Yeah well the puke story wasn’t exactly that way, but I don’t want to stick to small details…but as you already noticed this city is a craze and not only in our imagination!
From the burst of mayonnaise (Plaza de Mayo), over very mean grandmas, to “ah me naked” (a menudo). I have the feeling that this was just the beginning of weird stories. Nevertheless I will never understand why Argentineans are so keen on standing in queues, why they always lust for disorganization and mayhem and why bizarre red things are dancing tango in the street. Here you can witness the transformation of a harmless bug into a dangerous bloodsucking cockroach, Mozzarella turns into Muzarella and that’s not only a typing mistake but the whole cheese gets lost in translation. Taxi drivers fall asleep at every red light or simply enjoy an extra ride around the block just to flirt a little bit longer with us (and to make us pay more, of course). Barkeepers are gay, though so fucking sexy. Stairs are there to step on someone else’s drink (mine) (note to Ariane: not to fall down) and sometimes, somehow you find yourself caught in Alfred Hitchkock’s (or Hitchcock … poor guy) “Birds” but whatever happens, there’s always a cute (Italian) guy to rescue us…so it’s simply “hhrrreniallll”!
Do you understand what I mean? … Well, to be continued…
Sandra
Monday 28 January 2008
Sunday 27 January 2008
Sandra in Buenos Aires
Hey there,
Here a few words, just to fill you in on the present situation. Last Monday Sandra arrived in BA and scored! Saturday at 6 am in the taxi, she turned around, smiled at me drunkenly and croaked: “VENI, VIDI, VINCI” Translation for all of you: She came, saw, and puked…on my foot! Yewwww!!!!!
Well, nevertheless it was worth it and we had a great “silly-face-making-night” (see pics for all of you who have facebook)
Of course, we already had some adventures…honestly, it would be weird if we hadn’t!
First day of her staying, I decided it would be cool to introduce her to the taste of the argentine cuisine. We hailed the bus (yes you have to hail them) got in, paid the ticket and the bus broke down. Welcome to Argentina!!!
Now, how do I explain in Spanish, to the next bus driver, that we don’t wanna pay again, because it was not our fault that the other buses tyre exploded? I mumbled something, incomprehensible and, por suerte, it worked.
Speaking of my Spanish, it all goes quite well, I don’t need to get drunk anymore to speak. But unfortunately, sometimes, I still mess it up. For example, last night at the very fancy restaurant (the one with the cat, where I celebrated my birthday…remember?) I got a bit confused when the very good looking barman turned around and asked me with a big white smile what I wanted to drink.
Honestly, I was just trying to show off with my Spanish and I ended up blabbering with a perfect French accent “Tenes la carta por las tragos?” (correct sentence : “Tenes la carta PARA LOS tragos, por favor”). The guy just looked at me in surprise and started to laugh at me so hard that Cécile and Sandra joined in…hmmmm, I really loooove those moments!
Sandra, on her side, is overwhelmed by the Argentine way of standing in lines. Here, you stand in a line for everything, for the bus, for the train, for the lavatory, etc…And the lines are massive.
Man, I am speaking of a town of 12 million inhabitants…so, just imagine all those people queuing up for everything. Last time we went to the train station and there was the most impressive queue I ever saw. People where lining up, with their suitcases for hundreds and hundreds of metres. So, as we, the two girls from small-town Luxembourg, were veeery impressed, we started walking along that queue to track down its beginning. For what the hell were all those people standing there during hours? Well, what we discovered was beyond every belief, the darkest secret of Buenos Aires. They queued up for…NOTHING. The queue just stopped!!! And again, welcome to Argentina…you definitely have to visit me ;)
Meanwhile, we are having a great blast working on a “Spanish-Luxembourgish-weird-expression-dictionnairy”, that I certainly will continue with Fred (gell, du!!?!!)
So, we still have some fish to fry if we wanna have a few hundred pages.
Cheers and big sweaty hugs
S. & A.
Here a few words, just to fill you in on the present situation. Last Monday Sandra arrived in BA and scored! Saturday at 6 am in the taxi, she turned around, smiled at me drunkenly and croaked: “VENI, VIDI, VINCI” Translation for all of you: She came, saw, and puked…on my foot! Yewwww!!!!!
