Chao Brazil, Hola Buenos Aires

Trip Start Oct 19, 2007
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70
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of Argentina  ,
Thursday, January 3, 2008

Say goodbye to the Isrealites, take some mandatory pics and I`m off to catch my plane.  I figured air travel will be much safer considering the luck I have had with buses lately.  Finally on the plane I get some free time to myself and I take this opportunity to reflect on all the good times I just had in Brazil and to officially say goodbye.  Brazil is such a wonderful place and supplied me with probably the best consecutive 74 days of my life.  I will never forget all the awesome times I had and I can`t think of a better place to have started this trip.  I have a feeling though I should have saved Brazil for the end as I am sure this will be the best country I visit.  Brazil has so much potential and all the right pieces are in place to be used as a foundation to booster this sometimes backwards country into a place in which all it`s inhabitants are proud and happy to live there.  Brazil has some of the most gorgeous beaches and landscapes in the world.  It has the Amazon, it has Rio, it has awesome food, awesome music, an awesome vibe and most importantly the most awesome and friendly people I have ever met.  Based on the people alone, Brazil should be one of the greatest countries in the world.  The people just need to start caring as much for their country (in terms of pollution and taking care of it) as they do for their friends and family.  The number one problem in Brazil from my limited perspective is the discrepancy in terms of wealth distribution.  I can`t believe how much poverty exists in a country that has a decent economy, intelligent people and more tourism than Jenna Jamison`s box.  The filthy rich seem to get richer and the poor have absolutely nothing so they can`t even get any poorer.  If Brazil can ever figure out a way to decrease the dichotomy between the rich and the poor it`s potential is unlimited.  So much crime exists in my opinion because you have people with nothing staring at people all day long that have everything which obviously creates resentment, jealousy and jadedness.  I hope for the best when it comes to Brazil`s future which is bright and full of hope.  The positives defintely outweigh the negatives though and Brazilians more than anything else know how to live and have fun.  I feel a bit sad today as it`s like saying goodbye to a really good friend you know you may never see again (although I think a better than decent chance exists that I will).  I will miss this great place and more than anything I will miss all the friends I made, even if some were just temporarily friendships, and especially the friendships that I hope will be long lasting.  But no time to dwell on the past, my future lies in front of me as we are about to land in Buenos Aires and I see 100`s of 30-40 story buildings massed together in an urban conglomeration of promise of new adventures.  This city looks amazing from the sky and I think to myself this city is going to be a good time.

The first thing I notice after wandering into the unknown of Buenos Aires is that the streets are as wide as Vanessa del Rio`s cunt (this must be porn star simile blog day).  Seriously, one way streets here can be up to 8 lanes wide.  This place appears to be enormous and very metropolitan as people walk briskly among the other inhabitants of the city.  I find the subway without to much effort after of course I initially walked down the wrong stairs into some kind of parking garage and the station attendant simply looked at me and shook his head NO.  Hah, ok, wrong place.  I buy a 10 ride ticket for $9P, sweet, only 90 centavos (30 cents US) a ride.  I take the subway to 25 de Mayo (one of the main EW streets) and find a random hostel which wasn`t tough considering probably 20 exist within a 1 kilometer stretch near this street and Buenos Aire`s famed street 9 de Julio which is like 20 lanes wide. This street actually has frontage roads, but it`s not a highway.  I wander aimlessly among the neoclassical buildings, the many  restaurants, bars and citizens who make this city unlike any place I could imagine.  This place is very unique and built on a huge scale.  The gigantic obelisk in the middle of 9 de Julio is an enigmatic piece considering this is latin America.  I really need to find an adapter for my phone as I must have forgot to pack it (the only thing I forgot, not bad). 

I actually don`t find an adapter but I get some food and I see Family Guy which is in  Spanish and it`s fuckig hilarious (esp Quagmire, giggity).  You know sometimes when I was at home just watching a Royals game or somethng I would every so often pick up my talking Quagmire pen and press the lil button and chuckle at the same awesome lines over and over ie Baby, are you a parking ticket because you got Fine written all over you, giggity.  Sad but true.  Actuallty after about 10 minutes though Family Guy in Spanish starts to get old and I don`t find it as funny anymore.  Walk around some more and I can`t believe how many  people are out and about.  People are sitting outside everywhere drinking wine or beer.  Supposedly Buenos Aires is the Paris of Latin America if that gives you any indication of what this city is like.  I have to remind myself, dude, you  know what - you are in fucking Buenos Aires and you know what else - you don`t have to work tomorrow, wow I love my life right now.  I basically accomplish nothing all day but I do get aquainted with the city and I get really confused concerning directions because the lamenated map I bought in the states of Buenos Aires has the South at the top and North at the bottom which really messes with you.  You have no idea how this little switch from what you are accustomed to can throw you off so badly.  I meet my roomates later and we jack around for a bit.  None of us make it out though an now we are officially the loser room.  I was way to cashed though to go out and do any damage.  Remember, on a trip like this you have to pick and choose your battles when it comes to partying, because obviously you can`t (well, at least I can`t)  party 200 days straight.

Fin
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