Santiago de Chile

I arrived in Chile on Friday afternoon after taking the most amazing bus ride of my life.... from Mendoza, Argentina to Santiago, Chile. Now if you know anything about South American geography, you might realize that the Andes Mountains strech along this boarder.... so, as you can imagine my bus ride was right through, around and over the Andes Mountain range. I am not really one to be impressed by sceneary but I can honestly say it was SPECTACULAR. So, after sitting in the bus for hours on end snapping pics and marvelling over the beauty, we arrived at a boarder check point for Argentina and Chile in a large metal barn like thing. The bus pulled in, we were hurried into lines... stamped out of Argentina in one line and into Chile in another. Then they took all of out luggage off the bus and put it on tables.... the metal detector was ´broken´.... so we were just told to unzip our bags and Chilean boarder agents went down the line and glanced at each bag and then said ok.... yep.... no taking things out of the bags, cavity searches.... nothing. I guess we were lucky!
I arrived into Santiago around 5pm. I had to go to the bathroom VERY VERY bad... but did not go on the bus.... because they tend to be soooo dirty.... I say the bathroom.... attempted to enter but there was a large gate and lady behind glass that charges $ to enter.... I of course had NO Chilean pesos only Argentine ones. I ran... or walked rather quickly to the quickest ATM... where I withdrew far too many pesos... as 1 US Dollar = 550 Chilean pesos... and math is not my strongest subject... so, I took out way too much and ran back to the bathroom. Attempt #2 to enter the bathroom failes as I only seemed the have 10 thousand pesos bills and she ´did´not´ have change. So, I went over to a Exchange booth... waited in line.... and asked for smaller bills. Got the bills and went over to the bathroom lady behind the class who proceded to hand me a whole bunch of change and a special bathroom token which... i had no idea... so, i put the change in my wallet and tried to enter thru the turnstyle.... nope... it wouldn´t move. I looked at her and she is like... you need a token... at this point I was almost going to cry or become an insane foreigner and jump the turnstyle and start screaming bloody murder. While mumbling bad bad words in Spanish under my breath... I clamly (yeah right!) took out my wallet again and started digging thru. the change to ideantify the ´special token´which would ensure Chile would not be the first country in Latin America I wet my pants in.... I found it and entered... the delapitated bathroom with no paper.... at that point.... CHILE was my least favorite country.
After the bathroom extravaganza and buying my ticket back to Argentina to make me feel better I exited the bus station and entered the cleanist metro/subway system I have ever seen.... it was very, very clean.... well lit.... many police and cleaning people standing around maintaining its security and cleanliness.
I got to my hostel very easily. I spent Saturday sight seeing in Santiago.... went and saw a Virgen Mary on top or a hill and went to one of Pablo Nuerda´s houses. Went and saw a few other famous things... and hung out at the hostel.

Mendoza

Mendoza, is the second most touristy city in Argentina after Buenos Aires. It is a large city of 1 million people. I have been here since Tuesday evening.... spending 3 nights in the wonderful Lagares Hostel.... which for a meer $6 a night lets me sleep on bunk beds with several other people from around the world. This hostel is the same price as the one I paid in Córdoba but about 50 million times cleaner.... yes, me the person that is notouriously messy had a problem with cleanliness with some where.... It was so bad that I was gagging while putting on the pillow case cover.... but again what can you expect for $6 dollars a night???
In Mendoza I have been doing a ton of walking. Of course I wanted to know the city but I am too cool to pull out a map and actually look at in public.... to I checked the map before I left my hostel and knew I had to walk to Sarmiento Ave. I started walking and about 30 blocks later I was quite confused.... but still too cool too pull out the map.... I walked some more... down some other streets.... still did not find the park I was looking for. I went back to the hostel and later in the day.... after studying the map somemore.... attempted again.... I walked and walked and walked..... but could not find this street. Eventually after aimlessly wondering the city for several hours.... I accidentily stummpled upon what I was looking for.... the park. But by now it was dark and the Argentines where going crazy in the streets... because they tied in their World Cup game against Holland.... 0-0.
Yes, apparently a 0-0 tie merets thousands of people to flood to the street and create semi-riots.... semi-drunken riots with lots of fire works, drums, beer, yelling and honking. Also... all of the police are on every corner in full riot gear with guns, tear gas, whatever ready to go.... if anything goes extreamly wrong.
So.... that´s about all that´s happening right now.... I am taking a bus over to Chile tomorrow.... hopefully we will be able to pass... I have heard that there is alot of snow when crossing the Andes.... I guess I will have to see.

