CJ´s Corner

Keren has been doing a wonderful job of documenting our travels. I will take a moment here to fill you in on a few of my own random thoughts on our time in Argentina. First, I better mention Esquel and El Bolson since Keren skipped over that in her last post.

Esquel was intended to be a stop in an authentic Argentinian town between the touristy but breathtaking beauty of Patagonia and the slightly less touristy but breathtaking (debateable) of the Lakes District. Esquel is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Quite simply, there is very little going on here and that is why it is not touristy. After a 23 hour busride, we were happy to find a hostel and fall into a blissful slumber. First, we had to eat. We wandered around and found all restaurants closed since it was New Years day (Felize Anos!) We found a poor excuse for an "Irish Pub" and had very bad pizza and beer before finding our beds. Apparently, all you need is Guiness behind the bar to be an Irish Pub. Upon waking, we soon realized that it was Sunday and there was even less open than the day before. We worked hard to get our basic tasks done: laundry, pharmacy, internet, food. After leaving Esquel, we decided that there was nothing that we really liked about the town. People were not particularly friendly or helpful. There were no vegetables to be found (our never-ending quest). The town was dirty and sprawly. There was good graffiti, that is one good thing. Pictures will follow. We will continue filling you in on our impressions of "authentic Argentina" outside of the tourist bubble. It is so hard to really get to know a country when you are there for such a short time but we are trying to get to the heart of Argentina as best we can.

After Esquel, El Bolson was a breath of fresh air. It is a beautiful little hippy town tucked in between two mountain ranges. It has a charming central plaza, a regular artisinal market, great hiking and is the center for artisinal beers in Argentina. Score! The only drawback is that our good luck with the weather changed. The clouds rolled in and we decided to move north earlier than we would have liked. However, our day in El Bolson was filled with tasty beers and good street food. The market was filled with innovative creations and featured a great live band that enchanted us with their flaminco rythms (not sure if it was flaminco but that is the closest that I could compare it to). We also had fun watching the dreadlocked Argentinian kids wearing brightly colored hammer-pants frolick with Mate in hand. Would have loved to spend more time in this charming little place. Perhaps next time.

Other random thoughts before I go:
-Keren is a rock star. We have been doing some very hard treking and she is doing very well despite some bad health luck. You should all be proud. She will probably be a mountain woman by the time she returns. You have all been warned.

-The eating schedule here is wacky. Wake up at around 8 and eat white bread, jam. Drink coffee or Yerbe Mate. At around 1-2 eat lunch, usually white bread, ham and cheese. Drink Yerbe Mate. Nap. At around 9pm eat dinner, usually steak, pasta or pizza. Drink Yerbe Mate. Drink lots of wine and beer. Go to sleep at around 2 or 3. Repeat.
We have not adjusted.

-School kids all hike in the summer. We have passed more teenage Argentinians on the trails than anyone else. They are everywhere.

-My Spanish is improving but is still very bad. Keren´s is much better. Learn Spanish before you come. It helps tremendously.

-We have met more German tourists than anyone else. Apparently they love to come here.

-Argentinian style in the south reminds me of the 90s. Lots of mullets, fanny packs, floresent colors and high-tops.

-We will be seeking out more local music from here on out. It is really amazing and I crave more. Local music and vegetables!

More to come. xoxo CJ