Well, nevertheless it was worth it and we had a great “silly-face-making-night” (see pics for all of you who have facebook)
Of course, we already had some adventures…honestly, it would be weird if we hadn’t!
First day of her staying, I decided it would be cool to introduce her to the taste of the argentine cuisine. We hailed the bus (yes you have to hail them) got in, paid the ticket and the bus broke down. Welcome to Argentina!!!
Now, how do I explain in Spanish, to the next bus driver, that we don’t wanna pay again, because it was not our fault that the other buses tyre exploded? I mumbled something, incomprehensible and, por suerte, it worked.
Speaking of my Spanish, it all goes quite well, I don’t need to get drunk anymore to speak. But unfortunately, sometimes, I still mess it up. For example, last night at the very fancy restaurant (the one with the cat, where I celebrated my birthday…remember?) I got a bit confused when the very good looking barman turned around and asked me with a big white smile what I wanted to drink.
Honestly, I was just trying to show off with my Spanish and I ended up blabbering with a perfect French accent “Tenes la carta por las tragos?” (correct sentence : “Tenes la carta PARA LOS tragos, por favor”). The guy just looked at me in surprise and started to laugh at me so hard that Cécile and Sandra joined in…hmmmm, I really loooove those moments!
Sandra, on her side, is overwhelmed by the Argentine way of standing in lines. Here, you stand in a line for everything, for the bus, for the train, for the lavatory, etc…And the lines are massive.
Man, I am speaking of a town of 12 million inhabitants…so, just imagine all those people queuing up for everything. Last time we went to the train station and there was the most impressive queue I ever saw. People where lining up, with their suitcases for hundreds and hundreds of metres. So, as we, the two girls from small-town Luxembourg, were veeery impressed, we started walking along that queue to track down its beginning. For what the hell were all those people standing there during hours? Well, what we discovered was beyond every belief, the darkest secret of Buenos Aires. They queued up for…NOTHING. The queue just stopped!!! And again, welcome to Argentina…you definitely have to visit me ;)
Meanwhile, we are having a great blast working on a “Spanish-Luxembourgish-weird-expression-dictionnairy”, that I certainly will continue with Fred (gell, du!!?!!)
So, we still have some fish to fry if we wanna have a few hundred pages.
Cheers and big sweaty hugs
S. & A.
Monday 7 January 2008
Feliz 2008
Happy New Year to all of you, I hope you all had a great start of 2008.
On my side, I am beginning school again 2day and am just about to recover from a great 2-week holiday with loads of action and laughter.
But did I really have a good start of the New Year? Well, for those who know me quite well, you can be sure that I have some weird things that happened to me…of course!!!!
As it is impossible to write every thing down on this blog, because of the length of the text and because some of the things are simply not writable I just decided to make a list.
So, here we go: Note to myself for a better start of next year:
- Never try to ask a taxi driver for a discount, even when you are totally broke. It could be that you’ll find yourself sitting on the floor of the car (cause apparently the seats have sensors) which is driven by a crazy Russian “taxista”, who thinks that the speed limit in a city is 120 km/h. And all this, just to save 3 pesos.
- Never hail a cab without change, because if the taxi driver is not able to change your 50 pesos, he gets reaaaally mad…oh,yes.
- And for those who thought it was not possible to fall up the stairs…well, you are wrong. “Ariane Superstair” just did it. In one go, I managed to fall two times the way up. And this time I really just had been drinking water.But don’t worry, I didn’t break anything else than the heel of my shoe.
- The expression, “Not today, honey. I have a headache”, is so NOT COOL. This is a note for all the girls … AND the guys!!!!!!! (Please, contact me for in-depth information on that matter, if you’d like ;))
- Before travelling to a destination and spending 14 hours in a bus, consult the weather at that location, you might not be prepared for a Russian winter after a subtropical summer. The south of Argentina is quite near to the Antarctic.And the way back to BA is long and boring.
- Always put on sunscreen, even if you think, you are already tanned. It is quite painful and embarrassing to be at a New Year’s Eve party with half of the face in violet and half of it peeling like mad.
