From North America to South America

2007-10-08T00:17:00.001-03:00

Anniversary

It was almost a year ago now, when I first landed at EZE airport. I am now back in San Diego with Chico and still dreaming about the past year. How did it go by so quickly? I think we both realize how wonderful our lives were there. We came back to the United States and stuffed ourselves with cheddar and then missed lomo. We said gracias when we were handed our bags at the grocery store. We went to familiar places and saw familiar faces. And then... a few months later... we started to talk out loud to each other about what-if's.

What if we went back?

2007-03-26T19:24:00.000-03:00

THE PACKAGE THAT NEVER ARRIVED

My birthday was in February and my dearest friend from the US mailed a package to Buenos Aires for me. It never arrived. She inquired about it the day I left Argentina and I was so sad to tell her that it never got to our house. Maybe it just got lost in the mail. Maybe it was delayed for whatever reason and will be redirected to her. Maybe someone is walking around Argentina with an SIUC T-shirt. Who knows.

2007-03-20T13:47:00.000-03:00

BACK IN AMERICA...

We finally made it back to the states on Friday morning, after an exceptionally grueling trip. Exhausted, but happy, we spent the day eating Cheddar and watching the TV shows we've missed out on. It's nice to be home surrounded by things I find familiar. But part of me is incredibly sad to leave behind such an amazing culture. I keep thinking that someday I will return. I'll keep up my Spanish. I'll become certified to teach English. I'll keep reading about Latin America. And one of these days, the timing will be right, and I'll find myself back in Central or South America.

2007-03-14T15:44:00.000-03:00

Well, I had my last lomo. Had my last liter of Quilmes. I drank my last mate this morning.

The apartment is packed up, cleaned, and things are sold. Our flight is at 9PM tonight.

2007-03-07T14:21:00.000-03:00

Well... it's official. Chico and I are leaving Argentina on March 14th. That only gives us a week! We told our friends a few days ago and they treated us to a very nice dinner at the BudaBar in Puerto Madero. Food was excellent, service was excellent (big difference from TGIF who took 35 minutes to make our drinks last weekend!), and company even better.
On our way home (via Chile) we were at a crosswalk and noticed a police car headed our direction with the lights flashing and yet the headlights were out. This is actually another common occurrence here in BsAs. No one uses headlights at night. But the car was passing us and the passenger in the squad car, another policeman, was sound asleep. Mouth gaping open in what appeared to be a loud snore. They must have just enjoyed an asado.

2007-03-06T19:07:00.000-03:00

BAD BOYS, BAD BOYS... WHACHA GONNA DO WHEN THEY COME FOR YOU...

Something that I have noticed while living in Capital Federal, is the police cars which are ever present, for good reason, of course. I've been fortunate enough to never see a traffic accident (which still surprises me to no end considering the lack of traffic laws). I have never seen a police car try to pull someone over, either. But still the same, the cars always have their lights going. Why is this? And more importantly, how do you know if you are being pulled over?

2007-03-05T15:53:00.000-03:00

For Emilio who emailed me last week (I tried responding, but your email address isn't working for me):

Perro Andaluz
BOLÍVAR 852 - SAN TELMO

2007-03-05T15:27:00.000-03:00

THE END OF AN ERA IS NEAR...

I think it's time to go home. I've been here for 6 months and those 6 months have taught me SO MUCH. I had certain goals I hoped to meet while I was here and pretty much met every single one of them. It's gone by so fast though and I can't help but feel a little sad at the thought of going back to a place where I'm not quite as challenged on daily basis. What will I think when I order a pizza (with tomato sauce! Oh- the novelty!) and don't have to repeat myself 10 times because my accent is so bad? A place where pedestrians have the right of way? A place where litter isn't thrown around with such disregard? A place without futbol games? A place without choripan? It is going to be a huge adjustment for me. But I am holding onto the hope that this move is going to be a temporary one. I have fallen in love with Latin America and want to come back. I just need to take care of some things back in the States first...

2007-03-01T12:19:00.000-03:00

The weather in BsAs this past week has been wonderful. It is such a relief from the sweltering summer months. Today I woke up to thunderstorms and a high of 64 degrees Fahrenheit. I was supposed to meet a friend for coffee and as I was putting on my raincoat and looking for an umbrella, Chico yelled to me from the bedroom balcony. Our street was completely flooded! Water came well above the sidewalk and into the cafes and other businesses across the street. Neighbors were taking pictures of garbage floating down the street. The few random people caught in the storm were in search of higher ground (one even lost a shoe). 2 hours later, it is still raining, but at least the storm drains have caught up and the water levels are going down.
Insane!

2007-02-26T20:26:00.000-03:00

Those of you who know me, know that I love Buenos Aires very much. I think this city has a vibe that I have not found anywhere else in the world. For those of you who do not know me, please understand that sometimes this is an outlet for me just to vent my frustrations. This will be one of those posts.

