Nous petit-déjeunons dans le jardin en pull et pantalon maintenant et à 7 h 30 le jour vient à peine de se lever. Jens part travailler et comme on a encore la voiture jusqu’à ce soir je vais aller visiter le sanctuaire de la Difunta Correa à Vallecito, à 67 km de San Juan.
Voici son histoire. En 1841 le mari de Deolinda Correa fut fait prisonnier durant une des nombreuses guerres qui ravageaient le pays à cette époque. Le sachant malade, Deolinda partit avec son bébé pour essayer de le trouver et de l’aider. Mais elle ne le trouva pas et, dans ce désert aride, elle mourut de soif et d’épuisement. Avant de mourir elle pria Dieu de sauver son enfant. Deux ou trois jours plus tard des gens attirés par le bruit des pleurs du bébé le découvrirent. Il avait survécu en tétant sa mère morte. Les gens ont interprété cela comme un miracle. On raconte aussi que, quelque temps plus tard, un gaucho menant un troupeau de 500 bêtes fut surpris par un orage. Les bêtes affolées se sauvèrent. Il pria la Difunta Correa, et le lendemain il retrouva les 500 bêtes dans une petite vallée qui s’appelle depuis « el Valle de las Vacas ». Pour la remercier il fit construire une petite chapelle.
Sa réputation se répandit et le lieu de sa mort est devenu lieu de pèlerinage. Elle est la sainte patronne des gauchos et maintenant des camionneurs. Ceux-ci ont fait connaitre la Difunta Correa dans toute l’Argentine et dans les pays voisins. On peut voir des petits sanctuaires le long des routes. Le signe caractéristique de ces sanctuaires est le grand nombre de bouteilles d’eau que les gens laissent. L'Eglise Catholique ne la reconnait pas comme sainte mais les gens d'ici la vénèrent beaucoup.
Je pars donc, roule un quart d’heure et réalise avec horreur que j’ai oublié mon permis de conduire et que je n’ai pas un sou. Je reviens en souhaitant de tout mon cœur que les policiers soient occupés ailleurs. Ça se passe bien et je repars. Je prends le périphérique et sors vers Caucete, et de là vers Vallecito. Entre Caucete et Vallecito (25 km) une piste cyclable toute neuve longe la route. Le village est petit à l’origine mais est devenu très célèbre et reçoit des milliers de pèlerins surtout à Noël et à Pâques. Mais un lundi c’est très calme. Je monte l’escalier qui mène à la chapelle en haut de la colline. Les gens ont mis des centaines d’ « ex voto » pour remercier la Difunta Correa: Des plaques de voitures, des maisons en modèle réduit, des photos, des plaques gravées, des fleurs, des bougies… C’est impressionnant. Et en haut, dans la chapelle, il y a une statue allongée de Deolinda et de son bébé. Pauvre femme. C’est émouvant de sentir tant de dévotion et d’espoir.
La route est pratiquement déserte, je suis doublée par une voiture en revenant.
Il fait beau et chaud. IL y a une grande différence de température entre la nuit et le jour.
Jens rentre. On se baigne. Et le loueur revient chercher la voiture. Il est bien embêté parce que nous n’avons pas pu aller au Chili.
On dine encore dans le jardin, il fait nuit mais il y a un projecteur.
We eat breakfast in the garden with sweater and pants now and at 7.30 am it is just getting light. Jens goes to work and as we still have the car today I'm going to visit the shrine of the Difunta Correa in Vallecito, at 67 km from San Juan.
Here is her story. In 1841 Deolinda Correa’s husband was captured during one of the many wars that ravaged the country at that time. Knowing him to be sick, Deolinda went with her baby to try to find him and help him. But she did not find him, and in this arid desert, she died of thirst and exhaustion. Before dying she begged God to save her child. Two or three days, later people attracted by the sound of the crying baby discovered he had survived by suckling its dead mother. People have interpreted this as a miracle. It is also said that some time later, a gaucho leading a herd of 500 cattle was surprised by a storm. The animals fled terrified. He begged the Difunta Correa, and the next day he found the 500 animals in a small valley called since "el Valle de las Vacas". To thank her he built a small chapel.
