A Zen Moment in Buenos Aires
Trip Start
Feb 04, 2007
1
5
15
Trip End
May 26, 2007
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Friday, March 30, 2007
All has been extremely well and Buenos Aires rocked! En route from Encarnacion to Buenos Aires proved to be more adventerous than expected. As we boarded the bus at 6pm, the ETA was 6am. A twelve hour tour, nothing a couple of seaoned backpackers couldn't handle. We got off the bus at noon, 18 hours later. But that's not where the fun begins nor ends. After boarding the bus, I nestled into my nugget of a seat only to be woken minutes later by my neighbor (s) sitting down. A mother and her two children, 3 years old and 7 months. Now I don't know much about raising a child, however Nancy told me there is a certain part of infancy that a child hears and explores their own voice. Well, the seven month old was at that stage. So on top of crying I had a tazmanian-devi-like roar of a baby next to me. After a three hour boarder crossing and bribing the SUPER corrupt boarder officials off to cross, we were off and running
Buenos Aires rush hour
. With very little sleep over the last 36 hours, I became edgy and irritiable at every sound, movement or light. Upon thinking, at 930am, only hours from our destination of BA, that the trip couldn't get any worse, the nightmare came to fruition. A SUPER LOUD, two hour documentary of ABBA came on. I speak the truth. At this point I could do nothing but break out in hysterical delerious laughter at my luck.Buenos Aires began with a bang. Upon arriving in the city, I met up with three friends I hadn't seen in years. Steve and Eva from my time in Florence, Italy and Ross from NYU in London. The city is rocking, bars and clubs until 8 am, dinner starting at 11 and lasting until the wee hours of the morning. We rented an apartment in Palermo and enjoyed the fruits of the city, from the massive parks, to the restaurants and museums. We ate like kings at restaurants with bottles of wine and filet mignon, yeilding bills for five people for about $120. When in Rome. The drink of choice is Malbec wine, a grape apparently only grown in Argentina. While in BA we did the requisit sites of the Casa Rosada, the Argentine equivalent of the White House. We also attended a River Plate football match, one of the biggest club teams in the world. To add a little culture, Joe and I attended a Friday night service at the oldest synagogue in S. America. We were allowed in only after twenty questions by the two krava mega prepared gorrilla security guards. Afterall, would you let an Islamic terrorist (Joe) and a 6'3'' Nazi looking into your Temple? But they did and with no problem.
On our last night we went to the Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires. It is considered the nicest and most popular hotel in the city. After having a dirt cheap meal at Mercado, we strolled into the bar for a drink before going home
Che
. Being pretty oblivious to star sightings in general proved to be true when Joe pointed out Vego Mortenson was there. Dressed to the nine's, slicked back hair, perfectlly tailored suit, he mingled with some socialite looking characters. Now this may or may not mean anything to anyone. However, I had inside information. Not only have I never seen Vego in a movie, but had it not been for Joe, I would have no idea what he looks like. The reason this is relevant to my life, is that my sister and Max live across the street from a dive Thai restaurant called Poom Thai. I have gone their numerous times with Max to pick up take out food and Max has pointed him out. So, upon seeing him on another continent, I had to say something. I walked straight up to him and said...'I apologize for bothering you, but you look really familiar.' For sure he was thinking, judging by the look on his face that I was a star struck movie freak. Then I pulled the Trump of Trump cards.....'Because you look like this guy that always eats at a restaurant I really like, Poom Thai in Santa Monica.' The look on his face was nothing short of priceless. Any barriers of movie star-movie watcher disintegrated upon impact. It was almost as if HE was star struck by the coincidence. He inquired as to why I was there and what my route was looking at. I proceeded to end the conversation before he could and he said, looking straight at me, 'Be careful during your travels.' My zen moment.Max, that was for you.
We are now in Montevideo. Pouring rain. Tomorrow we are off to the Punta del Este.
Happy Passover and Easter!
Comments
Just amazing.
I get more jealous with every entry. I want to see all the pics dude. Tell Steve and Eva and Ross I say whats up if you see them again. I don't know if I could handle the 36 hours without sleep though. I like my sleep.