Day 28: Buenos Aires, Argentina

On Thursday morning, our tour group took a boat, or what from inside looked like a mini cruise ship, to Buenos Aires. We sat on comfortable seats and enjoyed some mate tea as we crossed the river to Argentina's capital. After only an hour, we arrived at the port of the city that would soon become my favorite stop on our trip. 

A few things about Buenos Aires were readily apparent. First and foremost, it is a very developed city. Compared to Rio, for example, nearly every part of the city is bustling with people. And in Buenos Aires you can find access to most things you would be able to get in the United States. Second, Buenos Aires is a massive, sprawling city with each section feeling completely different from the adjacent ones. It is similar to Atlanta in this way, where pockets like Midtown, Little Five Points, and the Highlands have distinct vibes and are all amazing in their own right.

Though our tour director is Peruvian, he has been a resident of Buenos Aires for the past seven years and was excited to share his city with us. The first place he took us was Calle de Florida, a touristy street along which individuals of various ages stand and repeat "Cambio! Cambio!", or Exchange! Exchange! as people walk past. These individuals are part of the blue market, the common means of exchanging money in Buenos Aires; the national exchange rate is 8 pesos to 1usd, but on the blue market it is at least 13:1, so paying for everything with blue market cash is an obvious choice. However, it is not unusual to be given fake pesos in this manner, so our guide directed us to a reliable source where we exchanged our money and also learned how to identify fake bills. The whole experience of handing over US dollars and being given a wad of cash in return felt sketchy to say the least, but it was also oddly thrilling.

With pesos in hand, our group ventured off to Plaza de Mayo. This plaza is one of the main squares in Buenos Aires, and also an important political hub. Of the notable surrounding buildings, the most important is the aptly named Casa Rosada, a pink building that serves as the home of the government's executive branch. The plaza is also renowned for holding regular protests, including a weekly march led by the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, which we happened to witness.

From our tour guide, we learned that the Mothers march in response to a terrible incident that took place during the late 70s. At that time, the government was under a military dictatorship, and an estimated 30,000! people who had in some way expressed opposition toward the regime "disappeared." The mothers of the men and women who went missing formed an organization, and they continue to hold weekly marches around the Plaza as a means to spread awareness and demand answers about this disturbing tragedy.

After we left the main square, our group took off for a part of the city called La Boca. This is a poor yet eccentric neighborhood that is home to many colorful buildings as well as a famous soccer stadium. We stayed in the touristy section while there and had a chance to walk through the outdoor markets. We spent about an hour in this section before going back to the hotel to prepare for the evening ahead. 

At night, our tour group headed to a tango show. I have to admit I was apprehensive about this experience because I expected a kitschy tourist trap that would be a waste of money and a missed opportunity to watch the Steelers play the Ravens. I wrote it off as a "when in Buenos Aires..." And went along for the ride. 

Three hours later, I was smiling wide from what turned out to be a great evening. Our night began with an hour long tango lesson with an extremely engaging instructor. Dan and I had several opportunities to try our hand at Latin dancing, though due to the ratio of guys to girls, I was not his only partner. I made sure to keep a causal eye on his counterparts as he danced his way through each sequence of the class. At one point, he was called to demonstrate his skills in front of the class, and had to select a stranger to dance with in order to model (successfully!) what they had learned.

After the lesson, we had a surprisingly tasty three-course dinner accompanied by all the wine we could drink and an impressive tango show. All-in-all, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the evening and utterly stunned by how cheap the evening was (round-trip transport, tango lesson, food, drinks, and tango show for the equivalent of $38). I was also happy I did not forgo the experience to watch a disappointing Steelers loss.

Day 27: Colonia, Uruguay

On Wednesday morning, we took a bus out of Montevideo to travel to Colonia, Uruguay. Colonia has long been an important gateway to Buenos Aires, and has both Spanish and Portuguese influences as a result of their attempts to gain control of its port. Because of its small buildings and narrow, brick streets, the only way to describe this town is charming.

We were fortunate to be in Colonia on a beautiful, clear day, and rented a golf cart to traverse around town on wheels. Dan was as happy as a little boy on his golf cart, and came up with various destinations for us--including a lighthouse, the oceanfront, and a park--so he could drive around for as long as possible. The weather turned chilly early, so I retreated back to our pousada while Dan continued to ride around Colonia and ended up on the beach for sunset.