- A guy who never calls is better than a guy who doesn’t know when to stop.
- The saying “it’s not where you are, but with whom you are that counts”, is not always true. Alcohol and fatigue can put a quick ending to any good conversation and or kinky situation…ah, yes…and of course that fucking headache as well.
- Guys are soooo complicated. And yes,Fred, you too!
- Never believe an Israeli who tells you, that Israel is smaller than Luxembourg (he is wrong!!!!)
- Never believe an Argentinean (they are always wrong!)
- If you are able to say three times in a row: “Jugo de naranja, jugo de naranja, jugo de naranja” with the right accent, means that your Spanish is perfect.
I am not even able to do that one time correctly.
- Crocodiles, that eat apples don't exist. (note for cecile)
Yes, yes. Some weird stories for 6 very weird days. This is the craze of Argentina. I think it’s been a long time since I laughed that much; and I somehow have the feeling that there is more to come. I am slightly nervous.
I leave you all here, with this condensed version of my first days of 2008.
The general feeling at the moment: a mix of happiness, embarrassment, hysteria and a bit of doubt.
Cheers,
A.
On my side, I am beginning school again 2day and am just about to recover from a great 2-week holiday with loads of action and laughter.
But did I really have a good start of the New Year? Well, for those who know me quite well, you can be sure that I have some weird things that happened to me…of course!!!!
As it is impossible to write every thing down on this blog, because of the length of the text and because some of the things are simply not writable I just decided to make a list.
So, here we go: Note to myself for a better start of next year:
- Never try to ask a taxi driver for a discount, even when you are totally broke. It could be that you’ll find yourself sitting on the floor of the car (cause apparently the seats have sensors) which is driven by a crazy Russian “taxista”, who thinks that the speed limit in a city is 120 km/h. And all this, just to save 3 pesos.
- Never hail a cab without change, because if the taxi driver is not able to change your 50 pesos, he gets reaaaally mad…oh,yes.
- And for those who thought it was not possible to fall up the stairs…well, you are wrong. “Ariane Superstair” just did it. In one go, I managed to fall two times the way up. And this time I really just had been drinking water.But don’t worry, I didn’t break anything else than the heel of my shoe.
- The expression, “Not today, honey. I have a headache”, is so NOT COOL. This is a note for all the girls … AND the guys!!!!!!! (Please, contact me for in-depth information on that matter, if you’d like ;))
- Before travelling to a destination and spending 14 hours in a bus, consult the weather at that location, you might not be prepared for a Russian winter after a subtropical summer. The south of Argentina is quite near to the Antarctic.And the way back to BA is long and boring.
- Always put on sunscreen, even if you think, you are already tanned. It is quite painful and embarrassing to be at a New Year’s Eve party with half of the face in violet and half of it peeling like mad.
- A guy who never calls is better than a guy who doesn’t know when to stop.
- The saying “it’s not where you are, but with whom you are that counts”, is not always true. Alcohol and fatigue can put a quick ending to any good conversation and or kinky situation…ah, yes…and of course that fucking headache as well.
- Guys are soooo complicated. And yes,Fred, you too!
- Never believe an Israeli who tells you, that Israel is smaller than Luxembourg (he is wrong!!!!)
- Never believe an Argentinean (they are always wrong!)
- If you are able to say three times in a row: “Jugo de naranja, jugo de naranja, jugo de naranja” with the right accent, means that your Spanish is perfect.
I am not even able to do that one time correctly.
- Crocodiles, that eat apples don't exist. (note for cecile)
Yes, yes. Some weird stories for 6 very weird days. This is the craze of Argentina. I think it’s been a long time since I laughed that much; and I somehow have the feeling that there is more to come. I am slightly nervous.
I leave you all here, with this condensed version of my first days of 2008.
The general feeling at the moment: a mix of happiness, embarrassment, hysteria and a bit of doubt.
Cheers,
A.
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Mosquito Mio
So, here I am sitting, one last night before my first Spanish oral exam, writing my blog instead of studying my texts.
There are so many things to tell about Buenos Aires that I don’t know where to start. Perhaps this time I am going to be a bit more dramatic and write about the dark sides of BA.
