I am not sure what I have done to an Incan in a past life, but their spirits do not like me in the present. Knowing that I despise cold and dislike rain, the Incan gods have brought both in full form - PLUS with a bipolaresque teasing of glorious sun - each day we have been in Cusco.
This morning, for example, it was finally not AS hard to get myself out of the warm covers and into the cold world outside of bed, and by the time we had breakfast and a healthy dose of cocoa mate tea to run around the town, the sun was shining and I felt warm. So we went up to the Incan ruin high up a hill overlooking the city, Sexywoman (er,it just sounds like that, but its spelled so many different ways in Quecha I am just going with that). We were just finishing our tour and contemplating the mystery of Incan construction when the thunder started and the dark foreboding clouds in the distance were not quite so in the distance. So we walked a bit faster back to town, arriving just as the rain began to pelt us with some mighty conviction. When just half an hour earlier I was Dancing like an Incan with my tank top and soaking the sun. We went back to our hostal before meeting up with a Pacific Northwesterner I met at the language school in Ecuador who is now also in Cusco, during which time the Incan gods brought us HAIL. By the time we went to leave again, the hail subsided but the remainder of the afternoon was intermittent rain and constant cold. Brrrr.
When I visited the main Incan site in Ecuador, Ingapirca, it was also pouring rain and cold. And after the constant sun and heat in Argentina, where you almost could not sleep because of the heat - fabulous, this is quite the transition. Its not even like Seattle drizzle -though glad I am not in SNOW today, suckas.
We sought relief from the weather by gorging in a cool restaurant (though no go with the hummus to satisfy my craving, as it kind of tasted like ... well, nothing) and the indoor local goods market (pigs balls or cow heart, anyone? If ONLY we could have trusted the $1 ceviche, but that would likely bring along major digestive problems from the market. No street food). Then Ming and I went inside the main cathedral, but both of us are kind of creeped out by churches so that did not last long. We have been taking it easy thus far in Cusco, but tomorrow we will spend a full day in the Sacred Valley. Will be going to the Big MP after the New Year, now, because the trains are so packed with people that is when we can go, just in time for the raise in prices for 2008. Happy New Year.
Rain coat, check. Going to make a run for it ... and pray to the Incan gods to forgive me for my past transgressions...
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
High on life...
Or really, just pure air. I´m high on altitude in Cusco, having survived taxi driving in Lima (the people drive like a mix of Ecuadorians and Southern Californians though the big difference is having a trustworthy driver. Our friends in Lima and our hostel owner had reputable connections, and when those were not available on Christmas Day one of the hostel workers took a picture of the taxi driver and his liscense with her camera to ensure our safety before we got in!).
So the next challenge is adjusting to the altitude, though it has not been bad so far - just a bit winded walking up the stairs though that was also lugging my monster pack (given that it is lighter because I, uh, lost my pants at a river in Mendoza - still have the pant legs, though, if anyone needs some replacements). I am following directions by taking it easy today, which is hard because there is so much to explore around Cusco! We arrived inthe afternoon and spent some down time before venturing out to the hustle and bustle and travellers and markets and small children trying to sell you things and adults trying to sell you things. Walking around the main plaza just before dusk, I got a little hint of the infamous magical feeling here. But then I just realized that was more from hunger, though we had a light (and dang tasty) meal at a pub in following suggestions to eat lightly. Add some coca mate tea and leaves, and we should be good to go. But back to doctor´s orders, some rest and relaxation...
So the next challenge is adjusting to the altitude, though it has not been bad so far - just a bit winded walking up the stairs though that was also lugging my monster pack (given that it is lighter because I, uh, lost my pants at a river in Mendoza - still have the pant legs, though, if anyone needs some replacements). I am following directions by taking it easy today, which is hard because there is so much to explore around Cusco! We arrived inthe afternoon and spent some down time before venturing out to the hustle and bustle and travellers and markets and small children trying to sell you things and adults trying to sell you things. Walking around the main plaza just before dusk, I got a little hint of the infamous magical feeling here. But then I just realized that was more from hunger, though we had a light (and dang tasty) meal at a pub in following suggestions to eat lightly. Add some coca mate tea and leaves, and we should be good to go. But back to doctor´s orders, some rest and relaxation...
¡Felices Fiestas!
Happy holidays to everyone. I hope you are enjoying a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of our globalized economic world and spending it on supplying and demanding nothing but good times from your friends and family.
I need a bit more sleep, if you cannot tell.
Haven´t had much time in front of a computer to post, but I will "peru"ve that I am still alive now with greetings from Lima, Peru. I am happily in the Miraflores neighborhood (or city, as our hostel owner calls them in describing this large city and its safe and dangerous places for foreigners), which is very close to the beach and the ocean. Walking along side the cliff overlooking the ocean yesterday, I was reminded of Monterey and missed the Bay Area a little. But of course, there has been a lot of missing back home, being away during the holidays ...
Thankfully, I spent a lovely Christmas surrounded by kindness and festive spirits w
ith familiar faces. I am grateful to Damian and Julie´s families for embracing me & Ming into the Isla Family Christmas lunch spectacular, complete with fantastic food (Becky´s handmade lasagne was the main hit), welcoming people, and Isla family tradition naughty sugar cookies! Add entertainment from watching Sean Connery play a Russian, watching SNLs "Dick in a Box" (it´s a true Christmas song, listen to it!), and dice game dodo (basically the game of Bullshit, with dice and a cup). Everyone in the Isla family home, including the visiting Farago family, kept me laughing all day and night long, the best present indeed.
I need a bit more sleep, if you cannot tell.
