So I am probably the worste argentina traveler I know. Didn´t even make it to Buenos Aires, And i had originally inteded to hang out there for a month. Fuckin hell.
To sum it up, i cruized through the andes from santiago, chile to mendoza, argentina. Bueatiful ride, easy border crossing, ski lifts going right over the road we were driving on.
Mendoza was more suburban than i had thought. It consisted of really wide streets, pedestrian walkways and lots and lots of wine. In fact, there is a bike tour you can do of the wineries and you get as much vino as you want. dangerously fantastic.
Then, a 17 hr bus ride to cordoba where i hung out for litereally one day. walked the city for 7 hours, ate a bunch of ice cream (they love ice cream out here), went to the bars at night which consists of a ton of students.
Then woke up and took a 22 hour bus ride to Iguazu falls. stratling the brazilian Argentine border. Huge waterfalls that really are impresive, but are set up just like disneyland. Do you know what the best thing about walking with 165 yr olds...? There´s 100 of them. And they walk really really slowly and take pictures every two seconds.
But i managed to find an off beat trail where you hike 4k into the jungle and end up at a pretty secluded waterfall/natural pool you can swim in. You just sit back and think... I am swiming at a base of an amazing waterfall in the jungle in argentina. Life is OK.
then i got my visa sorted out for brazil ($150) and took a 14 hour bus ride to florianopolis. A surf town on the coast south of sao paolo.
I am just waiting to book my flight back to mexico which will be around the 15th of October. This long trip is coming to an end, but i don´t plan to actually start reality anytime soon. Whatever that means. I still have some things to look forward to out here. I have a brazilian friend who has a house on a lake and we plan to do some wakeboarding this weekend. Then i will end my trip with a week in RIO. I must also say I am very excited to hang out with good friends and family once again. I love you guys!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
I'm off. Finally!
Just got back from a combination pizza hut and taco bell. For those of you who don't know, I LOVE TACO BELL but combinations are shit because they always sacrifice quality when they try to make two different types of food at the same fast food establishment. Stick to one thing and do it well i say.
Anyway, in spite of this theory it was fucking delicious and a much needed greasy hangover cure.
Leaving for Mendoza Argentina in the morning and I am thanking the lord that I actually have a morning that I will feel human enough to endure a long bus ride. These last few days have been really rough party days as Chile just celebrated its national independence. The whole country is one huge whirlwind of drunken, hot dog eating madness.
Went to a DJ Dead Mouse show the other night and danced our heads off till 5 am. Even encountered some girls who wouldn't stop making out with each other. But not cuz were insistently asking them to. They were lesbians trying to pick up one of our friends for an all girl 3some. Our friend graciously fought them off for 3 hrs.
A couple of my friends from the animal refuge came out here and they ended up in Chilean jail for getting into a fight. One my buddies took an acoustic guitar to the back of the head. They fight dirty out here with no apparent regard or appreciation for music. I, quite frankly, am appalled.
Today my ipod got all funked up while trying to update new software and i lost most of my music, and my quality headphones are broken. But all in all everything is in decent shape and I am ready for at least 1 night of detox. But who knows, it is still early and my hangover is wearing off.
Anyway, in spite of this theory it was fucking delicious and a much needed greasy hangover cure.
Leaving for Mendoza Argentina in the morning and I am thanking the lord that I actually have a morning that I will feel human enough to endure a long bus ride. These last few days have been really rough party days as Chile just celebrated its national independence. The whole country is one huge whirlwind of drunken, hot dog eating madness.
Went to a DJ Dead Mouse show the other night and danced our heads off till 5 am. Even encountered some girls who wouldn't stop making out with each other. But not cuz were insistently asking them to. They were lesbians trying to pick up one of our friends for an all girl 3some. Our friend graciously fought them off for 3 hrs.
A couple of my friends from the animal refuge came out here and they ended up in Chilean jail for getting into a fight. One my buddies took an acoustic guitar to the back of the head. They fight dirty out here with no apparent regard or appreciation for music. I, quite frankly, am appalled.
