One day before Carnival.
Ricardo's friend's are really cool.. We cycled round with a guitar to see them. True Brazillian surfers sitting round with surfers tanned and muscled bodies in board-shorts, smoking a little, playing some guitar, singing and showing the days surf recording... ...that was last night.
This morningI went surfing with Ricardo - I learnt a lot.
It's a beautiful day and the waves are small (1m) but clean with an off-shore wind.
It's good to find out the water was only brown because a river flows into it, today however it was all clean.
I've decided to leave Rio Carnival to next year. That way I can not only enjoy this one with Ricardo and friends but carry out my plan to follow the Rio carnival with New Orleans' the next year.
I'm going to work on my portfolio today while Ricardo is at work.
2006/02/24
22nd Wed. Two days till Carnvial
I arrived in Sao Paulo and found my way through the Metro and to the Rodoviaria (bus station) without much trouble to phone Ricardo and got a bus to his in Bertioga. I know the grammer is terrible! What was I thinking? Trying to get off at the right stop revealled how much Portuguese i need to learn. I want to avoid speaking English altogether to learn quickly but so far this hasn't happened.
Ricardo's gone to work now. I took his board down to the beach to try to stand on the wave. It didn't happen this time.
The sea water has a dirty brown foam on top, there's a little dog who barks a lot and when some of the people are talking they get very very shouty but I'm not complaining. Everything is beautiful, lots of mounts (There is no equivilant in England or in English for these little mountains, more dramatic and steep than hills but smaller than mountians like lumps of land) and lovely sunny weather. The roads are hot and dusty, not paved, and Ricardo's made me feel really welcome.
Ricardo's gone to work now. I took his board down to the beach to try to stand on the wave. It didn't happen this time.
The sea water has a dirty brown foam on top, there's a little dog who barks a lot and when some of the people are talking they get very very shouty but I'm not complaining. Everything is beautiful, lots of mounts (There is no equivilant in England or in English for these little mountains, more dramatic and steep than hills but smaller than mountians like lumps of land) and lovely sunny weather. The roads are hot and dusty, not paved, and Ricardo's made me feel really welcome.
21st
So I've got on the bus to Sao Paulo. 16hours. I should arrive in the morning and be able to hang out with Ricardo for a couple of nights before Carnvial.
20th Feb
In heinsight I shouldn't have spent this day in Iguaçu, or should have taken Jade's suggestion to spend a night sleeping out in the park.
The hostel is far too comforatble for my liking. Most people speak English only and don't respond to even the basic Portuguse and Spanish I know. I got on well with the staff though and made friends with some Danish girls. I lso tried to make the most of the pool and ate lots and well but there was no adventure there.
The hostel is far too comforatble for my liking. Most people speak English only and don't respond to even the basic Portuguse and Spanish I know. I got on well with the staff though and made friends with some Danish girls. I lso tried to make the most of the pool and ate lots and well but there was no adventure there.
2006/02/20
A NOTE
Narley asked me if I had a laptop with me, owing to these entries coming from such obscure places and it's prompted me to explain the nature of this blog a little...
No laptop. I carry around my physical journal (thanks for the book Rich) and then copy up my entires when I get to an internet point.
Also I wanted to meniton about the spelling and grammar. I've taken to copying up the words exactly from the book so if the grammar and spelling is bad it stays that way. All the additions to the writing are the bits I've put in brakets. Maybe I'll italicise them too from now on.
I'll try to improve my grammar and spelling in all my writing but continue to copy it up exactly from the book as I think this portrays some of the feel of the moment and adds to your reading.
I hope everyone is enjoying reading all this.
No laptop. I carry around my physical journal (thanks for the book Rich) and then copy up my entires when I get to an internet point.
Also I wanted to meniton about the spelling and grammar. I've taken to copying up the words exactly from the book so if the grammar and spelling is bad it stays that way. All the additions to the writing are the bits I've put in brakets. Maybe I'll italicise them too from now on.
