The Lash of St. Francis (October 4th)

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows"

― St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis and the legendary wolf of Gubbio.

For the past two weeks I’ve been looking for some information about the Lash of St. Francis (Cordonazo de San Francisco in Spanish). Everything related to this atmospheric event is more or less the same, although there are some differences in explanations when reading posts in Spanish and in English. Let’s start explaining first what the Lash of St. Francis is and also who St. Francis was, so I can give you not only the scientific explanation found in English posts, but also the superstitious beliefs (found in the Spanish posts) of this storm.

The Lash of St. Francis indicates the end of wet season, which occurs by the autumnal equinox. It brings strong winds, heavy rain, thunders and lightning bolts. It happens suddenly and can last for some hours. The countries affected by these storms are Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Mexico. The scientific explanation says that the first week of October there is a major occurrence of sunbeams over the planet’s surface, forming clouds of vertical growing (Cumulunimbus) that cause the thunderstorm.

Saint Francis of Assisi is the protector of animals and environment according to Catholic Church. His feast day is commemorated on October 4th each year.  This day, animals receive blessings in ceremonies held by priests in open spaces as parks and squares. It is very traditional and people bring their pets to get a spray of blessed water.

Now the superstitious explanations (which I prefer more) for the Lash of Saint Francis, several versions try to explain its origin. These are:

• St. Francis wants to play with the clouds, so he hits them with his cord/belt to get rid of their water, producing lots of rain, lightning and thunders.

• Another version says that St. Francis is the water administrator in this planet, something like a water manager. Tired of working with water and being wet all the time, he decides to rest until the next rainy season, so he unties his cord on 4^th of October and shake his habit until the last drop falls over the earth.

• It’s also said that by the time St. Francis was alive, the devil appeared to him in several occasions to hurt the Saint. What St. Francis used to do to get rid of him was to lash the devil with his cord, which caused big storms, thunders and lightning flashes that made the devil run to hell.

These are the versions I heard in Venezuela about the origin of this storm, and I found these same explanations are common among the countries that experience the Lash of St. Francis, which generally happens the first week of October, not exactly the 4th, but it can happen this day of course.

The Lash of St. Francis over Caracas, Venezuela. Source: Noticias24.

Uruguay, nice to meet you!

Tourists usually go to Uruguay as an option after visiting Argentina. However, this small country is a very nice place to visit, not only for a short weekend from Buenos Aires, but also for at least one week in order to understand better the kindness of their inhabitants and enjoy the delicious food offered in the once considered the Switzerland of South America.

How to get to Uruguay

If you’re not in Buenos Aires, you can arrive there by plane to the Aeropuerto de Carrasco in Montevideo, the capital city. Once there, you can take a bus or the airport shuttle that leaves you in Tres Cruces Terminal and also near the beach areas. Tres Cruces is a bus station that connects Montevideo with the rest of the country. More information on schedules at http://www.trescruces.com.uy/ (Spanish)

The airport shuttle is a good choice if you’re carrying heavy luggage. However, there are some pros and cons for each transport option:

Omnibus: It’s fine when traveling as a backpacker. The price is really cheap, around 3$ or even less. Frequency: every 15 minutes.

Airport shuttle: Good if you carry heavy luggage. Capacity: 12 persons. Price is higher of course, around 12$. As a disadvantage, these buses leave the airport with 5 passengers as a minimum, so be patient.

Taxis: These are first class Mercedes Benz. Disadvantage: the price, the minimum fare is around 60$. You can pay in cash or credit card directly in their office at the airport.

If you’re in Buenos Aires, take the ferry, there are several companies. They leave from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento or Punta del Este, crossing Rio de la Plata, and later the company takes you in a bus to Tres Cruces Terminal in Montevideo. There are several options for the price, depending on the day and class.

There is also an option by bus from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Check here http://www.ttl.com.br/produtos-e-servicos/precos-horarios/ (Portuguese)

Where to start

You can start your trip in Montevideo, Punta del Este or Colonia del Sacramento. It depends on how you get to Uruguay whether by plane, by bus or by ship.

Montevideo the capital city. There are many things to see. Let’s start with Ciudad Vieja, the most touristic side of the city, with nighclubs and the Mercado del Puerto. Visit Plaza Independencia (Independence Square), Palacio Salvo (Salvo Palace), Puerta de la Ciudadela (Gateway of the Citadel), Teatro Solís (Solís Theater), Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral) and Plaza Constitución (Constitution Square). Walk along Avenida 18 de julio, main avenue of the city, with many things to enjoy in all its length, one of them is Fuente de los Candados (Locks Fountain), where lovers leave locks since the legend says: “…if a lock with the initials of two people in love is placed in it, they will return together to the fountain and their love will be forever locked…”

Fuente de los Candados (Locks Fountain)

Out of Ciudad Vieja, visit Legislative Palace, also Pocitos and Parque Rodó, where different activities and events are held every weekend. Don’t forget to walk along the ramblas and enjoy the beaches of Río de la Plata, where Pocitos is considered one of the best.

There is not subway in Montevideo, the best and cheapest way to know Montevideo is either by foot or by bus.

Casapueblo, Punta Ballena.

Punta del Este is a great place to visit. It’s the South American version of Miami Beach with its casinos, shops, beautiful buildings and beaches. The coastline has the Atlantic Ocean view by one side and Rio de Plata by the other side. Remember the summer season starts from December and ends around March. Don’t forget to visit Casapueblo, a hotel in Punta Ballena, it’s a must. There is an art gallery inside that you can visit without being guest in the hotel. Hours to/from Montevideo: 2 hours by bus. Good for a day trip.

Colonia del Sacramento is a small town from which you can see Buenos Aires in the distance in sunny days. I especially like these typical colonial towns, with cobblestone streets, very picturesque, so romantic at the same time. Hours to/from Montevideo: 3 hours by bus. Good also for a day trip.

Colonia del Sacramento.

These are some highlights because there is much more to see. Uruguayans are very friendly, always willing to help, lovers of great food and good beers.

What to eat

Barbecue, Chivito and beer. What is “chivito”? Chivito in Spanish can be translated into English as kid-goat, so when you say “chivito” any Spanish speaker would think of an animal. However, if you were Uruguayan, a different image will appear in your head, something similar to a hamburger or maybe a sandwich containing a steak, bacon, egg, ham, mozzarella, tomato, lettuce, mayonnaise and much more if you wish, like olives and mushrooms.

Chivito al plato.

The world famous Uruguayan “asado de tira”, which is a delicious, grilled rib eaten with sausages (chorizos). A good place to enjoy a barbecue is in Mercado del Puerto in Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo. "Matambre" also is worth a try, very typical from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, it’s a rolled beef roast that is filled with boiled eggs and vegetables.

Mercado del Puerto.

There are different kinds of beers, although preferences are for Patricio and Pilsen. Uruguayans are also well-known for drinking Yerba mate infusion, even for breakfast. It's curious to see people in the streets walking and drinking mate. It's the equivalent of coffee or tea for us. Moreover, Uruguay is finally the first country that legalizes the grow, sell and consume of cannabis. Be sure to ask first if you can freely smoke marihuana in the streets. 

Everything said in this post is not enough to describe Uruguay. There are more places to visit, food to try, beaches to enjoy and people to meet.