Well, dark are my feet every day, by the time I am coming home from school. Dark are the clouds of dust that come from the exhausts of the buses. Dark is what I am blowing out of my nose every night. And very dark is the cupboard right across my room just next to my bed.
Being a porteño means…
…pollution
The pollution here in BA is extreme. I really don’t think the Argentinean government has ever heard of ecologic measures or even of the treaty of Kyoto. This city is polluted, contaminated and disgustingly dirty. My throat aches when I am too long outside, walking next to the traffic.
Cafes, bars, restaurant have cosily installed their terraces on the corners of the packed streets. The government created little smoker free islands (most of them with 3 trees and 2 banks) in the middle of the biggest boulevards…why, I mean…WHY?
Talking about my feet, with 35 degrees in a city it is quite impossible to were any kind of closed shoes, so, at the moment my “flip flops” are my life!
But, I really don’t want to know what I wash off them, before going to bed, or what is still on them when I am in bed. But, I am getting used to having ever darkening foot palms with no chance of ever seeing the real colour of my flesh again.
So, my advice to those people who are coming and visit me: don’t bring too many white clothes. At the end of your journey they will be grey!
…the argentine heat
Another very interesting experience is the 15 minute-tube-ride every morning.
I guess (or I hope) you all know the feeling of getting out of the shower in the morning all-fresh and groomed, ready to hit the sun shines and have a good start of a day?
Well, at the latest, when you are squeezed into a smelly-people-packed (cause they are already in there since 10 minutes) train you can forget about that nice feeling. By the time you reach the second last stop (and there are only 5) the sweat is already running down your back. You get out, slandering to school (in the Argentinean style) and although you normally hate air conditioning, you start fantasising about your freezing classroom. But then, when you finally open the classroom door, you quite quickly realise that the fucking thing is broken.
Never mind, you still love BA, and after 4 hours in a row of trying to communicate with hands and feet and giving all your possible to make people understand you in Spanish, you are really looking forward to a nice shower at your place, …which is burning hot!
…a lot of friends
Ah yes, speaking of my flat. Some new friends moved in with me, so finally my new roommates are creating a bit more of an atmosphere. They are quite discrete, but with a tendency of taking property of my things. Last time for example, the whole thing backfired when one of them thought my shoe (this time a real shoe, not a flip flop), was in fact his one.
Without any bad thoughts, I was putting it on (with naked feet) and suddenly I felt the bastard between my toes…COCKROACHES!!!
Ok, anyone of you, who knows me a bit, should be worried right now, cause you all know that this situation was disastrous for me. I yelled, screamed, smashed him (yes, it’s a him) and cried. And since the beasts were in my wardrobe, the next day I put on exactly the same smelly clothes than the day before.
But now, I am fine again. I wear new clothes (went a bit shopping), the bastards had their last supper and the wardrobe remains firmly shut.
So much about the ups and down of the porteño life. I have to go and wash my feet now.
Cheers,
A.
There are so many things to tell about Buenos Aires that I don’t know where to start. Perhaps this time I am going to be a bit more dramatic and write about the dark sides of BA.
Well, dark are my feet every day, by the time I am coming home from school. Dark are the clouds of dust that come from the exhausts of the buses. Dark is what I am blowing out of my nose every night. And very dark is the cupboard right across my room just next to my bed.
Being a porteño means…
…pollution
The pollution here in BA is extreme. I really don’t think the Argentinean government has ever heard of ecologic measures or even of the treaty of Kyoto. This city is polluted, contaminated and disgustingly dirty. My throat aches when I am too long outside, walking next to the traffic.
Cafes, bars, restaurant have cosily installed their terraces on the corners of the packed streets. The government created little smoker free islands (most of them with 3 trees and 2 banks) in the middle of the biggest boulevards…why, I mean…WHY?
Talking about my feet, with 35 degrees in a city it is quite impossible to were any kind of closed shoes, so, at the moment my “flip flops” are my life!
But, I really don’t want to know what I wash off them, before going to bed, or what is still on them when I am in bed. But, I am getting used to having ever darkening foot palms with no chance of ever seeing the real colour of my flesh again.
