Kitesurfing in Punta Rasa

Hello dear friends and readers! I know it has been too long! So much is going on I don't even know where to begin.

First of all, I have gone and gotten sick again. This time I have a cold. So far nothing major but it's so frustrating that I can't manage to stay healthy here! I feel pretty well adjusted to the lifestyle, not particularly stressed out or anything. I wonder what is making me so susceptible to illness? My best guess is different bugs, lots of people, and lots of bad air in the city.

Anyway, I've had this weekend trip planned that has been postponed twice already. Of course, it is looking like this Saturday is the day this trip will finally be happening and I am sick. I am still going, I'll take a bunch of dayquil and suffer through! The trip is an all girls kitesurfing camp in Punta Rasa.
I have stolen this picture off of the internet to show you what kite surfing is, and to make you a little jealous. Looks fun doesn't it?

So it's a decent sized group of ladies going to kitsurf in Punta Rasa. The girl that's running the camp, Lu, seems really lively and it sounds like this is going to be a lot of fun. As well as a good opportunity to speak some Spanish, which is always good. We will leave early Saturday morning for Punta Rasa, which is located at the southern tip of the Bay Samborombón and the northern tip of Cape San Antonio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the outer boundary of the Rio de La Plata, the exact point where the water mixes with the Atlantic Ocean. I haven't seen the ocean yet since I've been here so I'm excited just for that reason! Buenos Aires sits inside a little nook of the Rio de la Plata, so that's all you see here from the city.

All I really know about this camp is that we have a heated pool at the hotel, food, equipment, and lodging are provided, and by the time I come home on Sunday I will be able to say that I have been kitesurfing.

I will take lots of pictures and let you know how this little adventure turns out.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Our final excursion is all said and done, I'm sad to say. There are so many things to see and just not enough time to see them! Now I can scratch Colonia, Uruguay off my list. Although I loved it so much I think I might have to go back for a weekend before I come home.

The excursion itinerary: take the Buquebus to Colonia for a day of shopping, swimming, laying in the sun, and eating.

Luli, our lovely little friend, who is now our "Panrimo Coordinator" since Tony has gone back to the US, was our designated tour guide. We met Luli at 9am and made our way to the port. To go to Uruguay from Argentina you take a ferry boat. You can take the slow boat, which gets you across the Rio de la Plata in about 3 hours. Or, you can take the fast boat, which is more expensive, but it gets you to Uruguay in about an hour. Thankfully we took the fast boat, and it was pretty fast. The boat is equipped with airplane style seating and its very own duty-free store. You should have seen these people go crazy over perfume and candy. I've never seen such a shopping frenzy.
By 12:30pm we were in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Walking from the port to the town it was easy to see that we weren't in the city anymore. Colonia is the oldest town in Uruguay and it is full of history. The Barrio Histórico is actually a very popular destination for tourists. Colonia was founded by Portugal in 1680 but rule over this territory was in almost constant dispute with Spain until its independence in 1928. It went back and forth between the Spanish and Portuguese by conquer or treaty. It was even taken over by Brazil for about 7 years. Needless to say, its development has had the unique influence of both countries.

So enough with the history right? On to the crazy adventures!

Well we didn't actually have any CRAZY adventures. We did rent a golf cart type vehicle (only better) built for four, which was one of the highlights of the trip for me. It turns out the good/clean beaches are a couple of miles outside of the historical neighborhood. So we got some food, got on the cart, and headed to the beach with me at the wheel and Bennett in the passenger seat telling me what to do. As soon as we made it up the hill outside of the city blocks we got our first view of the beaches. It was beautiful! We found a good spot and we got in the water.

While we were in the water the clouds started to roll in. We made our way to the bar on the beach and as soon as we hit the door the winds picked up. The storms here are incredible. They start with these intense winds that seem to come out of nowhere, the rain follows soon after and none of it seems to last very long. The wind was tearing through this little bar patio but it was incredible to watch. The entire storm lasted maybe an hour and then the sun was shining again.

The rest of our evening consisted of shopping and dinner. One dollar is about 25 Uruguayos so shopping required some math. We were dealing with dollars, Argentine pesos, and Uruguayos. It was very confusing.

We got a wonderful recommendation for dinner that evening so we wined and dined. The food was delicious. I had steak medallions with mashed pumpkins. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of this meal, it was truly a site to behold.

