Winter break (pt 1)

So here's a little more detail on my holiday.

I took an overnight coach to Posadas (look it up on google maps, you lazy buggers). I thought I'd booked the completely flat bed seats but unfortunately, I'd only booked 'cama' (meaning bed) which only go semi-flat, leaving you at a fifteen degree angle to the horizontal (approximately, don't quote me on that) so I had a night of broken sleep. However the food was good and I got there in one piece. I found a good hotel (third place I'd tried) and promptly showered and went to bed - you know what I'm like without sleep. Couple of hours later I was up and out. Now I had planned to explore Posadas on the Saturday and go out to some ruins on Sunday but truth is I was so tired (I'm talking deep down, bone tired) after a long term, doing the DELTA and having to move (into a flat I hate) that I couldn't find the impetus to do very much at all. I spent a lot of time just wandering around the 'city', sitting in cafes and reading my book - and that was both Saturday and Sunday. Once I had a good look at the map, I finally got my head around the geography and realised my original plans were daft.

A quick revision had me going across the river to Encarnacion in Paraguay. The guide books said I could catch the bus from the city but weren't that clear from where and everyone I asked (local tourist information and a copper) all said I would have to go back to the bus terminal and catch the bus from there. However, I kept wandering in the general area that I thought the bus should leave from until a saw a group of people waiting. Interestingly you can always tell when people are waiting for a bus (no matter what the country) and they all look in different directions and are disinterested in the people around them. Using my bestest bad Spanish I checked and this was the place. Hopped on the bus and away we went.

Because it's a border crossing, everyone has to get of the bus on the Argentine side of the bridge, go through emigration and show their documents, get back on the bus, be driven across the bridge to the Paraguayan side, get of the bus and go into Paraguay immigration. At this point the bus picks up any waiting passengers and pisses off! Luckily I knew this would happen and only needed to wait for the next bus (about ten minutes later).

The new driver was lovely and knew I wanted to get off at the bus terminal (I kind of thought that was where he was going but I wanted to be on the safe side so I told him). Unfortunately I was sitting right behind him, hidden by the plastic cubicle and he totally forgot about me. It was until we turned onto a dirt road that I became just a little concerned. I reminded him I was there and he was sooo embarrassed. At no time did I feel unsafe (and my danger radar is very good). Anyway he swept out the bus, turned around and dropped me off a block from the terminal - all the one way streets make it impossible for him to actually take me to the terminal. No problem - I found it, realised that there was no tourist information there and decided to find a hotel I'd seen on the way in. Of course, I went off in the wrong direction (if I say we HAVE to go left, believe me, we should go right). Eventually I found the hotel and booked in.

Again the plan was to stay a few nights and visit some ruins. Again the plan was changed. To find out what happened next, stay tuned for the next (not so) thrilling episode...

Winter Holiday

Well, I´m half way though my winter break. I´ve been to Posadas in North East Argentina and across the border to Paraguay. I stayed there in Encarnacion and went out to see the ruins of the Jesuit community at Trinidad. (I'll give you a link later on). A couple of days there was more than enough. Paraguay is a complete contrast to Argentina (or at least the part I´ve seen is). From there back to Posadas and onto San Ignacio where I wandered around another Jesuit ruin.

I could have gone onto Iguazu Falls but I couldn´t be bothered. I've picked up a bit of a chill and an upset tummy and I need to be back where things are familiar.

Despite this I've thoroughly enjoyed everything and I've been extremely lucky with accommodation. I´ll post photos when they´re developed.

Ciao wonderful beings!

What a weekend

What a weekend indeed!

I planned to get my hair cut and have a deep pampering facial (I´m getting a little spotty and I don´t like it). What I got instead was another bout of sinusitus - making the thought of anyone touching my head stomach turning.

However, I did go to the cinema to see Shrek III - better than Shrek II - and got a coughing fit right in the middle of Pinocchio´s desperate attempt not to tell a lie. Must see it again. That was Saturday. On Monday (Independence Day here) I went to the Fiera de Mataderos (Guacho Market) and bought bread, cheese and olives.

But the big news of Monday was that it snowed, here, in Buenos Aires. According to the meteorological office this was the first snowfall in BsAs for 89 years. The people went wild and it was the lead story on the news channels. People were interviewed by tv crews, saying how this was the first time they´d seen snow (except, of course, when they´d been skiing in Bariloche). People went outside with their cameras and phones and took pictures. People built snowmen (albeit the size of rubber ducks). Then it all stopped and everything went back to normal.

Ho hum...

Hello again...

Hello people

I know it´s been a while but not having the internet at home means I´ve got out of the habit of writing regularly.

So anyway, in the last couple of weeks I´ve been to see a play starring one of my collegues (and a fine time was had by all) and I´ve visited San Isidro (which is the town where the play was held but one to which I´ve only ever been to in the evening). Other than that I´ve been fighting the internet company trying to cancel the service that they´ve never provided and which they are charging me an arm and a leg for. I have cancelled (for the second time) so let´s hope it sticks this time. Only in Argentina could an internet company have no physical base and claim to have no record of telephone calls made, arrangements agreed and cancellations made. The company in question ARNET are a bunch of sleazy, lying, cheating, lazy rip-off merchants who deserve to go under, big time. Of course, this being Argentina, their behaviour is the norm here and the locals put up with it. There are reasons why this is a third-world country (albeit with first world pretentions) and the lack of ethics in doing business is one of them.

In a couple of week´s time, we have our winter holiday (remember my seasons are the opposite of yours) and I´ve just booked my ticket to Posadas in the Nort East of Argentina. I intend to spend the best part of two weeks travelling around the area. This was where the Jesuit missionaries settled and built huge towns a couple of centuries ago. I´ve been trying to research it but the info on the web is pretty dire (all Iguazu Falls and little else). I should be able to blog while I´m there so if you don´t hear from me before, check in at the end of July.

Ciao babies!