Forgetting Chatwin
by niadavies
Las Plumas, Patagonia
Back in August of this year I visited Buenos Aires and Patagonia as part of my work with Wales Literature Exchange. Forgetting Chatwin was an epic journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific with four Welsh poets Richard Gwyn, Tiffany Atkinson, Karen Owen and Mererid Hopwood and a group of Chilean and Argentinian poets: Jorge Fondebrider, Jorge Aulicino, Verónica Zondek, Marina C Kohon, Ines Garland and Silvia Camerotto. I took hundreds of photographs with my brother’s wonderful camera and learnt so much about the region, its peoples, culture, literature. I wrote an account of the journey for Wales Literature Exchange and it is published alongside galleries of images of Buenos Aires and Welsh Patagonia, the Andes/Bariloche and Chile.
Then spree 
Hi Nia,
My husband is half Argentinian and Chatwin lived with my husband’s family in BA and at their estancias while he was in Argentina. As with all his writing fact and imagination were deeply entwined, some of the characters from In Patagonia are strangely familiar versions of our relatives. Chatwin also lived with my sister in law in Clunton while writing On The Back Mountain, again many familiar phrases and pulses for our family. If our paths cross at The Poetry School term launch on 9th it would be interesting to hear what you found on your journey.
All best,
Daphne
Hi Daphne, that is fascinating. I had this defamiliarising experience recently when I went to see a play that was based loosely on the family life of a friend. I recognised my friend instantly and was almost annoyed that the playwright made him go crazy at the end, even though I knew I was watching fiction, it was an uncanny feeling. I don’t tend to take travel writing at face value but I’m sure impressions do linger and colour my view of a place I have not visited. Looking forward to talking to you more about Argentina!
V. Best,
Nia