1) On Thursday evening, Chico, myself, and a friend tried to go to a Nuevo Chicago futbol game. Unfortunately, we arrived a bit late and the box office was already closed. We walked around the neighborhood though and had a nice afternoon. However, Chico and I had dinner plans in San Telmo and we wanted to leave before the fans let out. We hailed a cab and gave the driver directions. When we were about 5 minutes from home, the driver pulled over into a gas station and apologized and said it would be only a minute. I glanced at the meter since this has happened to us once before. It read $15.94. We exited the cab (Radio Taxi) until the driver informed us it was safe to get back in. The meter was now at 17.56. Maybe we should have said something right then, but we didn't. A few minutes later, we were in front of our door and Chico asked the driver how much the fare was. He pointed to the meter. Chico reminded him that he had the meter running while he filled the car up with gas. The driver argued that, no the meter reading was exactly the same when we left the station as when he pulled in. It is most definitely not the 2 pesos that I am upset about. it is the whole principle! He would have gotten a bigger tip than 2 pesos if he was just honest!

2) This article below sums up what we were all experiencing last week. Who's bright idea is it to only allow 100 pesos to be taken out of ATMS at a time with a 300 pesos a day limit? This not only makes it impossible to take out enough for rent purposes, but also results in outrageous fees!

Buenos Aires Herald (2/23/07)

ATM glitch restricts tourists' withdrawals.
According to numerous reports received by the Herald, tourists, mainly of British origin, were only allowed to withdraw 100 pesos at a time from any automated teller machine, or ATM.With tourists charged a considerable fee at home for every withdrawal abroad, the phone calls received at the Herald were less than happy.Sources at Banelco, Argentina's electronic funds transfer company, told the Herald that the glitch arose because a ruling by Plus had been misinterpreted by local officials and that this had resulted in the capped withdrawals yesterday."The glitch is being worked on and the system should allow tourists to make up to three withdrawals a day of up to 300 pesos each," the source said. A similar confirmation was received by the Visa card company, whose spokeswoman, Carolina Samudio, said that the system will return to normal by today.

2007-02-15T13:01:00.000-03:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

We are leaving tonight for a 16 hour bus ride to Iguazu Falls. I am so excited! I've been doing some research on the falls and came across this on Wikipedia:

"Upon seeing Iguazu, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed "Poor Niagara!" Vastly larger than North America's Niagara Falls, Iguazu is rivalled only by Southern Africa's Victoria Falls".

I had to laugh.

On another note, Chico started a blog a few months ago (without entering anything into it) with some really interesting ideas that he wanted to share. I asked him if he would do a guest entry on my blog just to see what other people think. The 1st topic will be change or cambio. I look forward to seeing other people's comments on this!!

Chau!!

2007-02-08T12:26:00.000-03:00

SURF'S UP!

My best friend came to visit last week from San Diego. I was a little surprised when I asked her what she would like to see in Buenos Aires, and she responded with "the beach!!".
Okay... well... beach it is. I heard about Mar del Plata being the Spring Break for Argentines. I was a little apprehensive about spending a few days packed on the beach with everyone else in Buenos Aires (this city is a ghost town in January) but if that is what she wanted to do, then I would make sure we did it. We grabbed a couple of our close friends, packed our bags, and headed for the bus station for the 6 hour ride south.
Mar del Plata was not what I had expected. While it was definitely a crowded vacation destination, we found a beach that we could spread out on. 3 days of sunbathing, sleeping, eating, playing cards, and 1 night out at the bars. Muy tranquillo!

(I recommend staying at the Hotel Tiber)

2007-02-07T23:13:00.000-03:00

THE PAST FEW WEEKS

Visa renewal time came upon us, and Chico and I procrastinated (as we do best) and last minute we decided to go to Uruguay...again. Which was fine. I personally LOVE Uruguay. I wanted to see a different side to it this time, so we headed north to Tacuarembo. From there we went west to Salto and then south through Paysandu. Uruguay is a place like no other. I can't even truthfully say that about Argentina. I just feel comfortable and at peace there.
In Tacuarembo, Chico and I had a late dinner next to the town square. After dinner, we asked the waitress if we could buy a bottle of wine to take with us on a walk through the square. She answered us with an "what a silly question... of course you can!" She came back out to the table with an emptied out pomelo (grapefruit soda) bottle filled with vino de la casa del tinto. I assumed the bottle would have been cleaned out but as I found out later it was not. As Chico and I sat in the town square, we shared a bottle of wine which tasted like sweet grapefruit mixed with malbec. YUM. And GROSS.

2007-01-24T11:19:00.000-03:00

There was a bat in our apartment building last night. It was walking up and down the stairs and wanted to give me rabies.
It didn't.

2007-01-15T19:29:00.000-03:00

WHAT'S EATING ERIN GRAPE?

I can deal with mosquitoes even though I suffer allergic reactions to their bites. My arms and legs are spotted with red dots the size of (US) quarters which are swollen and itchy. I can deal with the random cockroach that finds its way into our house and chases me throughout the rooms until Chico can dispose of it. I can deal with houseflies that are just a nuisance and nothing more. What I cannot deal with, are whatever species of insect that bites me hard and deep enough to leave puncture wounds which scab over almost immediately and leave the area numb for a few days. What are these things???