Haven´t had much time in front of a computer to post, but I will "peru"ve that I am still alive now with greetings from Lima, Peru. I am happily in the Miraflores neighborhood (or city, as our hostel owner calls them in describing this large city and its safe and dangerous places for foreigners), which is very close to the beach and the ocean. Walking along side the cliff overlooking the ocean yesterday, I was reminded of Monterey and missed the Bay Area a little. But of course, there has been a lot of missing back home, being away during the holidays ...
Thankfully, I spent a lovely Christmas surrounded by kindness and festive spirits w
ith familiar faces. I am grateful to Damian and Julie´s families for embracing me & Ming into the Isla Family Christmas lunch spectacular, complete with fantastic food (Becky´s handmade lasagne was the main hit), welcoming people, and Isla family tradition naughty sugar cookies! Add entertainment from watching Sean Connery play a Russian, watching SNLs "Dick in a Box" (it´s a true Christmas song, listen to it!), and dice game dodo (basically the game of Bullshit, with dice and a cup). Everyone in the Isla family home, including the visiting Farago family, kept me laughing all day and night long, the best present indeed.
And I will cope with my remaining sorrow of being away from family this holiday by again trying to enjoy the summer weather and meeting interesting people and tasting local delicacies and exploring fascinating places. It will be hard, but I am dedicated to it ... off to Cusco in a couple hours. We will be there a few days, going to Machu Picchu and back to Cusco for new years with all the expats (it will be a happenin place, no doubt! We will be reuniting with some random folks), then after the neuvo año making our way to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. Safe travels to everyone else, too. I think travelling in the USA during the holidays is more of an adventure than I´ll be seeing in the next week - and more chance for lost luggage than my backpacking!
Abrazos. And PLEASE send me a random email or two whenever you catch your breath from holiday going to let me know how you are.
Abrazos. And PLEASE send me a random email or two whenever you catch your breath from holiday going to let me know how you are.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wine-ing
Wine, beef, and sun -- I have been delivered to the Land of Plenty for these three things, and I am enjoying them all (though not necessarily in moderation). The 5 pesos for air conditioning at the hostel makes it all possible: best money ever spent (except for each 2 peso empanada, mmmm. Or 20 peso tenderloin).
Survived the overnight bus from Buenos Aires (and actually had a decent meal consisting of some sort of spinach and cheese concotion - good to have low expectations and not get sick on a bus!) to Mendoza, Argentina´s wine country. Argentine buses are great - big, comfty recliner seats, cheesy US movies, friendly staff - not anything like the Ecuadorian experience! Especially with a bottle of 20 peso wine bought at the station as our carry on.
My goals for the next few days in Mendoza are simple: wine, beef, and sun; repeat. So this extremely busy schedule will not afford much blogging, though I hope to get some awesome photos from Iguazu up soon. Ming took a brief video of our ride UNDER the falls that may just show up on You Tube soon for its great entertainment value (or maybe only to me, once again in thinking that we paid someone else money to go on a boat under a massive force of water that was hot and tasted like dirt and left us completely soaked).
Off to get some sleep, to digest tonight´s BBQ grill with felllow American travellers at the hostel (thank you Als family! complete with excellent chef!) and get plenty of rest before tomorrow morning´s Bodega tour.
And will be off for a brief day in Santiago, Chile on Christmas Eve. I am SO excited to see Julie and Damian and spend Christmas Day with the Isla family in Lima, Peru!
Wine, beef, sun, repeat. Try THAT in California or Washington, suckas. You may have the wine, but not the hot,blaring, gorgeous sun... but then again, you also do not have my hideous multi-tan or peeling skin...
Survived the overnight bus from Buenos Aires (and actually had a decent meal consisting of some sort of spinach and cheese concotion - good to have low expectations and not get sick on a bus!) to Mendoza, Argentina´s wine country. Argentine buses are great - big, comfty recliner seats, cheesy US movies, friendly staff - not anything like the Ecuadorian experience! Especially with a bottle of 20 peso wine bought at the station as our carry on.
My goals for the next few days in Mendoza are simple: wine, beef, and sun; repeat. So this extremely busy schedule will not afford much blogging, though I hope to get some awesome photos from Iguazu up soon. Ming took a brief video of our ride UNDER the falls that may just show up on You Tube soon for its great entertainment value (or maybe only to me, once again in thinking that we paid someone else money to go on a boat under a massive force of water that was hot and tasted like dirt and left us completely soaked).
Off to get some sleep, to digest tonight´s BBQ grill with felllow American travellers at the hostel (thank you Als family! complete with excellent chef!) and get plenty of rest before tomorrow morning´s Bodega tour.
And will be off for a brief day in Santiago, Chile on Christmas Eve. I am SO excited to see Julie and Damian and spend Christmas Day with the Isla family in Lima, Peru!
Wine, beef, sun, repeat. Try THAT in California or Washington, suckas. You may have the wine, but not the hot,blaring, gorgeous sun... but then again, you also do not have my hideous multi-tan or peeling skin...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wet and Itchy
Is how I feel right now.
Wet: Part of the Iguazu experience. Ironically, yesterday´s soak came courtesty of my own sweat, from taking multiple sweltering buses to get to the Brazilian side of the falls, hiking the trail to get to the amazing views of the majestic falls, and being in the inescapable heat. Today´s soak comes from the Falls themselves - took a crazy boat ride to go under the fall´s mighty outpour ¡loco! - and the torrential rain that started while we were loading the bus (so I was soaked from going under the falls and just stayed that way). Showers are wonderful, even at a shabby little hostel.