I'll try to improve my grammar and spelling in all my writing but continue to copy it up exactly from the book as I think this portrays some of the feel of the moment and adds to your reading.
I hope everyone is enjoying reading all this.
18 y 19th Feb
Who would have thought 17hrs pm a bus could pass so comfortably. My neighbour (of Brazillia) was very talkative and friendly so I learnt some Portuguese and got a gift of a BRazillian football club's T-shirt, I like I should be carrying more clothes!
By Saturday afternoon I was settled into the most luxurious hostel imaginable and then out to visit the Iguaçu waterfalls from the Brazillian side.
Today (Sunday) I've seen them from the Argentinian side and preffered this visit although both experiences were awesome, words don't do it justice.
The cheap(est) option intails lots of beautiful, breathtaking walks, a boat ride to an island between the two main areas of falls and a train ride to la Gargantua del Diablo. - So huge, so powerful, so beautiful, so impressive, so cool - I'm learning to express all these reactions in Spanish.
Making friends isn't hard as I had feared it might be.
Anna, a nice danish girl staying in this hostel accompanied me all Saturday. We've been speaking only Spanish which she's studying in Chile - so I've learnt tonnes.
Then today, when I finished drawing and set off to see the rest of the views I feel into a comfortable exchange of language and words and affection with a girl from Chile.
Yup! Everything is really cool. I was planning to leave tomorrow to get to Santos in good time before going to Carnival. However, Karen, the Chilian girl claims to be a pysiotherapist and says she'll meet me tomorrow to fix my back so that's got to be worth a try, we'll see.
By Saturday afternoon I was settled into the most luxurious hostel imaginable and then out to visit the Iguaçu waterfalls from the Brazillian side.
Today (Sunday) I've seen them from the Argentinian side and preffered this visit although both experiences were awesome, words don't do it justice.
The cheap(est) option intails lots of beautiful, breathtaking walks, a boat ride to an island between the two main areas of falls and a train ride to la Gargantua del Diablo. - So huge, so powerful, so beautiful, so impressive, so cool - I'm learning to express all these reactions in Spanish.
Making friends isn't hard as I had feared it might be.
Anna, a nice danish girl staying in this hostel accompanied me all Saturday. We've been speaking only Spanish which she's studying in Chile - so I've learnt tonnes.
Then today, when I finished drawing and set off to see the rest of the views I feel into a comfortable exchange of language and words and affection with a girl from Chile.
Yup! Everything is really cool. I was planning to leave tomorrow to get to Santos in good time before going to Carnival. However, Karen, the Chilian girl claims to be a pysiotherapist and says she'll meet me tomorrow to fix my back so that's got to be worth a try, we'll see.
17-2-06 FRI
It turned out to be a good last night with Jade, just enjoying the comfort of the cheap hotel, once again feeling so lucky.
We made it downstairs in time for breakfast - sweet cafe (coffee), a big wedge of w/melon, banana, a very basic cheese + ham sandwich.
Parting was sweet sorrow and now I'm making my way alone again, communicating through a few uncertain words and lots of smiles.
I don't like to think how much I may miss Jade ("Ja-dg" in Brazil) - we had an amazing 10 days together.
Now, I have a 17hour bus ride to Foz do Iguçu.
The presence of little houses with grassy front gardens full of chickens directly neighbouring the big city bus station we've just pulled into seperates this place from anywhere I've ever been to.
We made it downstairs in time for breakfast - sweet cafe (coffee), a big wedge of w/melon, banana, a very basic cheese + ham sandwich.
Parting was sweet sorrow and now I'm making my way alone again, communicating through a few uncertain words and lots of smiles.
I don't like to think how much I may miss Jade ("Ja-dg" in Brazil) - we had an amazing 10 days together.
Now, I have a 17hour bus ride to Foz do Iguçu.
The presence of little houses with grassy front gardens full of chickens directly neighbouring the big city bus station we've just pulled into seperates this place from anywhere I've ever been to.
Past 2 in Porto Alegre
It feels so good to find a hotel straight away, running water, a fan, beds and breakfast 6-9 in the morning.
