TravelStream™ news feed for member gemini1 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/gemini1 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:46:41 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1226693220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1226693220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1226693220/tpod.html Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:46:41 -0500 Meri's Argentina extravaganza

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Amigos,

I have a bittersweet feeling descending upon me...It is my last weekend in Buenos Aires! It will be great to get back home to my own bed, my friends, running schedule, vegitables, etc...but...oh, parting is such sweet sorrow!

It is warm and lovely here. When you don´t speak the language you are really attuned to vibe. I love the vibe on a Friday because...well, it´s Friday! Everyone is getting off of work and there is a spring in their step.

In other news, I am feeling guilt for not sending out all of the post cards I wrote. I just couldn´t seem to remember to find stamps...Of course the post cards are all ratty now from being in my bag for 3 weeks. Do I toss them? Hand them to people in person? Mail them tomorrow from here? Mail them from the US? I am so bad with that stuff....

Lastly, there are so many quirky things about Argentina....they sell batteries one at a time if you want...they will take one right out of the package and just sell it alone, the @ sign is made by typing alt 64, there is a severe change shortage and coins are hot commodities, the radio plays the same old random songs over and over again like Queen, We Are The Champions and Rod Stewart´s, Do Ya Think Im Sexy, they eat dinner at midnight, they eat so few vitamins, they are neurotic, etc. etc. etc.!

Anyway, if anyone ever wants to visit this country, I´m your go-to gal! This place is fantastic in so many ways...

Buenos noches to all on both hemispheres!

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Yáll,

I am SO stoked to be an beautiful new apartment complete with sunlight, fresh air and a balcony. I´m now in Palermo which is up there with San Telmo for my favorite neighborhoods in BA. Palermo is more residential and has tree-lined streets and fantastic stores for shopping-food, clothing, etc. This morning I found a cafe that serves American style breakfasts-eggs, homefries, etc. I was like cafe, where have you been all my life?? My new landlady is so hilarious. She is really doting and somewhat neurotic and called me this morning to see how I slept. A far cry from my last slum lords! In celebration of my new found comfort, I opened my bottle of Uruguayan (sp?) vino. Very good!

I have to admit, I didnt do much today. I stayed in my swanky pad and watched Sex in the City reruns! I kept meaning to go to this museum that is free today, or for a run in a nearby park but I just couldnt! Man, I dont want to know what my next run is going to feel like...this gal is out of shape! This is honestly the longest I´ve gone without excercise in like 10 years. Alas, with my busted ankle it´s probably a good thing that I laid off the running for a while....

So last night I was eating pizza at a cafe with my buddy and this kid came up to us and asked for a slice so my friend gives him one without question. Here is the thing about the poor people here...This was an average looking kid probably about 15 years old- like anyone you would see on the bus or walking down the street. I asked my friend if he was homeless and he said "so, so...he might not be homeless but almost". It just keeps striking me how different the poor situation is here. I mean, anyone is just a step away from being really poor-even college graduates, etc. If you lose your job and fall on hard times it´s way harder to get back on your feet. People slip in and out of the middle class here even when they work hard, etc. It gives me even greater disdain for those faux homeless kids on Haight Street in San Francisco who could totally be working but find it cool to pan handle. It´s an insult to people who can´t work and it´s disdainful. So that´s my two cents on that subject...

So nothing much else new. Just glad to have a great place to hang my hat for the rest of my stay.

Buenos tardes!

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Amigo (a)s,

Just another manic Lunas, oh, oh....wish it was Domingo...oh, oh....OK- you can see I´m sleep deprived...Stayed in a hostel last night while this apartment fiasco get´s straightened out. It was decent I suppose but there were constantly people coming and going...not the best place to unwind. I´m going to see the new place at 6 today. Let´s hope its a go and I can move right in. Apparently Pablo´s negotiation techniques with the rental agency involved telling them that I was super ticked off and like most Americans, ready to take legal action. This freaked them out and they were all of a sudden able to convince the owner to let me out of the lease. He even went on to say that he tried to talk me out of it but I just wouldn´t be disuaded and I knew powerful people in the US. I couldn´t believe his tall tale! I am so the opposite of this picture he´s painted and I told him that I better not have to play up this part in person because I am the worst liar on the planet. He told me not to worry and that looking solemn would be sufficient. Well looking solemn is no problem because I´m so damn tired! I suppose desperate times called for desperate measures because I honestly couldn´t have spent another night in that place. The air was completely toxic and making me sick...Anyway, wish me luck today as I try to channel my inner hard core, high rolling executive.