2007-01-08T23:45:00.000-03:00

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR FLOORS IN BSAS

First you are going to need to sweep the floor. This is done with the same broom that is used to rid your balconies of bird poop, cigarette butts, dirt, and random pieces of trash that are blown onto it. Then fill a bucket full of water. Add pink liquid soap and mix. Dump entire bucket of water onto the floor (don't worry about moving furniture out of the room). Use a squeegee to push water out of room and preferably onto pedestrians below.

2007-01-06T11:56:00.000-03:00

JAZZ in BUENOS AIRES

The reason why I love Jazz is pretty simple. It is so diverse. You can listen to it at a Friday night cocktail party. You can listen to it Sunday morning in bed. It fits the mood if you are happy and full of energy and also fits the mood if your sad and want to mope around the house. Chico and I found a Jazz club on Boliva in San Telmo last night and loved it. For 6 pesos, you get entry into the club plus a drink. The club itself was small and intimate with all the tables set up with candles and the walls decorated with pictures of the jazz greats. We ordered tapas of brouchetta and milenesa de mozarella which were quite good. The band, Tercer Ojo Quinteto (www.tercerojoquinteto.com.ar), was excellent. I definitely see myself going back. Possibly tonight... and tomorrow...

2007-01-02T15:41:00.000-03:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It's definitely been awhile since my last post. I didn't realize how long it had been. I guess with the holiday season I have some excuse. Christmas was wonderful here. Very quiet and non commercialized (unlike the states). We had a nice dinner at our friends house, exchanged secret santa gifts (I came home with a "make your own bead key chains" set which I cannot figure out despite the fact it is geared towards 5 year olds), and took a walk through the neighborhood. We spotted several dead pigeons which I suppose died of heart attacks from the firework display the night before. No severed fingers and arms which I did expect to see from watching the neighborhood kids play with fireworks the night before.
New Years Eve was also quiet. Question: How can you tell a gringo on New Years Eve? Answer: They are the only ones to show up at parties before midnight.
It's been WARM here! Yesterday it reached 40 degrees! Chico and I tried to escape the uncomfortable weather by seeing a movie. Unfortunately all the theaters were closed, so we ended up at the Alamo instead. It is a beautiful day when you have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in 1 sports bar. At least they have air conditioning.
And other than that, it is visa renewal time. We have friends traveling to San Juan, so we are going to try to meet them for a bit and then head into Santiago, Chile.
Best wishes to all in 2007!

2006-12-16T12:01:00.000-03:00

WINE for the WINO

Chico and I went to a little pizza/empanada restaurant last night for a bite. We ordered vino tinto de la casa and the waiter actually opened it, poured it into a glass for Chico, and had him taste it first. This is a 3 pesos bottle of wine! I am so impressed (while slightly amused)!
I am going to miss wine the most when I eventually leave Argentina. No where in the states would you be able to buy a 3 pesos bottle of GREAT malbec. That's right... good wine is actually cheaper than a bottle of aqua sin gas. This is the one thing I don't feel guilty about purchasing when I'm low on pesos in my pocket. So I'm off to buy another bottle. And for those of you who will notice what time I'm posting this... so what?

2006-12-14T18:51:00.001-03:00

MOVIE UPDATE

We can't find the DVD we rented. So now I am going to have to pay 30 pesos for a movie that never worked in the 1st place.

2006-12-11T19:39:00.000-03:00

OH DEAR GOD, THERE IS FLAVOR (and Jesus) HERE!

Cancun Mexican Restaurant in San Telmo (on Defensa near Chile). Sweet mother of Jesus. They actually use spices in the food. This is heaven... absolute heaven!

On another note, I finally made it to Tierra Santa. This is something that shouldn't be passed up by any tourist/expat. I understand that it is supposed to be taken seriously, and I sincerely apologize for offending anyone, but come on! This is brilliant (I'm acting British again). I still am under the impression that the man who designed this theme park was taking LSD for a week straight. The giant (18 meters high) Jesus that rises every 30 minutes is magnificent! The people who sit on benches and applaud this are magnificent. Something like this would be a complete flop in the US or the UK. It says something about the different cultures for sure. On our way out though, we saw a couple coming in on a very obvious (and nervous) first date. I don't know if I would have proposed to Chico, or never talked to him again, had he suggested this to me on our first date.

2006-12-05T15:22:00.000-03:00

I'M REALLY TRYING HERE.

Yesterday was a long work day. All I wanted to do last night was rent a movie, put on my pj's, and have a glass of wine before bed. We walked down to the movie rental store after dinner. I really need to describe this for those of you back in the states who only have had the "Blockbuster experience".
There is a little, tiny video rental place down the street. They keep it looked at all times (apparently had a little bit of bad history there), so you knock and if you look nice enough they buzz you in. They have DVD and VHS movie covers lining the wall in no particular order. So you go through them, pick one out, and ask the guy at the front desk (who I must emphasize is the nicest man) for the movie serial number. They go into the drawer behind the counter and pull out your selection. Then you pay the 4 pesos charge when you return the movie. Great deal. Easy enough.
We rented the DaVinci Code. A complete knock-off, blatantly pirated version, of the DaVinci Code. There was no sound until the 3rd scene and even then it skipped so many times we finally turned it off.
If this had only happened once, or even twice I would just chuck it up to bad luck. But this is the third time. All I wanted was to watch a movie!

