Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Iguazu Falls, Argentina

To validate the long bus journey north we headed into the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls. At our hostel we managed to recruit one more to our group for the day. Fyonn from Australia was the unlucky guy that had to make the journey with us.


This is a quick shot of me standing in front of one of the smaller falls that is considered large by most standards.


Granted when one of the walls looks like this it is not exactly a big waterfall.


I am fairly certain I took nearly 200 pics and a bunch of vids. Keep checking back for vids from the falls.


To end the day we headed up to the massive fall that makes the place epic. Needless to say a torrential thunderstorm blew in. We hurried to get to the end despite the painful rain and our lack of rain gear. It was amazing once we reached the end. By the time that we got to the viewpoint the rain was so hard that you could barely keep your eyes open, but there was not another person on the platform. It was windy and the rain was stinging, but I wouldn't have changed a second of it. It was easily one of the best moments of my trip thus far.

Of course somehow I managed to get a pic in the rain of Fyonn despite the rain. Most of my pics turned out really rough.

Road Trippin to Puerto Iguazu

After Montevideo Uruguay I headed back to Buenos Aires Argentina for a night and then boarded a bus to Puerto Iguazu Argentina to see Iguazu Falls. They are epic waterfalls in the North of Argentina. The bus trip was 18 hours long so I scheduled it in style. This is the first leg in my journey home.

I started at Buenos Aires Argentina and will be flying out of Lima, Peru on the 12th of November en route to Fort Lauderdale Florida. I am uncertain on how I will get to Lima at the moment, but I am considering doing multiple days in buses and really seeing as much of the continent as possible. It should be quite the adventure.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Montevideo

Somewhere during the beginning of my trip I decided that I was going to go to Montevideo, Uruguay. Nobody told me about it, I think I just looked at the map and decided that it was the spot for me. Now about 3 months later I have actually reached my destination. It was worth the trip.

Here is a view of some of the city from the commercial port


Here is a shot of the center of the city. You have to love to see palm trees.


Another shot of the center

There are small commercial streets abound and some of the best restaurants I have encountered on my trip. It has also been nice to be slightly off of the normal tourist track to take a few days to cleanse my system all while enjoying clean water and a beach.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Colonia de Sacramento Loves Jonny Walker

Graffiti is scattered out all over South America. This particular piece was found in the old city in Colonia de Sacramento. Sometimes you notice things in the art that are there especially for you. This is one of those pieces for me.

Notice it...


Getting closer...

And there it is. They friggin love me. I guess the website has been doing well in Uruguay.


Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay

I needed a break from Buenos Aires and Argentina for a bit so I decided to book a ticket only this time on a boat.



The boat ride was just over an hour and took me into a new country

The country of choice was Uruguay.


Needless to say it had a beach so me and the Amys took in a day of sun, although slightly too much in Colonia de Sacramento.


Here is a view from the lighthouse. I will post more pics in the future, but now I need some sleep.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Last Day in Buenos Aires!

Yesterday to take in some of the beauty of BA we all went for a walk down to a bird sanctuary down on the water. It was quite a nice place for families and I didn't see too many young couples making out while down there, (which has become nauseatingly common here in South America).


We did manage one group photo by the water before the park rangers ran us out and closed the park.


Then this morning we suffered 2 great losses. The major one was that our brother Etay returned to Israel... and the other blow was that we moved out of the apartment so I am now blogging from a hostel once again.


While in the hostel I met up with another familiar. He is hidden in this picture. We got a group together and headed to a pub for some handcrafted brews and some wings.


Who was this person you ask??? It was Kris with a K, celebrating his last night in South America before returning to conquer Canada. He got a nice tan while he was down here... computer guy.



Sunday, October 19, 2008

Mr. Vertigo

Living on Corrientes here in Buenos Aires is definitely different than the hostels I have become accustomed to but it is a nice change of pace. As the unofficial center of town it hosts the theater district and last night we took it all in. The four of us went to see a Magic Show performed in the large theater next to my apartment.

