Hangin´ in mendoza
Trip Start
Jan 12, 2008
1
29
45
Trip End
Apr 10, 2008
Mendoza,
Argentina
Sunday, February 24, 2008
sunday morning we had to wake up early to catch our bus back to argentina. as we left the hostel, the metro was closed. it apparently doesn´t open until 8. crap! we had to haul it to the main road to get a city bus over to bus terminal. but the buses here don´t let you pay with money on the bus, you have to have a card. the driver let us on anyway. it was actually our third free ride. at the bus terminal there was a throng of people waiting for the metro to open. i would not want to be the person who comes to unlock the gate.
on a twisty ride to the border, we caught a glimpse of a shrouded aconcagua, the highest point in south america. back in mendoza we walked to a hostel where we had made reservations
aconcagua
. not actually a hostel though. more someone´s house where they let you stay. but the lady said we couldn´t have our room until 10 at night. ummm....no. we walked around trying to find another place, but everything was full. argh! we finally found a room at a hotel for a lot more than we wanted to pay, but didn´t have much choice. that night we went out for steak. argentina is famous for steak and ismael has been dying for one. i´m not much into red meat, so whatever. sadly, they overcooked it, well-done. not good for a ny strip. Monday, we woke up and found out it was 1pm. apparently our curtains worked really well. didn´t do much that day, which we needed. went out to take another stab at a steak. yeah! cooked to perfection. i honestly thought ismael might pick the plate up and lick it he liked it so much. and i had the most wonderful sorrentinos (like a big ravioli) stuffed with ham and cheese. delicious all around.
Tuesday we went out to do errands. we got separated for about an hour. quite scary. i went to the plaza and sat there and finally ismael found me. he was really scared that something had happened. after that, it was too late to go the post office to mail our box, so we have to take it on the bus, again. it´s weird, the banks and government buildings close at 1 or 2
the oscars
. how do they expect you to get anything done? that evening we took an overnight bus to neuquén. it was the worst bus ride ever! to anyone traveling around here, el rapído sucks. the lights were turned off, but there were red lights overhead so people could see and then some very annoying, very bright green lights at the front that were at the perfect level to shine in your eyes. there were movies on until 1 in the morning, and then the driver had music up in his area, but there was only a curtain separating it from the seating area. and you´d think he´d turn it down or have something nice and soothing playing. well, you´d be wrong. his choice for nighttime listening was techno remixes of bad 80´s music. it was like trying to sleep at a dance party. and then when we made a stop at 430 in the morning, he thought that the lights needed to be turned on. one of the few times i really wanted to hit someone upside the head.
