I'm home. safe and sound... it was a long trip 22 hours but relatively smooth. I've spent the last few days readjusting to life here. I'm eating on schedule and sleeping somewhat on schedule but my bladder still thinks it's morning and wakes me up at 4:30 every day. It's interesting that is the last thing to readjust.
I'm working on photos and will continue to post some of those on here.
I'm also taking suggestions on the next vacation destination...
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Final Observations...
.... It´s good to be back in Argentina, if only for a day. And to sum up the trip I thought I´d mentioned a few more things I may not yet have mentioned about argentina. In random order...
1. Singing or whistling along to music in loud tones is perfectly acceptable, whether you are walking down the street, a clerk in a store, a waitress in a restaurant and it´s ok because most people can keep a tune.
2. The preferred pick up line of all argentine men is either ¿de donde eres? if you are alone and look spanish, ¿de donde son? if you are in a group and look spanish or ¿hi, where you from? if you happen to look especially like a tourist. Best pick up line so far? "are you lonesome tonight?" I wasn´t.
3. its unlikely that you will pass a group of men as a group of women without receiving at least 3 compliments. they leave you alone a bit more if you are solo but I still was told I was beautiful 3 times and asked where I was from 2 in a 20 minute walk to the plaza today. Still, its never an uncomfortable sort of attention, I never feel threatened.
4. At night the corteneros come out in full force, BAs poor who sort through the trash looking for recyclables to sell. They pull large carts of cardboard, aluminum and glass. The post crash poverty in BA isn´t in your face but you don´t have to look too hard to see it. And the longer I am here the more apparent it is. But its not a desperate sort of poverty. You never get solicited for money without getting something in return. even if it is just a token kids valentine.
5. I passed the same street dog 6 times today walking around San telmo. Those dogs can really make it around. (by the way I saw it almost get hit by a car 3 of the 6 times I saw it).
6. Lanes on the roads are really more of a suggestion than a rule, and same goes for the center dividing line.
7. I´ve finally figured out that the helado shop on the corner near my hostel that never seems to be open just is closed during the day but opens at 7:30 at night. Their dulce de leche with chocolate chip is fantastic.
8. I don´t think I can eat much more meat, white bread or cheese and plan a all fresh vegetable cleansing diet as soon as I hit the states.
Well, I´m off to dinner with Mercedes in Palermo. My last night in BA. Then tomorrow I am hoping to finally make it to the one sight I really wanted to see here in BA, MALBA. I tried to go on Monday but the upstairs was closed, their new exhibit starts tomorrow. Then I´m leaving on a get plane. Back home to the rain and a fading tan.
1. Singing or whistling along to music in loud tones is perfectly acceptable, whether you are walking down the street, a clerk in a store, a waitress in a restaurant and it´s ok because most people can keep a tune.
2. The preferred pick up line of all argentine men is either ¿de donde eres? if you are alone and look spanish, ¿de donde son? if you are in a group and look spanish or ¿hi, where you from? if you happen to look especially like a tourist. Best pick up line so far? "are you lonesome tonight?" I wasn´t.
3. its unlikely that you will pass a group of men as a group of women without receiving at least 3 compliments. they leave you alone a bit more if you are solo but I still was told I was beautiful 3 times and asked where I was from 2 in a 20 minute walk to the plaza today. Still, its never an uncomfortable sort of attention, I never feel threatened.
4. At night the corteneros come out in full force, BAs poor who sort through the trash looking for recyclables to sell. They pull large carts of cardboard, aluminum and glass. The post crash poverty in BA isn´t in your face but you don´t have to look too hard to see it. And the longer I am here the more apparent it is. But its not a desperate sort of poverty. You never get solicited for money without getting something in return. even if it is just a token kids valentine.
5. I passed the same street dog 6 times today walking around San telmo. Those dogs can really make it around. (by the way I saw it almost get hit by a car 3 of the 6 times I saw it).
6. Lanes on the roads are really more of a suggestion than a rule, and same goes for the center dividing line.
7. I´ve finally figured out that the helado shop on the corner near my hostel that never seems to be open just is closed during the day but opens at 7:30 at night. Their dulce de leche with chocolate chip is fantastic.
8. I don´t think I can eat much more meat, white bread or cheese and plan a all fresh vegetable cleansing diet as soon as I hit the states.
Well, I´m off to dinner with Mercedes in Palermo. My last night in BA. Then tomorrow I am hoping to finally make it to the one sight I really wanted to see here in BA, MALBA. I tried to go on Monday but the upstairs was closed, their new exhibit starts tomorrow. Then I´m leaving on a get plane. Back home to the rain and a fading tan.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Uruguay...
... it sounds so exotic doesn't it? In reality its only a 50 minute catamaran ride from BA but on choppy seas mind you so it felt like more.
Otherwise it doesn't feel that different, the money is different although you have your choice to pay in pesos uruguanos, pesos argentinos, o dollares estados unidos (they're very accomodating). Prices are harder to comprehend, instead of dividing by three you have to divide by 20, it should be easier but its harder. I paid $200 pesos for breakfast, and just about died, til I realized it was only $10. Still, a bit expensive but i was sitting at a table on the beach so what can you expect.
I did note that the coffee here is not as good, but the wine seems to be ok.
The weather has been ideal-- 80 and sunny with a pleasant breeze to keep away the bugs. I'm already on page 50 of my 200 page book I hope it lasts through tomorrow because the only english books available appear to be trashy romance novels... although, if you can't read a trashy romance novel on a somewhat dirty beach in uruguay where can you read one?
