Iguazú Falls

Now that I have some more photos and such, I'm going to start posting a little back catalog of my trip. Here, a video from Iguazú Falls in Argentina- pretty impressing. They just keep going and going. The amount of water is unbelievable. It's like the earth just caves in on itself in between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. When we rode over it in the plane, people started clapping.

We took a ride on a boat that goes right up to one of the falls and even though you are still a good 15 feet away, the water pressure makes it feel like you are literally underneath it. I couldn't even open my eyes.

sleepless in montevideo

So now the wild adventures are over and I’m back in Montevideo, which is quiet, homey, and also a little sad at the moment. It sounds funny to say because not only am I still here in South America, but I have my own room in an apartment with two lovely ladies and I live about 7 blocks from the beach.

Still I feel a little lost. I literally have nothing to do. And to be honest, I never really thought about the next step after Tori left. So for now, I’m running, getting back to my Spanish and following Andrea and Emily around to various Uruguayan Christmas celebrations. In 2010, I’m going to start looking for a job, in which I'm crossing my fingers to make $100 pesos/hour ($5).

mi dormitorio, which I have come to find out is actually the maid's quarters

it also happens to have it's own door to the kitchen that allows me to make it from my bed to the refrigerator in less then 2 steps, que suerte

this is my view

from the balcony of this room

I know, I know - Pobrecita!

One Classy Holiday.

Hi,

This is to Francesca and any readers of her blog. This is Tori, the girl she traveled South America with. We are guest writing on our blogs. I have been sitting here trying to think of something to say that could sum up our experience. It´s really hard. Especially, because anyone that´s not us will never fully get it. They can read our blogs, look at our pictures and hear our stories, but they will never fully understand. It is really overwhelmingly sad that I am about to go home and will be reliving some of our days in my head and she just isn´t going to be around like she has been to laugh. I just spent more consecutive hours with her then anyone else in my life... and we did get along the whole time (I know I can be difficult to live with).

Not to sound cliche´or over dramatic, but things like this definitely shapes and changes you as a person. I like to think from this experience that our situations and Francesca really taught me to be present in the moment... not let you´re mind wander, slow down and enjoy each moment. That is the one idea that I´ll be taking back with me in real life. And it seems so simple, but really after spending countless hours on a bus, driving through towns made of plywood and no running water you realize you do have it good. I always knew that existed, but seeing it changes your perspective. Having some literally beyond grateful with a forty cent tip is a mind boggling thing. And me personally being able to live out of a carry-on suit case makes you realize all the crap you just don´t need... besides for that piece of Jesus memorabilia you might stumble on.

This part below is really for Francesca.

Evita Peron: 10 am out the window, no sleep, my impersonation.

Snap.

Only $10 and one day our fridge will be full of this, cheese and fruit for juice bebidas con leche.

Meet Me At The Hotel and I Know I Want You are really one song.

I will never eat jambon again.

Favorite drink on earth.

It will always be watching you, but by now it is probably another color.

On this trip we met a lot of amazing people along the way. People in South America just generally seem to be more happy. They say hi, walk down the street with a smile and so on. A lot of people we met commented on the stress of the US. It was amazing talking to different people from every country just to listen to there way of life. The country we both fell in love with the most, especially with the people was Argentina, specifically the city of Buenos Aires.

Below is Facebook banter I just had with one of out friends and one of the reasons I will be going back to BA.

Ojo
if you want... in this country there is a place for you...

12:13amTori
thank you.. i love it there. i will be back and speaking much better spanish!!!

12:13amOjo
jajajaja... ok...
it is a promise

12:14amTori
i´ll miss you! it was so great to meet you! thank you for being so nice to us.

12:15amOjo
it was a pleasure
well good bye and good like... good return and better trip
sorry, good luck
not good like

Tori
bye! see you again oneday.

12:17amOjo
I hope that thus it is
kiss

Honestly, I´ll be back. I feel compelled to spend more time there, as well as Francesca. It was just so nice to be in a city full of life, with happy people and good food. It is so inexpensive and its was like we were treating our self to this amazing experience even if we were staying in and eating cheese and drinking bottles of champagne in our pajamas. It is something I have to do for myself one more time in my life and hopefully with Francesca if our lives meet up again like they did this fall... it definitely gets harder the older you get... side note speaking of getting older, let´s me take the time out to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FRANCESCA!!!!!

She just turned 24 and we spent some time eating sundaes with dulce de leche at McDonald´s.

We always got to keep it classy.

I could go on forever, but basically this trip was one of the most amazing things I have ever done and I needed it. It was reward to myself for months of hard work and dealing with one dramatic situation. I am so happy Francesca asked me to experience this with her because I don´t think she would have asked if she didn´t really value our friendship. We really had only been friends for less then a year and half the time I was living in Korea. I am going to cry so much tomorrow as I get in a cab to leave and I don´t want know the full effect from this vacation and Francesca till I am sum what settled at home. I know it is only positive. It sucks because I feel like I am breaking up with Francesca... she knows more about me then most from just my daily routine to my actual life. We slept in the same bed for 52 nights and now it is just abruptly ending and we are both continuing on two completely different paths. But the traveling isn´t all fun. It´s tiring, confusing and dangerous at times and if you can survive it you know it will make you a stronger person in the long run and prepared for your next journey no matter how big or small.

