Spring Showers Bring..... November Flowers?

As spring and the warm weather approaches, it’s a weird feeling to see the talk of snow and the cold weather among the Facebook walls of our friends from back home. Since both Jessica and I have now started working from home, we’ve really made an effort to enjoy this beautiful 70-degree weather. We occupy our days with long walks throughout the different neighborhoods, or with a book and a bottle of wine in one of the many nearby parks. With the warm weather comes an abundance of life that seems to be springing up all around the city…. And we don’t seem to be the only ones taking advantage of the sun and pleasant air; the parks and the streets are bustling with Porteños and other international folk like ourselves! (I’m starting to wonder when exactly the working population actually makes it to the office?) Restaurants and shops are constantly buzzing with people like us just enjoying this lovely month of October.

This past week has been one of a lot of activity, seeming as we have welcomed to new inhabitants to Buenos Aires. One of Jessica’s close friends from Tulane, Brett, and his best friend Tim have just moved from Pasadena to BA and are embarking on their six month living experience just like Jessica and I did almost a month and a half ago. Jessica and I decided it was our job to help integrate them to the city and show them what this place is all about. Thursday night we started with a typical Argentinean dinner at a parilla here in Palermo called Don Julio. A lot of delicious meat and a couple bottles of wine later we all headed to a nightclub here called JET. Judging from the state of everyone when we met up for breakfast the next day (yes, of course at Oui Oui) I think they had a pretty fun first night! Jessica and I had a very mellow Friday day and later ventured to our new favorite Friday night spot, ROXY. Unfortunately I think we showed Brett and Tim a little too much fun on Thursday as they decided to take Friday night off….

Saturday Jessica and I decided to venture to some places we haven't been yet. We visited Plaza San Martin, shopped at the popular shopping mall Galerías Pacífico, and then had lunch at a hip 80's decor Pizza joint called Filo's. With an extensive menu of over 100 different types of pizzas, Jessica and I decided to indulge in a veggie topped mozzarella and tomato pizza. After polishing it off I think Jessica and I would both have to agree that this is one of the best (if not THE best) pizzas we have both ever had! After our delicious meal we ventured on a 15 block walk, that actually turned into a 25 block walk after getting lost a couple of times, to the ever famous Alvear Palace Hotel in Recoleta. The Alvear Palace is a rather exclusive hotel here in Buenos Aires, and quite possibly one of the best hotels in the world. Opening its doors in 1932 when Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world, the Alvear Palace has housed a number of well known names: Antonio Banderas, Donatella Versace, the emperor of Japan, and Robert Duvall, to name a few. This classic French style hotel truly is a magnificent sight, and Jessica and I just couldn't resist enjoying a couple glasses of Sauvignon Blanc in the grandiose piano lounge. After be-friending the bar manager, we promised him that we would return..... however, we will have to be sure to make our visits sparse as the prices at this luxurious hotel don't come cheap! AFter an interesting effort to find a cab home in one of the most intense rainstorms we have seen since we've been here, we managed to make it home in time to get ready for a night out. Jessica, Brett, Tim and I concluded our night with a lengthy dance stint on the dance floor of CROBAR.

Sunday morning we all met for breakfast at a place called Cusic, another delicious restaurant that I think we are going to be adding to the top of our breakfast list! Located right around the corner from our house, Cusic has a delicious meal of scrambled eggs, toast, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a café con leche all for the ripe price of 22 pesos (translated that’s about $6 USD)! After breakfast us four ventured to the Recoleta weekend flea market where we walked around and browsed the various trinkets. Jessica purchased a really beautiful photograph of her favorite street in Palermo and now we finally have something to hang on our very bare walls! A couple hours after walking around and sipping on some local beers, we met up with some fellow American’s at a place called Casa Bar to indulge in a little Sunday Football (and I'm not talking about soccer!). We actually had the privilege of watching the Arizona Cardinals beat the Houston Texans live on TV!

