And this is the wonderful group of kids that got together for some awesome conversation and some cheap beer and wine.
Yesterday we went on a tour of "The Paris of South America", which was pretty interesting. I learned more about architecture than I ever have.
Meet Kendall and Tegan, two of the students I've been hanging out with. They're super nice. Also, for your information, Tegan and I both have tickets to see Radiohead here in BsAs in March.
This is Plaza San Martin, which, so far, is my favorite of the Plazas. It is not too big, but it has gorgeous trees and pretty colors all around. And a cute little dog park.
Anyway, as most of you know, I am here to do some research and write a paper.. I wanna look into some of the social movements that emerged out of the 2001 economic crash. I have been very excited about this for a long time, but spending time in a Latin American city once more has made me face the harsh reality once more. People on the street, begging for some food, and the stark contrasts. I've felt a bit useless, because doing research is not directly benefitting anyone but me, but I have recently heard some pretty wonderful and inspirational words that are helping me to stay focused.
Anyway, that is all for now. There is internet at the home I'm living in, which is pretty awesome, but who knows when I'll actually be home in the next few days..
Anyway, this weekend I’m going to Bariloche for three days, and I’m way excited. I’m reading for the hikes and the views. Expect lots of pictures!
Even the sugar packets at cafes and restaurants are extra large.. .Can someone explain this to me? I'm not too into their carb and sweets obsession.
First glance at Bariloche.
We went up Cerro Campanario on chairlifts (lame, I know.. the real hiking would come later..). This was the view from the chair lift.
Now come the pictures from the top of the mountain.
Later we went on a tiny hike to the Mirador del Brazo Tristeza. Please note the mountains in the background of the pictures.
That patch of lighter grass is a golf course. Don't get me started on what I think about destroying nature to build golf courses. Anyway, to the right in the mountain is the hotel we stayed at.
Swinging in the mountains..
And that's about as much of Patagonia as I saw that day. Gorgeous, no?
The two hour bus ride through winding mountain roads was well worth it. Although it was pretty foggy and rainy, the mountains were beautiful.
Once there we made it to the El Bolson brewery.
They have a great beer selection.
We then walked back to town in the rain, and went on a short hike.
El Bolson- part of the town, part of the farms.
Our pretty trail
The tasty blackberries we found
The view from the plaza in town
The next day, our last day in Bariloche, we hiked 7km up Cerro Lopez. The trail was steep, rocky, and slippery, and I have a bruise to prove it.
Can you see the tiny pink house at the top of a mountain in the middle of the picture? That is where we were headed. This was taken about an hour into the hike.
The view from the top
the sun starting to peek out
the reddish (salmon?) hues starting to appear
the incredible clouds that make for much more interesting Sunrises
the reds spreading
the mountains at dawn
the beginning of the second Sunrise
i like waking up with the birds
the light cloud cover starting to show its pinks as the sun rises
smokey mountains
Why the rant? Well, tonight, as I was coming home from a long day of exploring, I unknowingly came upon the largest pile of crap I have ever seen. Unless it was left by a horse, this dog probably hadn't had a bowel movement in weeks. It was so large, in fact, that I didn't just step in it, I actually accidentally kicked it, which meant I had poop in my sandal.
Portenos, please clean up after your dogs!
There were musicians at almost every corner
Awesome artists doing their thing on the street
And they had really great beats..
And the theme of the day..
Can you imagine a world without music?
What I love about this little system is that people that could not have a steady income otherwise, and that would most likely end up having to beg for money on the streets, have a really awesome way of generating some sort of income through their own work. What's even cooler is that the registered sellers also get really good support and social services from the organization that sets it all up. Needless to say, I think more of this should happen, because it is quite and awesome system.
So if you ever come here, NEVER give your coins away. You will need them for the bus. If when you're paying someone asks you if you have any change, just lie. It will make your life much simpler.
As a side note, at leas in Buenos Aires they're willing to part with bills.. In Bariloche they never had even bills for change. Go figure.
Maps
People
Photos
My Stuff
trip feed
trip kml