The bad news is, circadian rhythms still suffer from the quick change of seasons, and it´s so damn hot that no one hits the beach til 5pm.
The good news is, we´re well prepared for a variety of climates.
The bad news is, we are reminded just how well prepared every time we sling our heavy packs on our backs.
The good news is, jet lag put us on the local schedule of rising at noon, dining at 11pm, and staying up til nearly dawn.
The bad news is, it´s rough when you arrive in Uruguay and every hotel has a 10am check out.
The good news is, Buenos Aires has a wide selection of delicious food at affordable prices--think homemade pasta and ñoquis (sound it out), countless tons of grass-fed beef, American-sized portions of Italian-style ice cream, and bottles and bottles of jammy malbec to wash it all down.
The bad news is, Uruguay does not.
We left California in the middle of a winter monsoon and arrived in Buenos Aires (BA) in the midst of an oppressive heat wave. We were fortunate enough to kick things off nice and easy with several days at the Casa de Dentist Steve and Linda. Steve is to be thanked for many years of diligent maintenance to Oriana´s huge smile.
Pouring over BA guidebooks in the shade of the patio at Steve and Linda´s house, Buenos Aires
Our gracious hosts started us off with a delicious breakfast and a brief orientation to the massive city and its infinite activities and nightlife. Then they handed us a small stack of coins and a city map and said, suerte. The good news is, BA has an extensive and easy-to-navigate bus sytem. The bad news is, you have to go on a daily hunt for moneda (coins) in order to use it. Theories abound as to the cause of the mysterious coin shortage. Perhaps the mafia controls it. Perhaps the coins are worth more as metal than they are as currency, so wealthy Argentines, made extra conservative by years of economic instability, hoard the coins in enormous vaults. These are just theories, but the shortage is real. You know it´s bad when you´re standing in an ice cream shop, looking at the price list and the bills in your wallet, trying to determine what combination of cups and cones will force the cashier to give you at least one coin in change. Alas, even with the mathematical prowess of a high school calculus teacher, you cannot win. Those who set the prices are a step ahead, and you will always walk away defeated, a handful of bills crumpled in hand, wondering how you´re going to get back on the damned bus.
In spite of the challenge, we managed to get around the city with relative ease, and were able to enjoy several wedding gifts along the way. Here´s a shout out to all of those who contributed to our wonderful stay in Buenos Aires via the travel registry to your right.
First, Steve and Linda deserve another big thank you for the fabulous lodging and company. It was a pleasure to begin our travels with fruit salads, a firm mattress, and good card games. We are quite sure the rest of our trip won´t be this cush.
To Betty and Bob Zonshine, thank you for giving the very first travel registry gift! (It was quite a while ago, but your cash has earned a bit of interest in the meantime). We were lucky enough to have our lodging covered in Buenos Aires, so your gift was transferred to the food and entertainment budget. Here´s to pasta, caprese salads, and a boat trip out on the river delta!
To Miss Mira, thank you for your generous donation to our fun times in Buenos Aires! We have enjoyed middle eastern food, French bistro fare, and too much good wine. We´ll blame you when we come home chubby.
Our gracious hosts started us off with a delicious breakfast and a brief orientation to the massive city and its infinite activities and nightlife. Then they handed us a small stack of coins and a city map and said, suerte. The good news is, BA has an extensive and easy-to-navigate bus sytem. The bad news is, you have to go on a daily hunt for moneda (coins) in order to use it. Theories abound as to the cause of the mysterious coin shortage. Perhaps the mafia controls it. Perhaps the coins are worth more as metal than they are as currency, so wealthy Argentines, made extra conservative by years of economic instability, hoard the coins in enormous vaults. These are just theories, but the shortage is real. You know it´s bad when you´re standing in an ice cream shop, looking at the price list and the bills in your wallet, trying to determine what combination of cups and cones will force the cashier to give you at least one coin in change. Alas, even with the mathematical prowess of a high school calculus teacher, you cannot win. Those who set the prices are a step ahead, and you will always walk away defeated, a handful of bills crumpled in hand, wondering how you´re going to get back on the damned bus.