Itchy: Bugs love to bite me for my tasty blood, and last night one decided to go right for my bottom lip (despite my ritual applications of Deet-laden products). So I look a bit like a domestic violence victim with the swelling, but it does not look as bad as it feels. Itch, scratch. But at least I have not been bitten by spiders, which my mom can tell you are very bad given that she had to take me to the hospital the last time (and Christina, I am much more careful in how I use the term being attacked by bugs following that incident) and has seen many swollen parts of my body over the years from the little critters. And especially after the monster spiders we´ve seen here... eeee...
Wet: Part of the Iguazu experience. Ironically, yesterday´s soak came courtesty of my own sweat, from taking multiple sweltering buses to get to the Brazilian side of the falls, hiking the trail to get to the amazing views of the majestic falls, and being in the inescapable heat. Today´s soak comes from the Falls themselves - took a crazy boat ride to go under the fall´s mighty outpour ¡loco! - and the torrential rain that started while we were loading the bus (so I was soaked from going under the falls and just stayed that way). Showers are wonderful, even at a shabby little hostel.
Itchy: Bugs love to bite me for my tasty blood, and last night one decided to go right for my bottom lip (despite my ritual applications of Deet-laden products). So I look a bit like a domestic violence victim with the swelling, but it does not look as bad as it feels. Itch, scratch. But at least I have not been bitten by spiders, which my mom can tell you are very bad given that she had to take me to the hospital the last time (and Christina, I am much more careful in how I use the term being attacked by bugs following that incident) and has seen many swollen parts of my body over the years from the little critters. And especially after the monster spiders we´ve seen here... eeee...
Monday, December 17, 2007
Falling fo the Falls
Igauzu Falls: amazing. That is all I have to say for now.
And that I am only carrying Mastercards but made it to the Brazil side today, if that make sense to any of you.
And that I am only carrying Mastercards but made it to the Brazil side today, if that make sense to any of you.
To have and to give
Being in other countries has prompted me to think a lot about income inequality and how arbitrary borders and random circumstance dicate so much about a person´s standard of life. I knew that traveling outside of my bubble existence and being exposed to more overt discrepancies between rich and poor would leave me with a lot to continually process mentally and theorize about and critically think about where our societies are going. Really, I HAVE been doing more than eating and contibuting my dolares to the local economies of South America.
I have not talked to locals as much as would like to hear about their perspective (especially in BsAs where the people are a bit more ¨impenetrable¨ as one fellow traveller we met, a British expat living there, described the people in the city in opposition to other Argentines), although I do feel like Ecuadorians were always quite expressive about their societal problems. But another way I have a lens to this part of the world is from other travellers and what it has been like for them (what places seem dangerous, close to civil war, ravaged by natural disasters!). I was really struck by hearing the accounts of an Irish young man I met at our hostel in BsAs, who was near the epicenter at the time of the Peruvian earthquake that recently devastated the coast. He and his girlfriend walked outside of their hotel to find shambles all around and dead bodies in the street. They later volunteered with some aid relief in Lima, but were still tramautized by seeing how badly the quake ruined the area and what that did to the people who lost everything (who began to riot and rob another). I mention this not because I am trying to evoke pity or make any claim about this region in dealing with tragedy or suffering, but because it is one more thing revolving in my head about our relative ways of living and co-existing in this world. More to comment on when I am not sweltering in the hot Argentine heat and can better describe where my thoughts are going...
Where I was trying to go with this right now relates to my continual difficulty in dealing with the modern world´s obsession with consumerism (a personal opinion, esp in regards to the US, and I am just personally too addicted to things). And bringing the focus of my ramble to a really simple point - spending the holidays reflecting on what is really important, the people you are around and compassion. I want to urge people to give holiday gifts to those they love in the form of giving to others. There are places to donate online or give to your local library (or the UC Berkeley library fund!). JustGive.org is pretty reputable. I just feel happier putting that idea out there, even for those of you who already donate so much and are wonderful providers to the people around you. And not to downgrade tangible gifts - I felt really emotional reading an email from my mom about what she was buying for other family members because I want to be there, too, putting thought into what would make each person happy to receive and what a good gift reveals about our connections to each other. I just want to suggest other gifts given the recent move to gift cards and more impersonal gift giving that may have more ultimate meaning with a little thought or extra giving!
And with that, I am hypocritically taking my money and going to spend it on an empanada on the way back to the hostel (in Iguazu Falls - which is abosultely incredible). Sorry mom and dad, to keep your unemployed daughter fed there will be no touristy gifts are coming your way soon, even by way of charitable giving. Just lots of thoughts that we were able to be together in the same space right now - though I would definitely make you come to me because I am thoroughly enjoying the summer time. So yes, these are very important things to me - having many people who love me (odd they may be) and being in hot, hot, sun. Ahhhh.
I have not talked to locals as much as would like to hear about their perspective (especially in BsAs where the people are a bit more ¨impenetrable¨ as one fellow traveller we met, a British expat living there, described the people in the city in opposition to other Argentines), although I do feel like Ecuadorians were always quite expressive about their societal problems. But another way I have a lens to this part of the world is from other travellers and what it has been like for them (what places seem dangerous, close to civil war, ravaged by natural disasters!). I was really struck by hearing the accounts of an Irish young man I met at our hostel in BsAs, who was near the epicenter at the time of the Peruvian earthquake that recently devastated the coast. He and his girlfriend walked outside of their hotel to find shambles all around and dead bodies in the street. They later volunteered with some aid relief in Lima, but were still tramautized by seeing how badly the quake ruined the area and what that did to the people who lost everything (who began to riot and rob another). I mention this not because I am trying to evoke pity or make any claim about this region in dealing with tragedy or suffering, but because it is one more thing revolving in my head about our relative ways of living and co-existing in this world. More to comment on when I am not sweltering in the hot Argentine heat and can better describe where my thoughts are going...