So, my advice to those people who are coming and visit me: don’t bring too many white clothes. At the end of your journey they will be grey!
…the argentine heat
Another very interesting experience is the 15 minute-tube-ride every morning.
I guess (or I hope) you all know the feeling of getting out of the shower in the morning all-fresh and groomed, ready to hit the sun shines and have a good start of a day?
Well, at the latest, when you are squeezed into a smelly-people-packed (cause they are already in there since 10 minutes) train you can forget about that nice feeling. By the time you reach the second last stop (and there are only 5) the sweat is already running down your back. You get out, slandering to school (in the Argentinean style) and although you normally hate air conditioning, you start fantasising about your freezing classroom. But then, when you finally open the classroom door, you quite quickly realise that the fucking thing is broken.
Never mind, you still love BA, and after 4 hours in a row of trying to communicate with hands and feet and giving all your possible to make people understand you in Spanish, you are really looking forward to a nice shower at your place, …which is burning hot!
…a lot of friends
Ah yes, speaking of my flat. Some new friends moved in with me, so finally my new roommates are creating a bit more of an atmosphere. They are quite discrete, but with a tendency of taking property of my things. Last time for example, the whole thing backfired when one of them thought my shoe (this time a real shoe, not a flip flop), was in fact his one.
Without any bad thoughts, I was putting it on (with naked feet) and suddenly I felt the bastard between my toes…COCKROACHES!!!
Ok, anyone of you, who knows me a bit, should be worried right now, cause you all know that this situation was disastrous for me. I yelled, screamed, smashed him (yes, it’s a him) and cried. And since the beasts were in my wardrobe, the next day I put on exactly the same smelly clothes than the day before.
But now, I am fine again. I wear new clothes (went a bit shopping), the bastards had their last supper and the wardrobe remains firmly shut.
So much about the ups and down of the porteño life. I have to go and wash my feet now.
Cheers,
A.
Friday 7 December 2007
My fab Bday
Ok, guys, if this is it. If this is Buenos Aires, I am definitely buying it!
So, I met this Swedish girl, Asa (spoken Osa), who didn’t fell down the stairs and broke her arm. No, she did better than me. While horse back riding drunk, during the middle of the night, being pursued by a lesbian, she broke her collar bone. (veeeery interesting!!!) Well, we met on my first day at class,…which means 4 days ago. She is staying till May like me, exactly the same age as me, and alone on Christmas just as me. Both blond, both crazy, we decided from the first moment on, that we were made for each other…and that we absolutely had to celebrate my birthday with diner and drinks and all and all.
So, we found a restaurant called Milion…with a black cat as logo.
As soon as I walked in there was a real life black cat walking past me, and I got it: the cat was not the logo, but the cat was called Milion…and the restaurant was called after the cat…which makes the cat…the hero of the restaurant
It was quite an upscale restaurant and we paid the fabulous amount of 12 € each, and mmmmmhhhhhhh delicious the “suprema the pollo”.
After killing 1 bottle of whine (white this time, not red) we ended up on a terrace, overlooking a cute little garden. As I was about to say “ hey, this place is just perfect to celebrate a birthday in summer, in BA”, I heard all of a sudden someone saying :” A-A…is it A-ri-ane?”
Who the hell did know me in Buenos Aires????
Well, half of my class did! And that was my birthday!!!! Getting tipsy on whine, caipirinha and beer, taking stupid photos and being stupid in general. I got home with a taxi, still able to formulate my address. Yeahhheeeyyy.
So, I guess that by the time I got home, the others were still desperately expecting us in a Drum & Bass night club “around the corner”, but I was too tired. I saw them the next day in a very critical state at school. I am so happy that I am a cheap date and went home early that day.
Good night & big kisses from a happy bday girl.
A.
So, I met this Swedish girl, Asa (spoken Osa), who didn’t fell down the stairs and broke her arm. No, she did better than me. While horse back riding drunk, during the middle of the night, being pursued by a lesbian, she broke her collar bone. (veeeery interesting!!!) Well, we met on my first day at class,…which means 4 days ago. She is staying till May like me, exactly the same age as me, and alone on Christmas just as me. Both blond, both crazy, we decided from the first moment on, that we were made for each other…and that we absolutely had to celebrate my birthday with diner and drinks and all and all.