2006-12-04T13:50:00.000-03:00

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT, MATE!

How is it that I moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina and most of my friends are English? So instead of picking up Spanish, most of my vocabulary now consists of British slang. Last night I found myself describing someone as being a total legend although it seemed this person had been on a quite a bender. Bloody hell, it just gets worse. We happened to be at a rather dodgy bar but the chopps and monkey nuts were good. So good that I was rather pissed when we called for a cab.
Chico, on the other hand, told the cab driver "Bueno" when he stopped the car in front of our door. Chico paid him, was thanked, and then responded with, "No, por favor". He is doing SO much better than I.

2006-12-02T19:06:00.000-03:00

Summertime and the livin' is easy

God, I love summer! Having lived in San Diego for 4 years, I got used to it being 73 degrees, day after day, no matter what season you were in. But the nights would get chilly and I would always have to bring a sweater out. Last night Chico and I strolled down to Plaza Dorrego for a chopp of Quilmes and to listen to some Tango. It was so warm I was able to wear shorts and a tank top (I have to forgo the flip flops... too many cockroaches scurrying around). The weather was perfect! I haven't seen any signs that Christmas is around the corner though, except the Christmas tree in front of Jumbo. This will be my first Christmas away from home. I guess as long as I don't see reminders of what I'm missing, I won't be as homesick...

Took a walk down Chile in San Telmo the other night, and on the door of Chile 672 was a movie poster for the film (appropriately titled) Chile 672. Has anyone heard of this? Where is it playing other than the film festivals that I've already missed?

And finally for the big news...
I got a job. The wonderful thing is that it involves working with utilities/energy which is something I have done previously. I'm enjoying it- especially the part that I work from home and can make my own schedule. Also having done this before makes it a little easier to get (and stay) motivated.

Chau!

2006-11-29T19:08:00.000-03:00

TIERRA SANTA? THANKS, I THINK I'LL GOLF INSTEAD

Awhile back, while I was still living in beautiful San Diego and Chico was already in Buenos Aires, he phoned me to tell me he was going to Tierra Santa, a religious theme park. I cannot fully express how great I thought this was, and how badly I wanted to go the second I arrived. I had Chico describe the entire park in great detail on numerous occasions which only quantified my want and need for Tierra Santa. So time went by, I moved to Buenos Aires, and the perfect day fell upon us. We convinced our friend, Mark that this was going to be fun and dragged him out of bed early one Tuesday for the cab ride across town. The cab dropped us off in front of the Pearly Gates that separated us from the giant statue of Jesus rising out of a plastic mountain every 45 minutes.

It was closed.

We swallowed our tears and went golfing.

Golfing Argentina style:

1 broken golf club (club literally fell off mid-swing)

2 finger wags ("No-no, Chico")

and

4 attempts at collecting bar tab ("La cuenta? Si, si").

We'll try Tierra Santa next week.

2006-11-25T21:16:00.000-03:00

WEEK 2 OF NO INTERNET

There are a couple things that I've wanted to write about all week. Unfortunately until now, I haven't had a chance. I came down with a horrible sinus infection last night and feel like I got ran over by a bus. I'm home alone, not a darn thing on TV, no couch to lay on, and I'm almost out of Kleenex (which, by the way, has anyone heard of Kleenex con aroma??? This is the most brilliant invention EVER and until I came to AR, I had never seen it). So please excuse this post if it seems a bit all over the place...

Last Friday we went to a new Cuban Cigar bar called Gran Vega. This is a beautiful spot in Palermo... a bit on the pricey side, but worth it. I strongly suggest ordering a Ron Collins, a Montecristo cigar, sitting back on the leather couch, listening to some Cuban music, and snacking on fried plantains and olives.

Chico and I had Thanksgiving at our apartment for a few friends. We ordered a turkey at our local poultry shop, and went to Jumbo for everything else. This was our menu: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce (we found cranberry sauce!!), creamed corn, and apple strudel for dessert. Despite getting the turkey frozen solid the day of, not having a temperature gage on the oven, and never cooking Thanksgiving dinner before, I think it went pretty well.

And to top off a pretty good week... my best friend just booked her ticket to come visit us in January.

And now I really need to watch TV.

Buenos noche- chau!

2006-11-17T13:32:00.000-03:00

3 TIMES A WEEK= ONCE A WEEK

No... I really have so much to write about, it's just that my laptop decided to stop connecting to the Internet. I have no idea why and no idea how to fix it, so until I can find a computer repair shop (preferably one that speaks English and won't cost me millions of pesos), I am forced to beg Chico for use of his. So... my Argentine readers... if you have anyone you can recommend, I'd be eternally grateful!!

2006-11-10T14:38:00.000-03:00

Well, it was bound to happen. Chico has decided to join the blogging. I'll include his link on my list of favorites, but just out of obligation.
No... actually, I'm interested to read what he views the challenges and joys of living in Argentina are.

We just stopped by Jorge's and decided to try something new. Mil hojas. It is a dark brown pastry which seemed molasses or cocoa flavored, a little dulce de leche, and covered with meringue (picture above). When Chico asked him what it was called, he explained it to us and said that while the dessert is called "a thousand layers", his doesn't have quite that many. Maybe 800 or so.

