The tail of the Andes

03/28/2015

Dear Gaby,

I hate to say it, but you were right. I really should have done that Duolingo app or at least learned some basic phrases before getting here. I landed about an hour ago, paid way too much for a taxi (how many pesos do you get for a dollar, again?), and ended up at this coffee shop because the only words I knew were “café” and “por favor”. On a positive note, the coffee really is good, and I can see the tail of the Andes from my table outside. It is hot, but it is that dry heat where you don’t really notice that it is 90 degrees outside. I think I will come back here tomorrow. I have a feeling I’ve discovered my new favorite writing spot. Not too bad for a first day in Mendoza, huh?

By the way, I am not sure that I am going to get a SIM card for my phone which means I probably won’t be calling much. Tell mom not to worry.

Love, Dany

04/15/2015

Dear Ali,

I’m here! This writing letters thing sounded a lot more romantic before I left Pittsburgh. Did Gaby tell you that I found a great little coffee shop by my apartment? It is called Kato and I have been going every morning. I get a cafe con leche and a medialuna (a croissant with this sweet glaze on it…so delicious), sit outside on the patio staring at the mountains and spend the day writing in the journal you got me. You know I am a creature of habit.

I was really nervous when I first got here, but things are getting easier. I really needed this change of scenery. I just couldn’t keep writing those articles on the latest and greatest tech gadget. Thanks for encouraging me to get out and start on my book. You’ve always made me feel like my writing was worth reading. Hope everything is good at home!

Love, Dany

04/21/2015

Dear Mike,

You’ll never guess what I found today. I was of course at Kato again, but when I went to sit at my table, there was a black notebook on the chair. At first, I thought it might have been mine, but when I checked my bag, my journal was right there next to the Borges book you got me before I left. I’m not sure if it was my broken Spanish or if they just didn’t care, but no one seemed to care that someone had left behind their journal.

You probably already guessed where this is going, but obviously I looked through the notebook. Now don’t go judging me just yet…you know you would have done the same. The notebook was filled with pages and pages of these sketches of faces. They reminded me of the drawings that grandma used to do – the ones that grandpa hung up all over the house. You know that I’ve never been as good as you at drawing, but these had me wishing that I had gotten at least a little of grandma’s artistic talent.

I’ve been sitting here all day staring at the faces. Below each drawing were two things: 1) a date, and 2) the name of a city. Whoever drew these has been all over the place – Madrid, Morocco, Sydney, Mumbai…the list goes on and on.

I haven’t even told you the craziest part. Tucked away in the back sleeve of the notebook was a check for $20,000 made out to Florencia Marco. Mike, I think I need to find her!

Love, Dany

P.S. Borges was such a good recommendation. My favorite so far is “Circular Ruins”.

04/30/2015

Dear Mike,

I am on my way to Buenos Aires! Looks like there is a Florencia Marco in a neighborhood called Recoleta. I don’t know if it is her, but if there is a chance that I can get her the notebook, I have to try. You know how devastated I would be if I lost my journal. Plus, there is the whole $20,000 check thing. I’m sure she is going to want that back. I mean who just has a check for $20,000? Maybe she is a famous artist or something.

I feel like I’ve stumbled into a Dan Brown novel.

Love, Dany

04/30/2015

Dear Gaby,

I just made it to Buenos Aires. I just hope that I’m not too late. The latest sketch from Florencia’s notebook was dated 04/19/2021 in Mendoza. The sketch just before that was dated 04/15/2021 in Medellin. She doesn’t seem to stick around a city for very long.

I’m going to head over to Recoleta now. I don’t really have a plan. Hopefully, I can just ask people if they know a Florencia Marco and see where that takes me.

Love, Dany

05/02/2015

Dear Ali,

You know how we make fun of dad for drinking too much coffee? I may have outdone him today. I went to seven coffee shops across town today in an effort to find the elusive Florencia. Fortunately, I found a lead at coffee shop number seven. I’m not sure my heart could have taken much more caffeine. They aren’t really fans of decaf here.

I’m heading over to a house now on a street in Recoleta called Laprida. This neighborhood reminds me of Paris. There are these picturesque townhouses lining the streets and boutiques and restaurants on every other corner. Even the cemetery that I passed by this morning was beautiful. That felt strange to say, but you know what I mean.

Fingers crossed!

Love, Dany

05/03/2015

Dear Mike,

This is going to be my longest letter yet, but I promise it is worth reading.

Here is the update: I didn’t find Florencia, but I did find her mom, Lucia.

I must have knocked on ten doors on Laprida before someone, who thankfully spoke English, said that the Marco family lived next door.

I stood outside of the house for a few minutes before knocking. Is it strange that I was kind of sad walking up to the door? This exciting journey of mine was ending, and I’d have to hand over what felt like some secret treasure. I finally mustered up the courage to knock. When Lucia opened the door, I quickly realized that I had seen her face before. Her face had been sketched on page 17 of Florencia’s notebook, just above the date 07/03/2014.

The first words out of my mouth were, “Wow, I didn’t realize how good of an artist Florencia was.” Lucia laughed. She smiled when she saw the notebook in my hand and put it all together. Lucia is quite the perspicacious mother. She invited me in for a café con leche and a medialuna. As we walked through the house towards the table on the back patio, I admired the paintings and drawings that covered the walls of the house. I assumed they were Florencia’s, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that they were signed by Lucia.

I said something along the lines of “I guess I know where Florencia got her talent”, and Lucia smiled again. She had such a beautiful smile that was soft and warm like her voice. I don’t really know how to describe it really, but her voice somehow made me forget that I was in a foreign country, in a city I’ve never been to, walking through a stranger’s home, without a phone, and not yet able to communicate in full sentences in the local language. Naturally, when she said “let’s have our coffee and you can tell me how you ended up with Florencia’s notebook,” my answer was “that sounds great.”

Her English was perfect, thank goodness. Turns out Lucia lived in New York for five years when she was in her twenties. Mike, the best twist of this whole story was that the famous artist was Lucia, not Florencia. Florencia travels around the world to set up shows at galleries for her mom. The check was actually for a piece that Florencia had sold on her mom’s behalf to a gallery in Santiago. Mendoza was just a stopping point on her way back to Buenos Aires.

Lucia didn’t seem that surprised that Florencia had left her book behind in Mendoza. She told me Florencia has always been free-spirited and a little forgetful. She also didn’t seem that mad about the check being lost. “Money comes and goes,” she said, “but you have to keep your family close and keep on sharing your passions. That is what is important.”

I of course still gave her the check and the notebook. I left with an even better treasure. She took one of the paintings off the wall. It was a self-portrait. She said, “Take this and remember me. Remember to keep writing. Remember to hold your family close, whether you are in the same city as them, or traveling across the world.”

Mike, I think it's time for me to come home.

Love, Dany

P.S. Will you share this letter with Gaby, Ali, mom, and dad.

05/08/2015

Dear Gaby,

I wonder if the letter that I wrote to Mike reached you all yet. That is the tough part about snail mail, I guess.

Anyway, I am back in Mendoza now. I am sitting outside of Kato, having what will likely be my last café con leche and medialuna. Looking back at the past month or so, it kind of feels like kismet to have ended up here on my first day in Mendoza.

I’ve been writing nonstop since I left Lucia in Buenos Aires. I have finally figured out what my novel is going to be about.

I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I get home!

See you soon!

Love, Dany