Last night Jessica, Brett and I had a rather amusing dinner at a place in Las Canitas called Las Cholas. Although the sister restaurant, Las Cabras, happens to be my favorite restaurant in town, I was a little disappointed by this particular location. After ordering a rather ridiculous plate of meat for 50 pesos, the food ended up becoming the subject of a bet rather than an actual meal! Brett dared Jessica to eat 1/3 of an unidentifiable (and rather bloody) piece of sausage in return for 3 bottles of champagne. Jessica, a former vegetarian and anti red-meat-eater actually took him up on this bet and WON! Truthfully I am still rather impressed that she went through with this bet as even watching her eat this made my stomach queasy.

Today we enjoyed a lovely breakfast at a restaurant called Bar 6 in Palermo Soho and I am currently taking a time out on the rooftop patio of our apartment. I’m definitely making it a point to enjoy the weather while it is still enjoyable…. We have had multiple warnings that within the next month we will find ourselves in some rather miserable heat! It sounds like an Arizona-style summer is soon to be upon us….

Buenos Aires - Director's Cut (A Tribute From Ferdinand- THANKS FRANZ!)

As my time in Buenos Aires slowly comes to an end, I have the great honor to post a little entry on Karlyn and Jessica's blog so followers get a little more in-depth insight on how life in Buenos Aires really is, uncut.

Our joint adventure began with a Saturday night out and some follow up drinks on a Sunday. Mentioning that I am looking for a place to stay for 3 weeks in a Bar at midnight, I was offered a room around 2am after Karlyn and Jessica must have thought they are dealing with a more or less decent guy, followed by a late night apartment viewing with rooftop drinks at 5am. It was probably the easiest and most enjoyable way I have ever found a place to live.

After I was so proud to have found a room and new friends, I noticed my fortune changing after my first night. The building next door seemed to be being demolished and not a tone had been mentioned that any sleep post 8am is blatantly impossible. Luckily the demolition ended after a week, however my roomies have this incredible ability to set alarm clocks for early mornings and NOT respond to them. I am a big friend of the snooze function myself, but rarely have I seen people use it for over two hours while refraining from showing up at work. But instead of calling it a Duvet Day early, it is absolutely necessary to have an alarm clock going off in the entire flat for at least two hours before showing any kind of reaction :)

That actually brings me to a next great topic: WORK. When Jessica and Karlyn arrived in Buenos Aires, Jessica had a job and Karlyn was still looking for work. I never really understood what Jessica was doing (and still don't), but it was called "My special book". Now MSB to me seems to be an even harder sale then selling sand to the Arabs or ice to inuits. I am guessing that Jessica's track record in selling MSBs might prove my point. Luckily, she gets paid on a full commission basis. But Jessica has come to senses and is getting first hand experience in: How to I negotiate a better salary (or any salary at all)? and How do I quit politely although people at work are so nice? Karlyn had managed to find a job in the mean time as a real estate marketing "director" (titles in Argentina are very important). It sounds like a lot of fun and meets her skills and interest, and also pays the rent. So the girls swapped roles in who gets to go for late breakfasts with me before I head out to my Polo adventures, and the sunny outside mornings were definitely a highlight with both of them. I am sure though that Jessica will find a work worth her while in no time...

Never having lived with two girls at once, this was also proving as an interesting experience for myself: Cold water showers, hour long dressing sessions and no beer in the fridge. At the same time: Clean baths and kitchen, fresh towels and smoothies. The cleaning lady definitely helps making this much easier for all of us. All in all I can say we lived pretty civilized. One fact I also found astonishing was that despite American satellite TV, it was not once turned on during my three week stay.

Obviously one topic that cannot stay untouched in my little post were our nightly trips to various Buenos Aires clubs: While Karlyn and Jessica are both surprisingly able to hold their drink, they did sometimes need to forfeit to the German crowds excessive behavior (thanks Tanksi). "Una mesa con alguna botellas" led to many wild nights and new acquaintances. No evening ended without at least 10 new guys surrounding the girls (I am not sure their phone memories still have capacity for new numbers), but they honestly behaved and came home every night (except for once where I am sure there is a perfectly legit explanation, right?!).

All in all, I must say I am impressed how these two American girls manage to survive so well in Argentina. By now, they have made plenty of friends, found and lost jobs, are traveling from North to South and are also improving their Spanish (go Karlyn...). They know Buenos Aires much better than others who lived here for years and are making sure not too miss out on any event that sounds like a party. One thing that they are still missing is their first Polo lesson. Please don't leave without at least having tried once... and don't fall off the horse.