The man never ceases to amaze me!!

2006-11-09T12:08:00.000-03:00

STENCIL GRAFFITI

This is one of the largest stencils I've seen yet at roughly 1 and a half feet long and 1 foot high (located in San Telmo). I have walked by this particular building every day for the past 2 months and noticed it for the first time the other night. And while I'm not quite sure what it means, I could take a couple good guesses.
These stencils are used by artists, advertisers, and activists rather than the 15 year old street punk that many people would seem to think. I have seen all different kinds, from advertising a local newspaper to promoting safe sex to a comparison of GWB to Mickey Mouse.
I have heard that stenciling emerged in BsAs around the time of the economic collapse of 2001. It probably has been around much longer, just not to the extent that it is now.
I should note that this practice is illegal in Buenos Aires. Most stenciling is done either at night or during one of the protests/demonstrations taking place elsewhere in the city.
I happen to really enjoy the wall stencils. I find some funny, some sad, and all thought provoking...

2006-11-09T12:03:00.000-03:00

SIDEWALK ETIQUETTE - part 2

You might be on the 2nd or 3rd floor balcony of your home. But there are people who are on the sidewalk below you. This means you DO NOT toss dirty dishwater, or any other liquid, outside. This also means you DO NOT sweep garbage off of your balcony to fall on pedestrians below.

2006-11-07T18:24:00.000-03:00

SIDEWALK ETIQUETTE

I live in the beautiful and historic neighborhood of San Telmo where the streets are cobblestone and the sidewalks narrow.
And by narrow, I mean NARROW.
And since the vast majority of people who walk on these sidewalks have never heard of the sidewalk etiquette, I am going to post a few highlights:
1) When in a group of 3 or more and stopped for whatever reason, please step aside from the middle of the sidewalk to allow others to pass by without themselves having to step into the street (as residents know, this is EXTREMELY dangerous to do with the buses from hell and the motorcycle mafia sharing the roads)
2) Pregnant, elderly, and disabled people should have the right of way.
3) When smoking on the sidewalk, it is not nice to flick your lit cigarette butt at passerbys.
4) When walking your dog, please carry a plastic baggy to pick up your dog's poo from the center of the sidewalk.
5) If walking with a friend(s), it is courteous to step aside and pause your conversation for a moment to allow others to also pass on the sidewalk.
6) If you like to walk with wide steps and arms spread out, please refrain from doing so if passing someone else.
7) Do NOT litter!! This just makes an already dirty city even dirtier!!

2006-11-03T12:37:00.000-03:00

CORRECTION

I realized I posted something false. Actually, it could be true, but since I don't know for sure, I need to retract.
Des Nivel's meat man is Jorge. Not the singing waiter. The singing waiter could be named Jorge, but this piece of information has not been verified. In any case, I still love Jorge the meat man at Des Nivel and I still love the singing waiter who might be Jorge at Des Nivel.

2006-11-03T11:25:00.000-03:00

RANDOM POSTS SINCE IT'S BEEN AWHILE

I'd like to say that the reason I haven't posted in so long is because I was travelling. Or found a job. But the truth is I got lazy this week. I was busy... in a way. My days did seem to fill up pretty quickly. So here are some of the things I've done and thought about doing for the past few days:

First of all... I went to my first Boca match. OH MY GOD. That is really all I am going to say until I try it one more time. Chico is trying to find out if he is a Boca or a River fan (and goes to both quite often) and this time he thought it would be fun to sit in the "absolutely insane" section. So after 6 elbow jabs to the skull, various bodily fluids flung onto me, and my post 12 hours of deafness, I think I'd like to check out River Plate.

Finally entertained some friends at our house... we have a beautiful patio that we need to use more. So the other night we had 6 guests for wine and hors devours before we went out for dinner. I had such a nice time... Oh- and we ate at Abril in San Telmo. Pretty good.

Spent a day in Palermo on Monday (combining work and play) and searched in vain for a coffee table. I never realized how important that piece of furniture is! I really want something cheap and nice... considering making on myself but with how busy my days have been I just don't know how I'll fit that in!! :) But anyway, Pompeya doesn't have anything close to what I'm looking for, so I thought I'd try those unfinished furniture shops. Nada.

Went to Chinatown the other day. And here is something for American Expats: Supermercada Casa China. Our shopping basket included 3 bottles of ranch dressing. And they have tomato juice. Oh yes, it is true!

Had my first solo (without the help of any friends) conversation in Spanish!! I stopped to get a choripan for lunch the other day. Jorge, our meat man recognized me and I actually surprised myself with how much I understood and was able to say. Which is still next to zero, of course. But it lasted about 10 minutes, which was pretty cool. Which reminds me of 2 subtopics:

... how much I love every single Jorge I meet. There is Jorge the meat man (Chico thinks he wears the only visor in the city. That is a somewhat strange observation to me, but he may be onto something here), Jorge the baker (who is open today after taking a vacation last week and us being in Uruguay the week before), and Jorge the waiter at Des Nivel. Who, by the way, is in the Lonely Planet guide. I need his autograph before I leave here!!
...how much I love choripan. How can something so relatively simple be so extraordinarily good?