Thu. 16th
The red LEDs alternate between "27 degrees C" and "22:46". It is both of these.
I'm on the coach from Pelutos to Porto Alegre, moving north through Brazil.
This morning Jade and I were in the nice Uruguayan holiday park, now we're on the third bus of the day looking to arrive at an unknown Brazilian city around 2am.
From here we go our seperate ways, me to Iguaçu and Jade to Florianopolis.
Once again there is the feeling that the adventure is just getting started!
I'm on the coach from Pelutos to Porto Alegre, moving north through Brazil.
This morning Jade and I were in the nice Uruguayan holiday park, now we're on the third bus of the day looking to arrive at an unknown Brazilian city around 2am.
From here we go our seperate ways, me to Iguaçu and Jade to Florianopolis.
Once again there is the feeling that the adventure is just getting started!
15th i think ?Wed?
Today was spent in what seems such an obvious way. Woke up with jade in our little log balcony to the sunrise and finally stretched and got up when the sun became too hot to ignore (about 9am). Went to get some thing from the shop for breakfast, yogurt, jam, dulce de leche and biscuits . Exchanged some things from hand held bags to the morchillas (backpacks) and wnet to the beach. Swan in the waves, lay in the sun, then got some cheese and bread, found a shady spot amongst the trees, made some crafts and fell asleep.
Hung out on a different beach in the cool evening dreaming of good ways of life, returned to the shop to get a litre of beer before they closed. Had some food in the restaurant (not expensive) and then went and drank infront of the moon on the beach. Back to the log balcony to sleep.
Obvious days like that...
Hung out on a different beach in the cool evening dreaming of good ways of life, returned to the shop to get a litre of beer before they closed. Had some food in the restaurant (not expensive) and then went and drank infront of the moon on the beach. Back to the log balcony to sleep.
Obvious days like that...
2006/02/18
...One last thing:
...I've smelt this gorgeous smell a couple of times from the vehicles we've been riding in. Little patches of countryside that smell just like tonnes of fresh skunk is growing. It turns out that it is the smell of skunks!
Awesome!!! Skunk smells like skunk!!!
Plus, I've seen humming birds in Gonzalo and Santiago's garden, there are parrots all over the parque and I forgot to mention before about the Quee and the Tatu...
...When we were hitch hiking to the bank nearest to Jose Ignacio I saw a guinea pig in the bushes at the side of the road. Strangely it wasn't at all interested in the grass I picked and offered to it.
Later the same day our wandering took us right up to an armadillo. It was so suprised it didn't know whether to run away or roll into a ball. It kind of did both. Very amusing!
Awesome!!! Skunk smells like skunk!!!
Plus, I've seen humming birds in Gonzalo and Santiago's garden, there are parrots all over the parque and I forgot to mention before about the Quee and the Tatu...
...When we were hitch hiking to the bank nearest to Jose Ignacio I saw a guinea pig in the bushes at the side of the road. Strangely it wasn't at all interested in the grass I picked and offered to it.
Later the same day our wandering took us right up to an armadillo. It was so suprised it didn't know whether to run away or roll into a ball. It kind of did both. Very amusing!
...i think today is the real Monday, possibly the 13th
It took us ages to get a ride.
Eventually I stopped a guy with a truck full of wood who was going all the way to the (Urg/Brzl) border.
Resisiting the temptation to ride with him all the way to Chuy we got dropped outside Parque Santa Terasa.
We're now staying in a stunningly scenic, Uruguian military base.
It is so strange, a beautiful place with monuments and ruins, 5 gorgeous yet not crowded beaches, even a surf school and then the odd military personnel riding past in a golf cart.
In amongst the trees are rentable houses and many families with their tents and hammocks. Jade and I have left our packs with the soliders at the information point and found a place to lay our sleeping bags down in a nice, disused log cabin. It overlooks the beach where the sun rises and on the first floor is a balcony which we climb up to at night.
//This is the entry for the next day too//
We have lots of space to sleep in and a beautiful view of the full moon over the ocean.