At this point, it is time for me to pack my bags and continue going West. I want to thank you both so much for making my time in Buenos Aires even more memorable and wish you all the best for your further stay here. Stay in touch and I am sure our ways will cross again.

All the best, F

To the end of the world and back....

As I sit here and try to write about our trip to El Calafate, it’s difficult to find words that explain the once in a lifetime experience we had. After a somewhat stressful trek to the local airport here in Buenos Aires, we boarded our plane and took a rather long nap on our three hour trip down south. When I woke to the stewardess announcing our descent I looked out the window and could not believe me eyes. There were snowy covered mountains and the bluest of blue lakes for as far as I could see. Not only that but there wasn’t a single house, road, car, or rather a sign of life. I couldn’t believe it when the plane finally found the single strip of concrete located alongside the beautiful blue lake. Jessica, Leonardo, Smaranda and I grabbed our bags off the one conveyer belt in the tiny airport and hopped in a cab. As we started driving we all had our camera’s out and couldn’t seem to get enough photos of the already astonishing scenery. Pulling into El Calafate, a small town of only 6,500 inhabitants was an interesting experience as well. The town is located on the beautiful Lake Argentino and has the feel of a small ski town.

As we drove towards the lakes edge we approached our hotel, an enchanting modern yet rugged little place surrounded by nothing but the mountains and the lake. We were greeted at the door with a glass of champagne and a view that can only be described through these photos. After unwinding in our cozy cabin room with the same breathtaking view, we were met downstairs at the fireplace by a Dolce de Leche torte and another bottle of champagne. Yes, Jessica had managed to pull off yet another birthday surprise! (I think this took my cake/birthday song count up to 5). That night we headed into the small town for a dinner at La Tablita, a delicious parilla with some of the best garlic fries I have ever had! That night we made it out for a quick drink at Borges & Alvarez Libro Bar, a local joint dressed with a wooden décor and an eclectic variety of new and old books. After a mouth watering serving of dulce de leche crepe and a café con baileys, we wound our way back to our cozy bed, as we had to rest up for the early morning we had the next day.

Saturday morning we got out of bed early in the morning in order to enjoy the hotel breakfast before hopping in a bus that was headed an hour away to the Perito Moreno Glacier. (QUICK BACKGROUND ON PERITO MORENO: Located in the Los Glaciares National Park Perito Moreno Glacier is a main attraction for visitors in Patagonia. The glacier is approximately 97 square miles, 19 miles in length is located in the Andes system that is shared with Chile, and is the world’s third largest reserve of water. The glacier is also only one of few that is not retreating and stands an average of 240 feet above the surface of the water.) When we arrived we were given a few hours to walk around the park and look at the glacier, and those hours seemed to pass within minutes. The views were so astonishing that it didn’t even seem like it was actually standing before you.

After taking an absurd amount of photos we got back on our bus and headed to a port that was located a little ways back down the lake. Here we boarded a little boat and headed off to our ‘Mini Trekking’ adventure. Our boat traveled across the lake towards the river where we disembarked at a cute little cabin. From here we were met with some travel guides who attached what you call crampons to the bottom of our shoes. Of course Jessica and I being the Zonies that we are, were fully equipped with our ‘warm weather’ Nike sneakers…. Not exactly the type of shoes you want when going to hike a glacier! We managed to make do with what we had and before we knew it a group of 20 of us were heading up the side of the glacier. Although we were well advised on how to walk in our crampons, I will have to admit that it took me a bit to actually trust the large metal spikes beneath my tennis when trying to walk vertically up the side of an icy slope. (My feet and I never really tend to get along!) However, after minutes of traversing up the side of the glacier, with an unimaginable view, it was pretty easy to stop worrying about my feet and start losing myself in the surroundings. With every new ridge we crossed there was another spectacular sight. The blue light the glaciers project is just amazing and in actuality is all an illusion between the ice and the light, which I found very interesting. After a couple of hours of hiking (which again seemed like they passed in minutes) we followed our guides over yet another hill and found two wooden tables placed in the middle of glacier, fully equipped with Famous Grouse Whiskey and alfajores (an Argentine specialty). After breaking up the glacier ice and distributing whiskey on the rocks, everyone warmed their blood with a quick drink. After the trek we all headed back through the forest to the cabin and boarded back onto the boat. As we did so all the clouds parted from the sky, and the sun created the most spectacular sight on the glaciers. I sat on the back of the boat just staring at the most magnificent sight I’ve ever seen.