Where I was trying to go with this right now relates to my continual difficulty in dealing with the modern world´s obsession with consumerism (a personal opinion, esp in regards to the US, and I am just personally too addicted to things). And bringing the focus of my ramble to a really simple point - spending the holidays reflecting on what is really important, the people you are around and compassion. I want to urge people to give holiday gifts to those they love in the form of giving to others. There are places to donate online or give to your local library (or the UC Berkeley library fund!). JustGive.org is pretty reputable. I just feel happier putting that idea out there, even for those of you who already donate so much and are wonderful providers to the people around you. And not to downgrade tangible gifts - I felt really emotional reading an email from my mom about what she was buying for other family members because I want to be there, too, putting thought into what would make each person happy to receive and what a good gift reveals about our connections to each other. I just want to suggest other gifts given the recent move to gift cards and more impersonal gift giving that may have more ultimate meaning with a little thought or extra giving!
And with that, I am hypocritically taking my money and going to spend it on an empanada on the way back to the hostel (in Iguazu Falls - which is abosultely incredible). Sorry mom and dad, to keep your unemployed daughter fed there will be no touristy gifts are coming your way soon, even by way of charitable giving. Just lots of thoughts that we were able to be together in the same space right now - though I would definitely make you come to me because I am thoroughly enjoying the summer time. So yes, these are very important things to me - having many people who love me (odd they may be) and being in hot, hot, sun. Ahhhh.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Buenos Aires by Neighborhood
Each neighborhood in Buenos Aires (BsAs) has it's own personality, which I have enjoyed trying to get to know during the week spent here. It is a large enough city that you can easily spend just one day booking it around to multiple neighborhoods or just have a lazy day getting to take in a better feel for one place. Each neighborhood has its "hot spots" as well as "hot times" to be there, for a weekly outdoor market or spontaneous street tango.
I am just getting around to uploading photos, so they are not well edited and do not yet have captions to orient you to the fun I have had in each place! But check back to see photos.
- The city center http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/ArgentinaElCentro
- And Colonia, Uruguay (hope I am not insulting any Uruguayans by grouping them with BsAs) http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Uruguay
Even after a week of taking in BsAs, there is still so much I wanted to do! It's actually not a city where (in my opinion) there are very specific landmark places to go - but because its great to just take in the feel of each place and try new restaurants and go back to the places I enjoyed being at (like a cool cafe that serves mate, an herbal tea that is VERY popular in this part of the world but hard to get if you don't have local friends!), I would love to stay longer. But I am very excited about upcoming plans - I am now off to Iguazu Falls, along the Argentine and Brazil border!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Aires really are Buenos
My lack of recent posting reflects the prioritization I have given to having fun in Buenos Aires, rather than sitting in front of a computer as I often fit into my schedule in Ecuador. There is so much to do to immerse myself in the city - explore the different neighborhoods to get the feel and look of each place, eat, drink, and nap!
And I sadly wasted half an entire day dealing with the mysterious disappearance of my ATM card. I realistically probably lost it, maybe by leaving it in the last ATM machine used - despite my diligence given how many times I have heard fellow travellers relay their own annoying mistake of having done that - but it could have somehow been stolen. Bottom line is that it will be an inconvenience to get money some other way until the card reaches Seattle and someone there is able to send it to me in Peru to get to me when I am there (please send happy thoughts to the Wells Fargo, fed ex, and Peruvian postal gods for me). I at least got even more of a walking tour of Buenos Aires trying to find a bank that would let me withdraw money from my credit card because I am a bad traveller and never thought I would need a PIN number to withdraw cash from my credit card, which comes when you open the account. I visited 5 banks in 3 neighborhoods before closing time came (at 3pm!) on Friday, still with empty wallet. My backup plan is to buy beer with a credit card and sell it on the streets - for a profit - in cash. Wish me luck.
I am off to take a quick siesta before dinner, to rest my mind and legs from walking around street markets and a local fiesta. Our hostel owner clued us into a local street fair and music festival at the planetarium park in Palermo, where we hung out with the locals perusing clothes, goods, and rocking music (though I felt like was surrounded by a bunch of Capitol Hill hipsters at some point, then there were more hippies than hipsters). And I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the street market in Recoleta, which sells many different artisan goods - jewelery, clothes, leather goods, and of course cheap, yummy food! My personal food theme for today was empañada day, so it worked well having people selling them for 2 pesos (previous themes have been general BEEF, churro con chocolate consumption; tomorrow will be chorizo specifically). The other great thing about this market was that all the crafts were different - very creative items and styles, rather than a bunch of places selling basic variants of the same thing. And despite some very good prices, I have to continually remind myself not to accumulate things that will just have to be carried around in my already heavy backpack for the next several weeks! It also helps not having cold, hard cash... sigh...
And I sadly wasted half an entire day dealing with the mysterious disappearance of my ATM card. I realistically probably lost it, maybe by leaving it in the last ATM machine used - despite my diligence given how many times I have heard fellow travellers relay their own annoying mistake of having done that - but it could have somehow been stolen. Bottom line is that it will be an inconvenience to get money some other way until the card reaches Seattle and someone there is able to send it to me in Peru to get to me when I am there (please send happy thoughts to the Wells Fargo, fed ex, and Peruvian postal gods for me). I at least got even more of a walking tour of Buenos Aires trying to find a bank that would let me withdraw money from my credit card because I am a bad traveller and never thought I would need a PIN number to withdraw cash from my credit card, which comes when you open the account. I visited 5 banks in 3 neighborhoods before closing time came (at 3pm!) on Friday, still with empty wallet. My backup plan is to buy beer with a credit card and sell it on the streets - for a profit - in cash. Wish me luck.
