MENDOZA

I originally planned to stay a single night in Mendoza, but soon learned that Mendoza has a way of keeping you there for longer than expected. When i first arrived it was early afternoon and a bit chilly, so I decided I would just explore the city a bit and hope for better weather the next day to do the wine tours. It was Earth Day and there was a museum that was free of charge, so after a light lunch I checked it out before heading back to the hostel to meet my Italian roommate Francisco. We signed up for the tour the next day to Maipu, the town with all of the vineyards. Our hostel was kind of empty, but that didn’t stop the two of us from getting a bit drunk with the guys who worked there. 

A bit hungover, we just made it for our bus to Maipu the next day. We met Emily(USA) and Louie(ENG) on the way to the vineyards, and the four of us teamed up to cycle around and do some tasting. We heard the olive and chocolate place was the best to start since you got a bunch to eat, but the food was kind of countered by the Absinthe we had there. It made for quite a pleasant ride to the next spot, where we had a tour and tasting, then bought a bottle of Malbec to drink with the lunches we had packed. After another few tour/tastings, we took a nap on the grass in the sun before heading back to Mr. Hugo’s Bicycle rentals where everyone who had been out that day met up for wine courtesy of a very friendly and inviting Mr. Hugo. My day friends took off for Mendoza to catch a bus and I stayed on with some Irish and Canadian folks. Somehow we ended up at a bar back in Mendoza, and I decided I was in no shape to get on a 14 hour bus ride that night.

The next day I woke up late and decided I would head back to Maipu to hit up an asado I missed the day before. I ate with a nice couple from USA/Chile and the food was delicious. When I went back to Mr. Hugo’s to drop off my bicycle I gave into temptation and stayed to again have some free wine. I REALLY PLANNED ON LEAVING THAT NIGHT…but…I met some folks, including Michael(AUS) and Sarah(ENG) who convinced me to head back to the hostel with their group to make pizza and watch movies. Michael and Sarah planned on doing a tour of Villavicencio the next day, which is an area up in the mountains where most of Argentina’s bottled water comes from. So, again, I extended my Mendoza stay and went on the tour with them before getting on the bus back to B.A. with Sarah. 

So if anyone ever makes it to Mendoza, be warned; you are likely to get stuck enjoying yourself and your new friends, especially if the weather is as nice as it was for us.

DAY TRIP TO HUMAHUACA 

From Salta the hostel led day long trips to different areas.  Our tour guide was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable, though wasn’t comfortable with his English even though I thought it was way above average. Of all the English speakers on the tour Sarah(CAN) barely spoke any Spanish, Jane(ENG) hadn’t slept the night before and was asleep the whole time, and some other random person had her IPOD in the entire time. So after our guide explained things in Spanish he would look at me and say “got it?”. When I answered “Si”, he would ask me, “What did I say”, and then, “What else?”. He was tougher than any Spanish teacher I have ever had, but it forced me to pay attention and try to understand the language.

From what I could gather, Humahuaca was the place where the Independence of Argentina was first declared and fought for. It was a tiny town and we walked the whole thing in under and hour, but provided amazing scenic views and had some interesting historical monuments in it. We also got a rather delicious lunch (I chose the llama stew), with the most hilarously translated menu I have ever seen. I actually snagged one as a souvenir. The lunch also came with a live show of traditional music and dancing.

On the way there we stopped at The hill of Seven colors, which was a result of different eras during which the Andes Mountains were formed. The different colors were caused by different chemicals in the soil being pushed up over hundreds of thousands of years.  

We also stopped at Tilcara, which was the site of some of Argentina’s first settlers. The pre-Inca ruins had been reconstructed, though I was only able to learn a little about the history and culture because we had a separate guide who spoke no English whatsoever. The sights and view from the hill were what was truly important.

On the way back from Humahuaca we stopped at the Tropic of Capricorn, which was simply a giant sundial that we couldn’t figure out, and a few horses roaming around. Still cool to say I’ve been to it though. Then later we stopped at a rock formation called The Painters Palette, similar to The Hill of Seven Colors, but with a really interesting and precarious hillside cemetery in front of it. Also saw a pretty wicked crater created by an asteroid in the 1980s I think.

Sarah and I were the only two who wanted to opt for the short Jungle Walk to end the day, but since we were outvoted we stopped at Jujuy, a large-ish city close to Salta. We hit a museum and got some helado, but decided we would have preferred the Jungle Walk.

The day was relaxing and made for some great photos, but by the end of it we were all whipped from the hot desert sun and the amount of walking and climbing, so we napped before metting up for cerveza and dinner, then headed out to some bars later on. Here are some pics from the day.

SALTA

After Puerto Iguazu I flew to Salta, a small but amazing city in the Northwest Andean region, and a great jumping off point for numerous day trips. I spent quite some time because it had so much to offer and I met such cool people.   

