Cabo Polonio is a remarkable place. After a half an hour journey across the sand dunes by buggy, you arrive at a tiny village, perched on the coast. Seeing this village here and walking along the rolling and dunes was impressive enough, but then the sun set. It was a panoramic view, a dazzling, 360 degree whirl of colour. The orangy-red haze as the sun disappeared behind the dunes, slowly fading into a deep purple over the swirling ocean. Spectacular. Unfortunately, my overriding feeling was just how cold it had become. When I had set out, the sun had been shining and shorts and flip-flops were the perfect attire. But the lack of sun, combined with the sea breeze meant that the buggy ride back was freezing. The Uruguayans, dressed in coats, hats and scarves clearly felt sorry for me in my chilly condition and continuously offered me Máte (a herbal concoction, similar to tea) in an attempt to warm me up. I don't particularly like the taste, but I appreciated the gesture all the same.
My Easter Sunday sunrise was pretty spectacular too, further up the coast at Punta del Diablo. Rising over the waves, the sun was hot as I lay on the beach, savouring the warmth after the cold of the previous night. The people there seemed to have forgotten that it was Easter Sunday, due to living such a relaxed beach lifestyle. I could easily have spent much longer there, but I was keen to spend a few more days in Buenos Aires before heading into Brazil.
On Monday I was back into the Milhouse hostel routine with Xavier. We played pool against two English guys for about half an hour and I successfully managed to pretend to be French for the entire time. My disguise basically consisted of the phrases I remembered from GCSE and the words to the Flight of the Conchords song, 'Foux de Fafa'. I also managed to impress some Glaswegians with my Kevin Bridges impression, which made me very happy indeed.
On Tuesday, Xavier and I attempted to visit the zoo in Lujan, but horribly misjudged our timings and ended up missing the zoo completely. All that Lujan had to offer was a relatively impressive cathedral, but it wasn't the animal experience we had been hoping for...
I have really enjoyed being in Buenos Aires. It is a really fantastic city, with a lot to see and do, as well as an incredible nightlife. I will certainly miss the Argentinian food and lifestyle, but I'm sure Brazil will have a lot to offer.. I can't imagine that I'm going to forget my time here in a hurry; it has been great!
Friday 29 April 2011
Saturday 23 April 2011
From Buenos Aires to the Beaches of Uruguay
Sunday was remarkable. Bolton Wanderers 0-5 Stoke City. We played like a dream, and my day was perfect; I could do no wrong. I even managed to wrestle the TV from four obnoxious English guys, who seemed to think tht Arsenal vs Liverpool could be more entertaining... I was sat in the hostel bar, alone, cheering and dancing at regular intervals that caused a lot of peculiar looks from certain people, but I didn't care; we were going to Wemberlee!!!
On Monday night, I went to see a drumming show calle 'La Bomba De Tiempo' (Time Bomb) which was awesome: the thing that impressed me most was the variety of style and sound that they consistently seemed to be producing.. The following evening was back to a regular night out after a day of strolling around the gardens in the South of the city, casually burning my neck in the late afternoon sun.
On Wednesday morning, I headed off to Montevideo, Uruguay. I missed my boat, but luckily managed to reschedule and arrived in the afternoon. The hostel was very relaxed after the insanity that is Milouse Avenue, Buenos Aires and I enjoyed a more civilised evening on Monday, before a day of sightseeing on Tuesday. There is a market in Montevideo which houses numerous restaurants. These restaurants sell meat in ridiculous quantities and have displays of steadily cooking meat in whichever direction you look. In the end I decided to have a 'chivito', which is like a hamburger, but bigger and with egg as well; it was delicious.
After only two days in Montevideo (which I believe was sufficient time), I headed East to Punta del Este, Uruguay's equivalent of Monte Carlo. The beaches were spectacular and I had an enjoyable stroll, during which I bumped into some people I had met the day before. I tried to book a room in their hostel, but they were full, so I was homeless for the night. I decided we had better make it an all-nighter and headed out in good spirits to a casino. I told myself I was only going to spend 10$ and actually made a tidy 74 cent profit! We also received free drinks, so everything was good. I also managed to crash on the floor in the hostel for free, so not only have I saved money here, but I have earned some too! Today I am heading up the coast to Cabo Polonio and then Punta del Diablo, before whizzing back to Buenos Aires on Monday!