I am off to take a quick siesta before dinner, to rest my mind and legs from walking around street markets and a local fiesta. Our hostel owner clued us into a local street fair and music festival at the planetarium park in Palermo, where we hung out with the locals perusing clothes, goods, and rocking music (though I felt like was surrounded by a bunch of Capitol Hill hipsters at some point, then there were more hippies than hipsters). And I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the street market in Recoleta, which sells many different artisan goods - jewelery, clothes, leather goods, and of course cheap, yummy food! My personal food theme for today was empañada day, so it worked well having people selling them for 2 pesos (previous themes have been general BEEF, churro con chocolate consumption; tomorrow will be chorizo specifically). The other great thing about this market was that all the crafts were different - very creative items and styles, rather than a bunch of places selling basic variants of the same thing. And despite some very good prices, I have to continually remind myself not to accumulate things that will just have to be carried around in my already heavy backpack for the next several weeks! It also helps not having cold, hard cash... sigh...
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Uruguay for the Day
Hey, what are you doing today? Well, I am just about to head off for Uruguay. Going for a day trip to Colonia, which is one hour ferry ride from Buenos Aires.
Though rethinking the logic of having gone to an all you can eat parilla (steak house) the night before, which included a lot of salad, beer, wine, and dessert in addition to the most meat I have consumed in one sitting ... which I returned from, oh, 6 hours ago ....
Chao!
Though rethinking the logic of having gone to an all you can eat parilla (steak house) the night before, which included a lot of salad, beer, wine, and dessert in addition to the most meat I have consumed in one sitting ... which I returned from, oh, 6 hours ago ....
Chao!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Insomnio en San Telmo
It´s slightly past 7:30 AM here in Buenos Aires and I am WIDE AWAKE despite having gone to bed after 1 AM. As a huge fan of the sleep I am entitled to post-grad school, I find this current insomnia - in fact, total hyperactivity - interesting. As silly as it sounds, I think I am overstimulated by this vast city and its liveliness, especially after being in a country like Ecuador for so a month where the pace of life is much slower and the people quite different (for being more the same to each other, from my outsider perspective, compared to the diversity in a large city like BA).
Although I am a morning person in general, I decided not to adjust to the time difference so that I could adapt to the Porteño (Buenos Aires inhabitant) way of life, where dinner takes place after 8 PM and lingers to sometime before the going out out hour of 2 AM. Of course I am still too prematurely old and boring to be going out then, the point is that I want to embrace the idea of a nice siesta during the day, a leisurely (meat filled) dinner and being up late and sleeping in (those close to me know this is a VERY hard concept for me to adopt personally). But it has been easy the past two days since arrival, thanks to the long journey to get here and sleepless plan ride during the night - there has been a lot of napping. And I anticipate more napping today given that I have been wide awake since 5 am: I am proud of myself.
Maybe the inability to sleep can be attributed was the churros I ate, dipped in the richest hot chocolate I have ever consumed, at a tango show last night (at the well-know Cafe Tortoni). It was quite the diabetes-inducing evening, given that this treat was complemented by a bottle of the first red wine I have enjoyed in quite a long time - it helps that I was not allergic to it as I am with some reds! It was an Argentine wine (of course) and made want to go to the wine country Mendoza in the north of Argentina. And we may just go there ... itinerary after Buenos Aires definitely includes Iguazu Falls but unclear from there before going to Peru. We may take buses and trains through Northern Argentina into Santiago, Chile, and fly to Lima from there Bolivia is now out of my mind because of the recent change that requires US citizens to obtain a visa! Oh, and the civil unrest there, too... anyway, I ramble on about this because if anyone has suggestions or advice (bus, flight travel in Argentina and Peru), please email me!
It sounds like people are beginning to stir in San Telmo, the neighborhood of our hostel (Garden House, Art Gallery, which is a quirky large place decorated by local artists and with friend staff). San Telmos is the city’s oldest neighborhood, where the elite lived until the plague drove them elsewhere, but it has recently been [ ¨revitalized¨ and touts itself as artistic,with its numerous antique shops, cobblestone streets and lots of artists and dancers. The tango show we attended last night (which felt like more dramatic theater to me!) was nearby but closer to the center of town. I will upload pictures when I have the chance to get to an internet cafe (dont even have a usb port of the computer in the hostel!). I am eager to share pictures of our adventures thus far, limited to our neighborhood and that of Palmero, full of large open air park space and fun shopping in the Palermo Veijo.
For now, I am going to read some Pub Med articles in hopes this can get me to sleep - well, I jest to some extent about this being a boring activity because I am very anxious to get back to working and starting my career (though once I go back to the daily grind I´ll lament not being an aimless traveller). But not anxious enough that I will not be fully immersed in enjoying the next few weeks. I really feel like I am on vacation right now in comparison to my last month in Ecuador, where I felt more like trying to LIVE there rather than just being a tourist (and also feeling the transition off living on a couple of dollars a day ¡Que lastima!)
Although I am a morning person in general, I decided not to adjust to the time difference so that I could adapt to the Porteño (Buenos Aires inhabitant) way of life, where dinner takes place after 8 PM and lingers to sometime before the going out out hour of 2 AM. Of course I am still too prematurely old and boring to be going out then, the point is that I want to embrace the idea of a nice siesta during the day, a leisurely (meat filled) dinner and being up late and sleeping in (those close to me know this is a VERY hard concept for me to adopt personally). But it has been easy the past two days since arrival, thanks to the long journey to get here and sleepless plan ride during the night - there has been a lot of napping. And I anticipate more napping today given that I have been wide awake since 5 am: I am proud of myself.