We went to a casual dinner (by foot) at night, and as we walked, were amazed by how few people were around; it seemed like we were in a ghost town. Four of us then went back to our pousada to get the golf cart and do some late night cruising. We first passed a nearby casino, and decided to stop inside. There, we discovered where the entire population of Colonia was hiding. The casino was small, but I have never seen a place so packed. For every person sitting at a slot machine, there was someone else queuing up nearby. And the main lure of the casino was undoubtedly bingo. Every single person in the building--from teens to eldery individuals--was clinging on to paper slips that served as their bingo cards. It was a bizarre sight, and one that left us pondering what life is like for Colonia locals.

After that experience, we decided to ride to one of the docks in the old part of town. There, we saw a crumbling wall with a drawbridge that must have once served as a barrier to outsiders. We climbed up the wall and sat down to look out at the stars and the sea. While taking in our surroundings, we noticed that the horizon was glowing a faint yellow, and realized that we were staring out at Buenos Aires. We soaked in the sights for a little longer, and then rode back in the golf cart to get some sleep before the final leg of our tour.

Days 25-26: Montevideo, Uruguay

After our weekend homestay on the estancia, our tour group took a bus to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. For some reason, I had many preconceived notions about Uruguay and it's appearance, so I was surprised by how modern and clean the city looked. After arriving at the capital's bus terminal, we headed to our upgraded hotel accommodation. In the room, we happily took note of the plush bedsheets, thick towels and absent toilet paper waste basket (this had been a staple of bathrooms in Brazil, where it is frowned upon to dispose of used paper in the toilet). 

Once settled, Dan and I took off for the nearest hospital where he was to get his third rabies shot. There, the inefficiencies of socialized healthcare presented themselves, as we were misdirected around  several different buildings by people who didn't know--and didn't even take the time to figure out--where vaccines were administered. Once we had had enough of our wild goose chase, we finally insisted that one of the receptionists make a call to help us figure out where to go. The receptionist finally informed us of the correct location, and then--after asking him to make an additional call about the office hours--told us we would have to return the following day for the vaccination. We reluctantly retreated back to our hotel to relax before dinner.

At night, Dan and I decided to venture off on our own to check out a restaurant that had been recommended in our guide book. Considering we were in Uruguay's largest city, we were surprised by how quiet our walk was from the hotel to the tiny dining spot. The husband and wife owners were very friendly and served great food. I had a chicken and vegetable wok dish, Dan had a massive plate of a Uruguayan cut of steak (think ribs, but cut in the opposite direction so it is flat with numerous bone discs lining the top of the meat), and we split some homemade ravioli. Per usual, Dan had to do most of the heavy lifting, so he aided me in my portion after he had licked his own plate clean. We spoke a bit to the owners throughout our meal, and when done eating, we asked the wife if she knew the restaurant was featured in a travel guide. She was completely unaware, and excitedly asked us to send her a photo of the write-up when we had the chance. We happily agreed, and left the restaurant in a contented state.

The next morning we woke up to the sound of pouring rain. Dan had to get out of bed early to go (this time with our tour director) back to the hospital to get his vaccine. He was wet and tired when he got back, and we were both fine with lounging around until midday. At that point, we went to meet up with our tour group who was having lunch in a building called Puerto del Mercado. Inside the chilled warehouse, there were various restaurants all serving slightly different versions of the same barbecue-based menu. The environment was cool, but I was not in the mood for a massive lunch. So after chatting with our friends for a bit, we decided to wander around the nearby area for another option. 

Puerto del Mercado

We walked for a little through the brick-paved streets of the city's old quarter, but the area seemed very quiet and empty. As we were about to turn back to the mercado, Dan and I noticed a small restaurant that was set a little back from the road and the adjacent buildings. While looking at the entrance, the owner opened the door and encouraged us to come in to check out their fare. We obliged, and stepped into a homey space with only a few tables and a short chalkboard menu. We sat down near the open kitchen, where a lone chef was happily whipping up his daily-changing creations. We instantly knew we had made the right choice, and were able to watch the chef's labor of love as he made everything to order, including the pasta. After the tasty meal, we met two of our friends at a cute coffee shop (also recommended by our ever-faithful guidebook), where we sipped down our first cups of strong, quality South American coffee.