Exhausted form our long excursion, we headed back to the hotel for a rather long nap, showered up, and headed back into town for a dinner at La Cocina, a restaurant famous for its homemade pastas. Jessica and I shared a delicious portion of ravioli. After dinner we could all barely keep our eyes open and we headed back to the hotel for another sound night of sleep. After waking the next morning around 9:30 (had to make sure we took full advantage of the free & delicious breakfast!) we all lounged around the hotel as the amenities were all to die for. After a bit of relaxation we ventured into town where we discovered the most amazing ‘panaderia y confiteria’. Here we indulged in a café con leche and some amazing homemade chocolate chip cookies. After a bit of local shopping we headed back to our hotel as we had some big afternoon plans.

At 5pm we were picked up at our hotel by a car that was guiding us to our next excursion. This time we headed to Estancia Alice, a ranch located on the way to Perito Moreno. Here we were met by a stable of horses that were to guide us along the snow-frosted mountainside. Now, I haven’t been on a horse since the age of 6 or 7 so the thought of riding was a bit nerve racking! Everyone always says to not let the horse sense your fear so as I hopped onto ‘Polly’s’ back I tried to act as calm as possible. Bringing up the rear, it took me a little while to become comfortable on the back of this foreign creature (and truth be told I was a little jumpy until the minute I was back off the horse!) I will have to say though, the two or so hours I spent riding Polly through this countryside were two of the most amazing hours I’ve ever spent. The tranquility and beauty of the area is just incomparable. You can really feel that you are at the end of the world.

After our ride we wound our way back to the estancia where we all huddled by the fire inside the cabin as the gaucho’s starting preparing for the asado. Asado is a term that refers to the South American technique for cooking meat. Known for being the traditional dish of Argentina, meats are grilled over the parilla (grill), and served in absurdly large amounts. Here in the cozy cabin, staring out at a beautifully pink and purple colored sky, we were fed a delicious (and hefty) amount of steak, chicken, sweet potatoes, veggies, and of course, vino. Finished off with another remarkable dish, cinnamon flavored rice pudding, we all loaded back into the car and were driven back to our hotel where I’m pretty sure we were all out the minute our heads hit the pillows!

Jessica and I dedicated day number three to pure relaxation. We woke in the morning to yet another breakfast at the hotel, and headed into town soon after. Here we had a farewell lunch at Casimiro Bigua with Smaranda and Leonardo as they had a flight back to BA that afternoon. After lunch Jessica and I worked our way uptown to a local wine store that had been recommended to us. This little wooden cabin is filled floor to ceiling with an extensive selection of local Argentinean wines. After browsing the large number of wines Jessica and I joined the store’s wine connoisseur in the tasting of a couple of different wines. Satisfied and feeling good Jessica and I headed back to the hotel for our afternoon massage appointments. While Jessica had her massage I swam some laps in the hotel’s indoor pool before fully enjoying one of the most amazing (and affordable) hour-long massages I’ve ever had. Finding ourselves beyond relaxed we decided to enjoy dinner at the hotel and then a movie in bed.

We woke up on day number four making sure we took full advantage of the unforgettable view we had from our bed. We had breakfast at our hotel for the last time and went back to town for some last minute necessities. Jessica enjoyed an hour and half long private yoga class that took place on a loft above our newly beloved wine store, and then we stocked up the El Calfatate specialties: Patagonian wine, locally made (and mouth watering) chocolate, and hand crafted scarves made from a local fabric, Calamaco. After running our last errands we headed back to our beloved hotel to say our farewells. We made sure Jessica gave a special thanks to her hotel friend who introduced her to her new favorite drink, Amarula chilled on ice. And I will have to give it Jessica, Amarula is like baileys only 100x better! I think we both had a little separation anxiety as we pulled away from the hotel… we truly had one of the most relaxing, invigorating, adventurous, and memorable experiences of our lives.