Bue 2006!! Starts today and I have tickets for both days! I am so excited!! Mostly for the beastie boys, amadou et mariam, and dj shadow. I have no idea how I am going to stay awake for this- dj shadow doesn't go on until 2:30AM!! I'm really interested to see the venue. Not sure if it is inside or outside (guessing outside?) and whether or not they will sell drinks (water at least).

So that's my week summed up in a few paragraphs. I'll work on being more diligent in the weeks to come.
Chau for now!!

2006-10-27T13:55:00.000-03:00

Our plumbing is fixed!!
For the first time since Tuesday, I didn't step out of the tub with blisters from the hot water.

2006-10-26T14:12:00.000-03:00

WHY I AM HAPPY TO BE BACK IN BUENOS AIRES

Des Nivel.

I don't think Chico and I said one word to each other over dinner last night except, "please pass the salt" and "should we order one more bottle of wine?" Des Nivel (in San Telmo) has the best lomo, chorizo, puree de papas, provolonetta, and tinto de la casa. And the best waiter. And the best meat man.

2006-10-26T11:37:00.000-03:00

We're back in BsAs! Unfortunately, we came home to find we don't have any cold water. Makes for very interesting showers (ouch!) and flushing the toilet (gross). It's only been 2 days though, and the porter is here trying to figure out why we have hot water but no cold water. I'm crossing my fingers this is an easy fix.
Uruguay was absolutely amazing. We started off in Carmelo which is a tiny, sleepy town on the Rio de la Plata. We had a couple very relaxing days there... met 2 stray dogs that followed us around day and night.
From there we went to Colonia. Chico found a golf cart rental agency which he was absolutely ecstatic over. It was a great way to see the entire town. We stayed at the Hotel Colonial which I would highly recommend. It offered free bicycles, Internet access, comfortable rooms, great food and great people.
The next morning we made our way to Montevideo just in time for the quarter final football (or soccer for my American readers) game between Uruguay and Brazil. This was my first football match and I'm hooked (in fact, Chico and I are going to the La Boca match this weekend). The following day we decided to head into wine country as a suggestion from one of our guide books. We took a train (yes... there is a commuter train in Montevideo. We should have taken the fact that no one knew there was a commuter train as a sign, but we were determined to taste Uruguayan wine!!) We hopped on the train that surprisingly still ran considering it dated back to the 1920's with no updating whatsoever, and took the hour ride into Juanico. There are no signs alerting riders to what town they are in, so we found it out by asking the passengers several times at each stop (picture of Juanico above). We found the winery. We found the winery closed. We found a convenience store, bought 2 bottles of wine, and waited 5 hours for the train back to Montevideo.
The next day we decided to travel to Punta del Este, which is the playground for the rich during the hot summer season. It really is a beautiful city, but loud and the hostel we stayed at was full of 20-something boys who were on a week long drinking binge (not quite the scene we were looking for and so we checked out the following day).
From Punta del Este, we traveled north along the coast to La Paloma. We must have looked lost from our backpacks and both of us looking at the Lonely Planet for a map, because 2 Uruguayans stopped their car and asked if we needed help. They immediately called their friend for directions to the hotel for us and then asked if we would like to see the next town over (Las Piedras) with them once we got settled in. Later that afternoon, our friends picked us up and drove along the coast to Las Piedras. We walked along the beach and our friends practiced their English (no practice needed from what I could tell), and then stopped for a drink at a bar right on the ocean. They recommended dinner at a restaurant in town we might like. Oh. We did. It was run by 1 man who played the part of host, waiter, and chef. Chico had lomo and I had pasta. And it had FLAVOR! For anyone who might find themselves in La Paloma, visit La Choza for some great food. As we walked back to the hotel after dinner, we stumbled upon a fairly large drum circle and I decided I was going to live in La Paloma someday. We stayed 2 days there... sunning ourselves on the beach, drinking wine in the evening, relaxing and having a wonderful time.

Our porter just left. He was unable to find the problem with our water. I'm not sure if this means he will find someone else who may be able to help, or if we are just out of luck. Hmmm...

2006-10-16T12:05:00.000-03:00

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JORGE JULIO LOPEZ

As I was packing my bags for Uruguay this morning, I checked my cell phone and came across a text message I received last week and had meant to write a post about. Here is exactly what came across to me (and millions of others with an Argentine cell phone):

Todos buscamos a Jorge Julio Lopez, si sabes algo llama al 911 o al 0800-333-5502. Gobierno de la Pcia. de Buenos Aires.

Jorge Julio Lopez went missing September 18th, the night before the conviction of a police investigator he was testified against. He was a key witness for the prosecution on crimes committed during the Dirty War.

Here is a link to a CNN article on this story...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/09/27/argentina.warwitness.ap/index.html

2006-10-15T12:39:00.000-03:00

Wish List Part 2

1) Horseradish
2) Tomato juice
2) Cheese. Anything other than the white rubber that everything here is.
3) SPICE. I miss hot food!