At night, we all went out to dinner at a place our tour director boasted to have the best (and largest) angus steak in Montevideo. Dan agreed to split the steak and sides with me, but I felt bad when they brought the meat out because I knew he could have easily downed an even larger cut on his own. From that experience, and amassing pieces of evidence, we decided we will not take any more of our tour guide's advice. We determined he had been steering us to locations because of their pre-established relationships with the tour company, not because they were actually as good as our guide made them out to be. We were also noticing that many of our best experiences had come through spontaneity rather than extensive planning. So while it has been nice to be on a tour without the worries of transportation, accommodations and the like, it is also really nice to figure those things out on our own (even when they come with mistakes). 

Even though (or maybe, because) we didn't do much of consequence during our short stay in Montevideo, we really enjoyed ourselves. And to Dan's delight, the highlights of our trip to the capital undoubtedly revolved around food.

Days 22-24: Iguassu Falls, Brazil -> Mercedes, Uruguay

I woke up Friday morning feeling good and healthy. Everyone packed their belongings into a van and we set off for the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls. Once we got there, we were greeted by a number of creatures called coatis who were on the hunt for any food we might have. They were well-acclimated to human visitors because they had no problem jumping up on people in an attempt to steal their grub. I probably would have attempted to pet them had it not been for Dan's bite and a large sign promising a similar fate.

The national park had a long walkway that offered various views of Iguassu Falls. Each lookout point granted a completely different perspective from the last and made you appreciate just how massive the falls were (there were a series of cascades of varying sizes as opposed to Niagra's singular, enormous flow). At one point, a cross bridge allowed us to get close enough to the falls to feel a heavy mist that left us refreshingly wet. Once we got to the end of the walkway, we had lunch at a location overlooking the falls. We then got back in the van and headed off to a nearby bus station. 

At the station, we stocked up on snacks and mentally prepared for what would be the longest ride of our tour: a 15-hour bus trip to Uruguay. We departed at 5pm on a double-decker bus that was fortunately quite comfortable and offered plenty of leg room. We talked and drank wine for the first part of the ride until one-by-one we fell asleep and let the hours pass in a deep slumber. All-in-all, it was a much easier trip than I had anticipated and we were in Uruguay before I knew it. Once in the town of Mercedes, we were driven to an estancia, or ranch, where we were to spend the weekend. 

It was a cold, overcast morning when we first arrived on the estancia, but the clouds soon gave way to a clear, beautiful sky. We set our belongings down inside the single-story home, which looked like it came straight out of an old Western movie set (cowboy hat-filled hat rack, taxidermy, butter churners, and the like). The home itself was set on a vast, flat property with open land as far as the eye could see. We took a "guided" walk around the ranch, but the guide hardly spoke a word to us so we didn't actually gather much information about the property. For the remainder of the day, we hung outside, played cards, enjoyed the sun, and drank wine on the porch.

We were then treated to a beautiful, unobstructed sunset that caused the horizon to glow a warm pink and orange. As the sun disappeared, our group leader brought out the implements needed to make mate (ma-tay), a popular drink in Uruguay and Argentina. Mate is typically prepared in a round ceramic cup, which is filled three-quarters of the way with potent herbs. A metal straw with a filtered end is then placed inside and the mate preparer, or cebador, pours hot water into the cup. Drinking mate is a very social activity, and after each person empties the cup, the cebador is responsible for refilling it with hot water for the next drinker. The taste is similar to a strong green tea, and sugar or orange rind can be added to sweeten the blend. We learned there are several rules involved in drinking mate with a group, such as do not take too long while drinking and do not move the straw from its position. We all enjoyed the affair as well as the boost of energy the tea gave us. 

After going around with the mate cup a few times, we went inside for dinner. The food was tasty, but it was evident the ranch owners were cutting corners to avoid profit loss (we had a rice-based dish with potatoes and carrots). We retreated into the living room after our meal, where we played some games, sat by the fireplace, and introduced our foreign friends to the deliciousness that is a s'more (our ingredients were not perfect, but our customers were very satisfied and all happily had seconds). We then sat around watching a movie before retiring to our rooms for the night.

The following day was filled with various activities including milking a(n emaciated-looking) cow, making (or at least, shaping) bread, gathering firewood for a bonfire, and riding (extremely slow) horses. We also had meals that were tasty, but again costed as much to prepare as our food from the night before (think single-egg omelets and giant plates of pasta). In short, it was evident we were being given a half-baked, profit-driven estancia experience.