For all of Francesca´s friends that are not meeting her down here... you are crazy. Money comes and goes, but experiences like this last forever and you should really try to take part of this time in her life with her.

I love you Coca! You are doing amazing things because you are already an amazing person... I can´t wait for you to come home and do all the things we talked about to hopefully end up back down here for a little. I didn´t think I would be this sad, but I am. Just remember to spin it all more in positive light, your Spanish is good and if you need anything at all you know I will help. Now go get your self some hand-sanitizer, keep your bag stocked wit h tampons and chapstick. Oh, and don´t forget to bring a blanket on the bus. I would say drink plenty of water, but you already got that down.

Best save the trip moment:

Walking into the hotel to find an ATM.

I will now officially use hotels i am not staying otu for everything;

internet, bathrooms, taxi service, gift shops, etc.

A special shut out to the Bizcocho winners of the trip:

(people that were not on the trip, but were key players)

Colleen Reagan for the lavender wipes that came in handy on every 20+ hour bus ride.

Robert W. for loving blue boobies as much as we do.

The cast list of all the Key players:

Marcel (I hope that is your name) AKA Braziliano.

Spencer, for taking us out in Rio and giving us the knowledge of Lapa.

Roy, the best hostel bartender, who made very strong drinks.

Santiagoe for making us go out to embarrass our selves trying to Salsa dance.

The airport dude from Rio that help us get on the plane to Bogota even though he might have never actually got on the flight.

Our little tour guy from the Police museum in Bogota, we were able to tell Paublo Escobar was fat from his jacket.

The taxi driver from the border in Ecuador , who chased down the bus in his car to get us to Quito.

Our hostel dude in Quito, who gave us so much information and made phone calls for us and a special shut out to the lady that worked for him and did our laundry, while we desecrated churches.

Andres for being 19 , getting us surfboards and rubbing sand on my jelly fish sting..

Andres´s grandma for dusty empanadas and making us canned tuna pasta.

Don Cherry the best tour guide we never head.

Remi because I am thinking about you right now, you must be thinking of me.

Paublo for all our bracelet and necklace needs.

The creepy tour guide that made us realize never have a drink with the creepy tour guides.

Our eight year old server that took time out of watching TV to go get me a beer.

Karlina and the rest of the television crew for giving us somewhere to go out to in Quayquil and of course for making us television stars.

Ricardo for telling us the next day cabs have been kidnapping people, but you redeemed yourself by figuring out the bus situation to Lima.

The bus guy, on the trip from Arica to Santiago, that fed us the same meal four times and fantasized about doing Coca the whole time.

Every man that honked even if there little kids were in the car.

Everyman that pretended to be a taxi driver to try to get us in the car.

The paragliding guys in Lima that made sure we didn´t fall to our death.

The lady that sold us ponchos to climb Maccu Piccu.

Karolina who made us her best friend in Santiago for the night... You are a Sexy Motherfucker!

And the bearded guy who gave me the scarf to cover my legs, also that same nice.

Lars, our white water rafting instructor.

Our wine tour guide in Mendoza.

The people that robbed us on the subway... you are a little bitch!

Marcello, who made Buenos Aires for us... we can´t thank you enough and you are the best person of the whole trip.

Nameless boys in BA.

Dante and his family for having us over.

Augustine .

The kid who kept our wine glass full for six hours.

Fucking gorilla bird... I will find you one day.

Cristo that was watching us on every hill.

The restaurant workers in Columbia that were so happy to talk to us and ran down the street to get us ice.

To all restaurant workers that ran down the street to get us change.

The women in Quito that made us an amazing breakfast.

Nicholas our server from the amazing restaurant in BA, that proved it´s okay to hang out with your tables.

The old ladies on every bus that watched out for us.

Fucking Australians and the Australian woman and English guy that redeemed Australia as a country.

The large groups of the French.

And of course

Francesca & Victoria

For keeping it classy.

(Tori didn´t exist on this trip)

And I just want to say it´s ironic my shoes were on, even though we each ruined many shoes.

Keep showing them how fun you are!

Love you lady.

Te Amo Meubles.

Te Amo Huevos.

Te Amo Peligroso.

Te Amo Francesca.

from the other perspective

Sorry I didn`t tell you about this sooner, but Tori has a blog too.

http://torimcnally.blogspot.com/

Before she leaves, we have guest appearances scheduled.

1 bottle, 2 bottle, 3 bottle, 4

Buenos Aires is the first place since Montevideo where I`ve stopped for one second to take a breath. It`s been a week and we have a life here. An apartment. Friends. We are staying with a big Mexican who cooks for us and pretty much integrated us into his life (thank you so much Shaun and Victoria). We have now extended our stay in this city twice and I know finally leaving tomorrow is going to present a huge challenge and not only because we will probably be up until 8am. It`s great to know that I can come back here, as I`m really only a 3 hour boat-bus combo away, but I try not brag about it to Tori because she is leaving me in 4 days to go home to a foot of snow.

