Los soñadores diurnos

It’s been only close to 2 weeks that I have left Buenos Aires, but many roads have been traveled inbetween. And there have been roads, no flying included. My way of getting further has up till now been the buses in Argentina. And don't forget the horse. But more about that later.

My first trip by bus lead me away from Buenos Aires to Rosario. A city in the area of Santa Fe, about 4 hours up North. And on this bus ride I tasted my first Empanada. With many more to come after that. Buenos Aires waved good bye as it had greeted me. With lots of rain and thunder and lightning. Seems to be it’s way with me. But just a few hours later I arrived in hot and humid Rosario. And spent a lovely weekend there. With my own personal city guide: Adrian. He’s a friend of a friend back home and took the time to show me "his City". Late dinners (well normal time dinners for Argentina). Strolls along the river beach with ice cream of course (which melted away before you’ve had your first lick). More ice cream at Yomo’s (I have been told that this is THE place to go for ice cream in Rosario, and it was quite worth it!!). Calzon made by the city guide himself (d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!!!). And – the best of it all – a private concert for me. And Stevie (Adrian’s dog) :) Just beautiful!!! Muchas gracias again Adrian, for having taken all this time to show me around. I have truly enjoyed and appreciated a lot!! And I’m sure I’ll see you again someday. In Argentina, Switzerland or wherever else ...

One city lead me to the next: Córdoba. Actually just a stop inbetween for me on my way further West. But it was a nice day. Sunny and warm. And more Empanadas on my plate :) After just one day there it was time to head to Mendoza. A place where it supposedly never rains. "Nunca lluvia in Mendoza." It never rains in Mendoza. That’s what the taxi driver told me. And not just him, everyone else as well, like the lady in the hotel. The people doing the Bodega tour. And later on, of course the people at the Estancia. But guess what, of course it rained in Mendoza while I was there. And not little if I might add! But oh well, you can still sip some wine even when it rains. And sipping, that’s the only thing I did while visiting three Bodegas in the Mendoza area. For someone who actually does not drink wine, that’s a lot already. But like they say, while in Rome, do it like the Romans do. So I did :)

Since arriving in Buenos Aires 3 weeks ago it’s been city after city. So I was in desperate need for some nature. Mendoza brought me a little closer to it (already seeing the mountains when entering the city), but what really got me the full nature program were 5 day on the Estancia Rancho 'e Cuero. Unbelievable, but it only takes a 2 hour ride in a 4-wheel car (can you even call that thing a car, it was so hugeeeeeee), up a road into the Andes. And the drive itself being an adventure. I have a 4-wheel drive car, but I don’t think I would manage to get up there with it. So after just short of 2 hours you arrive in a completely different world: at Rancho 'e Cuero. A  piece of a jewel out in nature’s best. No Wifi, no signal on my cell (only in that one small "magic spot" which allowed me to send some bday texts). No connection to the outside world. But what a treat this can be! Instead you get loads of quiet and piece. You actually hear nature. The sounds of the streams, the wind whistling. The horse making its way up the mountain for you to enjoy a spectacular view after. It were a great few days. Even though in the beginning the rain was still present. But what I’ll remember of those few days is the lovely family Palma (unfortunately I did not get to meet everyone, not hard, if there are 6 children and 6 grandchildren, 1 more on the way). Pedro, the Gaucho, and his singing on the horse or elsewhere. The food Roxana, Pedros wife (how lucky is he!!) made for us every day. How am I going to manage now without it? Camel, the dog, who gets kind of depressed when he can’t be at the Estancia. Fernet, my Black Beauty during the time there (and no, he does not drink alcohol :)). All the wild animals whe saw: Condors, Guanacos, deer, rabbits and many more. The Siesta times after lunch which I did not spend for a nap but rather reading in front of the fire place. Watching a Swiss music festival on TV (yep, even out in nowhere land you can watch TV). The drive further up on my mom’s birthday to get a better signal and being able to call her. The hot-water bottle to keep me warm over night. And so many more things. I would like to add a few words someone oft he Park Hyatt Magazine in Zurich wrote after having visited Rancho 'e Cuero:

"Our experience was like visiting close family, with a sincerity from the heart felt in the smallest details, whether the rooms, the wonderful, home-cooked meals or Pedro, the proud gaucho! A visit close to the sky at Rancho 'e Cuero is much more than just a trip. Here, time stands still and, afterwards, you are ready for everyday life again! Pure relaxation …

Now I am purely relaxed. Ready for some new adventures. And the first one just started today: The bus drive from Mendoza to Santiago de Chile. Spectacular ride through the Andes but a long wait at Chilean customs (5 h!!). It looks like someone tried to smuggle drugs over the boarder. So a big thank yo to them for the long wait … I hope it will be faster in 2 ½ weeks, when I have to cross again! Oh, and I got another stamp in my new passport :) More to come …

But for now I am looking forward to one day (no worries, I’ll come back for another) in Santiago and 2 weeks of Patagonia Wilderness. More nature to explore and daydream about …

 

"Aquellos que sueñan durante la noche en los polvorientos recodos de su mente despiertan durante el día para darse cuenta de que todo ha sido vanidad, pero los soñadores diurnos son peligrosos porque pueden vivir su sueño con los ojos abiertos a fin de hacerlo posible."