Despite these gimmicky affairs, we actually all had an amazing time. The isolation provided us with a level of serenity that had been hard to achieve up until this point. It also forced us off our electronics and into other means of entertainment. In fact, one of my favorite parts of the weekend was sitting around the bonfire and getting lost in conversation with two of my tourmates. There was something incredibly refreshing about talking for hours without any form of distraction; it encouraged a level of concentration on the speaker that we too often miss out on in our daily lives. 

The estancia weekend fell at a perfect time within our trip, and gave us a great opportunity to recharge our batteries before setting off for city-living in Montevideo.

Days 20-21: Iguassu Falls, Brazil

On Wednesday, we left Paraty and began an all day journey to Iguassu Falls, one of the biggest waterfalls in the world. First, we took a five-hour van ride to the Rio de Janeiro airport. From there, it was a two-hour plane ride to Foz do Iguaçu. The car trip went by pretty quickly, and the plane ride, in comparison, seemed like a breeze (especially considering the normal annoyances of air travel--determining what to pack and waiting on long security lines--were eliminated).

Dan and I had adjacent seats aboard the plane, and on his left side sat an elderly Japanese woman. About two-thirds of the way into the flight, the Japanese woman turned to us, said something we couldn't make out, and then presented us with a paper crane. It was incredibly sweet of her and we both gestured our appreciation. At that point, she took out a small package of thin square papers and motioned for each of us to take one. We obliged, and she proceeded to give us a step-by-step lesson in the art of origami. 

Aside, from crafting fortune tellers, I had never taken up origami-making as a child. So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered the intricacies of bringing a crane to life. The bird was complete in no fewer than 50 steps, all of which the woman had memorized, and then worked to translate through hand gestures and the occasional broken English. We excitedly crafted our creatures, and then moved onto an easier box-making lesson. We thanked her in Japanese (Dan had recalled the word from a Styx song), and soon exited the plane with the tokens of our labor in-hand.

It was already late when we arrived at our hotel, so we had only a little time to wash up and then all met in the lobby to depart for dinner. We were set to go to yet another all-you-can-eat meat restaurant. Considering how little I had eaten during our day of travel, I should have been excited about this meal, but my stomach had been bothering me since that morning and had not yet let up. I ate what I could over dinner, and watched a contented Dan as he eagerly worked to "fill [himself] up to a level of discomfort."

For the next 16 hours, I fell victim to what I will simply describe as an ailment that sometimes afflicts travelers in less-developed regions. I was up through most of the night and felt as though my insides had been put in a blender. The only relief came during my occasional bouts of sleep, but even those did not last long. When morning finally arrived, I told Dan I would not be making it to Iguassu Falls. We had pre-paid for our seats on a boat ride through the falls, and Dan asked me a few times about reconsidering, but I only wanted to be left alone to wallow in my pain. Was I upset about missing  one of my most anticipated experiences of my entire journey? At that moment, not at all. All I could think about was laying in bed. Dan went out to get me some water and rice, and I also took some medicine a travel doctor had given us before we left. I stomached what I could and then slept until mid-afternoon.

When I awoke, I experienced that amazing sense of relief that comes from knowing you made it out of a dark storm intact. Still, I stayed in the hotel room for most of the day, only leaving to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure across the street. Dan got back in the early evening and seemed to have enjoyed his day at the falls (though he didn't tell me much, probably to spare my feelings). He went to the Argentinian side, which apparently offers the best view of the waterfall. He also took a nice wet boat ride near the base of the falls. Tomorrow we will go to the Brazilian side, so at least I won't completely miss out. And hopefully this illness is behind me...

Days 18-19: Paraty, Brazil

We departed Ilha Grande early Monday morning and set off for a Brazilian beach town called Paraty. The transportation was swift and efficient so we made it to our destination by early afternoon. Upon entering our pousada, we learned that the entire town was out of power. Apparently, a mild storm from the night before was enough to knock out everyone's electricity. Incapable of changing our fate, we crossed our fingers for its return and headed out. While out, we walked through the historic quarters of Paraty. There, we learned that the town was initially colonized by the Portuguese in the late 17th century and grew rapidly once it became an export center for gold. Now, the historic district boasts cute shops, nice restaurants, and car-free cobblestone roads. 

