Some pics of the past few days.
Quiet weekend streets of Mendoza
Argentina v Mexico at a vinoteca
Post win celebration!
A beautiful church overlooking the City of Mendoza
Monday, June 28, 2010
Vino, vino y mas vino!
Oh how I love Mendoza. I am in Malbec heaven! I am sipping a bottle of 2006 Occhioverde Malbec as I write this post. It's nothing fancy, everyday average, but a nice bottle nonetheless. I am slowly getting used to the idea that I am not going home anytime soon. Tomorrow will be one week on the road and that is typically when my internal vacation clock starts to tell me to wrap it up and get ready to go home. It's still weird to think that I have another 6 1/2 weeks in Argentina. To be honest, I can't really fathom that right now but that is perfectly ok. I am looking forward to evaluating my state of mind once I am into this 4 or 5 weeks. I've never been away for that long. I can predict it will be a very, very good thing.
Some pics of the past few days.
Some pics of the past few days.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Mendoza
Ok, nearly caught up...
Last night (Friday June 25) I took an overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. Andesmar services much of South America and offer First Class (lie-flat seats) roundtrip (BA to Mendoza) for $144 USD. Tickets are easy to get online and you just need to show up to the station about 30 minutes prior to departure. No need to worry about security, liquids, bag allowances, etc. A word of caution however on bus companies. Andesmar claims to be the "high end" bus service in South America. While the bus was on time and they drove cautiously, the quality of food and bathroom were little to be desired. I hate to see what some of the other discount bus companies offer. Ewe.
Winter in Mendoza (wine country) is not the most favorable time to be here. It is quiet and not packed with tourists. Today the weather was a bit chillier than BA but it's well suited for a nice glass of Trapiche Malbec in a cafe.
Last night (Friday June 25) I took an overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. Andesmar services much of South America and offer First Class (lie-flat seats) roundtrip (BA to Mendoza) for $144 USD. Tickets are easy to get online and you just need to show up to the station about 30 minutes prior to departure. No need to worry about security, liquids, bag allowances, etc. A word of caution however on bus companies. Andesmar claims to be the "high end" bus service in South America. While the bus was on time and they drove cautiously, the quality of food and bathroom were little to be desired. I hate to see what some of the other discount bus companies offer. Ewe.
Winter in Mendoza (wine country) is not the most favorable time to be here. It is quiet and not packed with tourists. Today the weather was a bit chillier than BA but it's well suited for a nice glass of Trapiche Malbec in a cafe.
Salud!
Day of the dead
Friday started with a visit to the Recoleta Cemetery. Famous not only for the inhabitants who lay to rest there but also for real estate. The Recoleta is the Beverly Hills of Los Angeles.
Along with the opulent apartments, jewelry and clothing stores, there are the notorious dog walkers that rule these sidewalks. I'm told that the best walkers can manage up to 20 dogs at a time and negotiate the smallest of calles. While their skills are commendable, they are notorious around town for not picking up any of the dogs poop and they spend their clients money doing things other than walking the dogs...like watching World Cup through the window of a restaurant. Caught ya!
Back to the dead, the Recoleta Cemetery was built in 1822 and houses the remains of some of the most wealthy, influential and important Argentinians. Among them presidents, doctors, scientists and of course Eva Peron. Her family mausoleum (Duarte) is surprisingly small (and out of the way) in comparison to other elaborate and massive monuments in the cemetery. Every mausoleum is built differently. Some are extremely private without windows, gates, etc. Others are have glass fronts with coffins on full display. Others have a chair next to the coffin/urn of their loved one. My time at the cemetery was peaceful as I got lost in the maze of graves.
Along with the opulent apartments, jewelry and clothing stores, there are the notorious dog walkers that rule these sidewalks. I'm told that the best walkers can manage up to 20 dogs at a time and negotiate the smallest of calles. While their skills are commendable, they are notorious around town for not picking up any of the dogs poop and they spend their clients money doing things other than walking the dogs...like watching World Cup through the window of a restaurant. Caught ya!
Back to the dead, the Recoleta Cemetery was built in 1822 and houses the remains of some of the most wealthy, influential and important Argentinians. Among them presidents, doctors, scientists and of course Eva Peron. Her family mausoleum (Duarte) is surprisingly small (and out of the way) in comparison to other elaborate and massive monuments in the cemetery. Every mausoleum is built differently. Some are extremely private without windows, gates, etc. Others are have glass fronts with coffins on full display. Others have a chair next to the coffin/urn of their loved one. My time at the cemetery was peaceful as I got lost in the maze of graves.
