. La misma ha obstruido el paso por la ruta habitual para entrar al pueblo construyendo un un enorme murallón, por lo que los habitantes quedaron aislados y la única forma de acceso es a través de las vías del tren.}

Fuente de imagen

What started out as an escape from the heat turned out to be a visit to a small town with a lot of history and abundant nature.
I wonder how many other small and natural places like this one will be destroyed by extractive companies that violate the rights of people and the conservation of nature. Isn't it time for (R)evolution?