After seeing the old town, we ventured to an oceanfront cafe that was surprisingly still open for lunch (despite the power being out). They somehow managed to cook us our meals, although our food did take forever to arrive. Having lost so much time while waiting for our lunch, we decided to stay put at the beach for the rest of the afternoon. 

Later that day, while we were on our way back to the pousada, all of the shops suddenly filled with light. The power had returned at the perfect time!

Dan and I spent both of our days in Paraty in a similar fashion: slow start, a bit of walking around, beach time, more walking around, group dinner. The dinners were probably the best part of our time in this beach town. The food was delicious and the conversation flowed well. On our second night out, we gained solace in knowing we had a laid back group as we watched another bunch from the same tour company make a scene in the pousada, and then in the restaurant. They presented a stereotypically bad face for foreigners, as they spoke too loudly, and at one point even got in a heated argument. We did our best to ignore them and carried on quietly with our conversations.

After a tasty Thai dinner on the second night, Dan and I drifted together back to the pousada. We were relieved that it was our last trip across the cobble-paved roads, which had rapidly gone from idyllic to hazardous. They were so uneven that it became unsafe to look anywhere but down while walking. Luckily, we made it back intact, and just minutes before I was due to start my first ever fantasy football draft! I was a rookie in every sense, and used Dan's seasoned experience to guide my picks. Although, there was one point when Dan abandoned me to take a shower (the next day our group member laughingly commented on having heard me yelling for his help during this stressful time). I was feeling good about my picks, but decided to resort to autodraft after two and a half hours of slow-moving rounds. Regardless, I was quite pleased with my final team. Now, Dan and I are both praying for reliable internet and access to American TV channels so we can successfully manage our teams while abroad.

Day 17: Ilha Grande, Brazil

At breakfast on Sunday morning, our trip director informed us about a boat excursion we could elect to go on. Eager to see part of the island we had not yet uncovered, Dan and I, as well as four other group members, signed up. We quickly got ready and then met at a predetermined location. However, we should have known that the boat company was running on island time and we had no need to rush. So a full forty-five minutes after the agreed upon departure time, we finally set off.

The first stop on our outing was a faraway beach. This beach was very well maintained and the ocean was clear. We excitedly set up our towels to take in the first sun we had seen in days. Unfortunately, the boat crew's sense of time was all distorted because we only spent half of the time there that we had been promised. At that point, we took a ten minute walk through the jungle to meet the boat at a pick-up spot. 

There was no dock from which to hop on the boat, so we walked through the water to get back on board. I was the first one to go toward the boat, and I'm happy I had precautionarily placed my bag and towel on my head because the water near the vessel was about four feet deep. My belongings ended up dryly aboard the boat, and the rest of the group followed suit.

We then cruised for five minutes to get to Lagoa Azul, or Blue Lagoon. The destination was not quite as serene as Brooke Shields' younger self had led us to believe. We attempted to snorkel through the cloudy water, but were less than impressed by the variety of fish, so we only made a short go of it. Once everyone was back on the boat, we went to our final locale of deception called Ilha dos Macacos, or Monkey's Island. Sure enough, my primary draw to the whole boat trip left me disappointed. Not a single primate was spotted in the trees during the entire time we were there. We did, however, enjoy a delicious barbecued lunch and some more beach time.

After our full day out and about, we were finally ready to return to the island's main village. We got aboard the boat one final time and set off. At this point, the ocean had grown a little rough, so a few of us elected to embrace the elements up front. But after the first little splash of water hit us, Dan had had his fill and retreated to the back of the boat. Four of us remained ready and eager to ride the waves and were soon treated to some large bumps. Then, the boat changed course and a huge wave hit the vessel from its side, sending water everywhere! Concerned about my belongings, I went to check on my bag in the back. There, I found a soaking wet, frowny-faced Dan who was far more drenched than I had managed to get. I was laughing, he was shivering, the boat was swaying, and an attendant was appeasing everyone with alcoholic beverages. It was an interesting ending to a questionable excursion.

 

That night, our group went to a hostel restaurant where we hung out with a few people we had met on the boat. Others from the hostel joined us, and we soon had a large group talking around a table. Among us, there was an even ratio of girls to guys, and almost everyone was a solo traveler. It was perhaps for this reason that everyone was so friendly and outgoing; I guess you can't afford to be shy when you are backpacking in a foreign place by yourself. For the umpteenth time this trip, I marveled at the existence of so many other individuals who had paused their regular lives in order to explore the world.