Upon arrival I got a bit lost looking for the hostel, but I’m glad I didn’t give up and choose any old hostel because Salta Backpackers was great. Every night they had a dinner for all the guests which was included in the room fee. It made it extremely easy to meet friends, and I think I was lucky in that there were some really great people staying there while I was. So great that some of them were able to convince me to extend my trip and head to Bolivia/Peru to meet them. That’s right, I have officially changed my flight and now head back to the states from Buenos Aires on May 25th instead of April 29th. Responsibility be damned!

After a quick shower and nap on my first night I headed to the hostel’s backyard to have a beer and read a bit. I didn’t even get to open the book before Mitch (AUS), Jennifer(CAN) and Tomas(ISRAEL) insisted I join them for some cervezas before dinner. Mitch and Jen were on an extended honeymoon and Tomas was exploring South America solo, like myself. We had some laughs and went out with the rest of the hostel to a bar and a club afterwards.

The next day I decided I wanted to hit up the chair lifts that take you up to a spectacular view of Salta and the surrounding mountains. By the time I was leaving for it at sunset I had inadvertently recruited a small group of random folks from the hostel to join me. I felt bad that I didn’t really know where we were going or what it was all about, but everyone was happy to follow me blindly. When we returned we had the group dinner again followed by some authentic music and dancing provided by the hostel. Some of us stayed up late enough to be serenaded by another hosteler Herman, a native of Cordoba, Argentina who spoke as much English as I do Spanish. Between the cerveza and the language barrier, it made for some interesting conversation, but Herman could play the guitar well and sing all the American classic rock hits with a perfect accent. Didn’t hit the bars that night because I needed to get at least a little rest for my day trip to Humahuaca the next morning with my new travel buddy Sarah(CAN).

Some other great folks I met were from Ireland and will be living in Boston this summer as part of a Gaelic football program (basically rugby, but don’t say that to them). So Boston folks, get ready to see a game and take Antony and Dave out for some true Irish drinking this summer. 

Also had a funny night during which I went to use the bathroom in my room before going out, only to meet one of my new roommates Francesca(ENG) brushing ants off of herself and her bed. A massive colony had invaded our room and were falling from the ceiling onto the beds and luggage. When we asked to switch rooms, it was a couple hours before the hostel staff finally led us to what I like to call “the honeymoon suite”, with one double bed and a private bathroom. They had assumed we were a couple, rather than complete strangers, and I was ready to sleep on the floor until they eventually put us in another dorm style room. Francesca and I became quick friends after that and I hope to run into her in Bolivia.

Actually I plan to meet all of these people in Bolivia, so you can see why I was so quick to extend my trip.

Um, somewhere in there I am missing a day or two, because I also went rafting, zip-lining and paragliding, though didn’t bring my camera for fear of damage. Those memories will have to live on in my mind only. But here are pics from when I did have it in Salta.

IGUAZU FALLS

So I know I haven’t posted in a while, but it’s not for a lack of desire, it’s for a lack of more than one computer at every hostel I have stayed in. But now I am back in Buenos Aires and ready to put up posts from my trip around northern Argentina.  

I started with a 17 hour bus ride from B.A. to Puerto Iguazu on the Brazilian border to see the famous Iguazu Falls. I only spent a night and two days in Puerto Iguazu, but God was it worth it. The falls were absolutely astounding. I got to the National Park around 8am and took a little trolley train thingy to the falls. The morning was overcast and a bit chilly, but when I took the boat ride into some of the actually falls the sun broke and the day was perfect. Lucky for me too, because I didn’t realize how soaked I would get on the boat ride. 

Soaking wet I caught some sun to dry out during lunch, during which a little Koati sneak stole my sandwich and knocked over my beer. Koati are little raccoon type critters who are very cute and friendly, but also the worst thieves I’ve encountered so far. He seriously paid me no attention as he waddled onto my table to snag my lunch. Luckily some elderly Italian folks found it funny enough to shard their bread, cheese and wine with me afterwards. There were also very elegant birds all over the place, and a few monkeys that I saw from afar.

After a full day by myself in one of natures most majestic treasures, I returned to the hostel where I met a couple of fellow American travelers, Daniel and Tammy. I made quick friends of them thanks to a deck of cards I was smart enough to pack. We had a nice steak dinner and did some wandering and drinking and billiards playing in the tiny tourist town of Puerto Iguazu. The following day I spent trying to see the falls from the Brazilian side, though I was almost extorted $220US for a visa to enter Brazil.  After a few hours of refusal they finally let me return to Argentina just in time to catch my flight to Salta. Here are some of the 250 some odd photos I took at the falls and that night, though I doubt any picture can ever come close to expressing the sheer magnitude and force of it all. 

WHAT THE SAFDIE?!

As I was snapping photos at the San Telmo street market today I heard someone say “Hey, there’s Mark!”. Assuming it was one of my sister’s friends I had met here, I turned to see none other than Josh and Benny Safdie. They are in Buenos Aires for a couple screenings of their newest feature film Daddy Longlegs and were meandering around the market. Unfortunately the screening tonight is sold out, but hopefully I will be able to meet up with them for a drink before they leave on Wednesday. Just goes to show you that it is indeed a small world.  