Ok... I realize this entire post is about food. That's because I'm starving and looking over my grocery list of items that are impossible to find here.

2006-10-15T12:22:00.000-03:00

Chico's visa is up on Tuesday which means we need to leave Argentina. We were planning on having our housewarming party on Saturday, but I think we are going to postpone that for a week or 2 and travel for a few days instead. Our current plan is to take the train to Tigre tomorrow and then take a boat into Uruguay. Our friends have strongly recommended visiting Colonia, which I know nothing about. Either way... it will be an experience and I'm really looking forward to heading out of the city for a bit. For more than just the day trip to Tigre, Lujan, or San Antonio. All of which were absolutely beautiful, but I am excited for a longer trip.
Chau for now!

2006-10-07T14:08:00.000-03:00

TIGRE

Chico and I decided to take a little day trip out of town. Over coffee that morning, we read that there was a market in Tigre (32KM North of BsAs) and thought it would nice to get away, even if it was just for the day. We took the hour long train ride to Tigre which let us off right at the Tigre River. As we were walking and ready to ask someone to point us in the direction of the market (we both forgot to bring our guidebooks) we saw that there were boat tours. We bought a ticket right away.
We hopped on the boat and took a 45 minute trip through the Delta (3 rivers: The Tigre, The Lujan, and The Reconquista) to a hostel called Bora Bora. Tons of little canals and waterways surround the island. We had a lunch while sitting outside looking out onto a little pond surrounded by an immaculately manicured lawn.
I don't think I realized how much I missed the quiet of the country...It was nice to leave the hustle and bustle of the city for the day.

2006-10-06T12:08:00.000-03:00

QUICK and NOTEWORTHY ITEMS:

1) Malba (Museum of Latin American Art)- best way to spend a quiet afternoon. 2 favorite pieces: "Desert People" film by David Lamelas and the Frida Kahlo self portrait.

2) Cockroach- very large. Larger than the one I had in the electrical outlet in my apartment in San Diego.

3) Brothel- very nice. Mistakenly took it for a "regular" bar in which we could grab a quick beer on the way to the market for dinner. Group of 7/8 women clustered at the end of the bar gave it away.

4) Pompeya- best collection of crap. Tons of little second hand shops all close together. Bought patio furniture and a gorgeous rendition of the Mona Lisa.

5) Floralis Generica - best mechanical sculpture in BsAs. Created by Eduardo Catalano, which actually opens during the day and closes at night.

2006-10-03T16:32:00.000-03:00

Feria de Mataderos

Oh my God. I am in love with gauchos.

Every Sunday, about an hour's bus ride northeast of Buenos Aires, there is a traditional gaucho market. Booths are set up where vendors sell everything from crafts to food and drink. There are the traditional folklore dancers and tango singers in which the public (not many gringos at all) is encouraged to join.

We spent the first part of the day walking through the tents sampling wines, cheeses, olives, and dulce de leche (if I leave Argentina being able to eat meat again, then I am hoping for the same with dulce de leche). After we finished our lunch, we were on our way to the ring races. And here is where I fell in love. Ring races, known as carreras de sortijas, is a competitive sport in which the gaucho rides his horse at full speed under a post to snag a ring the size of a large coin with a spear the size of a ballpoint pen. There were about 7 or 8 men participating in the sport, the youngest the age of 6 and the oldest seemed to be in his sixties. This particular race was held on an urban street with cars parked on either side, and sand spread on the ground. There were a great deal of spectators in a single file line on both sides of the street. After about 30 minutes of watching the gauchos and of being in utter amazement that this was even possible, the most horrifying and yet exciting thing happened. A gaucho, riding full speed, was almost to the ring, when his horse spooked and bucked him off. The crowd gasped and watched, stunned, as the horse went careening into the crowd opposite the side I was on. The horse then changed direction, and the spectators were literally jumping over parked cars for cover. That is when the gaucho of my dreams saved the day- the people- and the horse. After a few minutes, everyone was calm (including the horse) and the races continued.

Beautiful!

Snakes on a Plane Theatrical Trailer (Best version on Google Video, of course)

2006-09-29T12:47:00.000-03:00


The trailer for the movie "Snakes on a Plane". WATCH IT!!!

2006-09-29T11:44:00.000-03:00

My 1st Parrillada Mixta

Chico and I went to a very nice restaurant last night where I had my very first Argentine parrillada mixta. Not for those with a weak stomach, I found it more appetizing with a couple bottles of wine.

The mixed grill is a combination of various cuts of beef, pork, sausages, sweetbreads, and internal organs. It was brought to our table on a portable grill and looked incredible. I started with asado and chorizo which were familiar and good to me. I tried blood sausage and was pleasantly surprised. Then I tried the small intestines. I will not try the small intestines again. The texture itself was enough to make me want to run to el bano but the taste was horrendous. Then I tried a bottle of wine. I took a slice of brain onto my plate. I quite liked the taste of the brain- although the presentation threw me a bit. But the wine helped me get over that part.

I think this experience will go down as a success... I left the restaurant happy and full and without the embarrassment of getting sick.