Now back in Buneos Aires we are starting to enjoy the spring weather that is slowly creeping in. We spent Tuesday night with some boys from the UofA who have wound their way through all of South America and found themselves back in BA for a couple days before heading back to the US tomorrow. We all got our dance moves on at Kika before heading back to our casa for some wine/beer. Here we were greeted by a rather interesting experience when one of our pipes broke releasing an excessive amount of water throughout the bottom floor of our apartment. After an extensive search for the water valve and a number of attempts at reaching our landlord, we were forced to do the only thing we knew how to do: dial 911. The cops arrived around 7am to a couple of inches of water that now inhabited our apartment. After finally getting the water turned off we shared a pretty big laugh with the two cops that came to our rescue that night.

Wednesday night I had quite a night as well. My friend Ivan invited me to attend the Buenos Aires filming for a portion of the South American MTV VMA’s. Ivan’s friend, an MTV veejay, provided us with the tickets, and so we spent the night watching the presentation of a couple of awards and the performance of some of the popular S.A. bands.

Last night we met our new friend Pablo at my new favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires. (Just a heads up for everyone that plans on visiting: I will be taking you here!) Il Ballo Del Mattone is a funky Italian spot located only 4 blocks away form our apartment. Decked out in art painted by the owner (which is also for sale), this place has the best pasta to offer. The menu is scribbled on a chalkboard and is constantly changing.

Tonight Jessica and I visited ACABAR, another local joint that is equipped with a number of board games and eccentric drinks. After some papas fritas and a drink we are back at the apartment getting ready to met some friends at a club here called ROXY. This is another place that we have not yet been so we are excited to experience the new vibes!

xx.

Argentina At Its Finest

Little by little Karlyn and I are slowly being exposed to the real world of Argentina. It is pretty easy to manipulate it in your mind to be this picture perfect world when you are a tourist. After being here for over three weeks, I think we are finally coming to grips with the reality of the day-to-day life here. Not that it isn't all picture perfect here for us, but there are so many problems ingrained in the structure of the government, politics, and society.

Karlyn and I were able to face this head on while coming back from Iguazu and we experienced a bumper to bumper standstill on one of the major freeways coming into Buenos Aires. Startled by the interesting commotion we didn't know what to think at first. As we slowly creeped our way up through the lines (creating our own road so to speak) we finally encountered the reason for the chaos. There, we saw a makeshift line of men with their faces covered standing across the road with their cars strategically placed to prevent any access from cars or people. At first, I was very startled and immediately thought back to the wild wild west movies where the horse drawn carriages are attacked by random assailants as they make their way down a treacherous road. Our driver, a three year Argentine veteran, consoled us explaining that this was a typical occurrence and it was completely peaceful, just meant to boldly broadcast their overall goals. It turns out these men were protesters from a nearby factory of Kraft who were unhappy with the recent layoffs at the factory and would not end the freeway standoff until all the protesters were able to resume their previous jobs. I was baffled by the fact that the police refused to intervene and that they were able to maintain their post for over two eight over periods that lasted two days. Due to some strategic persuasion from our driver, we were able to take an extreme detour on back roads following a random car with GPS throughout the countryside using trial and error techniques to evade the blockade. I felt like we were straight out of a movie and the car grew silent as we drove down one dirt road to the next only to finally reach an unbarred highway over an hour and a half later!

After returning home, I was very intrigued and perplexed by the whole situation. As I read through the paper, I saw many similar stories of strikes all throughout the city in protest to the government. As a seriously garrulous individual, I find every reason to talk and I am always very interested to learn about people's opinions on everything and I mean everything. From what I have learned, most people hate President Cristina Kirchner here. Some even claim that she is the worst president that they have ever had before. She is a Peronist leader and acts as a figure head while her husband, Nestor Kirchner, the former president here maintains power.

Throughout her time as president, she has crippled their primary product of beef by implementing a huge tax on all farmers for their cattle. This has resulted in Argentina having to import cattle from other countries for the first time in over a century and has simultaneously encouraged farmers to kill of their cattle in order to refuse the vast tax inflicted on them in a very dry season. Many people claim this will consequently trigger a major crisis, greater than the one now, in ten to fifteen years. She has also placed a huge tax on grain that normally is not maintained in bad seasons, like the previous year.