Creepy tombs in Cemeterio Recoleta, Buenos Aires
In spite of the challenge, we managed to get around the city with relative ease, and were able to enjoy several wedding gifts along the way. Here´s a shout out to all of those who contributed to our wonderful stay in Buenos Aires via the travel registry to your right.
First, Steve and Linda deserve another big thank you for the fabulous lodging and company. It was a pleasure to begin our travels with fruit salads, a firm mattress, and good card games. We are quite sure the rest of our trip won´t be this cush.
Out to dinner with our gracious hosts, Steve and Linda, Buenos Aires
To Betty and Bob Zonshine, thank you for giving the very first travel registry gift! (It was quite a while ago, but your cash has earned a bit of interest in the meantime). We were lucky enough to have our lodging covered in Buenos Aires, so your gift was transferred to the food and entertainment budget. Here´s to pasta, caprese salads, and a boat trip out on the river delta!
Fancy house on the river, Tigre, Argentina
To the Kendall Cousins, muchas gracias for the steak dinner and tango show! The tango we caught at street fairs, park concerts, and a small theater downtown. The steak we are enjoying several times over. Who knew red meat could be this good?
A cool glass of wine in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. This place is SO cute!
To Miss Mira, thank you for your generous donation to our fun times in Buenos Aires! We have enjoyed middle eastern food, French bistro fare, and too much good wine. We´ll blame you when we come home chubby.
Evening stroll after a wonderful 1 a.m. dinner in Colonia, Uruguay
On Tuesday, we somewhat reluctantly escaped the concrete jungle and headed across the river delta for some beach time in Uruguay. Unfortunately, we were not the only ones with such a plan in mind. Turns out summer vacation is a busy time at the coast--who knew?! Expecting hotels to be packed and pricey, we set out for the municipal campground, an impressive, semi-permanent tent city that resembles a 5-star refugee camp. Some sites even sport TVs, refrigerators, and microwaves along with the ubiquitous parrilla para allá (pah-REE-shah par-ah-SHAH: barbecue grill, over there).
One of these things is not like the others, Municipal Campground, La Paloma, Uruguay
We found a campsite in the midst of the mayhem, but after walking around town a few times, soon learned that nearly every other house is available to rent. We surmise that three-quarters of the town of La Paloma is either staying with friends, building a second home at the municipal campground, or camping out in the carport (as was the case at one house we looked at), in order to take advantage of the economic opportunity to rent their houses to Argentine families on vacation. So yesterday we upgraded to a funky 2-bedroom beach house, complete with kitchen and shady patio. At 40 bucks a night, we are even bound to save a bit of cash by cooking our own meals and avoiding spendy plates of overcooked pasta with Chef Boyardee sauce.
Seeking refuge from the midday sun on our patio, ¡sombra increíble!, La Paloma, Uruguay
We are doing our best to settle into a rhythm, learn a new accent en español, and pare down the surplus gear in our packs. In the next edition, Devin and Oriana hop from shade patch to shade patch and seek swell and seafood via moto (thanks, Ashley!), while enjoying the endless 80s soundtrack (Ojo del Tigre and an original Tears for Fears video are recent highlights). Next week we´ll try our hand at survival on the trail in Patagonia, with a quick stop in BA for another side of beef.
Here are a few more pictures for your viewing pleasure. We´re working on uploading all of them to Flickr and will post a link once we´ve found an internet connection fast enough to complete the task.
Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires
Dude, how cool is my dentist?!
Antique seltzer bottles at the San Telmo street market, Buenos Aires
Sunday street fair mayhem in San Telmo, Buenos Aires
Stoked to make it on the last bus out of Carmelo, Uruguay. All three hotels were booked solid with the exception of a windowless shoebox with a 10 a.m. check out time.
This is what the beach looks like at 7 p.m. Seriously. La Paloma, Uruguay