2006-09-26T11:58:00.000-03:00

WISH LIST Part 1

1) Any kind of ground coffee without sugar automatically added to it.
2) Swiffer Sweeper Wet/Dry Cleaning kit
3) Mr. Clean Magic Scrubbing sponges
4) Peanut butter
5) Tampax Tampons
6) Advil, Aspirin, Tylenol

2006-09-24T16:21:00.000-03:00

FIRST NEGATIVE POST

Napkins. Why such little, teeny tiny napkins with no absorption properties? Let me take this 1 step further...they actually repel liquid. This is somewhat irritating.
And while I am ranting, let me voice 1 more. Coffee. In a country which is notorious for having the biggest and loudest EVERYTHING, why do they only serve little, 1-sip, cups of coffee???

2006-09-23T21:47:00.000-03:00

THE MAGICAL BAKER WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE

There is a man I am in love with. His name is Jorge and he is probably old enough to be my grandfather. He is also married with children. This is not a deterrent. I love him. He bakes empanadas, tortillas, cheesecake, tortas, etc. which all have magical properties (trust me... when I was down with a sore throat last week, the cheesecake actually cured me). The one bad thing about Jorge is that he only opens his bakery from Friday to Sunday. 2 visits in 1 day is not enough anymore- I'm feigning for his culinary art!
There is an empanada in the kitchen...and Terry is in the shower...maybe he won't notice...

2006-09-21T11:51:00.000-03:00

CATS IN CEMETERIES

Yesterday we decided to venture into the Recoleta barrio to visit the Cementerio de la Recoleta (this is where Eva Peron is laid to rest). One thing I noticed when I first arrived, is that the streets of Buenos Aires are overrun with stray dogs and yet not one cat is to be found. I learned this is because all the stray cats of South America live in the cemetery.

The narrow corridors and high walls are absolutely breathtaking. Some of the mausoleums were nicely kept up, others were in complete disarray. After the economic crisis a few years ago, families who once had the money to maintain their family plots now find themselves unable to handle the upkeep.

Cementerio de la Recoleta is beautiful but it warrants another trip to take in everything it offers.

2006-09-15T15:16:00.000-03:00

This is me trying Mate for the 1st time. Yum Yum!

2006-09-15T15:06:00.000-03:00

JINXING MYSELF AND MARGARITAS

I spoke too soon when I said I had not caught any illnesses from the 12 hours of recycled air on the plane from Chicago to Buenos Aires. I came down with a sore throat yesterday.

Note to any travelers coming into BA: Do not order Margaritas. Margarita is synonymous with warm, watery tequila. This could have been the origin of my sore throat.

2006-09-14T13:12:00.000-03:00

¡Finalmente lo hice!

I finally made it to Buenos Aires! With minimal jet-lag and no illnesses picked up from the airplane as a complete bonus! I arrived early Tuesday morning and have already been to the Buenos Aires post office 3 times (note to family and friends: If you really, truly love me, you will never mail packages to me here). We had an absolutely amazing dinner last night (at 11PM which is going to take me awhile to get used to) which I honestly have to say was the best meal of my entire life. I am not a meat-lover, but this steak was incredible.
And on the agenda today? There is a rumor that Hooter's has a restaurant in town. A hot wings and beer lunch for these Americans...

2006-09-06T02:01:00.000-03:00

Phase II of THE MOVE.

After leaving San Diego, I decided to spend a few quiet days in Illinois with my family. I had planned on arriving on Wednesday and then leaving for Buenos Aires the following Sunday. This was Labor Day weekend though, and American's were flocking to Washington DC (where my layover just happened to be). 4 days is quickly turning into 13. Not that this hasn't been fun. Quite the contrary. I have had much needed father/daughter bonding time. I have taught my mother how to do shots of Jameson. I played "Dark Crystal" pool with my sister.

2006-08-29T22:16:00.000-03:00

I have spent the entire day lounging around my best friend's house. I'm waiting for her to come home from work so she can take me to do a few errands. Since I sold my car yesterday and she lives miles and miles away from any sort of civilization (which did make for a very nice and quiet nights sleep...One that I have not had in a year since living in North Park), I have not had any form of caffeine. And I do not function without caffeine.
I am leaving for Chicago first thing in the morning.

2006-08-27T21:50:00.000-03:00

It is a little strange trying to pack my entire life into 2 suitcases and a carry-on. It's not so much the books and the CD's which have defined who I am for the past 20 or so years... It is the beaded necklace from the buffett concert I went to with my dad (and who has a matching one). There are only so many boxes of this stuff that I can send to my parents to store for me. And my poor best friend... She is so sick and tired of being the recipient of laundry baskets full of things like half used candles and my beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright inspired coasters. Goodwill knows me on a first name basis.
As I am writing this, I am sitting in my studio apartment in North Park, San Diego. All I have left is a couch and a radio. There are my 2 suitcases and my carry-on sitting on the floor next to me. There is a laundry basket for Lynn. There is a box I need to mail to my parents. Tonight is the last night I will sleep here.

2006-08-27T14:19:00.000-03:00

Day 1
This is really day 30 of my planning, but the first day of writing about it. I am 27 years old, living in San Diego, CA, and packing all of my belongings into 2 suitcases to move to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here are my trials and tribulations...