There are loads of bats that fly in and out of the house all night so no bugs bother us. That is if we keep from resting against the walls.
We're pretty red from all the midday hitch hiking so we went to the beach in the morning and have spent the rest of the day in the shade under a viewing tower overlooking a spot of ocean where I think i saw a sealion.
Everything, yet again, is gorgeous and giving me thoughts othat i want to live here, well if it wasn't an army base.
...
Eventually I stopped a guy with a truck full of wood who was going all the way to the (Urg/Brzl) border.
Resisiting the temptation to ride with him all the way to Chuy we got dropped outside Parque Santa Terasa.
We're now staying in a stunningly scenic, Uruguian military base.
It is so strange, a beautiful place with monuments and ruins, 5 gorgeous yet not crowded beaches, even a surf school and then the odd military personnel riding past in a golf cart.
In amongst the trees are rentable houses and many families with their tents and hammocks. Jade and I have left our packs with the soliders at the information point and found a place to lay our sleeping bags down in a nice, disused log cabin. It overlooks the beach where the sun rises and on the first floor is a balcony which we climb up to at night.
//This is the entry for the next day too//
We have lots of space to sleep in and a beautiful view of the full moon over the ocean.
There are loads of bats that fly in and out of the house all night so no bugs bother us. That is if we keep from resting against the walls.
We're pretty red from all the midday hitch hiking so we went to the beach in the morning and have spent the rest of the day in the shade under a viewing tower overlooking a spot of ocean where I think i saw a sealion.
Everything, yet again, is gorgeous and giving me thoughts othat i want to live here, well if it wasn't an army base.
...
Monday 13th? Feb
We finally moved on from Jose Ignacio.
We caught a ride to Roche and another further on without too much trouble and found a very cheap hotel to stay in.
I don't feel like I'm learning the language fast enough and I'm loosing patience with Jade being the only one who does any talking to others, so, we agreed that when I go to Iguaçu (where she's been before), she'll travel elsewhere.
It was good to talk about it coz it was startign to feel like I would miss my chance to learn Spanish/Portuguese. Also I got to hear about Jade's travels and desire for, yet lack of, travelling alone.
Now we're gonna have lots of fun together before we go our seperate ways and I can stop being inpatient about not being able to find my own way with the language.
It is only a matter of time before I'm going alone again.
We caught a ride to Roche and another further on without too much trouble and found a very cheap hotel to stay in.
I don't feel like I'm learning the language fast enough and I'm loosing patience with Jade being the only one who does any talking to others, so, we agreed that when I go to Iguaçu (where she's been before), she'll travel elsewhere.
It was good to talk about it coz it was startign to feel like I would miss my chance to learn Spanish/Portuguese. Also I got to hear about Jade's travels and desire for, yet lack of, travelling alone.
Now we're gonna have lots of fun together before we go our seperate ways and I can stop being inpatient about not being able to find my own way with the language.
It is only a matter of time before I'm going alone again.
Some other time in Jose Ignacio
Everything is so cool. We've been hitch hiking everywhere we need to go.
Jade is loads of fun. There are two other girls here, Clarisa and Penelopi (B.A. and Barcelona), they're also on holiday, are friends of the daughter of Mariana and are camping on Gonzalo and Santi's back garden.
We caught a ride so easily in the back of an open backed truck to a lagoon where the motorway just stops a ferry takes you across for free. They never finished the motorway, so the ferry service is an attempt to make up for the half finshed bridge.
One night we went to the closer lagoon where the beack was covered in hundreds of crabs who skuttled into the water in mass waves as we approached.
Jade is loads of fun. There are two other girls here, Clarisa and Penelopi (B.A. and Barcelona), they're also on holiday, are friends of the daughter of Mariana and are camping on Gonzalo and Santi's back garden.
We caught a ride so easily in the back of an open backed truck to a lagoon where the motorway just stops a ferry takes you across for free. They never finished the motorway, so the ferry service is an attempt to make up for the half finshed bridge.