Here is a tip for anyone trying to see a show in BA: Buy the cheap tickets and tip the guy who seats you to move up to the front or simply wait until the show starts and move up front. It is a very selfish place in this respect.


We went to see Emanuel Vertigo. Needless to say he had some pretty sweet dance moves to accompany his bevy of illusions that haven´t been performed onstage in 20 years anywhere else, but he does have the machismo going for him and he keeps ladies with him at all time to distract from the open doors on the back of his disspearing act that swing from side-to-side as he enters and exits. Needless to say it was great campy fun.


Friday, October 17, 2008

Expensive Town... Robbery number 2

Yesterday we decided to head to the park to relax before my friend Etay got into town so we hit up the Subte and checked out the Botanical Garden here.


It was nice to see trees after being in cities for a while.


Then Etay got here and we took in a dinner of mostly steak and caught a tango show

Later than night we went out and Amy (with the dark hair) had her credit card and money stolen out of her purse. So Cami got robbed here and now Amy. I hadn´t known of anybody in my travels thus far that have been robbed out in public, but it has happened twice here. Despite the power of the dollar here the nightlife is simply too expensive in comparison to everything else. I find myself once again seeking out the fun and simplicity of Peru.


We hoofed it down Florida today to walk off the effects of the night before and to get some air.

Etay on the other hand got some ice cream


It is views like this that make the city bearable though. Of course since we are in South America the park spaces are filled with people making out so intently that it could be considered pornographic in most places. They are definiely not shy here.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

La Recoleta Cemetery

Yesterday me and the girls visited Recoleta Cemetary. It is the burial location of many of the most famous Argentinians. Most famous to Americans is probably the ever-popular Eva Peron or Evita.

Wikipedia Link




The cemetary is massive and you need a map just to navigate it.


I look slightly lost


This is a shot of the inside of the main entrance.


This one is of the final resting place of Evita.





Monday, October 13, 2008

Argentina 2 - Uruguay 1

While here in BA the girls and I went to see the Argentina v Uruguay in the Eliminatorios. That is the World Cup qulifying round here. The fans were passionate and fully prepared to cheer on their fellow Argentinians. It was a very addictive atmosphere. On top of all that I got to see Messi and Tevez play live in their own country.


They know how to celebrate as well.

Breaking in the New Apartment with the Amys

So to break in the new apt in Buenos Aires with the girls I cooked the first night a 4 cheese pasta dish. It is great to have the ability to cook and not clean up right away. In the hostels it is hard to cook because there is always somebody trying to do the same and I am a chaotic chef. Now that the two Amys are here it is worth cooking.

Amy on the left and Yams on the right.


A couple of nights later Amy outdid my meal with a Chicken Roast night that came with everything. It is great that the wine that accompanies dinner never has to be over 3 dollars a bottle.


And to add to her meal I made some dessert in out classy oven. It came out quite nice.

Jonny Does a Little Argentinian Tango

With 2 parents that are constantly going to ballroom dance classes I figured I would hone my skills a little here in Buenos Aires to try and attain the skills to pay the bills. Needless to say I needed a lesson. Luckily I haad some friends to go with me.


After the lesson there was a meal and a tango show.

Needless to say I was actually in the show demonstrating my thesbian prowess, although I am not really certain how I ended up participating...


The dancers were amazingly quick and coordinated.



We on the other hand were not always so coordinated.

Here is a clip of a slow part in the show.

Apartment in Buenos Aires

To settle into BA I got an apartment in the city on Avenida Corrientes that is a block away from the Obelisk in the center of town. It is the theater district, but sadly I have no internet there so my posting has sufferd, but my cable television time has increased a little.


The apartment can hold four, but I got the first two nights to myself before the girls showed up. I am sharing the apartment with 3 friends frommm Cusco, but the guy hasn´t made it here yet.



Of course it is a little messy because I am a wreck.