So, we found a restaurant called Milion…with a black cat as logo.
As soon as I walked in there was a real life black cat walking past me, and I got it: the cat was not the logo, but the cat was called Milion…and the restaurant was called after the cat…which makes the cat…the hero of the restaurant
It was quite an upscale restaurant and we paid the fabulous amount of 12 € each, and mmmmmhhhhhhh delicious the “suprema the pollo”.
After killing 1 bottle of whine (white this time, not red) we ended up on a terrace, overlooking a cute little garden. As I was about to say “ hey, this place is just perfect to celebrate a birthday in summer, in BA”, I heard all of a sudden someone saying :” A-A…is it A-ri-ane?”
Who the hell did know me in Buenos Aires????
Well, half of my class did! And that was my birthday!!!! Getting tipsy on whine, caipirinha and beer, taking stupid photos and being stupid in general. I got home with a taxi, still able to formulate my address. Yeahhheeeyyy.
So, I guess that by the time I got home, the others were still desperately expecting us in a Drum & Bass night club “around the corner”, but I was too tired. I saw them the next day in a very critical state at school. I am so happy that I am a cheap date and went home early that day.
Good night & big kisses from a happy bday girl.
A.
Back in BA
After around 6,000 kilometres, 74 hours of travelling by bus, 4 cockroaches (3 dead and 1 still alive), 45 degrees in a salt desert and an extremely painful sunburn…(on my thumb!) I am finally back in Buenos Aires.
Los Cataratas de Iguazù (the waterfalls of Iguazù), were our final destination on our trip around northern Argentina and also one of the highlights of the journey. The scenery and tropical climate of the small city Puerto Iguazù including the massive garganta del diable were breathtaking…literally! After a very adventurous, but somehow not so enjoyable trip through the tropical forest (too many weird insects!) next to the reserve of the Guaranie tribe (real Indians, believe it or not guys), we even sneaked out of the country for a few hours to enjoy jugo de cana (jus de canne a sucre).
In fact, Claudio, Fernando’s uncle drove us out to Foz do Iguaçu (to be pronounced with a strong Portuguese accent), so that I would get:
1) a renewed visa for Argentina, which you automatically get by crossing the border and seems hereby to be an extremely silly procedure
2) a new stamp on my passport, cfr the Brazilian visa
3) the formerly mentioned drink, which is very sweet and provokes stomach aches
4) and to buy two essential goods in a Brazilian grocery shop that doesn’t exist in Argentina: strong, drinkable coffee and GALAK white chocolate (which survived almost 10 minutes in the burning heat of the car befor turning into milk!)
But after some miss happenings on my side, due to a massive sun exposure that made me puke all the beloved empanadas con queso y jamon I had for dinner, I am happy to be back in the city were the number of taxis exceed by far the population and where dogs seem to be the stupidest beings on earth (unexplainable, you have to experience it for yourself).
Right now, I am eagerly typing on my computer, trying to ignore a banging headache followed by the shaky feeling of hangover. Yesterday night, Fernando and his dad decided to invite some friends from uni (yes, yes, they are here as well) and some Argentinean friends and family for an asado (or parrilla; Argentinean BBQ...yummy) and, as well to celebrate my birthday.
First thing I noticed: it is so much easier to speak castellano after one bottle of champagne and nine bottles of red wine!
I even had a birthday cake. It was made of a tiny crust of chocolate withholding three tonnes of dulce de leche.
Now, dudes and dudesses very important:
(DULCE DE LECHE…for those who don’t know what I am talking about: Mmmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! A sin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A paste in a glass just like Nutella is, and just as addictable and “light” as Nutella. Honestly, you have to try it.)
As usual, we made a move to the next best club around 4ish (a.m.) and as we got out it was around 6.30. The best part was, not only was it the first time that I celebrated my bday in summer, but as we stood outside the club waiting for a taxi we were all gazing in the bright sunlight (with blue sky) and bathing our wrecked bodies in the warmth of the 20 degrees (remember, it was 6.30 a.m.!!!) All in all it was a fantastic night as long as I can remember.
