Tired and tardy...

Trip Start Feb 02, 2006
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Trip End Feb 19, 2006


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Flag of Argentina  ,
Saturday, February 18, 2006

Big mistake! We trusted Hostelling International to guarantee a minimum in terms of accommodation standards but: the dorm was VERY hot (even with all the windows and door wide open) with no air conditioning, the staff wasn't very helpful and the curfew was apparently imaginary as many guests spent the night talking aloud in the common area in the middle of all the dorms where our windows open onto... The next day, we left and complained to no avail (we were told the manager, who lives there BTW, would be coming in 5 minutes for over half and hour). Fred was even asked to pay for his 2 nights in advance and was unable to get a refund for the second night since the manager was so intent on hearing us out. Oh, we also got nicely burnt out dry tiny bread things with warmish coffee for breakfast... Hurrah. And the free Internet? A single computer with 32 MB of RAM? Have you ever tried running Windows on 32 MB of RAM??? We just ditched the place, considering our time was worth more than the measly 20 pesos Fred was loosing. We then booked a new Hostelling International hostel for Fred called the St. Nicholas Hostel in San Telmo. WoW! What a change! Friendly and helpful staff, nice and cool inside the hostel (even without any air conditioning), clean modern washrooms, a walk-out balcony... Bliss!!! They even let me keep all my stuff in Fred's room and use the washroom and Internet (2 computers with a decent amount of RAM), no questions asked, while I wait for my flight back to Canada!!!

I checked my United Airways flight and discovered that it was 3 hours late... Checked my connection in Chicago and discovered it no longer existed... Hmm... Possible problem here... I go to the United Airways site and find the free phone number for Argentina... Try to dial it many times only to discover, in Spanish, that the number is no longer in service... Grrrr... OK, I will leave 2 hours before the delayed time and wing it... Till then, Fred and I took a taxi to the Recoletta cemetery: we really enjoyed the "hippy park" last time we were there and decided to go and chillout there... We had some fantastic Freddo ice cream (all ice cream in Argentina is fantastic, natural and thick), got harassed by some beggars - to be expected from a big touristy site, relaxed under some trees in the park, checked out the hippy fair, ate some asado (BBQ) at a local restaurant on Corientes street and that was that... We spent the late afternoon wandering around the super high class Galleria Pacifico (super rich duty free shopping center) and surrounding Spark's Street Malesque Florida Street where I bought the Bajofondo Remixed (the one I read in the paper the same morning about the tango band from Uruguai) and Casa Lîmon (the latest CD from the best Latin music producer in Argentina) CDS. We stopped at the Recoletta supermarcado (THE food store stocked with everything and everything... The biggest food store we've seen so far) where Fred got some vege/fruit supplies and I bought 2 highly recommended and slightly pricey bottles of red wine for my parents. So, that concluded my souvenir purchases! I then took a short nap in Fred's dorm prior to saying our final good byes and then took the taxi to the Manuel Tienda Leon shuttle service to the Eizeza airport...

The taxi driver didn't know where it was, so he asked another, we finally got there and I arrived just as the bus was leaving around 21:00 (they let me on), did the big luggage check for US entry, passed the interview question drill, checked-in only to discover that my flight is indeed late by 3 hours and that I have been placed on a connecting flight to Ottawa that involves me spending a cool 7 hours sitting in Chicago! Fine, all other earlier connections are full, I paid my 18$ US airport tax and then had a fantastic meal at this chique Argentinian restaurant near the customs for US departures: fresh fruit milkshake and tenderloin steak fettucini with wild mushrooms... Mmmmmm... I have never eaten this good at an airport before!!! Plus, it gave me a chance to spend all my remaining pesos (about 40 including a very generous tip). The service was impeccable as usual and the waitress was super happy. I then did the customs thing, got to my gate just as United was announcing free food and drink to all their "patient and understanding" customers... I got a drink immediately and waited till we left around 00:00 instead of the planned 20:40.
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