She was able to be elected because the Peronist party represents mainly the poorer sect of Argentina, which encompasses the majority of the country. They are often paid off for their votes and their livelihood virtually depends on it. Many people here receive some type of work pay (I am not sure of the name) and for this they receive an amount to "work". However, they are often not provided with work, so they are given an amount to live without doing anything. These people will not receive these contributions unless they continue to support the particular candidate who has the power to distribute them. Therefore, the majority of middle to upper class individuals are overpowered in vote size and cannot sway the overriding force of votes to counteract the Peronist tendencies. The vote often goes to those who are uneducated on the subject or are voting because of bribes. In fact, many also claim that she intentionally pays the majority of picketers here in Buenos Aires in order to bring about chaos in the city and portray the image that people from Buenos Aires are deeply unsatisfied with their government. She does this because her party and decisions constantly come in contention with the mayor's demands and the two have faced political standoffs since their time in office. Not to mention, a share of everyone's taxes go to the small city where Nestor is from in Argentina, which is definitely not a coincidence as his wealth has gradually accumulated throughout their time in office. (I apologize if I am slaughtering the politics here or wrong in any sense. This is just what I have learned from talking with other people.)

So this is the current state of affairs and I am fascinated to see what will happen. It's interesting to be right in the forefront of it all since the majority of the economic and political life in Argentina lies in Buenos Aires. For some reason, all of these events are a little too reminiscent of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. I keep thinking back to the images of unrest she described when the US came shattering down and it seems like she seriously could have been using Argentina as her inspiration. From everything to the locals tearing up railroad tracks to secure the bus system to getting severance for doing absolutely nothing, I think many could gain a great deal of incite if they were to read this book. I, too, would like to read it again just to see the many similarities.

On the other hand, Iguazu was absolutely incredible. As Karlyn mentioned, it's hard to put words to something so vast and amazing. It is a masterpiece of nature and the pictures do not do it justice. We stood in awe as we crossed one bridge to the next constantly perplexed how they were able to build the bridge in the first place. We still have yet to figure it out and I would love for someone to explain how you would even go about starting a feat like that. In addition to Iguazu, we were also fortunate enough to see much of the Argentine countryside. It was beautiful and many pictures to come to illustrate this. However, the rest of Argentina is much poorer than Buenos Aires. I was truly able to feel the huge difference between the two parts as we drove through the small towns and I finally got the feeling that I was actually in a third world country. I am sure El Calafate will have much to teach us as well about the country, so much to come after the weekend.

Anyway, time to get back to the festivities. The birthday girl is just waking from a little snooze and it's about time we continued on with the festivities. I do believe tonight will be her fourth night being sung happy birthday. Needless to say, she is not very happy about this. I'll make sure to make it nice and embarrassing for her.

OUR IGUAZU ADVENTURE!

6 days, 1,063 kilometers (660 miles), a 23 hour bus ride, severe rainstorms, a pina colada poolside, the Iguazu falls, a 40 peso lunch on the side of the highway (can you say rip off), a yerba mate factory tour in Apostoles, a random gas station that was home to an ostrich, attempt at staying in the sketchiest town ever, a 10 peso dinner, another 18 hour car ride, a 4 hour protest, arriving in BA at 10am, all finished off by breakfast at our sanctuary, Oui Oui.

Jessica and I really have had quite the week. It all started on Thursday afternoon when we left for the train station around 2pm. Our bus, packed with 50 fellow international travelers (or students I should say) took off from the Retiro bus station at approximately 4pm with plans to arrive in Iguazu at 6 the next morning. What we didn’t plan for was the intense rain/thunder storm that threatened us the entire way up there. What started as a fun bus party with lots of wine, beer, fernet, whiskey, etc, eventually turned into a long nap with a variety of movies. Needless to say, after an extremely annoying pit stop at a “diamond mine” in a place called Wanda at 2pm the next day, I was more than ready to just get there! Approximately 24 hours later we finally pulled into Iguazu and were greeted by a very pleasant hotel. Exhausted from the ride, Jessica and I showered up, took a nap, and then headed into town for a delicious meal that we both thoroughly enjoyed. While I enjoyed a variety of appetizers, Jessica indulged in a local fish, Surubi, that is caught in the Igauzu River that runs right through town. Following our delicious meal we had a couple of Capriska’s at Jackie Brown’s before heading back to catch up on some more sleep.