Tomorrow I am having my oral language test followed by my first Spanish class…I am extremely nervous. The fan on the ceiling of my room has been on overdrive for the last few hours, but I am still soaked. The heat is getting heavier and it is already 9 pm.
While I am listening to the background noises of human chatting, some distant screams, old bus engines soaring and the cartoneros’ horses riding through the streets, I am wondering, if I should go out out tonight. Fernando is taking his flight tomorrow for cold Brussels which leaves me alone in this massive city.
Am I afraid?…Yep!
A.
Los Cataratas de Iguazù (the waterfalls of Iguazù), were our final destination on our trip around northern Argentina and also one of the highlights of the journey. The scenery and tropical climate of the small city Puerto Iguazù including the massive garganta del diable were breathtaking…literally! After a very adventurous, but somehow not so enjoyable trip through the tropical forest (too many weird insects!) next to the reserve of the Guaranie tribe (real Indians, believe it or not guys), we even sneaked out of the country for a few hours to enjoy jugo de cana (jus de canne a sucre).
In fact, Claudio, Fernando’s uncle drove us out to Foz do Iguaçu (to be pronounced with a strong Portuguese accent), so that I would get:
1) a renewed visa for Argentina, which you automatically get by crossing the border and seems hereby to be an extremely silly procedure
2) a new stamp on my passport, cfr the Brazilian visa
3) the formerly mentioned drink, which is very sweet and provokes stomach aches
4) and to buy two essential goods in a Brazilian grocery shop that doesn’t exist in Argentina: strong, drinkable coffee and GALAK white chocolate (which survived almost 10 minutes in the burning heat of the car befor turning into milk!)
But after some miss happenings on my side, due to a massive sun exposure that made me puke all the beloved empanadas con queso y jamon I had for dinner, I am happy to be back in the city were the number of taxis exceed by far the population and where dogs seem to be the stupidest beings on earth (unexplainable, you have to experience it for yourself).
Right now, I am eagerly typing on my computer, trying to ignore a banging headache followed by the shaky feeling of hangover. Yesterday night, Fernando and his dad decided to invite some friends from uni (yes, yes, they are here as well) and some Argentinean friends and family for an asado (or parrilla; Argentinean BBQ...yummy) and, as well to celebrate my birthday.
First thing I noticed: it is so much easier to speak castellano after one bottle of champagne and nine bottles of red wine!
I even had a birthday cake. It was made of a tiny crust of chocolate withholding three tonnes of dulce de leche.
Now, dudes and dudesses very important:
(DULCE DE LECHE…for those who don’t know what I am talking about: Mmmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! A sin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A paste in a glass just like Nutella is, and just as addictable and “light” as Nutella. Honestly, you have to try it.)
As usual, we made a move to the next best club around 4ish (a.m.) and as we got out it was around 6.30. The best part was, not only was it the first time that I celebrated my bday in summer, but as we stood outside the club waiting for a taxi we were all gazing in the bright sunlight (with blue sky) and bathing our wrecked bodies in the warmth of the 20 degrees (remember, it was 6.30 a.m.!!!) All in all it was a fantastic night as long as I can remember.
Tomorrow I am having my oral language test followed by my first Spanish class…I am extremely nervous. The fan on the ceiling of my room has been on overdrive for the last few hours, but I am still soaked. The heat is getting heavier and it is already 9 pm.
While I am listening to the background noises of human chatting, some distant screams, old bus engines soaring and the cartoneros’ horses riding through the streets, I am wondering, if I should go out out tonight. Fernando is taking his flight tomorrow for cold Brussels which leaves me alone in this massive city.
Am I afraid?…Yep!
A.
Saturday 24 November 2007
This trip is cursed!!!
Hello everyone.
About a week ago, Fernando and I left for our trip through the north of Argentina.
Our plan was: Mendoza-Val Paraiso (Chile)-Salta- Missiones/Iguazu (Brazil)
We arrived in Mendoza after a 12 bus trip - first class- but we were wrecked.
After the rainy and cloudy weather of Buenos Aires, we were happy to enjoy the 30 degrees and blue sky this small city offered us. On our second day, we went horse back riding in the desert next to the Andes. Absolutely fabulous experience, great horses but extremely painfull sunburn!