Compared to the site-seeing for we did for 2 months straight, we really don`t do anything here. For instance, yesterday we slept until noon, got up, went for coffee and waffles, took a walk, got juice, saw some art, went to the grocery store where we bought a bottle of champagne and drank it. Then Marcelo took us to a party. His friend has this party every year at his parent`s house to celebrate the end of the year which is funny because everyone wears shorts. It`s also funny because their high school principal opened the door, which isn`t weird because he comes to every party and drinks and smokes cigarettes like he`s 25. And I know what all you educators who are reading this are thinking, but here it`s not considered taboo at all. He put his arm around somebody`s mom, he poured me wine - he is literally part of their social circle and also seemingly a part of their family.

It`s kind of hard to explain, but the parties are just different down here. And, this may seem obvious, but life is different down here. At one point last night, everyone stood around in a circle and said what they are thankful for in this past year. I didn`t understand everything, but I`m pretty sure no one said their i-phone. Life down here is simply more celebratory. This trip has definitely taught me to slow down, relax and be more in the moment which I find really difficult to do at home. Yes, you can say that that can be attributed to the fact that I don`t have bills, I`m not working, I don`t even have a cell phone, but I think that it`s more. South America, like Europe and probably everywhere else in the world except America, is a place where you sit and have your coffee (evident by the fact that the one time that Tori and I did get coffee to go, it came in a bag). Everybody seems kind of ageless because life is lived always the same way no matter how old you are. In Buenos Aires, specifically, we were welcomed into a group of life-long friends without even speaking the same language. In a week, we were at birthday parties and family parties and dinners. This is a life that is going to be very difficult to leave and $10 bottles of Chandon rose isn`t making it any easier.

first world, second world, third world

Admittedly, I haven`t done my research, so I`m kind of confused about this whole ranking. I`m pretty sure it has something to do with poverty percentages, amount of running water and literacy levels. If they`re not, perhaps wild dogs should be added into the mix. I think every country that I`ve been to is considered developing but it`s hard for me to believe that beautiful, leafy, modern Argentina with the extensive metro system, vast vineyards and luxury hotels is grouped with Ecuador where the lights are turned off for 4 hours a day. Either way though, I guess everywhere`s the asshole who`s going to steal your wallet from you on the subway.

a heartfelt apology

To my diehards,

I am very sorry that I have been remiss in my posting. The combination of crappy computers, random blackouts and all the exciting stuff that lies beyond a glowing screen has made it very difficult to keep up with this. I really like to post some photos as well, but it that always proves itself an insurmountable challenge. Anyway, to bring you up to date. Since Machu Picchu, I have been in Arequipa, Arica and Santiago. Now in Mendoza. Tomorrow - Buenos Aires, including a side trip to Iguazu. Then my full circle will bring me back to Montevideo, where I will stay for a while, until I decide what the next step is. Maybe then I will have some time to finally be up on this blog. Until then, though, something on the fly about Peru. Stay tuned.

Missing Thanksgiving was only made tolerable by the fact that I spent it in Peru - touring ancient ruins, drinking pisco sours and generally indulging in all the glutony that my favorite holiday celebrates.

So far in the trip, we've been on a roller coaster of gastronomical
experiences that has included - fantastic cheap ceviche served to us
by an 8-year-old in a restaurant that is basically somebody's house,
really horribe expensive ceviche that was pretty much just over-cooked
fish in some lime juice, all different varietals of bready breakfasts
that were sometimes served with eggs and this marmelade made out of a
fruit that doesn't exist in the US, unchewable meat that we accidently
ate in a karaoke bar, daily smoothies and tres leches tastings.

Peru, though, has been nothing but high points. We started out in Lima on Saturday at Astrid y Gaston, a Peruvian staple that has been around since 1994 and was given to us a reccomendation from Jose Garces. Trying to forget the
petrified ham sandwiches we were forced to eat on the bus that morning, we went all out and opted for the 5-course tasting menu. We added the foie gras as an extra course. It came with dessert. We ordered another. La Mar was next, a ceviche restaurant owned by the same couple in which we were served my favorite meal of the trip. After the ceviche tasting and abottle of wine, we went paragliding off the beachside cliffs.

In addition to those grand meals, we've had a ton of other memorable lunches and dinners in Peru's chifas (which are not at all like the GRG restaurant byt the same name) and elsewhere. We didn't eaten bad there at all and that includes the pesto we made from a box one night to save money.

One thing I can't get over though, is that guinea pig is considered a Peruvian delicacy. If you know me at all, you know that I'm pretty adventurous with food and I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed in myself on this one. But everytime I see it on a menu, all I can picture is little Patches, my first and only pet, curled up in his wire cage in the corner of the living room of our townhouse
which is enough to make me gag and pass over and over again. I did, however, eat some ostrich carpaccio.