Day two our group headed to Brazil to view the fall’s from the Brazilian, but without a Visa Jessica and I were unable to go. Therefore, we figured we would head to a place where we could really enjoy the sun and the warm weather: Hotel Panoramica. With a poolside view of the river Jessica and I enjoyed some delicious drinks while trying to tan our now pale BA winter skin… After an amazing dinner at La Rueda with our friends Leonardo and his Italian amigo, Smiranda, we all went to the one and only club in Iguazu, "Cuba Libre." A rather famous spot for travelers who come to see the falls, this place was packed with kids from all over and we found ourselves dancing well into the night… or should I say the morning.

Jessica and I dedicated day three to the waterfalls. We drove to the park with our friends Haig and Jeff (fellow Americans) and spent an endless amount of hours just walking around and enjoying the beyond imaginable sights. The Iguazu falls truly are an experience that every person must enjoy. I have never seen anything like it in my entire life. Not to mention there are these rainbows that literally extend throughout the entire park. They are just incredible- a sight to never forget.

After hours of walking and some rather sore feet, us four decided to head up the road to the Sheraton Hotel that is actually built in the middle of the Iguazu National Park. Here we enjoyed a delicious hamburger and (a few) mango daiquiris! After watching the sunset over the falls we headed back to the hotel for a quick nap before going back to town for dinner. Exhausted from our long day of sightseeing, we ate some yummy homemade raviolis at a local spot called Charo, and then headed back to the hotel to rest up for the next day of travels.

Haig, a Jersey native, has now lived in Buenos Aires for two years and lucky for Jessica and I, owns a car that Jeff and him had driven up to Iguazu. We were the lucky recipients to an offer to drive back to BA with them rather than riding on the bus. We were pretty excited about this not only because we would be able to experience more of the countryside, but also the fact that we would probably get home in a much quicker manner really excited us. Our plan when we left Sunday morning was to drive 6 hours to a town called San Martín making some random stops along the way, and then wake early the next morning and drive the last 6 hours to BA. Our first stop was for lunch at a random Parilla on the side of the highway, and assuming our meal would total about 60 or 70 pesos, we were rather surprised when the old man told us our bill was 160 pesos. To put this into perspective, an amazing meal at a nice restaurant in Buenos Aires would cost less than this. So once we were back on the road we figured we needed to make another stop to boost our spirits. Therefore, about 4 hours later we found ourselves in a cute town called Apostoles. Home to the yerba mate tea we decided to check out a factory to see how this native Argentine favorite is made. Although the tour was in Spanish and I didn’t really catch anything that the guy was saying, I did learn a bit through translation. Here are some fun facts that I will share with you:

- Yerba Mate tea has more caffeine than coffee

- Yerba Mate trees grow up to 15 meters tall

- Yerba Mate is better when it is lighter in color

- After it is picked the leaves sit for over a year before they are packaged and sold

Anyway, those are a few random facts and it actually wasn’t even until we left the factory that I tried mate tea myself! One very interesting fact about Argentina actually, is that every gas station has a hot water faucet (rather than ice that you find in the US) outside for people to fill up their mate tea thermos. Therefore, after receiving some free tee from our tour, we made a stop at a rather interesting gas station for some hot water. Here not only did we find hot water, but we also found that the gas station is home to some rather interesting animals: dogs, ostriches, and these oversized rat things that I can’t remember the name of (I’ll fill you in once I remember). Anyway after a nice pot of mate and interacting with the animals we headed back on the road. Our next stop was a town called San Martín, which was the town we decided we would stay the night in since so many people had ranted and raved about it. The closer and closer we got to this ‘quaint’ little town we started to think otherwise. Instead of cute buildings and little hotels, we found graffiti, empty shacks, and some places we decided we would rather not risk our lives in. Therefore, after a delicious meal that totaled 40 pesos we decided we would drive through the night and arrive back in BA by morning.