Maybe the inability to sleep can be attributed was the churros I ate, dipped in the richest hot chocolate I have ever consumed, at a tango show last night (at the well-know Cafe Tortoni). It was quite the diabetes-inducing evening, given that this treat was complemented by a bottle of the first red wine I have enjoyed in quite a long time - it helps that I was not allergic to it as I am with some reds! It was an Argentine wine (of course) and made want to go to the wine country Mendoza in the north of Argentina. And we may just go there ... itinerary after Buenos Aires definitely includes Iguazu Falls but unclear from there before going to Peru. We may take buses and trains through Northern Argentina into Santiago, Chile, and fly to Lima from there Bolivia is now out of my mind because of the recent change that requires US citizens to obtain a visa! Oh, and the civil unrest there, too... anyway, I ramble on about this because if anyone has suggestions or advice (bus, flight travel in Argentina and Peru), please email me!
It sounds like people are beginning to stir in San Telmo, the neighborhood of our hostel (Garden House, Art Gallery, which is a quirky large place decorated by local artists and with friend staff). San Telmos is the city’s oldest neighborhood, where the elite lived until the plague drove them elsewhere, but it has recently been [ ¨revitalized¨ and touts itself as artistic,with its numerous antique shops, cobblestone streets and lots of artists and dancers. The tango show we attended last night (which felt like more dramatic theater to me!) was nearby but closer to the center of town. I will upload pictures when I have the chance to get to an internet cafe (dont even have a usb port of the computer in the hostel!). I am eager to share pictures of our adventures thus far, limited to our neighborhood and that of Palmero, full of large open air park space and fun shopping in the Palermo Veijo.
For now, I am going to read some Pub Med articles in hopes this can get me to sleep - well, I jest to some extent about this being a boring activity because I am very anxious to get back to working and starting my career (though once I go back to the daily grind I´ll lament not being an aimless traveller). But not anxious enough that I will not be fully immersed in enjoying the next few weeks. I really feel like I am on vacation right now in comparison to my last month in Ecuador, where I felt more like trying to LIVE there rather than just being a tourist (and also feeling the transition off living on a couple of dollars a day ¡Que lastima!)
Monday, December 10, 2007
Don't cry for me, Argentina
I have to be allowed one Evita reference.
I am much too tired after a long day of travelling (sad that even plane travel feels so exhausting) to be cognizant, but I did want to let people know my luggage and person made it to Buenos Aires without more hassles! And I am happy for having consumed beef and wine today.
And my phone actually does NOT work, and until I figure that out I apologize that your calls and texts have not been received. So actually, please cry for me, Argentina, I know not what to do (if anyone has cell advice, let me know).
Off to dream about more beef and wine and maybe tango ...
I am much too tired after a long day of travelling (sad that even plane travel feels so exhausting) to be cognizant, but I did want to let people know my luggage and person made it to Buenos Aires without more hassles! And I am happy for having consumed beef and wine today.
And my phone actually does NOT work, and until I figure that out I apologize that your calls and texts have not been received. So actually, please cry for me, Argentina, I know not what to do (if anyone has cell advice, let me know).
Off to dream about more beef and wine and maybe tango ...
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Adios Ecuador, Hola Argentina
After a flustering day of my original flight being cancelled so being placed on an EARLIER flight on another airline (without prior warning) and my passport info not showing up on the computers for having arrived in Ecuador (thus being detained at the police station and endlessly questioned), I am just about to board the plane to go to Lima on the way to Buenos Aires. I´ll be meeting up with Ming there Monday morning. YAY! Let´s just hope our luggage gets there, too, from their various journeys...
I´m curious to compare and contrast the countries I will be visiting, and hope to share some thoughts and solicit those of others with familiarity with South America.
Hope all is well, chao!
I´m curious to compare and contrast the countries I will be visiting, and hope to share some thoughts and solicit those of others with familiarity with South America.
Hope all is well, chao!
Friday, December 7, 2007
The Bus Diaries
Forget Ché and his romantic, free-sprited motorcycle travel. The standard way to get around South America is the autobus, and allow me to share the Ecuadorian bus experience (I hear I have much better experiences ahead of me in other countries, which is great for my bladder, stomach, and mind).
Taking the bus is a great way to really SEE the country and its amazing and diverse landscapes packed into 
such a small country. I have only been in the mountains (missing out so far on the coast and the jungle, and the Galapagos Islands, if anyone wants to donate money to get me there please go to http://www.deannsfund.org/), but even the Andes have remarkable scenery. So buses let you experience some of this, at a very cheap price (roughly a dollar an hour of travel). But the deal doesn´t just stop there. Let´s examine the anatomy of a bus ride in Ecuador.
such a small country. I have only been in the mountains (missing out so far on the coast and the jungle, and the Galapagos Islands, if anyone wants to donate money to get me there please go to http://www.deannsfund.org/), but even the Andes have remarkable scenery. So buses let you experience some of this, at a very cheap price (roughly a dollar an hour of travel). But the deal doesn´t just stop there. Let´s examine the anatomy of a bus ride in Ecuador.The essential elements of an Ecuadorian bus ride:
-- Large bus, sometimes covered in pollution and dirt so you can barely see the name of the coopertiva. If your bus breaks down, it is replaced with a similar one, maybe even a less stable-looking one just to make you feel better.
-- A driver and porter, both of potentially volatile personality. The assistant is keenly adept with memory (remembering people to know who to charge and when) as well as physical conditioning (to literally jump off and on the running bus, and throw heavy pieces of luggage around like they contain little of value).
-- Potholes and ditches and piles of dirt in the road, if you can even call it a road at some points.
