Culture Shock - Blogabond

Crossing the border from Villazón, Bolivia, to La Quiaca, Argentina, showed the difference money makes. Beyond cleaner streets and political posters replacing political graffiti, the lady selling orange juice on the corner wasn't sporting the classic Quechua bowler hat and a colorful blanket caped over her back. Instead she had a leather jacket and a friendly conversation.

My sorry lil' butt is happy to say that Argentina's legendary buses lived up to their reputation. No told me this before, but Alberta and Saskatchewan have relocated to northern Argentina. Looking out the window of my bus I couldn't believe my eyes! There was the Canadian prairies, neatly divided into square fields with quaint country homes. We left behind sidewinding dirt roads in Bolivia for smooth straight roads, accompanied by telephone poles looking over barbed wire fences. What's more, the highways had passenger vehicles and old men driving giant farm machinery - both rarities in Peru and Bolivia! And there was ranch after ranch of Oreo cows.

Funny enough, I met several Peruvians on the bus. In fact, the person sitting next to me was 5 year old Carmena who couldn't stop talking. She told me I had caca in my pants - what a cutie! I also met a guy from Huancayo who recognized me from the carnival.

Anywho, last night and tonight I'm sleeping in an old colonial hotel in a part of town that was once for the rich elite, then for poor imigrants, then for poor artists and now for tourists. Today there's an antique market in the plaza outside my door and for anyone who likes old rock, you'd seizure in joy here! I held so many authentic classics, like The Beatles's "White Album", Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and Paul Simon's "Graceland". What a treat! And while I was sifting through the treasure there was live flaminco playing with tango dancers entertaining the masses outside cafés with GOOD COFFEE! The icing on the cake is the people watching. Old men in leather jackets and scarves, cross dressers and some of the most beautiful women in the world.

While meandering around the market I had many conversations with the venders - extremely friendly! Before I knew it 6 hours had passed, so I'm a little hungry now. Apparently one man said it's so safe here that he leaves his store unlocked. One morning he came in to find money on his counter and a note of what the person bought. That evening he left the change on the counter. ...alrighty, I gotta run and grab some eats. Chau!

written by

ryanmyers on June 7, 2009 from Buenos Aires, Argentina

from the travel blog: Ryan's First Sabbatical

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