One night we went to the closer lagoon where the beack was covered in hundreds of crabs who skuttled into the water in mass waves as we approached.
At some point pre 13th Feb
I emailed Ricardo and said I may be in Iguaçu in 7-10 days time.
So now I've suggested to Jade that we stay here until then anjust get a bus all the way because this is heaven. Why would I want to leave before I have to?
So now I've suggested to Jade that we stay here until then anjust get a bus all the way because this is heaven. Why would I want to leave before I have to?
8th Feb
I've got Jade here with me. I feel so lucky.
We both seem to be going the same way so met back up in Montevideo and found a little place to sleep together last night. Today we took a bus down the coast to Ponte del Este, "the Beverly Hills of Latin America".
I hadn't been too impressed by Montevideo. We spent too long carrying our packs from place to place being told "no room". In the evening we went for some food by the beach. On the way we recieved many warnings from the bus driver and sure enough found ourselves eating burgers in a run down and nearly deserted seaside wasteland. Empty rides going round, endlessly playing the same pop songs.
Anyway, the hotel was nice, scenic murals decorated the walls, it was airy, with indoor windows and had lots of marble. Cheap too!
The town looked a lot nicer from the bus out.
Ponte del Este I only saw from the buses as we continued straight on to Jose Ignacio, just a bit further East, the home of Jades's friends.
These two towns looked similar, though Ignacio is much smaller, just 15 streets.
It is a penincular. With its sandy beaches, big waves, laid back attitudes and small, low buildings it stikes me as a surfer's town. It also have two lagoons and all the streets are named after animals. We stayed on Los Lobos (the Wolves).
On arriving, we left our backpacks in the local supermecardo and watched the sunset from the beach before finding Gonzalo and Santiago's shop.
We hung out for an hour at their crazy little house before heading out for some food.
Mariana's is a two story house, her family downstairs and upstairs, a bar, restaurant and a balcony. The whole thing is a beautiful log construction full of ceramics that she makes by day.
She brought us servings of food one after another until we were full rather than us ordering it. It was delicious, the food the beer and the hospitality of the whole family.
I feel as though I've stubled upon paradise. I wondering what I've done to be so lucky.
We both seem to be going the same way so met back up in Montevideo and found a little place to sleep together last night. Today we took a bus down the coast to Ponte del Este, "the Beverly Hills of Latin America".
I hadn't been too impressed by Montevideo. We spent too long carrying our packs from place to place being told "no room". In the evening we went for some food by the beach. On the way we recieved many warnings from the bus driver and sure enough found ourselves eating burgers in a run down and nearly deserted seaside wasteland. Empty rides going round, endlessly playing the same pop songs.
Anyway, the hotel was nice, scenic murals decorated the walls, it was airy, with indoor windows and had lots of marble. Cheap too!
The town looked a lot nicer from the bus out.
Ponte del Este I only saw from the buses as we continued straight on to Jose Ignacio, just a bit further East, the home of Jades's friends.
These two towns looked similar, though Ignacio is much smaller, just 15 streets.
It is a penincular. With its sandy beaches, big waves, laid back attitudes and small, low buildings it stikes me as a surfer's town. It also have two lagoons and all the streets are named after animals. We stayed on Los Lobos (the Wolves).
On arriving, we left our backpacks in the local supermecardo and watched the sunset from the beach before finding Gonzalo and Santiago's shop.
We hung out for an hour at their crazy little house before heading out for some food.
Mariana's is a two story house, her family downstairs and upstairs, a bar, restaurant and a balcony. The whole thing is a beautiful log construction full of ceramics that she makes by day.
She brought us servings of food one after another until we were full rather than us ordering it. It was delicious, the food the beer and the hospitality of the whole family.
I feel as though I've stubled upon paradise. I wondering what I've done to be so lucky.
07-02-06
It's Thurday now (7th Feb) and I'm facing up to not having ritten anything here for a few day. I've been busy having fun.