What looked like it was going to be a smooth ride took a turn for the worst at around 5:00am. After an hour in standstill traffic because of a fatal accident, we were back in standstill traffic at about 6:30am because of a protest that was taking place in the middle of the freeway. After 3 – 4 hours of sitting in the same spot all of our tempers started to rise and we decided that we would take the country road however far out of the way it would lead us back to BA. Therefore, after an interesting detour we finally made it back home at around 10:30am. After dropping our bags inside Jessica and I B-lined it to Oui Oui for a hearty breakfast at our favorite local spot. After eating all we had our minds set on was our big comfy bed, which is where we spent the remainder of the day!

Today we went back to our normal routine, heading back to work and now preparing for a night out on the town as tonight at midnight marks my 23^rd birthday! We are going to dinner at a place called Kansas, which most people here refer to as the Houston’s of Buenos Aires (cant wait!) Afterwards we are going to host a pre-game party (we taught Ferdinand that term tonight) and then we are going to go to a club here called Rumi.

Updates soon to come ;) CIAO!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Hola!

Well we have officially been here three weeks which is so hard to believe! How time flies. We had yet another wonderful weekend full of food and fun that we would like to update you all on! On Saturday we actually accompanied our friends Ivan and JD for a lovely dinner at a usually frequented club here, Asia de Cuba. Between the live belly dancer, strawberry daiquiris, champagne, and raviolis, the dinner was very entertaining on top of being delicious. After a couple of dances on the dance floor Jessica and I headed back to our part of town and met a couple of friends at a place called 'TIKI' for a more bar-like experience. The next day we woke up with a craving for a big american breakfast so thought we'd try out a place called Oui Oui that is located only a few blocks away. I will have to say that Oui Oui may have the best breakfast to offer here in BA. It was pure bliss. For 8 dollars you are given a plate full of tasty eggs, a bagel, some (undercooked- unless otherwise mentioned) bacon, and a delicious pot of homemade lemonade that is just indescribable. (Our experience here was so good that we managed to make it back the next day for the exact same meal... plus a homemade banana muffin that was incredible). Sunday night Jessica and I decided to lay low as both of us had to be on our A-game for work the next day, and entertained ourselves with some good ol' movie watching on our laptop.

Today also officially marks my third day of work! I have yet to write about my new job so I'll give everyone a brief synopsis. I am now working for a company here in Buenos Aires called RentInBA, and basically they manage a lot of properties here in the area and rent them out both long and short term to mostly foreign travelers. It really is a great company and I adore the people I get to work with- they couldn't be nicer ( / more accepting of the fact that I don't know Spanish well at all!) Anyway the office is located very close and in the mornings I usually take a 12 peso cab ride there and enjoy a 40 minute walk home in the afternoon. My boss is an Israel native who spent some time growing up here as both of his parents are Argentinean and is a pleasure to work with.

Tomorrow Jessica and I leave for IGUAZU! Woop Woop! We are so excited yet a bit apprehensive about our 14 hour bus ride there (should be interesting!). Rumor has it that the buses here really are rather comfortable so we can only hope for the best... Here is the link to where we will be staying so check it out. We will be sure to take plenty of photos to entertain you with upon our return.

I am also happy to announce that our first traveler has officially booked her flight: GO GRETA!! Greta is planning on coming in the end of October so we are already planning the fun week she is going to be spending with us.

Today after work Jessica and I went to Puerto Madero to check out a rather highly spoken of hotel here called Faena. Here we enjoyed a delicious glass of wine with a rather large cheese & cold cuts plate. The hotel is absolutely incredible and is a must see (at least for a glass of wine) if you are ever here! The design is like nothing else and once we become workin' (money making) women we are going back to treat ourselves to some massages in their extensive spa... ahhhhh.... Tonight we may make the return to the bar around the corner, Fetish, which adds a bit of a different feel to the bars here in BA. Located here in Palermo Hollywood Fetish has a huge square bar inside (the biggest in the city I believe) that seats 50 people if not more! It's a really neat ambiance and the owner is actually a friend of my boss's (who is the person who first introduced us to the place!)

Wish us the best of luck while we're up in Iguazu- we are going to try and avoid the mosquitos as much as possible... we are a bit unprepared in the malaria meds area... and we look forward to filling you all in when we return.... BESOS!