In other news, I spent the day yesterday in Colonia, Uruguay. It is absolutely beautiful and very quiet and quaint. I took an English tour and met some ladies from Hawaii that I hung out with the whole day. They were fun....I also got a massage! Only 35$ for an hour and it was so good that I fell asleep on the table. The weird thing is that at home I can never nap, but here I can sleep during the day at the drop of a dime. I think it´s from my nomadic lifestyle. I take the sleep where I can get it! The people in Uruguay are really mellow and will tell you that they are nothing like the Argentines every chance they get. The average salaries are super low - like $300 a month or something, but housing on the water is 500K and bought up by foreigners. So, the middle class is small and shaky(like in Argentina). The wine there is Tennat (the grape varietal)-only made in Uruguay and very hard to get in the states. Apparently California is petitioning to get it added to the list of approved varietals in US. I got a bottle that I am going to open to celebrate when my housing situation is resolved!

Oh -one more thing. I thought that they didn´t do daylight savings here but apparently they do. Shows you how completely out of it I am with time. I find out a week later that they had indeed turned the clocks back! Oh, the vacation haze....

OK, well, stay tuned....I´ll talk to you manana! By the way, I´m leaving to go home in 1 week :(

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Yo dudes,

So, it was really looking like I was going to be stuck in the most depressing place on earth for the remainder of my stay in Argentina -i.e. this latest apartment I rented. I was at the point where I didnt even want to go in it, let alone sleep in it for over a week. I called the rental agency try to appeal to their sense of compassion and decency for a valued customer (I mean after all this is the 3rd place in a row Ive rented from them) but they dismissed me cold saying things like ¨no, no, it nice, right? you like now, right?" and I was getting no where fast. I told my Argentinian friend Pablo about the situation and he said something about how you have to know how things work in Argentina and that he would go to the agency and "fix the problem." I was extremely doubtful and told him not to bother but he insisted. So, to make a long story short, he goes into the agency and is in there for like 30 minutes while I wait outside on the street (because Im a big chicken). He comes out and tells me that Im out of my lease as of Monday and they´ll give me my money back and that they are putting me up in this awesome apartment that they had originally told me wasnt available. WHHHAAAAT? How did he do this? Why couldnt I do this? Because Im an American and hes a local and thats the way things work here. Unbelievable....So, I am moving once again on Monday and although moving is annoying, I honestly feel like the rest of my trip has been saved by some fancy footwork. Crisis averted!

In other news, I shared another assorted meat platter last night and politely passed on the intestines this time.

Im learning the ropes of this place!

Cao bellas,

M
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1226080260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1226080260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1226080260/tpod.html Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:01:12 -0500 Meri's Argentina extravaganza

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Amigos,

So I am having a crappy day because I HATE the new apartment I rented. The thing is you dont know what you´re going to get until you arrive at the place. My last 2 have been fantastic. This one is a total S/&$T hole...it is dark and smells like smoke. I´ve emailed the agency to see if I can change places. Let´s pray I can because I am going to be buuuummmed if not. Im in this place for 10 days! If I can´t move I´m going to have to totally take some sort of zen approach to the situation....start chanting or something.

Ugh-other than that everything is fine. I have to just shake it off....

Nothing too majorly new to report. I´m going to Uruguay on Sunday which should be awesome. It´s only a day trip-you go over on a ferry. Looks awesome.

OK-I should go before my bad mood rubs off on you all.

Tune in manana....

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos tardes chico (a)s

Not much new to report today. My illness seems to have been staved off thankfully, so that´s good.

I am dealing with securing an apartment for my last leg here. That´s been kind of a pain today, but I´m sure it will resolve itself. I will be probably staying in the lovely section of Bario Norte. So back to the ritzy section of town for me....

I´ll email more manana when I´m settled in my new pad. I am quite the nomad here...it´s crazy.

I think I´m going to Uruguay on Sunday...that should be bueno.

OK - LATER!

M
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1225911180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1225911180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gemini1/1/1225911180/tpod.html Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:18:05 -0500 Meri's Argentina extravaganza

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hola amigos,

GO OBAMA! I´m stoked he won and I hope things will change for the better in our country. We certainly needed to shake things up.....The people here are happy he won but don´t really talk about it all that much. They have their own stuff to deal with...I saw footage of the celebrations in NYC and felt such a surge of patriotism. Americans really shine when you see them from afar! The exuberance was just jumping out of the TV and I was just so proud!

