The hotel gave us breakfast for two, not three. Fortunately, Sara is not much of a breakfast eater, and the front desk was ready to send up extra orange juice. My suitcase was due to arrive at the hotel, but I would doubtless be gone by then. ¨Queda tranquila¨ was a phrase I heard many times that day, meaning stay calm. I was dropped off at a nice apartment building where I met the mother of my host mom. She was a very affectionate old lady, and after seafeplacing the stuff I had been carrying around with much trepidation for the last three days (I don´t trust the hotel safe), Susana came with me to a placed called Cafe Van Gogh, and the ambiance was very hipster. Would that more such places existed where I live, and less expensive ones. I washed down half a veggie omelette soaking in cream sauce with a mate cocido and complimentary alfajorcitos, or mini alfajores, or shortbread cookies with dulce de leche. I had to bounce then, as I needed to be at UB for the grand tour, and I left after paying and having Susana agree to take home my leftovers.
My - i.e., Sara´s, pants swept the streets that I walked, and I was devoutly thankful for the absence of dog shit. UB is on a street named Zabala, and it´s something like Embassy Row in Dupont Circle. It´s right across from the Australian Embassy, and close to the Turkish one.
Alejandro, our Venezuelan guide of sorts, came with me via subte - short for subterraneano or something, meaning underground - back to the hotel. I was mildly amused by his admonition not to put my card through the slot but to touch it to the surface - I´ve been using a SmarTrip card for years. It turned out to be a moot point anyway, as the guards let everyone through the gates. Alejandro explained that this always happens during rush hour. I too would want to get that many tired, disgruntled yuppies out of my sight, wouldn´t you?
It was stuffy there, despite the chill outside. I got my suitcase into a taxi and rode back to my homestay for 8 pesos, and Alejandro saw me off.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Wednesday, 2 July, 2008, part 3
Back at the hotel, I signed up for a breakfast for three people (another girl, Sara, had arrived on the 2nd because her flight got massively delayed, and she was placed with Brenda and me) at 8 a.m. I slept in only underwear for another night, but the next morning, at least I´d have Sara´s velour sweatpants to replace my now filthy, probably laden with dog excrement, cargoes. I slept marginally better, surprisingly free of the digestive issues I invariably get after eating Mexican dinners in the States. My meal had been very spicy indeed (nothing a true Indian can´t handle), but it wasn´t refried or reeking of cheese. That was probably it.
Wednesday, 2 July, 2008, continued
The group then took a tour of the cemetery in Recoleta, searching desperately for Evita´s grave. We gave up the search due to the cold and the fact that we were scheduled to spend the whole day there in a few days time. We warmed up with warm, sweet peanuts from the street vendor. I believe it´s the only think, besides chestnuts, that you should buy on the street. Oh, that and kettle corn.
Our final destination was the Universidad de Belgrano (from here on out, UB), where we went over the rules.
1. Stay dry at GMU events.
2. Don´t be reason number 328 that the rest of the world hates the USA.
Dinner afterward was not a GMU event even though Profesora Julia came with a bunch of us to a new Mexican restaurant named Frida Kahlo, whose namesake graced every square inch of the place. And so I could finally have alcohol. I split a bottle of Argentine red wine with two other people, and the bottle cost around 30 pesos. The wine was fantastic. After paying my tab, it dawned on me that just because luxury in Argentina is inexpensive in relative terms, it doesn´t mean it´s inexpensive in absolute terms. I was already down upwards of 50 pesos, not including the 300 I spent at Give Me Many Kisses, and it hadn´t been two days.
Our final destination was the Universidad de Belgrano (from here on out, UB), where we went over the rules.
1. Stay dry at GMU events.
2. Don´t be reason number 328 that the rest of the world hates the USA.
Dinner afterward was not a GMU event even though Profesora Julia came with a bunch of us to a new Mexican restaurant named Frida Kahlo, whose namesake graced every square inch of the place. And so I could finally have alcohol. I split a bottle of Argentine red wine with two other people, and the bottle cost around 30 pesos. The wine was fantastic. After paying my tab, it dawned on me that just because luxury in Argentina is inexpensive in relative terms, it doesn´t mean it´s inexpensive in absolute terms. I was already down upwards of 50 pesos, not including the 300 I spent at Give Me Many Kisses, and it hadn´t been two days.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
finally!
At noon yesterday, we left for Dulles airport. I checked in, exchanged some dollars for pesos for free with my ISIC (after sticking to my guns that the card entitles you to free currency exchange), kicking myself for not doing it last month when the dollar was relatively strong, went through security, the works.
I think I know now why the three-legged flight was the cheapest - the original itinerary was from Dulles to Raleigh by United, Raleigh to Miami by American and Miami to Buenos Aires by LAN Argentina. Well the Raleigh flight went to shit. After several delays, we got on, then got told it´s deboarding. I panicked, and went to the United counter to see what my options were, as there was not a snowball´s chance in hell that I could catch the Miami to Buenos Aires leg.
United told me it´s down to LAN. LAN Argentina was useless, they told me they can´t do a thing. Meanwhile, Mom called United and got me a flight for the night of the 1st, which was the best I could hope for. I then went for my bag, which never showed up, and then Mom called me once more to tell me she had gotten me reissued for a non-stop the night of the 30th, and now here I am. Until I got that last phone call, I was dejectedly standing in line, vowing to make myself a stiff drink when I got home, but at least things worked out. And the parents and brother came once more to the airport to see me off, and Mom broached the subject of appreciating one´s luck.
me: Yeah, every time God closes a door, he opens a window.
mom: In your case, He closed a window and opened a door.
me: It´s like losing a knut and finding a galleon!
bro: I´d rather lose a galleon than a nut.