Trekking, theatre and more tasty steak
Thursday was another great day exploring. The weather here has been near perfect. No rain, high 60's to low 70's in the sun. Cool breeze with warm rays makes walking the city very enjoyable. I couldn't imagine the heat of the summer. Muy malo!
I trekked off to San Telmo via Calle Florida and Plaza de Mayo. It was a shopping mecca and very hard for me to resist the abundance of leather jackets, handbags and boots. Instead, I've opted to collect country/city pins to put on my backpack. Boring I know but they are cheap and light. I'm sure I can do without another handbag or pair of shoes.
Photos of San Telmo
After a quick nap, Rachel and I headed to el teatro for Belen Maya en Argentina at ND Ateneo. The show was unlike any other flamenco show I have ever seen. Belen Maya is the daughter of two prominent flamenco artists and her style seemed modern and not as traditional as what I am used to. The music, singing and dancing were really incredible.
After the show, we went in search of a "snack" near our guest house. After a bit of miscommunication with the waiter (on my part), we ended up sharing more meat and potatoes! Oye! We were hoping for pork chorizo sausage...not beef chorizo which is actually a slice of steak. Oh well. We just shrugged our shoulders and happily ate our tasty meal.
I trekked off to San Telmo via Calle Florida and Plaza de Mayo. It was a shopping mecca and very hard for me to resist the abundance of leather jackets, handbags and boots. Instead, I've opted to collect country/city pins to put on my backpack. Boring I know but they are cheap and light. I'm sure I can do without another handbag or pair of shoes.
Calle Florida
Plaza de Mayo
Photos of San Telmo
Cobblestone streets
After a quick nap, Rachel and I headed to el teatro for Belen Maya en Argentina at ND Ateneo. The show was unlike any other flamenco show I have ever seen. Belen Maya is the daughter of two prominent flamenco artists and her style seemed modern and not as traditional as what I am used to. The music, singing and dancing were really incredible.
While I didn't get great photos or video to share, click on this link for an idea of what we saw here in Buenos Aires.
After the show, we went in search of a "snack" near our guest house. After a bit of miscommunication with the waiter (on my part), we ended up sharing more meat and potatoes! Oye! We were hoping for pork chorizo sausage...not beef chorizo which is actually a slice of steak. Oh well. We just shrugged our shoulders and happily ate our tasty meal.
Yes, the beef is good AND cheap!
OMG! I am beyond frustrated at the moment. I just spent a good hour updating this blog (and photos) of the last few days and with one strike of the wrong key, all is gone! For the future, I will write less in one sitting and update as I go along. Emotionally I cannot go through this again!
Sadly, Rachel and I did not get to tango. In a city were restaurants serve until 2am, we couldn't imagine we would miss dinner and tango at 10pm. Well, we did. Instead, we opted to dine at a restaurant nearby called Plaza Asturias. The place was packed so we figured it was a local favorite. We were right. The steak tenderloin was excellent and the portions were massive! My brochette alone could have fed four people! It was slightly embarrassing. We learned quickly that when dining in BA, you should SHARE your meal!! For two steak dinners and a bottle of San Telmo Malbec only set us back $164 pesos or about $42 USD. I hate you and love you Argentina.
Some pics for my OOH peeps.
Sadly, Rachel and I did not get to tango. In a city were restaurants serve until 2am, we couldn't imagine we would miss dinner and tango at 10pm. Well, we did. Instead, we opted to dine at a restaurant nearby called Plaza Asturias. The place was packed so we figured it was a local favorite. We were right. The steak tenderloin was excellent and the portions were massive! My brochette alone could have fed four people! It was slightly embarrassing. We learned quickly that when dining in BA, you should SHARE your meal!! For two steak dinners and a bottle of San Telmo Malbec only set us back $164 pesos or about $42 USD. I hate you and love you Argentina.
Some pics for my OOH peeps.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Don't cry for me Argentina
Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina! My adventure has officially begun. Hard to believe but I, along with my luggage, made all the connections from LAX to PHX to HOU to EZE via US Air and Continental. I know, ridiculous and shocking! Let's hope this is a good sign for the rest of my journey.
