Uruguay

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Playa en la costa del Río de la Plata. Riachuelo, Uruguay: photo by Diego Landru, September 2010

An absurdly ponderous prehistoric bird that could not get off the ground and has stuck fast in the sand to rust without a cry observes us from its helpless distance. The darkened eye-slots, like those in Darth Vader's mask, or in the helmet of an Aztec ballplayer, gape blankly. The mortal combat has ended, all that remains is to wait with motionless wings for the waves to wash in upon the beach, bringing what they may bring, leaving what they may leave, and to be gradually immersed in it all.

Playa en la costa del Río de la Plata. Riachuelo, Uruguay: photo by Diego Landru, September 2010

es probable que nunca haya respuesta
pero igual seguiremos preguntando
¿qué es por ventura el mar?
¿por qué fascina el mar? ¿qué significa
ese enigma que queda
más acá y más allá del horizonte?

-- El Mar (excerpt): Mario Benedetti (1920-2009)

Photography by Diego Landro, 12 September 2010, across the Río de la Plata, on the outskirts of Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay: via Meliora Latent (with thanks to Julia)