Today my ipod got all funked up while trying to update new software and i lost most of my music, and my quality headphones are broken. But all in all everything is in decent shape and I am ready for at least 1 night of detox. But who knows, it is still early and my hangover is wearing off.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
This place is a little intense
Just to give you some insight into my perspective and state of mind in santiago right now, here is a poem i wrote about the bar in the hostel here. I think if i stay here another week i will be clinically insane.
Trapped again. Unable to escape I keep coming back here. The dim soft light reflects off the dull adobe walls; barely illuminating the refracted face in the wine glass that stares me down as I consume. Lucifer! What time is it? There is no clock. Roll another cigarette and ponder new ways to take the conversation to inappropriate places. How long will these friendly strangers bathe in my filthy suds. I know them from yesterday’s darkness and they are back again. They must like me. And I them. We are starving creatures who feast on the self-destructive hours of the night. Chained to the poisonous vials we chase for eternity I share as much disgust with myself as I do with them. Disgusting swine mongering parasites. Get the fuck out of here. But alas we are trapped. Again. And we are hungry.
Trapped again. Unable to escape I keep coming back here. The dim soft light reflects off the dull adobe walls; barely illuminating the refracted face in the wine glass that stares me down as I consume. Lucifer! What time is it? There is no clock. Roll another cigarette and ponder new ways to take the conversation to inappropriate places. How long will these friendly strangers bathe in my filthy suds. I know them from yesterday’s darkness and they are back again. They must like me. And I them. We are starving creatures who feast on the self-destructive hours of the night. Chained to the poisonous vials we chase for eternity I share as much disgust with myself as I do with them. Disgusting swine mongering parasites. Get the fuck out of here. But alas we are trapped. Again. And we are hungry.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Feelin Chile
My wounds have started to heal up, my bug bites are almost all gone, I am able to buy Parmesan cheese, and i have Chile to thank for all of it.
This place is definitely more expensive than any country i have been to on the trip, but has a very European vibe that is transmitted not only through the architecture and cuisine, but in the culture as well.
So I began my Chilean adventure in the northern desert. Incredibly vivid stars, supposedly one of the best place in the world for gazing, and also one of, if not THE driest place on Earth.
Up there i took some bike rides to salt lakes. BTW, 60k bike ride in the fuckin desert is a terrible terrible idea.
Did some star gazing with this french astronomer dude.
and went sand boarding down the dunes up there. This was pretty cool. I had sand boarded before but this particular day we decided to hike to the very top of the ridge and watch the sunset. We stumbled upon a rock igloo which someone built to protect from the wind which was ripping. Me and a couple of friends i had made built a fire and hung out in this igloo for a few hours while the sunset, watched some satellites orbit the sky as it was so clear, and sandboarded down by moonlight. Romantic i know. No we did not hold hands.
Oh, I also ended up at a local guys house who was having a huge party out there on some ranch house 20 min outside of town. Stayed up till 5am and ended up having to run away from some local girls who were stalking us.
I meandered down the coast solo for the next week or so and just had some me time. Hit up a few different towns, went to the wine country, It was nice to have some quiet time and not feel obligated to party. Although one night i did sing johnny cash karaoke at a random bar, and the Chileans apparently love Johnny cash because i felt like a mini celeb.
Oh, and all this time was trying to line up an interview to become a snowboarding instructor up in Tahoe and was having trouble predicting when i would have phone/skype access, or where i would be in 4 days time.
Anyway, when i got to Valparaiso i finally got the interview. And got a verbal offer from my new boss. So... if i do get the paperwork (which should come next week) I'll be living in tahow this winter being a ski bum. Good times.
After i left the interview i was feeling good. I ended up talking to some random chilean guys who were drinking in an alley on the street. I asked them for some of their wine and ended up partying with them all night. They were soccor hooligans for their local club team, The Wonders, and all had tattoos of their team and had stories of all the fights they got into. Gnarley dudes, but good fun all the same.
Next i made it to Pichilemu,a beach town just south of valpairiso. I met a guy on the bus going there and he was from colorado and went to CSU. interestingly enough on that same day, CU was playing CSU in the big game, so we had a little rivalry going.