-- The road: often narrow, always winding around the mighty mountains, somehow shared with other buses, cars, tucks, people walking, and animals. Buses like to pass one another up, which is fabulous when the lane is barely considered to be two way and there are numerous curves.
Optional: memorials with crosses and flowers of where people have died.
-- Plastic bags available on the bus, allegedly for trash, but also for passenger vomit I have found.
-- Loud music or a movie (on high volume, of course), likely to involve violence, terrorism, and either Steven Segal or Sylvester Stallone.
-- Some sort of religious figure decal OR American sports team decal on the interior of the bus.
-- Passengers loaded to the max, and beyond. Ecuadorians seem perfectly content to stand in the aisles with large bags of food, goods, or who knows what else (given how many times I have heard animals noises coming from a large nondescript bag held by people walking in the street). Even the elderly are adept at jumping on the bus with a 20 pound bag of whoknowswhat and screaming when they want to get off, when the bus driver will slow down while they dive off. And people have no problem using other passengers as a stabilization while moving throughout the bus - my head apparently makes a great post.
-----------------------
Add these elements and you get a little bit of nausea and a lot of life reflection (for fear it may end soon) on the stuffy bus going high speeds over winding, narrow, high roads of the Andes. And this can be yours for only about $1 per hour of enjoyment. Bien viaje!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
It´s like gonorrea with a ¨z¨
Don´t worry, the title has nothing to do with my own health. Just trying to get by in español... Ann gave me a good tip for remembering the word carrot, zanahoria, on my way out to get us freshly-squeezed juice from the nice Juce Man at the market entrance right across from her residence. I really enjoy going to the markets and observing the commotion of people and goods passing through, and its jiving here in Catacocha early in the morning. I´ve been walking across town to shower in the mornings (long story) and love feeling the warm sun at 7h30 and feeling the energy around me. Although energy may not be the right word -- people move pretty slow and half the town seems to be lined up sitting outside the bank waiting for it to open.
I sadly have dipped off in my Spanish language learning curve after having such a great week with classes. I finished my lessons last week (and received a little certificate -- Christina, this has to go on our apartment´s ¨wall of achievement¨ among the phlebotomy training certifications and traffic violation tickets!) and kind of made it over the ¨hump¨ of initial difficulty. It was starting to come easier to me. And I thought being in a place where people don´t speak English, where I am at now, would help me continue to build. Oh wait, every male here knows ¨Hallo bay-bee¨ and proceeds to say this to me at any chance. While I appreciate the display of English skills, I don´t think such conversations would go very far to help me practice. So, instead, I am kind of staying at a basic level of interaction and HATE when I really can´t communicate with someone.
And I also learned that, beyond the language difference, Ecuadorians may have trouble understanding me on account of cultural differences in humor. For example, one of the local store owners told me I was ¨very pretty¨when Ann introduced me to her on our initial jaunt around town. And my response was asking ¨Are you feeling sick?¨using both the wrong form of the verb to be and going for a bad translation of trying to say, are you feeling okay? Anyway, confusion ensued, Ann rolled her eyes & gave me the look of ¨remember Ecua humor takes few years to get¨, and the nice lady probably just thought ¨dumb blonde¨(anyone with romotely light hair can be considered blonde, so I stand out with my continually changing hair colors - being in the sun is thankfully washing out the redness I am always trying to get rid of unnaturally!)
It was a good thing to be introduced around town, given that any random gringa here would definitely cause suspicion- haven´t seen any here besides the 2 Jehovas Witnesses, and I can vouch for Ann´s fore-warnings that people blatantly stare at anyone new. But Ann has many kind, giving friends in town and they have all embraced me and my crappy Spanish as well. I´m enjoying meeting them and observing random fiestas in town (even though one blocked our bus coming in the other day and fiestas give schools reason to close the following day, even with the kids´school day lasting only to 12:30, hmmm). And I´m even more enjoying all the good food being cooked for me by the wonderful Ms. Ann Ku, with lots of veggies, fruits, and healthy grains. Plus the tips on ways to remember things in Spanish, even if I kept thinking about STDs while drinking my fresh orange and carrot juice this morning...
I sadly have dipped off in my Spanish language learning curve after having such a great week with classes. I finished my lessons last week (and received a little certificate -- Christina, this has to go on our apartment´s ¨wall of achievement¨ among the phlebotomy training certifications and traffic violation tickets!) and kind of made it over the ¨hump¨ of initial difficulty. It was starting to come easier to me. And I thought being in a place where people don´t speak English, where I am at now, would help me continue to build. Oh wait, every male here knows ¨Hallo bay-bee¨ and proceeds to say this to me at any chance. While I appreciate the display of English skills, I don´t think such conversations would go very far to help me practice. So, instead, I am kind of staying at a basic level of interaction and HATE when I really can´t communicate with someone.
And I also learned that, beyond the language difference, Ecuadorians may have trouble understanding me on account of cultural differences in humor. For example, one of the local store owners told me I was ¨very pretty¨when Ann introduced me to her on our initial jaunt around town. And my response was asking ¨Are you feeling sick?¨using both the wrong form of the verb to be and going for a bad translation of trying to say, are you feeling okay? Anyway, confusion ensued, Ann rolled her eyes & gave me the look of ¨remember Ecua humor takes few years to get¨, and the nice lady probably just thought ¨dumb blonde¨(anyone with romotely light hair can be considered blonde, so I stand out with my continually changing hair colors - being in the sun is thankfully washing out the redness I am always trying to get rid of unnaturally!)