Anyway, went through security once more and was assured that I needn´t worry about my checked in bag. I met with the about half my GMU group, lucky me. We boarded, the flight was all right except for a few delays and some turbulence. But it just wouldn´t end, I do believe it´s the longest flight I´ve ever sat through. I had a fitful night of uncomfortable sleep, and finally we landed. And I found out my bag is in Raleigh. Luckily, it should arrive tomorrow morning. All My pajamas were in my suitcase though, I guess I´ll sleep pantless tonight. Anyway, our group leader, Alejandro, is nice. He assured us we can address him as familiarly as we wish, as long as it´s not a bad word.
I felt like a proper Argentine, though I really shouldn´t, when I ordered a mate in the Ezeiza airport cafe. It was a bit like yuppies in the US trying to be authentically Indian, ordering the chai lattes in Starbucks. Even so.
It´s colder than I thought here, my hoodie was barely enough, but I was still amused by the site of Argentines all bundled up with hats and scarves and mittens. The hot cocoa I ordered at the airport immediatley following the mate, as I needed to keep warm, was interesting. They gave me this bar of chocolate and a cup of foaming plain milk. I was to stick the chocolate in the milk myself. It was tasty, and I talked to the barrista and this other lady working there in my broken, but relatively unaccented, Spanish. They don´t call it español, they call it castellano, and they pronounce that ¨casteshano¨.
The drive to the hotel reminded me irresistably of the streets of India. And that has a charm of its own, except I had repeatedly told the parents and other members of the Indian community here that Buenos Aires is comparable to any European or North American wealthy city. Oops. I took a few pictures of things, and I´ll post them once I´m home.
So now, I wait for my bag. This is still nothing compared to Neha´s experiences in India.
Adios, mundo.
I think I know now why the three-legged flight was the cheapest - the original itinerary was from Dulles to Raleigh by United, Raleigh to Miami by American and Miami to Buenos Aires by LAN Argentina. Well the Raleigh flight went to shit. After several delays, we got on, then got told it´s deboarding. I panicked, and went to the United counter to see what my options were, as there was not a snowball´s chance in hell that I could catch the Miami to Buenos Aires leg.
United told me it´s down to LAN. LAN Argentina was useless, they told me they can´t do a thing. Meanwhile, Mom called United and got me a flight for the night of the 1st, which was the best I could hope for. I then went for my bag, which never showed up, and then Mom called me once more to tell me she had gotten me reissued for a non-stop the night of the 30th, and now here I am. Until I got that last phone call, I was dejectedly standing in line, vowing to make myself a stiff drink when I got home, but at least things worked out. And the parents and brother came once more to the airport to see me off, and Mom broached the subject of appreciating one´s luck.
me: Yeah, every time God closes a door, he opens a window.
mom: In your case, He closed a window and opened a door.
me: It´s like losing a knut and finding a galleon!
bro: I´d rather lose a galleon than a nut.
Anyway, went through security once more and was assured that I needn´t worry about my checked in bag. I met with the about half my GMU group, lucky me. We boarded, the flight was all right except for a few delays and some turbulence. But it just wouldn´t end, I do believe it´s the longest flight I´ve ever sat through. I had a fitful night of uncomfortable sleep, and finally we landed. And I found out my bag is in Raleigh. Luckily, it should arrive tomorrow morning. All My pajamas were in my suitcase though, I guess I´ll sleep pantless tonight. Anyway, our group leader, Alejandro, is nice. He assured us we can address him as familiarly as we wish, as long as it´s not a bad word.
I felt like a proper Argentine, though I really shouldn´t, when I ordered a mate in the Ezeiza airport cafe. It was a bit like yuppies in the US trying to be authentically Indian, ordering the chai lattes in Starbucks. Even so.
It´s colder than I thought here, my hoodie was barely enough, but I was still amused by the site of Argentines all bundled up with hats and scarves and mittens. The hot cocoa I ordered at the airport immediatley following the mate, as I needed to keep warm, was interesting. They gave me this bar of chocolate and a cup of foaming plain milk. I was to stick the chocolate in the milk myself. It was tasty, and I talked to the barrista and this other lady working there in my broken, but relatively unaccented, Spanish. They don´t call it español, they call it castellano, and they pronounce that ¨casteshano¨.
The drive to the hotel reminded me irresistably of the streets of India. And that has a charm of its own, except I had repeatedly told the parents and other members of the Indian community here that Buenos Aires is comparable to any European or North American wealthy city. Oops. I took a few pictures of things, and I´ll post them once I´m home.
So now, I wait for my bag. This is still nothing compared to Neha´s experiences in India.
Adios, mundo.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
farmer's strike and other news
In today's Washington Post, I read that Argentina farmer's have gone on strike for the third time since March this year. Can't find a link online, it was in the World in Brief section. I wonder if that will affect my trip.
And from the looks of it, they're becoming sensible on drugs. Wish the US would follow suit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/06/AR2008060604154.html
And from the looks of it, they're becoming sensible on drugs. Wish the US would follow suit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/06/AR2008060604154.html
Thursday, June 12, 2008
more pre-trip things
Finished Eva Peron's biography. Now reading some Jorge Luis Borges. It's really hot here, I can't wait to escape.
Still need bug spray.
And need to convert dollars to Argentine pesos, and can't decide if I'll get more doing that now or later.
Still need bug spray.
And need to convert dollars to Argentine pesos, and can't decide if I'll get more doing that now or later.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
correction on Iguazu Falls
Turns out it's not one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is, however, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it's still awesome. The fun begins in t minus 27 days.
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