- T.E. Lawrence –

 

City of Fair Winds

The ship spit us out in Rio de Janeiro. And let us back on. And we survived that day! After all the horrid stories of what could happen there that I have been hearing, we actually survived. Maybe it was because of our personal guide for the day - Bernardo from Chile - but maybe it also was because I was wearing the "lucky seed" necklace that I had bought in Barbados. In any case, we were quite lucky that day!! The weather  (no, I am not complaining about the heat) and the luck were on our side that day. Sunshine all day long. On the way up to Corcovado Mountain to have the same view that lucky guy called Christ the Redeemer has 365 days a year. On the way back down and past Sugarloaf Mountain. Along Copacabana and Ipanema Beach (but where did that girl hide :)). And also in the evening Samba Show. So a day full of success. After that, what was left of the cruise was spent 2 more days at sea (which we've had more than enough off) and in Uruguay at the Estancia La Rábida. A wonderful place and day, filled with Mate Tea, a carriage ride to the beach, the famous asado (my first time) and some cow milking and Uruguayan games. I liked it so much there that I decided to book a few days on an Estancia in Argentina. You'll be hearing about that in the next Blog.

The day to get off Queen Victoria after almost 4 weeks came quite fast after that. Birthday dinner on board and then it was Good Bye sea days the next morning. And Hola Buenos Aires. The city greeted us with rain. So I spent the morning in my very nice Hotel Loi Suites Arenales (very recommendable if anyone ever comes to Buenos Aires), uploading the daily pictures of the last days, which would have taken me hours to upload on the ship. I love free and fast Wifi :) But faster than I thought the sun came out again and it was time to start exploring the city. And there's so much to explore, see, feel and live here: colourful and vivid areas like La Boca. Artsy places like San Telmo (especially on a Sunday when the market is going on), reminding me of Montmarte in Paris. Modern and chic Palermo. Or overcrowded streets like Florida. The street where you can change money after every few meters. Cambio cambio. Change. Money change. By now, after one week, I can't hear it anymore. No, thank you, but I don't want to change money. Talking about money, the used Argentine Pesos look like they've gone through laundry machine after laundry machine. People, how are you treating your money ;))

To get around in Buenos Aires you can easily take buses, taxis or the underground, which is called subte here. Which I have never done up till now. Walking seems to be my thing here. Not that I am such a sporty girl. But, like the main character in the book that I am reading right now is saying: "It was exquisite to use my legs after so many stagnant months at sea." Not that I have been at sea for several months, though it might have seemed that way at some time. But I still felt like I needed to walk. That feeling has decreased a little now after one week, though I am still walking :) And you can walk through Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, even though you are not actually there. You can also walk in streets where you have to walk in slalom. I am telling you, I have found "Shit Street" here!!! Or here they call it just simply República de la India, and it goes just along the Buenos Aires Zoo. I don't think the animals there are throwing their stuff over at night when no one is watching ;)

The thing I can't quite get over is, how empty and deserted everything is around here over the weekend. And I don't think it is because we've had a rainy weekend when I was here. It's not like I could check again over the next weekend, cause I will be gone by then ... but it seems that people are escaping the city life over weekends. Also, where I did not find an answer to yet (maybe someone can help?), why are they selling city cups of Rosario (a city of 4 hours North, where I am actually going next) at Starbucks here, and not of Buenos Aires? And one more unsolved riddle: even though it is not raining, there are splashes of water coming down from above. From heaven? Buildings? My friend Mari just told me yesterday that it is the AC. So maybe not so unsolved anymore. I guess that might be my answer to the last riddle. Just thinking about the leaking AC on the ship. And yeah, they are very much American here in Buenos Aires as on the ship. Outside freaking hot. Inside freezing cold. I don't seem to be able to escape this "problem" on this journey. I certainly think this won't change once I arrive in Los Angeles ...

One more day left now in the City of Fair Winds before heading on. I will take many memories with me in my "luggage of mind". Especially the meetings with Mari, whom I had last seen 12 years ago. And also one place, one Cafe, that always drew me back there. There's always places like that when you travel, or even back home. Places you feel at home at. Siempre se vuelve a Buenos Aires. That's what it says in this Tango song. I hope it's true!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhnrlqqWBsM

 

"For those who are lost, there will always be cities that  feel like home."

 

- Simon Van Booy -