I'm writing from on board the luxurious Buque Bus having just left B.A. and all the friends at the hostel, except Jade who I'm going to meet up with in Montevideo. She got a ticket for a different bus.
So right now I'm crossing the Rio de la Plata. It is a suny morning, the saftey video is playing quietly to itself in the corner and on the top deck Latin American tourists are laying in the sun while a bunch of teenagers around a guitar sing happily.
It's sad to have said goodbye to many of the people in B.A. especially all the Chileans - Andres and Sebastian and "Chile" (also named Andres) - also "Sud Afrika" (Tato), Nadia (of Buenos Aires) and Stella Maris ( South Argentina). But, it's great to have made such friends and as with the people in England, time for missing people is rare.
Anyway all the sadness is more than countered by the excitement of the journey ahead, plus the possibility of continuing on my way with Jade.
To re-cap on the time in the hostel:
The communal eating, drinking and talking was the best, so, so friendly, plain and simple. Learning Spanish has been fun.
I went out on the Saturday night. Tato and I were invited to join S/Maris and Nadia and Chile. After some chicken and chips (good chicken mind!) we went out, about 23.30.
We came to a happening down the road. Apparently a kind of impromptue street party. It struck me as a warm up to Carnival but perhaps it could happen any weekend.
Now B.A. is huge so it is not like this was going on in the centre or was necessarily the only one, there could be loads of such happenings all over the city. Drummers in an organised yet freeform team with mad dancers wearing the same tema colours. There are whisltes blown too. The dance is expressive and almost angry. It struck me as a display of power, incorporating sexy struting and rapid high kicks.
Nadia wanted to press on, we were going to a bar where she works and she wnated not to be late so we danced our way through the crowd getting squirted with silly string on the way.
Nadia's work was in a square with lots of other bars. The middle of the square had all the tables and chairs from all the bars and waiters from all the places mixed together in an impressive display of table service. Round the sides artisans, like Jade, had all their wares on display, woven, silver jewelery, clever, paper lanterns, knotted, string bracelets.
Upstairs, inside, Nadia seated the four of us. A guy with an electic guitar and an excellent voice, accompanied by a sound board master opened the night's entertainment with Metallica's "Enter Sandman". I'll never be able to think of that song without it being sung in an Argentinian accent from now on. It was really awesome and the whole room loved it.
People round here seem to really get into the music, clapping and singing. There was even a spell of karioki.
It was an awesome night that remained me, despite its big city setting of Marsden's Band Room, a small village local with a shame and embarresment free feel.
We won a bottle of champaign in the free raffle.
I'm writing from on board the luxurious Buque Bus having just left B.A. and all the friends at the hostel, except Jade who I'm going to meet up with in Montevideo. She got a ticket for a different bus.
So right now I'm crossing the Rio de la Plata. It is a suny morning, the saftey video is playing quietly to itself in the corner and on the top deck Latin American tourists are laying in the sun while a bunch of teenagers around a guitar sing happily.
It's sad to have said goodbye to many of the people in B.A. especially all the Chileans - Andres and Sebastian and "Chile" (also named Andres) - also "Sud Afrika" (Tato), Nadia (of Buenos Aires) and Stella Maris ( South Argentina). But, it's great to have made such friends and as with the people in England, time for missing people is rare.
Anyway all the sadness is more than countered by the excitement of the journey ahead, plus the possibility of continuing on my way with Jade.
To re-cap on the time in the hostel:
The communal eating, drinking and talking was the best, so, so friendly, plain and simple. Learning Spanish has been fun.
I went out on the Saturday night. Tato and I were invited to join S/Maris and Nadia and Chile. After some chicken and chips (good chicken mind!) we went out, about 23.30.
We came to a happening down the road. Apparently a kind of impromptue street party. It struck me as a warm up to Carnival but perhaps it could happen any weekend.
Now B.A. is huge so it is not like this was going on in the centre or was necessarily the only one, there could be loads of such happenings all over the city. Drummers in an organised yet freeform team with mad dancers wearing the same tema colours. There are whisltes blown too. The dance is expressive and almost angry. It struck me as a display of power, incorporating sexy struting and rapid high kicks.