Pichilemu. Cool town, fun waves, cold water. we even bet on some horse races when we were out there and won. Not to mention i ate the grossest hot dog of my life which for some reason, chileans love. Hot dog, mayo guac mix, more mayo, hot sauce, mustard, ketchup. It is a dog loaded to the brim with sauces that, just let me say, DO NOT mix well in your stomach, nor is it possible to have a clean mustache for the next few hours.
Now i am in Santiago and i went snowboarding up here 2 days ago, Amazing. Surfing and snowboarding within a 2 day period. Just like california. You could actually see the ocean from the top of the mountain.
Lat night i went to see a 20 piece Chilean band called Banda Conmocion. The show started at midnight and did not stop will 4am. Everyone was completely soaked in sweat cuz of all the dancing.
Gonna leave for Argentina in a few days, zip over to brazil, and most likely end my trip in Buenos Aires. Flights are just cheaper from there. Got to be up in the mountains by November 20th.
The adventure continues.
This place is definitely more expensive than any country i have been to on the trip, but has a very European vibe that is transmitted not only through the architecture and cuisine, but in the culture as well.
So I began my Chilean adventure in the northern desert. Incredibly vivid stars, supposedly one of the best place in the world for gazing, and also one of, if not THE driest place on Earth.
Up there i took some bike rides to salt lakes. BTW, 60k bike ride in the fuckin desert is a terrible terrible idea.
Did some star gazing with this french astronomer dude.
and went sand boarding down the dunes up there. This was pretty cool. I had sand boarded before but this particular day we decided to hike to the very top of the ridge and watch the sunset. We stumbled upon a rock igloo which someone built to protect from the wind which was ripping. Me and a couple of friends i had made built a fire and hung out in this igloo for a few hours while the sunset, watched some satellites orbit the sky as it was so clear, and sandboarded down by moonlight. Romantic i know. No we did not hold hands.
Oh, I also ended up at a local guys house who was having a huge party out there on some ranch house 20 min outside of town. Stayed up till 5am and ended up having to run away from some local girls who were stalking us.
I meandered down the coast solo for the next week or so and just had some me time. Hit up a few different towns, went to the wine country, It was nice to have some quiet time and not feel obligated to party. Although one night i did sing johnny cash karaoke at a random bar, and the Chileans apparently love Johnny cash because i felt like a mini celeb.
Oh, and all this time was trying to line up an interview to become a snowboarding instructor up in Tahoe and was having trouble predicting when i would have phone/skype access, or where i would be in 4 days time.
Anyway, when i got to Valparaiso i finally got the interview. And got a verbal offer from my new boss. So... if i do get the paperwork (which should come next week) I'll be living in tahow this winter being a ski bum. Good times.
After i left the interview i was feeling good. I ended up talking to some random chilean guys who were drinking in an alley on the street. I asked them for some of their wine and ended up partying with them all night. They were soccor hooligans for their local club team, The Wonders, and all had tattoos of their team and had stories of all the fights they got into. Gnarley dudes, but good fun all the same.
Next i made it to Pichilemu,a beach town just south of valpairiso. I met a guy on the bus going there and he was from colorado and went to CSU. interestingly enough on that same day, CU was playing CSU in the big game, so we had a little rivalry going.
Pichilemu. Cool town, fun waves, cold water. we even bet on some horse races when we were out there and won. Not to mention i ate the grossest hot dog of my life which for some reason, chileans love. Hot dog, mayo guac mix, more mayo, hot sauce, mustard, ketchup. It is a dog loaded to the brim with sauces that, just let me say, DO NOT mix well in your stomach, nor is it possible to have a clean mustache for the next few hours.
Now i am in Santiago and i went snowboarding up here 2 days ago, Amazing. Surfing and snowboarding within a 2 day period. Just like california. You could actually see the ocean from the top of the mountain.
Lat night i went to see a 20 piece Chilean band called Banda Conmocion. The show started at midnight and did not stop will 4am. Everyone was completely soaked in sweat cuz of all the dancing.
Gonna leave for Argentina in a few days, zip over to brazil, and most likely end my trip in Buenos Aires. Flights are just cheaper from there. Got to be up in the mountains by November 20th.
The adventure continues.
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