On Monday night, I went to see a drumming show calle 'La Bomba De Tiempo' (Time Bomb) which was awesome: the thing that impressed me most was the variety of style and sound that they consistently seemed to be producing.. The following evening was back to a regular night out after a day of strolling around the gardens in the South of the city, casually burning my neck in the late afternoon sun.
On Wednesday morning, I headed off to Montevideo, Uruguay. I missed my boat, but luckily managed to reschedule and arrived in the afternoon. The hostel was very relaxed after the insanity that is Milouse Avenue, Buenos Aires and I enjoyed a more civilised evening on Monday, before a day of sightseeing on Tuesday. There is a market in Montevideo which houses numerous restaurants. These restaurants sell meat in ridiculous quantities and have displays of steadily cooking meat in whichever direction you look. In the end I decided to have a 'chivito', which is like a hamburger, but bigger and with egg as well; it was delicious.
After only two days in Montevideo (which I believe was sufficient time), I headed East to Punta del Este, Uruguay's equivalent of Monte Carlo. The beaches were spectacular and I had an enjoyable stroll, during which I bumped into some people I had met the day before. I tried to book a room in their hostel, but they were full, so I was homeless for the night. I decided we had better make it an all-nighter and headed out in good spirits to a casino. I told myself I was only going to spend 10$ and actually made a tidy 74 cent profit! We also received free drinks, so everything was good. I also managed to crash on the floor in the hostel for free, so not only have I saved money here, but I have earned some too! Today I am heading up the coast to Cabo Polonio and then Punta del Diablo, before whizzing back to Buenos Aires on Monday!
Saturday 16 April 2011
Buenos Aires
This has been a crazy week in Buenos Aires. The nightlife is fantastic and it is generally deemed unnacceptable to return home before sunrise.. Nevertheless, I have been making the most of living in one of South America's liveliest cities. Strolling along the wide streets during the day can be really fun, just to experience the bustling city, smelling the various foods from street stalls or else being repeatedly offered to see a tango show.
I took a bike tour on Tuesday, taking in the south of the city; the richest, coastal neighbourhood of Puerto Madero with plenty of snazzy restaurants, the poorer region La Boca, home to Boca Juniors and their immense 'bombadera' stadium, and the San Telmo district, the site of a famous, sprawling market. La Boca is a great neighbourhood because all of the buildings are painted with loads of different colours, making it appealing to the the eye. Just walking along the streets you can see countless bars with live tango performances, both music and dancing. Our final stop of the tour was the Plaza de Mayo, the central square, where it is not uncommon to witness protests, and casting your eye down Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires' towering Obelisk is a spike on the smooth horizon.
On Wednesday, we went out for another all you can eat 'asado'. The chorizo sausage assaulted my taste buds to such an extent that I had closed my eyes, put my fingers in my ears and allowed myself to be taken over by the flavours. Afterwards, we headed out to a tango bar and had a good tango/ salsa evening. I really feel like my dancing is improving...
A real highlight was going to see a live tango show. The whole package: music, dancing and comedy was very entertaning. I was not previously aware that legs could move that way; it looked as if they were disconnected from the bodies. The speed and guile of the dancers, combined with the togetherness of the music and the timing of the comedy produced an impressive and professional display.
Despite all of this, my mind has been taken over by one thing this week: Sunday's FA Cup semi final. In preparation, I have been searching for suitable locations to watch said game. Whilst checking out the 'locos por el futbol' bar, we visited the cemetry in Recoleta. It is a place where people spend extravagant money on enormous graves; some have front doors and two or three storeys; it really is ridiculous.
The hostel I have been staying in here is enormous and full of people intent only on partying, so it will nice to have a few days break as I head into Uruguay next week.
I took a bike tour on Tuesday, taking in the south of the city; the richest, coastal neighbourhood of Puerto Madero with plenty of snazzy restaurants, the poorer region La Boca, home to Boca Juniors and their immense 'bombadera' stadium, and the San Telmo district, the site of a famous, sprawling market. La Boca is a great neighbourhood because all of the buildings are painted with loads of different colours, making it appealing to the the eye. Just walking along the streets you can see countless bars with live tango performances, both music and dancing. Our final stop of the tour was the Plaza de Mayo, the central square, where it is not uncommon to witness protests, and casting your eye down Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires' towering Obelisk is a spike on the smooth horizon.
