Ruins of San Ignacio Mini

Now we are talking. Cows outside my hostel room eating happily along a dirt road and nobody caring. San Ignacio is a small dusty town in every sense of the word, and it was fantastic. Although a true part of the Gringo Trail most people use this as a day trip from Posada which thier loss.

It is good for one night, two if you need to decompress but it was hot, the mosqitios never quit and then there were the tarantulas. Big hairy nasty mothers that not only lived in the yard of the hostel but would come out for a visit when things got quiet and cooled down. I have stayed at many places but the people here were over the top helpful and nice. I had a spanish lesson from the ower that lasted two hours just because she wanted me to get better.

However nice. this town is about one thing really the Jesuit Ruins of San Ignacio. I know nothing about the Jesuits and what they did here in Northern Argentina and Paraguay. A little research and I found out they are the largest order of priests and brothers in the Catholic church. Crazy.

San Ignacio Mini has been around since the early 1600s. Our friends at Wiki have some decent quick hits about history of the ruins. In 1984 they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. I am going to find the UNESCO list and see which ones I have been to.

I have mentioned before that I like wandering around ruins of any kind. As some of you know oh to well that I have this crazy way of letting my mind wander in places like that and then just let it go where ever it wants. I think of the people who worked and lived here, the music, the food, the celebrations..the sick catholic priests and all the native alterboys. "he foreign boy this is what we do in Europe, just don't tell anyone especially the Chief"

The brickwork was impressive and the archways and door frame contained some stunning artwork. I think think that this was jungle, absolute no doubt about it jungle 400 years ago and they boy showed up here and just set up shop. Pretty impressive stuff when you read more about it.

At 8:30 pm there was what was called a light show extravaganza. Well sure I will give it a go (already judging at how lame it was going to be). Well that teaches me for being a miserable No Pepsi for 33 days slug.

They produce a story of the history of the Ruins using holograms with in parts of the forests, along the walls, in the middle of the court yard and it was pretty freaking special. I did learn that during one fo the final raids that the Portugese put on  San Ignacio they finally said Basta! They organized an army from within the community and out side tribe and kicked the Portugese back across the border to Brazil. This was the first account of an organize army in the Americas, well so the big head talking from the middle of the courtyard told me. Seriously it was totally the Wizard of Oz floating big head.  It made babies cry.