The market itself was amazing, full of small stands with countless crafts and trinkets, and spotted with musicians and street performers. Tourists and locals alike filled La Calle Defensa for what seemed like endless blocks. Afterwards we wandered down to Puerto Madero for some fantastic street meat at Parrilla Mi Sueno. Located on the edge of the Ecological Reserve, Puerto Madero was filled with people eating, dancing, drinking Matè and generally enjoying the beautiful Sunday evening. I asked Lauren if there was some particular reason the area was so packed, and she told me it was just what happened on the weekends. It felt like a summer holiday festival, but apparently any old Sunday is a reason to celebrate for the people of Buenos Aires. Here are some photos from our day.

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER

Yesterday Lauren and I took a day trip to Tigre, which is the river delta north of the city. It was only about an hour up there on an old historic train, but it felt worlds away. There is a main river lined with vacation cottages, an amusement park, and countless cafes and restaurants. You can take a river taxi up and down the river and get off at different spots to walk around or access your cottage. We got off at Tres Bocas, which is a popular stop.  We walked along dirt paths and over wooden bridges through the little “neighborhood” and stopped at a cafe for bebidas. We couldn’t figure out if the dogs running around belonged to anyone in particular or were just kind of on their own, but either way they were adorable and friendly. It was a nice quiet break from the last few days in busy Buenos Aires, and I am considering returning there to stay in a hostel-cottage at the end of my trip to unwind.  Mom, if you come to Argentina you definitely need to visit Tigre, it is like a South American New Hampshire (but with dirtier water than Newfound). We returned to the city once it got dark and met up with Lauren’s friend Macala who took us to a brewery in Palermo, the hip, east villiage-ish neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Today we are just relaxing as is the custom here on Sundays, and later we may go down the street to a craft market, and possibly watch some Tango in the local plaza tonight. This slide show has photos from Tigre as well as a few other random ones I had on the camera. Enjoy!

¡PRIMERO CARNE!

Today I had my first of many Argentinean steaks.  Eat your heart out Jonathan, this thing was amazing.  Lauren and I went to lunch at a great restaurant called Dadà after some city walking and a visit to the Borges Cultural center.  For a mere 10 pesos (like 2 dollars) we were able to view the Steven McCurry exhibit as well as a number of other gallery rooms.  We ended the day with a quick sit-down in La Plaza de San Martin, which Lauren claims as her favorite park here.  I just missed the magic photo hour, so I plan to return to La Plaza de San Martin when there is better light because it was stunningly beautiful. Included in this slideshow are photos from last night’s home cooked dinner with Edoardo, our visit to the Borges Center, La Plaza, and of course el primero carne.  

Tomorrow we may take a day trip to a small town outside the city called Tigre, and then decide where else in this amazing country I should travel.  It’s between Bariloche/Patagonia and Salta/Iguazu Falls.  I am open to suggestions if anyone has been to or knows about either.

¡Ciao for now!

FIRST DAY IN BUENOS AIRES

Most of my first day was spent sleeping off the trip here, but when I finally did awake Lauren had already left for an interview.  I spent the “morning” chatting and relaxing with her roommate Edoardo who is Italian born and lived in Columbia for 6 months before moving to Buenos Aires to look for work. When Lauren returned we got me more settled into her place, and then went to a very authentic cafe with Edoardo for lunch.  Afterwards Lauren had a class to teach, so I walked around San Telmo and up to La Plaza de Mayo, which was a mix of Parisian architecture, New York City hustle and bustle, and the absurd driving habits of Boston. The weather is beautiful, the people friendly and engaging, and the city itself even more enchanting than I expected.  I was nervous to bring the camera out on my first solo exploration of the city, so here are just some pictures of Lauren’s apartment and the view from her balcony. Note that we are sharing a room like true siblings, and that a pigeon has made an their ashtray its nest.

Well it took about half an hour sitting in the airport for me to decide that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t venture into Bogota.  I was lucky enough to get a taxi driver who was a much better guide than he was a driver, and he took me to El Museo de Oro in the center of Bogota.  After visiting the Museo, I wandered around the surrounding streets taking in the local sights and sounds.  It was pretty safe in that area, and the few times I was accosted by dirty street urchins other friendly locals came to my aid before I knew what was happening.  Some sort of military policeman even walked with me afterwards and we got empanadas.  Here are some photos from the Museo, a bar I stopped in, and a great little market I stumbled upon.  

P.S. The rumors about the airport security in Bogota being very strict are not true.  I basically walked into and out of the country. 

The computer I{m on is ancient and in spanish.  I can{t figure out the apostrophes, hence the brackets.  It took most of the half hour to figure out the way to make the @ symbol is hitting alt 64?  I{m running out of time now, and can{t even try to figure out how to upload photos here so you all will have to wait until a later date to see a snapshot of me in JFK at 545am this morning.