After those two days we dicovered that this small city was indeed veeeery small and decided to travel to Val Paraiso 1 day earlier as originally planned.
Now, why would this tripp be coursed, you're about to ask?
Well, we checked out of the hotel and around 11 pm went to the busstation were our bus for Chile should have been waiting for us...but it wasn't! instead there was a tv crew doing some live broadcasting, and Fernando thought it was funny to say "Yep, I bet that they are here to report about the strike that the chilean customs office is on right now" Well, he was joking ...but, bad luck, his guess was right. So, there we stood, with no bus and no hotel!
Nevertheless, we had the "luck" to catch the last bus to Salta (our next destination) and off we were for the next 21 hours on a bus tripp - this time no first class seats!!!!
So, 2 days ago, we arrived in Salta where we are staying at some friends' house. For those, who don't know where Salta is situated...It's a small town in the north west of Argentina in a desert like climate. Now, the problem here is, that every one told us it were 33 degrees,and soooo hot ... if so, why is it raining now with 18 degrees???? What are the chances of having rain in the desert? In the middle of summer!!!!
Well, at least with this weather, the mosquitos don't dare showing up and the risks for malaria are non-existent.
Besides, it's a good thing that Fernando's parents called from Buenos Aires to tell us how fabulous the weather was at the moment.
So, what is there else left to do, except for eating empanadas and drinking red wine?
Hmmm...in 2 days we are travelling to Missiones, were the tropical climate promisses non-stop good weather. We will then see if this trip is really cursed...let's just pray we won't catch dengue fever!!!!
Right now, I am sitting in a quite crappy internet café, that is extremely noisy, so forgive my grumpiness. Even if the bad luck is hitting on us, this trip is a great adventure we have a fab time and laugh a lot.
So hasta pronto
A.
About a week ago, Fernando and I left for our trip through the north of Argentina.
Our plan was: Mendoza-Val Paraiso (Chile)-Salta- Missiones/Iguazu (Brazil)
We arrived in Mendoza after a 12 bus trip - first class- but we were wrecked.
After the rainy and cloudy weather of Buenos Aires, we were happy to enjoy the 30 degrees and blue sky this small city offered us. On our second day, we went horse back riding in the desert next to the Andes. Absolutely fabulous experience, great horses but extremely painfull sunburn!
After those two days we dicovered that this small city was indeed veeeery small and decided to travel to Val Paraiso 1 day earlier as originally planned.
Now, why would this tripp be coursed, you're about to ask?
Well, we checked out of the hotel and around 11 pm went to the busstation were our bus for Chile should have been waiting for us...but it wasn't! instead there was a tv crew doing some live broadcasting, and Fernando thought it was funny to say "Yep, I bet that they are here to report about the strike that the chilean customs office is on right now" Well, he was joking ...but, bad luck, his guess was right. So, there we stood, with no bus and no hotel!
Nevertheless, we had the "luck" to catch the last bus to Salta (our next destination) and off we were for the next 21 hours on a bus tripp - this time no first class seats!!!!
So, 2 days ago, we arrived in Salta where we are staying at some friends' house. For those, who don't know where Salta is situated...It's a small town in the north west of Argentina in a desert like climate. Now, the problem here is, that every one told us it were 33 degrees,and soooo hot ... if so, why is it raining now with 18 degrees???? What are the chances of having rain in the desert? In the middle of summer!!!!
Well, at least with this weather, the mosquitos don't dare showing up and the risks for malaria are non-existent.
Besides, it's a good thing that Fernando's parents called from Buenos Aires to tell us how fabulous the weather was at the moment.
So, what is there else left to do, except for eating empanadas and drinking red wine?
Hmmm...in 2 days we are travelling to Missiones, were the tropical climate promisses non-stop good weather. We will then see if this trip is really cursed...let's just pray we won't catch dengue fever!!!!
Right now, I am sitting in a quite crappy internet café, that is extremely noisy, so forgive my grumpiness. Even if the bad luck is hitting on us, this trip is a great adventure we have a fab time and laugh a lot.
So hasta pronto
A.
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