After dinner we had to power walk back to the Buquebus to make our 10:30 departure. We almost didn't get on the boat on time because Bennett was receiving a bit of harassment from the guys at the little customs desk. Unfortunately for Bennett he is unmistakably American. At 6 foot something he is probably one of the tallest guys they've ever seen here (is second toe is as long as my pinkie finger.)and he has a Minnesota t-shirt for every day of the week. Anyway, they were claiming he didn't have a stamp on his passport from Argentina, which was not true, we figured out afterwards that he was probably just wanting some money. I've decided the best way to deal with this kind of situation is to stand up for yourself and don't give anybody anything, ever. Every time I've felt like I was getting ripped off in some way, the second I spoke up about it they resolved the situation. I think they just kind of hope you'll become flustered and do something stupid.

So that's all she wrote. It was not nearly enough time to get spend in Colonia. If I were going again I would go for a weekend or take an earlier boat in the morning. It's a beautiful place that deserves more than just a few hours of exploration.

School is in session

It has been for a couple of weeks now, we started on February 2nd I believe. It has been an adjustment to say the least. I'm learning the best way to acclimate is with a go-with-the-flow kind of attitude.

We've had a few kinks that needed to be worked out. For example, we had to change rooms three times. First there was too much of an echo, so we switched to a quieter room. The quieter room was next to the bathroom that is under construction. The noises were a little distracting so we moved to a room that was farther away. The farther away room is on the busy side of the street. It was impossible to hear the lecture over the traffic noises. Unfortunately, having the windows closed was not an option due to the sweltering heat and absence of air conditioning. We finally settled on a room that had little or no noise pollution, of any kind. Now we just have to share the classroom with some pigeons who have built their nest on the fluorescent. These windows don't close, so we just have to make sure we aren't sitting in the drop zone.

Another minor setback, one of the classes for which we are supposed to be instructed in English, is now taught in Spanish. After we postponed for a week, Tony and the University of Buenos Aires found a more than adequate solution. We have the most amazing translator now, although only for a few weeks. I actually think working with a translator is really improving my Spanish. I now have confirmation that I am correctly, or incorrectly as it may be, interpreting what someone is saying. Something that I have found to be continuously frustrating, is that there is never someone there to tell me, word for word, what is being said so that I can immediately associate meaning to the sounds I'm hearing. I think having a translator will fill in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of the language.

I don't want to give you the wrong idea here. I am by no means discouraged by any part of these little bumps in the road to higher learning. I was fully aware that we would be the first students studying at La UBA under Panrimo's direction and I expected that we might need to make adjustments.

All I care about is that we are learning, and that we are. I would say my Spanish has improved beyond words, and there is so much to learn about Latin American history and politics. When talking to various people I have met around the city, I have heard nothing but good things about La UBA's Social Sciences department. Actually, I have heard more than once, that it has the best department of all the schools in the city. So we have to put up with a little ring around the classroom, a little bird poop, no working bathrooms, and a lot of construction. We are getting a damn good education.

Seriously though, the bathroom situation will hopefully be resolved in two weeks when the rest of the city goes back to school. I will keep you posted on that.

And now, for some pictures......

Tango Excursion!

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You can't go anywhere in Buenos Aires without being confronted by tango in some form or another. I've read that Argentina is the birthplace of tango, originating in the streets amongst the immigrant populations during the late 19th century. Walking down the street I hear the familiar sounds of tango music blaring from a passing taxi, I see stores selling tango shoes scattered here and there. Posters advertising shows, studios, or lessons pop up just about everywhere I go.

San Telmo is the neighborhood known for its tourist attracting tango shows. This is where we decided to go for our tango excursion. Now, these shows are a dime a dozen in San Telmo. You pretty much just walk around until you find one that appeals to you most. These shows are all unique and there is a good amount of variety to choose from. You can see a show at a small little mom and pop type of venue. Or, you could choose to see a more grandiose tango production. You can find shows that include dinner with the price of your ticket, which is what we did, or you can find shows that include a couple of drinks.

We followed Tony around for a few blocks while he scoped out the spots. We settled on a show that included dinner, although I hear after the fact that the food is usually bad. Luckily, our food was not terrible. We arrived a little late and the show started about 15 minutes after our arrival so we had to eat in the dark.

Our chosen venue had about 30 tables that surrounded three sides of a small stage. I gather that this place is run by an elderly couple that were obviously overseeing things. The decor and costumes had a sort of dated feel. It was a very intimate setting with people from all over the world (the host of the show inquired about where everyone lived, we were the only Americans!)

This tango show was great, very flashy and showy. They had a tango band of piano, violin, bandoneon, and double bass. The bandonean is the coolest instrument. It is a square shaped sibling of the accordion that is played sitting down. The sound comes from pushing and pulling the instrument while pressing buttons. It appears to be played over the bandoneonist's leg and that the sound is also manipulated by leg movements. I have definitely never seen this instrument in the United States.