It was a good thing to be introduced around town, given that any random gringa here would definitely cause suspicion- haven´t seen any here besides the 2 Jehovas Witnesses, and I can vouch for Ann´s fore-warnings that people blatantly stare at anyone new. But Ann has many kind, giving friends in town and they have all embraced me and my crappy Spanish as well. I´m enjoying meeting them and observing random fiestas in town (even though one blocked our bus coming in the other day and fiestas give schools reason to close the following day, even with the kids´school day lasting only to 12:30, hmmm). And I´m even more enjoying all the good food being cooked for me by the wonderful Ms. Ann Ku, with lots of veggies, fruits, and healthy grains. Plus the tips on ways to remember things in Spanish, even if I kept thinking about STDs while drinking my fresh orange and carrot juice this morning...
The Meaning of Toliet Paper
Is enormous, to me. I think it is one thing I really take for granted. =)
I now carry TP with me everywhere and spent silly amounts of time making sure my supplies will be safeguarded. And every paper product I encounter in restaurant or store makes me want to steal it to keep as back up.
I must say, people with bladder conditions such as myself (sorry if that was too much info, but anyone who has spent any time with me ever knows how small my bladder is and how often I relieve it) have extra fun with travel. Buses, shared restrooms, public bathrooms - HA, indeed. And bodily functions are such a common topic of discussion here in South America that I have no qualms dedicating an entire post to my love of toliet paper and complete acknowledgement that I am lightweight and could never be completely comfortable living in places without running water or electricity. I admit it and all weakness that goes along with it. And this is also how intense my love and appreciation for toliet paper is. Thank you for existing, TP.
I now carry TP with me everywhere and spent silly amounts of time making sure my supplies will be safeguarded. And every paper product I encounter in restaurant or store makes me want to steal it to keep as back up.
I must say, people with bladder conditions such as myself (sorry if that was too much info, but anyone who has spent any time with me ever knows how small my bladder is and how often I relieve it) have extra fun with travel. Buses, shared restrooms, public bathrooms - HA, indeed. And bodily functions are such a common topic of discussion here in South America that I have no qualms dedicating an entire post to my love of toliet paper and complete acknowledgement that I am lightweight and could never be completely comfortable living in places without running water or electricity. I admit it and all weakness that goes along with it. And this is also how intense my love and appreciation for toliet paper is. Thank you for existing, TP.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Tranquilo
My favorite word in español is tranquilo, which is now also my favorite state of mind. And I definitely embraced both usage of the word and being this past weekend, in the Ecuadorian ¨Valley of Longevity,¨ Vilcabamba. The valley is home to mny centurians, who may hold the secret to a long, healthy life. I think it´s living tranquilo.
Ann and I stayed at a popular backpackers ¨resort¨ owned by two German expats (Peter and Dieter -you know I HAD to stay there given such info). http://www.izhcayluma.com We were muy tranquilas, enjoying amazing food and fresh juices (by FAR the most expensive meal I´ve consumed in Ecua, but the $5 fillet mignon was worth it), walking around the luscious grounds, going for a (literally and figuratively) breath-taking 5 hour hike, and enjoying lots of ¨hammock time¨(can´t touch this -- only children of the 80´s will get that reference).
It was quite the transition back to the real world -and my first taste of the real Ecuador outside of one of its nicest cities. I´m currently in Catacocha, a small town a couple hours outside of Loja in southern Ecuador, which is Ann´s Peace Corps site. And even though the locals consider this small town urban in comparison to the campo, where Ann goes to work with the community, it´s a lot different than what I´ve lived in so far.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Vilcabamba for a glimpse of tranquilo. Though unfortunately I can´t actually SEE any of the images I´ve uploaded so far ... the internet connection is really slow and tenuous here. Though I´m still amazed that there IS internet here to begin with. Anyway, let´s just hope there aren´t any photos of my disgusting sunburn on the photo page that slipped past my initial check before attempting to upload. I might not post the rest of this week given internet difficulties. I´m heading back to Cuenca this weekend before beginning the loooong journey to Buenos Aires (bus from Cuenca to Guyaquil, which is the largest city in Ecuador, flight to Lima, 6 hour layover, red eye to BA - oh, the glory of taking the cheapest option and paying in travel frustrations).
Hope you Seattlites are not being washed away in the flooding. Take care.
Ann and I stayed at a popular backpackers ¨resort¨ owned by two German expats (Peter and Dieter -you know I HAD to stay there given such info). http://www.izhcayluma.com We were muy tranquilas, enjoying amazing food and fresh juices (by FAR the most expensive meal I´ve consumed in Ecua, but the $5 fillet mignon was worth it), walking around the luscious grounds, going for a (literally and figuratively) breath-taking 5 hour hike, and enjoying lots of ¨hammock time¨(can´t touch this -- only children of the 80´s will get that reference).
It was quite the transition back to the real world -and my first taste of the real Ecuador outside of one of its nicest cities. I´m currently in Catacocha, a small town a couple hours outside of Loja in southern Ecuador, which is Ann´s Peace Corps site. And even though the locals consider this small town urban in comparison to the campo, where Ann goes to work with the community, it´s a lot different than what I´ve lived in so far.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Vilcabamba for a glimpse of tranquilo. Though unfortunately I can´t actually SEE any of the images I´ve uploaded so far ... the internet connection is really slow and tenuous here. Though I´m still amazed that there IS internet here to begin with. Anyway, let´s just hope there aren´t any photos of my disgusting sunburn on the photo page that slipped past my initial check before attempting to upload. I might not post the rest of this week given internet difficulties. I´m heading back to Cuenca this weekend before beginning the loooong journey to Buenos Aires (bus from Cuenca to Guyaquil, which is the largest city in Ecuador, flight to Lima, 6 hour layover, red eye to BA - oh, the glory of taking the cheapest option and paying in travel frustrations).
Hope you Seattlites are not being washed away in the flooding. Take care.
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