On Wednesday, we went out for another all you can eat 'asado'. The chorizo sausage assaulted my taste buds to such an extent that I had closed my eyes, put my fingers in my ears and allowed myself to be taken over by the flavours. Afterwards, we headed out to a tango bar and had a good tango/ salsa evening. I really feel like my dancing is improving...
A real highlight was going to see a live tango show. The whole package: music, dancing and comedy was very entertaning. I was not previously aware that legs could move that way; it looked as if they were disconnected from the bodies. The speed and guile of the dancers, combined with the togetherness of the music and the timing of the comedy produced an impressive and professional display.
Despite all of this, my mind has been taken over by one thing this week: Sunday's FA Cup semi final. In preparation, I have been searching for suitable locations to watch said game. Whilst checking out the 'locos por el futbol' bar, we visited the cemetry in Recoleta. It is a place where people spend extravagant money on enormous graves; some have front doors and two or three storeys; it really is ridiculous.
The hostel I have been staying in here is enormous and full of people intent only on partying, so it will nice to have a few days break as I head into Uruguay next week.
Sunday 10 April 2011
The Argentinian Asado
I arrived in Argentina on a Saturday night, in the wine region of Mendoza. Straight away I went for an asado (BBQ). The volume of meat was unbelievable; literally a mountain of various meats happily sizzling away. Whilst in Mendoza I took a wine tour which included a trip to an olive oil and chocolate factory. The real highlight was the free samples of everything. There was a Mexican Fiesta at the hostel with tacos and guacamole etc.. and I had a really good laugh with some Brazilians I had met earlier.
I've spent the last 5 days in Cordoba, which has to be my favourite city that I have ever visited. There are 7 universities and therefore a lot of students and a great party scene. As a result I have gone out almost every night here. Clubs work very differently here; everyone dances with everyone and it doesn't mean anything. I do enjoy it because you can just let loose and end up having a lot more fun.
I have done some cultural things too this week. I visited one of the Jesuit Missions which was a very impressive architectural feat, although the guide's English was very hard to understand. I also visited the 'Memory Museum' which remembers those who lost their lives and freedom at the hands of the Argentinian Secret Police back in the 1980's.
On Thursday, I went on a day trip to a tiny village about 3 hours from Cordoba called La Cumbrecita. It looks like an alpine village and even had a few signs in German. It is surrounded by hills so we (two Americans and a French guy) ascended the amusingly named 'Cerro Wank' hill at 1715 metres. The views were really special because there are no cities for miles, just endless countryside. Down in the town, I took a very cold, but refreshshing dip at the base of a small waterfall.
Last night I had another asado party, which was again outrageously tasty. I get the feeling that the Argentinians love to go big on everything they do. Ive been staying at the Tango Hostel here and the atmosphere is great; I'm definitely going to have to come bak some day. I'm heading off to Buenos Aires tomorrow, possibly on no sleep at all, so I'm sure it will be a very interesting bus journey.
I've spent the last 5 days in Cordoba, which has to be my favourite city that I have ever visited. There are 7 universities and therefore a lot of students and a great party scene. As a result I have gone out almost every night here. Clubs work very differently here; everyone dances with everyone and it doesn't mean anything. I do enjoy it because you can just let loose and end up having a lot more fun.
I have done some cultural things too this week. I visited one of the Jesuit Missions which was a very impressive architectural feat, although the guide's English was very hard to understand. I also visited the 'Memory Museum' which remembers those who lost their lives and freedom at the hands of the Argentinian Secret Police back in the 1980's.
On Thursday, I went on a day trip to a tiny village about 3 hours from Cordoba called La Cumbrecita. It looks like an alpine village and even had a few signs in German. It is surrounded by hills so we (two Americans and a French guy) ascended the amusingly named 'Cerro Wank' hill at 1715 metres. The views were really special because there are no cities for miles, just endless countryside. Down in the town, I took a very cold, but refreshshing dip at the base of a small waterfall.