Nadia wanted to press on, we were going to a bar where she works and she wnated not to be late so we danced our way through the crowd getting squirted with silly string on the way.
Nadia's work was in a square with lots of other bars. The middle of the square had all the tables and chairs from all the bars and waiters from all the places mixed together in an impressive display of table service. Round the sides artisans, like Jade, had all their wares on display, woven, silver jewelery, clever, paper lanterns, knotted, string bracelets.
Upstairs, inside, Nadia seated the four of us. A guy with an electic guitar and an excellent voice, accompanied by a sound board master opened the night's entertainment with Metallica's "Enter Sandman". I'll never be able to think of that song without it being sung in an Argentinian accent from now on. It was really awesome and the whole room loved it.
People round here seem to really get into the music, clapping and singing. There was even a spell of karioki.
It was an awesome night that remained me, despite its big city setting of Marsden's Band Room, a small village local with a shame and embarresment free feel.
We won a bottle of champaign in the free raffle.
Sat. 4th Feb.
By about 1/2 9 I woke up to dreams slowly conducting themselves in Spanish and the eventual conclusion that water dripping on you through the matress of the bunk above isn't the sort of thing you can sleep through. it is however a really effective wake-up-call after a late night and lots of wine and also, an interesting subject of conversation to attempt to have with the guy on reception.
___
The conversation went something like this:
"Up, there is water!"
"Mucho?"
"Si!"
___
It rained a lot during this day but the night was more active...
___
The conversation went something like this:
"Up, there is water!"
"Mucho?"
"Si!"
___
It rained a lot during this day but the night was more active...
Fri 3rd Feb.
Todo bien!
Everything´s good!
Hung out in the hostel in the morning - breakfast, writing, exercise - and then went in search of "the best string" with Jade and the S. African dude. Can't believe I still don't know his name. They're really great, loads of peeps in the hostel are. I especially love Jade.
We trecked around all over the city till about 9. Then got back to the hostel community, with all our string and beads and pasta and veg, to everyone in the communal kitchen area.
I seemed to spend the whole day smiling and as day turned to night this didn't really stop.
I'm learning to weave 'jewellery', learning Spanish, feeling good and lucky and dreaming lots.
Todo bien.
Everything´s good!
Hung out in the hostel in the morning - breakfast, writing, exercise - and then went in search of "the best string" with Jade and the S. African dude. Can't believe I still don't know his name. They're really great, loads of peeps in the hostel are. I especially love Jade.
We trecked around all over the city till about 9. Then got back to the hostel community, with all our string and beads and pasta and veg, to everyone in the communal kitchen area.
I seemed to spend the whole day smiling and as day turned to night this didn't really stop.
I'm learning to weave 'jewellery', learning Spanish, feeling good and lucky and dreaming lots.
Todo bien.
Thursday 2nd Feb.
After breakfast, at about 9, I checked out of the hotel and took me and my pack down the road to a cheap hostel.
I felt much more comfortable in the shared dorm than in the semi-luxurious hotel room.
An afternoon of wandering showed me to Florida, the busiest, downtown shopping street and also around Ricoleta, a touristy district with some nice grassy areas.
In the afternoon, after trying in vain to strick up a friendship with a pretty girl in the park - do one thing each day that scares you - I ended up in a relaxed yet confussed conversation, sat on a scrap of cardboard with the B.A. equivilent of a wino.
It was pleasant enough, especially being as he asked me to draw his portrait but I started to wonder how long it would take me to make some friends and if all my evening would be lonely. Then!...
Firstly i met Roxanne, she was waitressing in a fancy tourist´s restuarant and stopped me to tell me about the menu (in English). Soon she switched the subject to my eyes, blue, and where I was staying. I persisted to struggle to speak in Spanish and she was very friendly.
Secondly, I came back to the hostel to find one girl (Jade, pronounced Ha-day) weaving necklaces and a few others (guests and peeps working in the hostel) sat roun din tranquilo conversation. So i sat down and mainly did some valuable listening.