The show was a mixture of tango dance and song. Three couples danced and there were three different singers. Each of the dancers and singers had their own unique style. I am surprised at how important the tango music is to the culture of Buenos Aires. Tango music seems to be more popular here than the dance. Many people sing tango and it seems that everyone listens to it. I never realized before spending time here that the music of tango is an art form all its own.

We had a great time at the show. After it was over the lights came on and the dancers came down and brought people from the audience to dance on stage. We tried not to get chosen as none of us dance very well. After Tony's urging I got up and danced with the waiter for the last few minutes of the song. It was pretty hilarious and very memorable. I only wish someone had gotten a picture when he dipped me.


(thanks for the photos Bennett!)

Empanadas

They are the perfect food. Here in Buenos Aires, I can eat them every day. Now I'm not talking about some caramel apple empanada from Taco Bell here people. I'm talking about the real thing. They are practically every food group wrapped up into one little tasty package. The varieties seem endless, sweet or savory.
Last night, I had a tuna empanada for the very first time.



Sometimes they are fried, sometimes they are baked, sometimes they are shaped like giant tortellinis, sometimes they are shaped like hostess fruit pies, but this I am sure they are always delicious. Some other fun facts about empanadas are: they only cost around 2,50 pesos (that's around $0.73 usd), you can find them just about everywhere you go, they are considered to be a national dish of Argentina, and, last but not least, you can have them delivered to your door just like pizza.

It's the little things

It's the little things that make you happy when you are in a another country and you don't speak the language. Suddenly I'm happy when I order food and I'm not surprised by what they bring me. I'm also happy when I ask someone where the bank is and their response actually makes sense to me. I'm especially happy when I go to the store to buy something and I actually know how much the total is instead of handing them the largest amount of pesos my purchase could logically be.

This being said you can imagine my elation when I tell you that I successfully purchased two pairs of glasses with corrective lenses for about $55 each. To give you a little back story, I decided when I came here that I was going use the strength of the dollar to expand my collection of eye glasses. Since my arrival in Buenos Aires I have been patiently gathering information about the costs and styles of frames, etc. I had been unpleasantly surprised, until yesterday, to find that due to inflation the cost of frames were more or less the same as in the United States.

However, yesterday I found a little side street off the beaten path of tourists and shoppers. I wandered by several eye glass shops and noticed that the prices were actually in the windows, this I found to be a good sign. I've noticed in many shops here that are not run by large companies or corporations, the price is not displayed in the window. I get the feeling sometimes that when they realize that I am quite obviously an American, and I don't have my way with the Spanish language, then I am immediately given the "foreigner" mark up. I'd like to point out here that I don't attribute this solely to being and American in Argentina, but also that I am living in a big city and dealing with a big city mentality here. It's a dog eat dog world in the big city and I don't quite look like I belong.

So, I liked the prices I was seeing, around 100 pesos per frame. The selections were small but predominantly modern and trendy styles. The last shop I walked by was looking promising but I was lacking the confidence to go in and butcher my way through talking about glasses. Then I decided this, I can either wait around for someone who speaks Spanish to come with me and hold my hand through the process, or I can go in, try to do it myself, and learn from my mistakes. I decided that I can either wait around until I have had a month or two more of Spanish so I can communicate perfectly or I can go in there and use what I've got and have myself an experience. So I turned around and went in.

Here is how it went. I very basically explained that I didn't speak Spanish very well and I was looking at frames. This adorable little old man understood and seemed to be eager to assist me. He also seemed more than happy to use his very small vocabulary of eyeglass salesman appropriate English words.

I tried on a few frames and in all of 15 minutes I had found two frames that I liked, found out the prices of lenses, and talked him down 100 pesos. Well it wasn't really talking exactly, I would write down a price and he would write down another counter offer which we finally settled on. I walked out of there with a partial eye exam to make sure my prescription was correct and two pairs of glasses with light-weight lenses that had anti-reflective coating for about 100 usd. Can't get that done in the US even with insurance. Success!

La Pampa

Our first weekend excursion is all said and done. What a weekend we had. I had no idea what was in store for us in La Pampa, in Rojas to be exact. Kind of like when go see a movie having no idea what it's about. No expectations or preconceived notions to taint my perspective. This one turned out to be filled with culture, food, tradition, relaxation, education. I was pleasantly surprised.

We headed for Rojas early Friday morning. It was about a three hour car ride to the country, or "el campo" in Castellano (the type Spanish spoken here in Argentina.) I got us off to a good start, oversleeping and putting us about an hour off schedule. For once I was thankful for the Argentine style of driving, fast and purposeful, to put it nicely. Consequently, we were back on schedule in no time. Mario, along with his wife Marianna, were our gracious hosts and tour guides for the weekend. Mario is jovial man with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for speaking his mind. He doesn't speak a lick of English but the meaning of his words are often easy to understand in spite of the language barrier. I have noticed that most Argentines are animated speakers. They do a lot of talking with their hands. I don't mean simple gestures to emphasize their point but actually acting out words with their hands. I find this to be very helpful in figuring out what people are talking about.