There are various methods for getting into the city center (approximately 20 miles from EZE). My plan was to take the public bus for $2 but seeing that I didn't sleep the entire flight, I opted for a private car. The ride was $38 all inclusive (tolls, tax, etc). Not a bad deal but I've already blown my budget on the very first day!!!
Staying two nights at the Yira Yira Guest House. Paz, the owner, made me feel right at home. My room faces the street and I have a little balcony overlooking Uruguay street in Capital Federal. Great location, clean and keeps me close to the Retiro bus station and AEP airport for my travels around Argentina. And, for $35 a night, you can't beat it!
After checking in, I set off on foot around the neighborhood. This city has a lot of energy and some seriously crazy drivers! Pedestrians DO NOT have any right of way here. You really have to keep an eye out even while crossing at a green "walk" sign. Cars really don't give a crap that you are in the sidewalk.
There is one other solo female traveler staying here at Yira Yira. Her name is Rachel and she's from Canada. She has been in BA for nearly a week and was most recently traveling around Columbia. Off to dinner with Rachel, maybe some tango and more BA exploring.
There are various methods for getting into the city center (approximately 20 miles from EZE). My plan was to take the public bus for $2 but seeing that I didn't sleep the entire flight, I opted for a private car. The ride was $38 all inclusive (tolls, tax, etc). Not a bad deal but I've already blown my budget on the very first day!!!
Staying two nights at the Yira Yira Guest House. Paz, the owner, made me feel right at home. My room faces the street and I have a little balcony overlooking Uruguay street in Capital Federal. Great location, clean and keeps me close to the Retiro bus station and AEP airport for my travels around Argentina. And, for $35 a night, you can't beat it!
After checking in, I set off on foot around the neighborhood. This city has a lot of energy and some seriously crazy drivers! Pedestrians DO NOT have any right of way here. You really have to keep an eye out even while crossing at a green "walk" sign. Cars really don't give a crap that you are in the sidewalk.
There is one other solo female traveler staying here at Yira Yira. Her name is Rachel and she's from Canada. She has been in BA for nearly a week and was most recently traveling around Columbia. Off to dinner with Rachel, maybe some tango and more BA exploring.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Where is the good in goodbye?
I can't begin to tell you how hard it has been saying goodbye to my dearest family and friends. I know its only 9 months but there is still going to be a massive void without them. Over the past few weeks, I've done my best to avoid the formal adios but my dear friends Dave, Lisa and Denny just won't have it! If you're around this Saturday, you happen to be in Venice and you're thirsty...give a shout and come join us for a buh-bye beer.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Everything and the kitchen sink
Anyone that has travelled with me or has picked me up from the airport understands my excessive packing problem. A weekend in NYC absolutely requires "the coffin". I regularly meet or exceed my 50 pound checked bag allowance (ask anyone how good I am at judging weight just by picking up the bag). I might be a human scale but I am not a pack mule. There is no way I am going to lug around a 50 pound pack. No way, no how. But how does one set out to pack for 9 MONTHS and 9 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?! I had a panic attack.
Word on the street (or RTW blogs really) is "the longer you go, the less you should take". What? Are you kidding me? Ok, well, I should listen as these people have been there and done that. Off I go to search for the perfect pack to carry...uh...nothing.
I would be lying if I said I hated the trips to REI, Adventure 16, Patagonia, North Face, Magellan's, etc. The fact is, I love these stores. Any reason to shop for an adventure is first on my list of "to-do's". I get such a high hanging around carabiners and dry wick clothing. Weird, I know. Anyway, after buying a few packs, executing trial runs with what I think I will bring and wearing the bag around the house, I realize I really need to take A LOT less with me. The sleeping bag is out, the multiple pairs of pants are out, the hair dryer is out, toiletries are out...the list goes on. I am sad and elated at the same time. I am looking for freedom not things to weigh me down. I can pick up things along the way right? So after my extensive search, I have purchased a very affordable High Sierra Adventure Travel 26" Wheeled Duffel. I wasn't so sure about the wheels but I figured my back and knees will thank me in a few months.
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Itinerary
My itinerary is set! I got a RTW (Round the World) ticket on Star Alliance. Six calls to United and a week later, I am ready to go.
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