Until next time... PAZ!

Córdoba & Other Randomness

I arrived in Córdoba about two hours ago after an over night bus ride from Resistencia.... in all it was a little more than 10 hours. I took a taxi to the hostel where I have a reservation for this evening and left my backpack there. I think the guy was a little surprised when I started talking in Castellano... but hey why speak in English when you are in Argentina... right?
It is a holiday today... well... actually tomorrow is flag day but for some reason today is a no school/work day for everyone and tomorrow.... just for some. So, for the lucky students in Argentina.... they had no school Friday because of the Argentina World Cup game, no school Monday and possibly Tuesday for Flag Day.

In case you were wondering... or waiting eargerly to find out the results of the fútbol (soccer) match.... Argentina won 6-0 to Serbia/Montenegro. Argentina plays their next game on Wednesday.... I think... but there is a slight possibilty that I will be on a bus then.... que lastima! For the game on Wednesday the country will only be shutting down for a few hours as the game is at 4pm here.

What else is new? Nothing....besides today is the first of 24 days that I will be traveling. July 13th I have to be back in Resistencia for Carolina´s 25th birthday. In the meantime I will travel to the following cities...

Argentina: Córdoba, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata
Chile: Santiago, Viña del Mar, Valparaiso (Valpo)
Uruguay: Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo, Punta del Este
Brasil: Porto Alegre, Torres, Florianopolis

That´s it for now... I have to get back to working on assignments for my online classes! :(

Paz!

Hola desde Argentina!!

I´m in Argentina.... in Resistencia to be exact.... after 3 flights (instead of 4) and a 12 hour bus ride.... I arrived 48 hours later.

I am having a good time. I stayed with Familia Pereyra last night and just moved my things to my friends house... where I will spend the next few nights. I wanted to go to Asuncion, Paraguay.... but unfortunatly I have encountered an uninformed Paraguay consulate who is trying to gaurentee my that I do NOT need a tourist visa to enter Paraguay... but is refusing to put this in writing. So, I really do not want to take a 5 hour bus ride to the boarder to be told I cannot enter... so, it looks like Paraguay has been crossed off my list... which means... I will not become a millionare this summer which was my plan.... you see for less than a 100 US dollar, I would have had more than 1 million Guarani... the Paraguayan currency.... too bad my dream is not going to come true... :(

What else is new?? Nothing! It is ´winter´ here and I would say that today is probably around 75 or 80 degress... but still everyone is walking around with sweaters, jean jackets and long pants on. They think I am insane.... I am wearing capris, flip-flops and just to make them happy a long sleeved shirt... which I am quite warm in.

On Friday, Argentina plays in the World Cup.... this is a VERY VERY bis deal! On every corner one can buy flags, or parafanelia with the Argentine flag on it... hats, shirts, scarfs, etc. So... it looks like Argentina... I mean the world will come to a stop Friday morning when they play!

Chau for now! Paz.

T-Minus 9 Hours....

My flight leaves MSP at 6am... and begins a long journey... but it will be fun. I will get to Resistencia around 6am Tuesday... So.... were talking 48 hours of planes (4 flights) and a couple of buses.

I'm tired... but I am finally done packing... I think. At least I found my sun glasses after searching for them for 45+ mins. I am going to try to sleep before I have to wake up at 3:40am. Yuck!

I will blog next week from Argentina! Yay.

Until then... Chau!

Mi Mosiac Mesa

My mosiac table is almost done... it looks done I just have to fill in a few cracks with the grout... I'll do that in September. It has taken me almost 2 years to complete... well... actually.... I took a 18 month break in the middle of the project... but it is almost a finished product. Isn't is beautiful??

Enjoy the fotos.