Her reputation spread and the place of her death became a place of pilgrimage. She is the patron saint of the gauchos and now of the truckers too. They have taken the Difunta Correa story through Argentina and in neighboring countries. One can see many small shrines along the roads. The characteristic of these sanctuaries is the large number of water bottles that people leave. The Catholic Church does not recognise her as a saint.But people here are very devoted to her.
I start driving and after fifteen minutes I realize with horror that I forgot my driving license and I have not a peso. I come back hoping with all my heart that the police is busy elsewhere. It goes well and I start again. I take the ringroad and go out to Caucete, and then to Vallecito. Between Caucete and Vallecito (25 km) a brand new bike path follows the road. The village was small but became very famous and receives thousands of pilgrims, especially at Christmas and Easter. But on Monday it is very quiet. I climb the stairs to the chapel at the top of the hill. People have made hundreds of "ex voto" to thank the Difunta Correa: number plates of cars, houses scale models of houses, photographs, engraved plaques, flowers, candles ... It's impressive. And up in the chapel, there is a statue of a lying Deolinda and her baby. Poor woman. It is moving to feel so much devotion and hope.
The road is practically deserted, I am passed by one car while returning.
It's nice and warm during the day. There is a large temperature difference between night and day.
Jens returns. We go swimming. And the guy from the car rental comes to take back the car. He is sorry because we could not go to Chile.
We still dine in the garden, it's dark but there is a projector.
Here is her story. In 1841 Deolinda Correa’s husband was captured during one of the many wars that ravaged the country at that time. Knowing him to be sick, Deolinda went with her baby to try to find him and help him. But she did not find him, and in this arid desert, she died of thirst and exhaustion. Before dying she begged God to save her child. Two or three days, later people attracted by the sound of the crying baby discovered he had survived by suckling its dead mother. People have interpreted this as a miracle. It is also said that some time later, a gaucho leading a herd of 500 cattle was surprised by a storm. The animals fled terrified. He begged the Difunta Correa, and the next day he found the 500 animals in a small valley called since "el Valle de las Vacas". To thank her he built a small chapel.
Her reputation spread and the place of her death became a place of pilgrimage. She is the patron saint of the gauchos and now of the truckers too. They have taken the Difunta Correa story through Argentina and in neighboring countries. One can see many small shrines along the roads. The characteristic of these sanctuaries is the large number of water bottles that people leave. The Catholic Church does not recognise her as a saint.But people here are very devoted to her.
I start driving and after fifteen minutes I realize with horror that I forgot my driving license and I have not a peso. I come back hoping with all my heart that the police is busy elsewhere. It goes well and I start again. I take the ringroad and go out to Caucete, and then to Vallecito. Between Caucete and Vallecito (25 km) a brand new bike path follows the road. The village was small but became very famous and receives thousands of pilgrims, especially at Christmas and Easter. But on Monday it is very quiet. I climb the stairs to the chapel at the top of the hill. People have made hundreds of "ex voto" to thank the Difunta Correa: number plates of cars, houses scale models of houses, photographs, engraved plaques, flowers, candles ... It's impressive. And up in the chapel, there is a statue of a lying Deolinda and her baby. Poor woman. It is moving to feel so much devotion and hope.
The road is practically deserted, I am passed by one car while returning.
It's nice and warm during the day. There is a large temperature difference between night and day.
Jens returns. We go swimming. And the guy from the car rental comes to take back the car. He is sorry because we could not go to Chile.
We still dine in the garden, it's dark but there is a projector.
D'un côté de la route: De la vigne
On one side of the road: vine
De l'autre côté: Semi-désert
On the other side: semi-desert
Fleurs
Flowers
Eglise
Church
Montée à la Chapelle
Stairs to the Chapel
Petites maisons données en remerciement
Small houses given as thanks
Plaques de voitures
License plates
Plaques gravées et bouteilles d'eau
Engraved plaques and bottles of water
Difunta Correa
C'est ici qu'on a trouvé le corps sans vie de D. Correa et de son bébé qui têtait. 1841
It is here that the lifeless body of D. Correa was found, the baby still nursing. 1841
Une nouvelle statue de la Difunta Correa
A new statue of the Difunta Correa
La piste cyclable
The cycle path
Corbeille
Basket
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