Our first stop was a place called INTA, the National Institute of Farming Technology. In short, INTA is a government run research and development center for agriculture in Argentina. Their purpose is to aid Argentina in agricultural development while having minimal impact on the environment. Another one of their goals is to facilitate in helping small farmers produce better crops. The branch that we visited in Pergamino is only one of many in Argentina. We met Miguel, a director of this facility, who taught us about the goals and purpose of INTA while we passed around the Yerba Mate. It is evident that INTA and those who are involved with it take immense pride in their country and what it provides them. They seemed very excited to have us there, excited to share with us what they do for their country. We were even put on their website the very next day! Check us out.
http://www.inta.gov.ar/pergamino/info/prensa/inst/2009/vis_univers_090123.htm

Now, for those of you who don't know about Yerba Mate, allow me to enlighten you. It is a drink of health, friendship, and tradition introduced by the Guarani of South America, as I understand it. It is still a common ritual in parts of South America today. It is customarily shared from a hollowed out gourd with a metal straw and is passed around the table. In addition to being a social activity, it has numerous health benefits. I believe it to have cured my stomach sickness! We did a lot of sharing of the Yerba Mate during our weekend in el campo. I even came home with my very own gourd and bombilla (bom-bee-sha = metal straw.) It is very common to see people walking around with their Mate equipment, even here in Buenos Aires.

After we left INTA, we went to a private seed corn plant that is also in Pergamino, Argentina. This place was massive, a grand scale production. I learned more than I ever thought I would about the trials and tribulations of seed corn. Poor Bennett felt like he was back on the farm in Minnesota. It was an impressive operation, but the unfortunate heat that day hindered my true appreciation of the plant. Luckily we were only a few minutes drive from Mario's farm and just a few minutes away from the refreshment of the swimming pool.

Needless to say we spent a lot of time in that swimming pool. We also spent a lot of time eating. Mario and Mariana fed us some noteworthy meals. The traditional breakfast of Argentina is toast and coffee. Lunch is usually empanadas or something comparable. Dinner is the biggest meal of the day and is rarely eaten before 9pm. I don't know what it is but these Argentines just don't quit. We consistently stayed up until at least 4am with no sign of fatigue from any of the natives. Meanwhile, Americans were quite obviously struggling to keep up.

The first night we had a true asado. The cow was one of Mario's, killed a few days earlier. I had my first experience eating weird animal parts, the intestines and kidneys were served first. I tried them, but I can't say that I liked it. The flavor of this beef is unlike any I have ever tasted. First of all I've probably never had beef that fresh, and secondly, I think that much of the distinct flavor comes from the way the meat is cooked. I don't know if I said this before but Argentines love their beef. By the end of the weekend I was joking that the official dish of Argentina is bife con dulce de leche. They also love their dulce de leche, kind of a sugary version of caramel sauce.

My favorite meal was the second night. We had lamb. For the first time in my life I actually witnessed first hand the killing of my food. I didn't intend to actually watch this, in fact Mario and Tony had asked if I wanted to and I said no. However, I was out riding one of Mario's horses and just happened to walk by as Luis went into the sheep pen to lasso one up. After that, curiosity got the best of me and I had to see it through. I have never seen anything like it in my life! I watched the entire process from start to finish and it really made me aware of what it takes for me to eat meat. I am, as I think most people are, so detached from my food and where it comes from. Now I can't imagine what kinds of things happen to the meat that we eat and how old it must be. It really got me thinking. The lamb was served and ready to eat about 4 hours after it was killed. I will also say, hands down, that was the best meat I have ever tasted in my life.

So as I write this it seems like all we did was eat! I assure you there were plenty of other activities. In addition to eating and swimming we rode horses, went shopping, went on moonlit walks, danced, listened to the music. Rachel brought her guitar and her beautiful voice so we had the pleasure of her entertainment after dinner.

All the while we were greatly improving our Spanish speaking and comprehension. Everyone was so patient and helpful as we tried, and sometimes struggled, to learn. Tony was our tireless translator for the weekend often having to tell stories twice and fill in tidbits of conversations. I don't know how many times he must have heard the three of us ask him "Tony, how do say .....?"

All in all it was an unforgettable experience. A much needed break from the stress of living and adjusting to the city. A nice little taste of the rest of Argentina.