Well, as Gramma would say, it´s hotter than Hades in Buenos Aires today....I am planning to head to Uruguay some day soon to hit la playa. It´s like an hour ferry ride away and there is a very quaint little town called el Colonial (or something like that) that I have my eyes on.

There´s some parade going by outside and I have no idea why....It reminds me of the Chinese funerals in North Beach (SF). Random...The sign says Sumatre libra option jubilatore or something.....I don´t know what that means but there are always still people protesting the¨Dirty Wars - when the military took over and tortured-murdered thousands of civilians. Juan Perons ex wife (not Eva, the other one) was arrested this year in Spain in connection with these wars. Apparently she was just a wimpy leader who bowed to military pressure...but she´s paying for her wimpiness now I would imagine.

Well, OK -I´m going to head back to the air conditioned apartment for a bit....
Viva USA!

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Amigos! I can´t believe the big day is finally here!!!!! The word on the street is Obama....of course everyone here is holding their breath as well....Should be interesting...The bar showing the election is clear accross town-I think I´m going to try to make it over there but it would be a late night since I think the polls close at 2 am here...We´ll see...

It is 1,000 degrees here today. Now that I´m staying longer I´ve got to try to find some lighter clothing as it seems summer is advancing quickly here. It´s so nice to sit outside at night now though. The cafes are brimming with people just hanging out....

However, I´m also still a tad under the weather and can´t seem to find vitamin C anywhere. Well, that´s not true...I ate some peaches earlier. I would just love to get my hands on some Emergen-C packets but I dont think they´ve made their way to S. America. The ankle thing is also kind of annoying. I think I´ve identified the problem...I do so much walking and many of the roads here are cobble stone or loose tiles-I twist my ankles every second. As careful as I try to be I keep stumbling all over the place.

I am also on the hunt for another apartment since my current place is up on Friday. This agency I use is fantastic and I will highly recommend them to anyone coming to BA. I told them I have extended my stay and they immediately email me back like 5 new options for apartments. It´s actually quite fun trying out different neighborhoods and each place has been great in its own way. The rental thing is so the way to go....

A´ight...I´ve got some people waiting to use this computer it seems so I´ll sign off.

Happy election day!

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hey all,

I can´t believe I´ve been here 20 days! I also can´t believe the elections are tomorrow!! I think I´ll go to a bar to watch with the ex pats...Should be interesting, that´s for sure.

So my news is that I´ve decided to extend my stay until Nov 17th. I´ll now be back on the 18th. I´m still having a blast and I figure a $200 extension on my existing flight is cheaper than a new plane ticket! The days really fly by so this extra time to relax is nice.

It is sweltering here today...I´m also feeling slightly under the weather so excuse my drab update. I´m glad my place has air conditioning because I think I actually might need it today.

Went to see a movie last night- The Bank Job. They play a lot of movies in English with Spanish subtitles so it´s nice....

Other than that just my usual walking around, etc. I think I may try to get to Uruguay for a day and potentially le Tigre - now that I have time. I think I´ll chill out for today though and kick back and watch my TV! It´s bad but some days I really just want to do that - especially if I´m tired!!

Talk manana,

M
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hola all,

I am bummed because I tried to go to this really huge soccer game today (local team is Boca Juniors) but I couldnt get a ticket because I waited too long...Anyway, these games are supposed to be really crazy...All tourists have to go with guides. You are strongly cautioned against going alone or with fellow tourists. The Arentinian guy who runs the hostel I stayed in wont even go without a guide...He said because he doesnt know the area well enough to know where to run if he had to! Anyway...it´s totally safe with these guides apparently (I think you get transportation directly there and sit in an enclosed area or something) and girls can go, etc. But apparently because this is such an important game there weren´t even tickets to scalp. Soooo....there is another game on Wednesday-I may try to go to that one. It´s a huge deal here and supposed to be an amazing experience.

The internet cafe I´m in right now is filled with kids. I think their mom owns the store. They´re playing video games on the computers and keep yelling "hasta la vista baby!" and throwing candy at one another that keeps landing in my hair and they totally die laughing...they´re so cute but one just sneezed on me...

Well, I´m off like a dirty shirt. I think I´m going to try to hit the Museo Historico Nacional up the street-just Buenos Aires history I think.....

Cao bellas,

M
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