My hostel is very quiet and that's good because its giving me some good isolation and alone time to process my trip. And frankly after 21 days its nice to have my own bathroom and bed, even if a street dog has made my stoop his favorite napping place. The Hostel is really more of a guest house, complete with grandma sitting at the kitchen table. The english spoken is minimal and frankly i'm pretty proud of myself that the language hasn't really been an issue. My survival spanish has gotten downright impressive. We did have a bit of confusion about the word for trash an though, there aren't any anywhere, weird. Unfortunately I have now forgotten what she told me the name was and so we may have to repeat the exchange tomorrow.
So yeah, uruguay, its warm, its quiet, its cheap, its exactly what I need before going home.
Otherwise it doesn't feel that different, the money is different although you have your choice to pay in pesos uruguanos, pesos argentinos, o dollares estados unidos (they're very accomodating). Prices are harder to comprehend, instead of dividing by three you have to divide by 20, it should be easier but its harder. I paid $200 pesos for breakfast, and just about died, til I realized it was only $10. Still, a bit expensive but i was sitting at a table on the beach so what can you expect.
I did note that the coffee here is not as good, but the wine seems to be ok.
The weather has been ideal-- 80 and sunny with a pleasant breeze to keep away the bugs. I'm already on page 50 of my 200 page book I hope it lasts through tomorrow because the only english books available appear to be trashy romance novels... although, if you can't read a trashy romance novel on a somewhat dirty beach in uruguay where can you read one?
My hostel is very quiet and that's good because its giving me some good isolation and alone time to process my trip. And frankly after 21 days its nice to have my own bathroom and bed, even if a street dog has made my stoop his favorite napping place. The Hostel is really more of a guest house, complete with grandma sitting at the kitchen table. The english spoken is minimal and frankly i'm pretty proud of myself that the language hasn't really been an issue. My survival spanish has gotten downright impressive. We did have a bit of confusion about the word for trash an though, there aren't any anywhere, weird. Unfortunately I have now forgotten what she told me the name was and so we may have to repeat the exchange tomorrow.
So yeah, uruguay, its warm, its quiet, its cheap, its exactly what I need before going home.
Monday, March 24, 2008
just cause jodi asked...
A picture of a penquin.... you´ll have to wait for more, I´m off to Colonia tomorrow... Hola Uruguay!
El Chalten Photos 2
A Few more photos of El Chalten....
Sunrise on Fitz Roy
Lunch at Lago Torre
Bathroom near Lago Torre
The trail back down to town
Town
Sunrise on Fitz Roy
Lunch at Lago Torre
Bathroom near Lago Torre
The trail back down to town
Town
The kindness of strangers
I´ve mentioned before how friendly the argentine people are. They´ll bend over backwards for you to make sure you get what you need.
Something that happened yesterday really demonstrates this. Sarah and I were leaving the hostel, on our way down the street and a man was walking behind us. I stepped aside to let him pass and he said to me "Pardon me, the label" and pointed to the back of my shirt. Sure enough my smartwool tag was outside of my shirt. He stopped me to tell me, in english, my tag was showing. Amazing.
Something that happened yesterday really demonstrates this. Sarah and I were leaving the hostel, on our way down the street and a man was walking behind us. I stepped aside to let him pass and he said to me "Pardon me, the label" and pointed to the back of my shirt. Sure enough my smartwool tag was outside of my shirt. He stopped me to tell me, in english, my tag was showing. Amazing.
Tango in Telmo
This city has such a thriving cultural scene it astounds me.
I spent most of the day yesterday wandering through the San telmo market which put our sunday markets to shame. It was over a mile of artisan stalls that culminated at Plaza Dorego which was a slew of antique stalls. Old Seltzer Bottles, chain purses, I really felt that if you knew what you were looking for you could get some good finds. And interspersed through it all was Tango. Tango Music, Tango Dance. Entire orchestras would set up. A group of 10 with 4 violins, 4 accordians, an upright base and a piano! was not uncommon. They were street performers for sure but you got the feeling that they were there mostly because they loved playing for the crowds.
At the end of the line (near my hostel at Parque Lezama) I stopped for a coffee in the bar there and it really struck me how much of a cafe scene there is here, how much of an artist here and suddenly the title "the paris of south america" made sense to me. I´ve never been to Paris, but I imagine it has some real similarities to here but BA definitely has its own flair. Funky style by local designers, tango electronica (i bought a cd called "tanghetto--Buenos Aires Remixed"), really cool art and original music. The arts scene is so alive here its palpable.
I spent most of the day yesterday wandering through the San telmo market which put our sunday markets to shame. It was over a mile of artisan stalls that culminated at Plaza Dorego which was a slew of antique stalls. Old Seltzer Bottles, chain purses, I really felt that if you knew what you were looking for you could get some good finds. And interspersed through it all was Tango. Tango Music, Tango Dance. Entire orchestras would set up. A group of 10 with 4 violins, 4 accordians, an upright base and a piano! was not uncommon. They were street performers for sure but you got the feeling that they were there mostly because they loved playing for the crowds.
At the end of the line (near my hostel at Parque Lezama) I stopped for a coffee in the bar there and it really struck me how much of a cafe scene there is here, how much of an artist here and suddenly the title "the paris of south america" made sense to me. I´ve never been to Paris, but I imagine it has some real similarities to here but BA definitely has its own flair. Funky style by local designers, tango electronica (i bought a cd called "tanghetto--Buenos Aires Remixed"), really cool art and original music. The arts scene is so alive here its palpable.
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