La Ruta del Che o el Che en la ruta?

Hace poco pude viajar a La Higuera, en Bolivia,  lugar donde fue capturado el Che Guevara allá por 1967. Tengo que confesar que si bien soy de Rosario, lugar donde el Che nació por casualidad, nunca indague ni me preocupé por saber de su historia y cual era toda su ideologia. Después de leer un poco, sigo sin compartir su ideologia pero confieso que admiro el espiritu de aventura que el tuvo.  Gracias al viaje, me enteré que el rostro del Che es el mas conocido en todo el mundo y no pude parar de tararear una famosa canción dedicada a él: «Hasta Siempre Comandante»

Todo el mundo dice haber conocido al Che antes de morir, el tema que cuando uno hace cálculos matemáticos los números no cierran: los que nacieron en los 70 dicen haberlo conocido. No se que almanaque usan o será que los Planes de alfabetización de Evo aún no llegaron en la zona?.

Vamos subiendo de 1000 mts s.n.m poco a poco hasta llegar a 2100 mts s.n.m y ahi aparece un caserio, «La Higuera» 45 habitantes, hace un año que tienen electricidad gracias a una ONG, no hay recolección de residuos y a pesar de ello esta todo limpio y lo primero que se divisa es una pequeña plaza, muy pequeña, con un monumento al Che, yo diria que un poco mas grande que la placita teniendo en cuenta las proporciones.

Y me pregunto a mi regreso, valió la pena ir? Después de recorrer una hora y media el tiempo que demora los 40 KM de regreso, sin baños, sin estaciones de servicio, sin carteles que contaminen la vista o los 240 KM equivalente a 7 horas de viaje hasta Santa Cruz de la Sierra respondo: sí, valió la pena. Valió la pena por el espíritu de aventura que lleva conocer lugares, que sino fuera por los idealistas de los años 60, nunca hubiera ido. El Che fue capturado alli pero dejó un legado o mejor dicho una fuente de ingresos para la población que surge del turismo aventura o de aquellos que quieren reencontrarse consigo mismo y se terminan quedando para siempre.

{:}{:en}Lately I was able to travel to La Higuera in Bolivia, place were Che Guevara was captured by 1967. I have to confess that even though I live in Rosario, place were Che was born by accident I never worried further to know about his history and his ideology. After reading a bit, I still don´t share his ideology but I have to confess that I admire his spirit of adventure. Thanks to this trip I found out that Che´s face is the most known in the world and then suddenly I couldn´t stop singing the famous song «Hasta Siempre Comandante»

But I did have a change of perception about fighting for an idea and that each one can fight for its own, that there are no limits and no boundaries for adventures. Che has fought for his own, with no doubt.

By coincidence when he was killed, I was one month old, so I cannot say I was a witness of how famous his fights for ideals were or his travel. But at my 43 years old at least I made a very small part of his road: starts on Vallegrande and ends in La Higuera, the final road of Che.

Once leaving Vallegrande, it´s only 40 KM to arrive to final destiny, even though that number seems nothing, if we traduce it into time it means an hour and a half traveling between mountains, going through small towns and the road, well a path that introduce us to adventure.

Every body says that they knew personally Che before he was killed, the issue is that when you make calculations the numbers don´t match: even those born on the 70s says that they meet him. I don´t know what calendar they use or may be alphabetization plans of Evo did not arrive here?

Along the way, many signs indicate the road to take, to the right is Ruta del Che, and to the left «Salsipuedes» (means get out if you can), no, not this way then.  Going up all the time from 1000 mts above sea level until 2100 mts and we can see small houses «la Higuera» with 45 inhabitants, a year ago electricity arrived thanks to a NGO, no garbage recolection service even though everything is very clean and the first thing you can see is the small town square, very small with a Che monument, which I would say a little bit bigger than the square.

Walls painted by visitors  «Aqui se queda la clara, la intrañable transparencia de tu querida presencia Comandante che Guevara» famous song by Carlos Puebla and visitors from all around the world comes to this place.

After thinking for a while, if it wouldn´t be for Che, La Higuera probably will have more people, with no electricity and no satelite internet. Che made a revolution here too. And probably there would be higo fruit.

The museum, the small school and a hotel that belongs to a french couple that came to take pictures and stayed here forever, other small places to sleep and the Bar «Amigos del Che» (Che´s friends) also from another french couple may be attracted by the owners of the hotel, or adventure or Che himself. Ms Julia and Mr. Policaporpio are the only that meet or saw Che before he was captured.

The place is not exploited by tourism and I hope it stays that way so it doesn´t loose its essence, the wild essence of a small town that lives in harmony with nature and no pollution.

So I ask myself on the way back: was it worth it? After an hour and a half that the 40 kms takes, with no bathrooms, no gas stations no signs that contaminate the view or the 240 km which means 7 hours back to Santa Cruz de la Sierra I answer: yes, it was worth it. The spirit of adventure makes it worth it that takes you to meet places that if it wouldn´t be for the idealist of the 60s probably I would have never gone there. The Che was captured there but he left a legacy or let´s put it in another way: a source of income from adventure tourism or from those who are finding themselves or a place for themselves in the world and staying there forever.

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