Last night I had another asado party, which was again outrageously tasty. I get the feeling that the Argentinians love to go big on everything they do. Ive been staying at the Tango Hostel here and the atmosphere is great; I'm definitely going to have to come bak some day. I'm heading off to Buenos Aires tomorrow, possibly on no sleep at all, so I'm sure it will be a very interesting bus journey.
Friday 1 April 2011
Santiago
This week, for the first time, I felt like a traveller. No more working, or drinking with the locals, I was out in the wild. I arrived at my hostel on Saturday night and immediately went out with two English guys. Later on in the week a few more English guys arrived and we all grouped together. On Monday, we ascended the hill with a statue of the Virgin Mary looking down over the whole city. The view was incredible, despite a layer of pollution that rendered the distant Andes hazy. We had a barbecue back at the hostel which lasted over 4 hours and happily exchanged football trivia. I was happily surprised to discover that our group contained supporters of Stoke City, Everton, Newcastle, Blackburn and Wolves; a very mixed bag.
The following morning, we headed to a nearby 5-a-side pitch for a game of football. It was very entertaining, but playing in 30 degree midday heat and in barefeet probably wasn't the best idea.. Indeed, 4 days later, I am still struggling to walk! In the afternoon we headed up to a swimming pool in the mountains. The setting was spectacular, but the water was verging on Lake Baikal levels of cold; in other words, there was some shrinkage. The evening inevitably led to another barbecue and further hours of sports discussions. As the early hours drew in, I found myself talking to three Peruvian girls with a Cumbrian lad. It seems that Peruvians have the same sense of humour as the English, so I naturally introduced them to the Inbetweeners, a British treasure.
Last night, we ended up playing lots of drinking games at the hostel before heading to a club. I sneakily managed to wangle the taxis and club entry free of charge. I don't know if 3 hours sleep is the best thing before a long Andean bus journey, but there's only one way to find out!
Other highlights of the week include a trip South to the town of Rancagua. I went with an Australian guy, hoping to see a rodeo. Alas, our book had misled us. In our futile attempt to find something to do, we wandered around for a while and saw a dog get run over. It was a cool sight from only a few metres away, not in a sadistic way, just in that it was something I had never seen before. In case you're wondering, the dog was fine..
I have also drunk a little wine and managed not to grimace at the taste, so I've taken it as a sign that I'm growing up. I haven't yet met anyone younger than 21, so until I do, I might pretend I'm older too; I seem to be able to get away with it. Also, my accent has taken on a Northern twang due to prolonged conversations hearing Northern accents and I have to say that I love it!
The following morning, we headed to a nearby 5-a-side pitch for a game of football. It was very entertaining, but playing in 30 degree midday heat and in barefeet probably wasn't the best idea.. Indeed, 4 days later, I am still struggling to walk! In the afternoon we headed up to a swimming pool in the mountains. The setting was spectacular, but the water was verging on Lake Baikal levels of cold; in other words, there was some shrinkage. The evening inevitably led to another barbecue and further hours of sports discussions. As the early hours drew in, I found myself talking to three Peruvian girls with a Cumbrian lad. It seems that Peruvians have the same sense of humour as the English, so I naturally introduced them to the Inbetweeners, a British treasure.
Last night, we ended up playing lots of drinking games at the hostel before heading to a club. I sneakily managed to wangle the taxis and club entry free of charge. I don't know if 3 hours sleep is the best thing before a long Andean bus journey, but there's only one way to find out!
Other highlights of the week include a trip South to the town of Rancagua. I went with an Australian guy, hoping to see a rodeo. Alas, our book had misled us. In our futile attempt to find something to do, we wandered around for a while and saw a dog get run over. It was a cool sight from only a few metres away, not in a sadistic way, just in that it was something I had never seen before. In case you're wondering, the dog was fine..
I have also drunk a little wine and managed not to grimace at the taste, so I've taken it as a sign that I'm growing up. I haven't yet met anyone younger than 21, so until I do, I might pretend I'm older too; I seem to be able to get away with it. Also, my accent has taken on a Northern twang due to prolonged conversations hearing Northern accents and I have to say that I love it!
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