ICONOCLAST

I've alway been fascinated by Che Guevara, ever since i stumbled across an old picture of my father,wearing the iconic Che T-shirt during his student years. I never understood what it represented but visually, it looked cool. So started wearing them as well.
It was only later when i had to do research on him, reading his biographies,papers and articles,that i finally understood what he was fighting for. It made quite an impact on me.
However, the thing that got me really inspired was his travel journal; The motorcycle diaries.

This is the diary of Ernesto Guevara ,then an Argentine medical student, as he traveled around South America he only knew from books, with his friend Alberto Granado using a motorcycle. 
Leaving from Argentina, crossing the Andes to the other side in Chile, then heading up to Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. Along the way, Che experiences several facets of life in South America that later on shapes his revolutionary outlook in life.

I was quite familiar with the places that were mentioned in the book. Reading about Che's impressions of Cuzco made me nostalgic about the place. In fact, the reason why i made the journey to begin with was because of this book! Unlike most travel journey,The motorcycle Diaries focus more on the scenery, the local culture and intimate encounters with indigenous people ,listening to their stories and strife.
He witnessed the social injustices of exploited mine workers, persecuted communists, ostracized lepers, and the tattered descendants of a once-great Incan civilization. A middle-class rather affluent background, and here he was, faced with the grim realities of South America.
This gradually molds his thinking into Marxism.It marked the beginning of a revolutionary.
 
I really appreciated the gradual mental change that was reflected in Che's writing.It gave me access to the mind of one significant character in history.