The place has a lovely community feel, we all ate together and drank into the night. Lots of peeps (of Chile, S. Africa, Canada and Argentina) remarked that I´d learn Spanish fast. Es muy bein : )
I felt much more comfortable in the shared dorm than in the semi-luxurious hotel room.
An afternoon of wandering showed me to Florida, the busiest, downtown shopping street and also around Ricoleta, a touristy district with some nice grassy areas.
In the afternoon, after trying in vain to strick up a friendship with a pretty girl in the park - do one thing each day that scares you - I ended up in a relaxed yet confussed conversation, sat on a scrap of cardboard with the B.A. equivilent of a wino.
It was pleasant enough, especially being as he asked me to draw his portrait but I started to wonder how long it would take me to make some friends and if all my evening would be lonely. Then!...
Firstly i met Roxanne, she was waitressing in a fancy tourist´s restuarant and stopped me to tell me about the menu (in English). Soon she switched the subject to my eyes, blue, and where I was staying. I persisted to struggle to speak in Spanish and she was very friendly.
Secondly, I came back to the hostel to find one girl (Jade, pronounced Ha-day) weaving necklaces and a few others (guests and peeps working in the hostel) sat roun din tranquilo conversation. So i sat down and mainly did some valuable listening.
The place has a lovely community feel, we all ate together and drank into the night. Lots of peeps (of Chile, S. Africa, Canada and Argentina) remarked that I´d learn Spanish fast. Es muy bein : )
Wed 1st Feb.
Happy B´day James wherever U R. I tried to call but couldn´t get through.
Sitting down to b´fast to find us already in Buenos Aires I was a little caught off guard. This seemed to be the theme for the day.
When I could have been packing I was putting some sleep in the bank so, when lunch was rudly interupted by Customs wanting us to sit with them while they copied some numbers I was a little annoyed. They wanted us to leave with them and were quite impatient about it.
It worked out pretty well however. The timing was such that I was sat outside the port trying to get some bearings as Jacob was leaving. He´s the only crew member who lives in B.A. and he showed me to the bank, a nice hotel and gave me some pointers re. the city.
So after checking in I found a cheaper place to stay and had a little roam around, visited the interent and such.
Knowing the local custom is to eat late I went out at about 8pm for some dinner. It seems I was early by at least an hour.
I´ll stay in B.A. for a week so I have plenty of time to search-out the fun and excitement.
Sitting down to b´fast to find us already in Buenos Aires I was a little caught off guard. This seemed to be the theme for the day.
When I could have been packing I was putting some sleep in the bank so, when lunch was rudly interupted by Customs wanting us to sit with them while they copied some numbers I was a little annoyed. They wanted us to leave with them and were quite impatient about it.
It worked out pretty well however. The timing was such that I was sat outside the port trying to get some bearings as Jacob was leaving. He´s the only crew member who lives in B.A. and he showed me to the bank, a nice hotel and gave me some pointers re. the city.
So after checking in I found a cheaper place to stay and had a little roam around, visited the interent and such.
Knowing the local custom is to eat late I went out at about 8pm for some dinner. It seems I was early by at least an hour.
I´ll stay in B.A. for a week so I have plenty of time to search-out the fun and excitement.
JOURNAL ENTRIES
I´ve been recording my thoughts on a kind of daily basis to let peeps know what I´m up to and to store my impressions of the places and situations I am travelling through.
I´ve been doing this since just before New Years (2005/6) in a book and through emails to my immediate family. From now on I am going to record my entries here, starting a few weeks ago where the emails left off.
Please enjoy reading them and know that I am always very happy to hear from my friends and families so don´t stop emailing me.
One love!
I´ve been doing this since just before New Years (2005/6) in a book and through emails to my immediate family. From now on I am going to record my entries here, starting a few weeks ago where the emails left off.
Please enjoy reading them and know that I am always very happy to hear from my friends and families so don´t stop emailing me.
One love!
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