La Falda=Spontaneity

Well well well! who knew I had it in me. It was after class around 4:30 when I was approached by Jessica, and Memo, saying "We're going to Cordoba to go hiking tomorrow night. Want to come? Give me 90 pesos and I will buy your bus ticket." So I did it. And I went. And it was great. Right before there was sort of a joint birthday party for me and my host brother augustine- the day went something like this: class at 8:30, siesta afterwards, shopping for snack food, pack up all my stuff, eat empanadas and cake, and then get on a bus to go get on another bus. Pictures here are my host mom and dad on the ends, and extended host family, and also Rachel, me and Jacyln who came over for cake and food. We hopped on the bus at midnight in the Retiro station, and our tickets said something like this
"Your bus should come in between terminals 35-45, it might be yellow or orange, and it could be either one of these companies." Welcome to South America. Anyways, we got on the bus, tried to go to sleep after singing happy birthday to Jess and sharing some Champagne and cake that Katie brought along, and hopped off the bus in Cordoba ten hours later. We spent the day there just sort of wandering around and buying things. 

This was when we still were nine- we ended with five. We started out with Dustin, Nick, Jaclyn, Matt, Jess, Katie, Dana, Memo, and myself. Jaclyn and Matt decided to go to Salta from Cordoba- and so we left them there and I haven't heard from them yet...haha. Anyways, so we spent the day us nine wandering around cordoba and we went into the catacombs and did some other things, but mostly just wandered and waited around for our bus which left in the evening. Pictures from Cordoba include some graffiti i find enlightening-"rocks here, rocks there, to trip is inevitable." Also jess talking about something- although i am not quite sure what. Continuing on, we got to La Falda, a nice woman showed us the way to a tourist information place, and we found a hostel. It was 22 pesos per person per night? Cheap beans is what that means. 

Anyways, we wake up the next morning, and poor dana didn't sleep because she was allergic to something in the hostel and sniffling away all night, decided to go home that day, so we went to go see the waterfalls (7 cascadas), which was an easy hike and very beautiful. We also ran into some ponies and they were cute. We checked out a cemetery up there too, it's amazing what you will find if you only start looking. Pictures here: beautiful argentine boy at the falls, and nick making friends with a pony.

That night we lost another one, Dana headed home, and that was that. We were down to 6. (9 students. One trip. Dirty hostels. Who will make it? Who will not? Can YOU handle LA FALDA? Tuesdays at 9. ::to be said in the voice of Don LaFontaine::) The next night Katie's friends came and took her out- and we simply went to bed. The next morning, Katie was not feeling well at all, so she did not climb up the mountain, and that is how we got down to 5. Her friends picked her up at the hostel and drove her back to BA. So- the climb. We decided it would be a good idea to walk around the mountain before we walked up it- and that made for a nice warm up that killed my legs. Then we went up. And it was hard but I did it and I have SO much respect for my mom for climbing the mountains of nepal holy moly. This incline was like a 45 degree angle the whole way and 2.5 hour hike, but we had wine and cheese at the top, and two dogs followed us all the way up! We named them laddy and old blue. Three more pictures here: Memo giving laddie some water, the crew celebrating the incline, and the view from the top, where everything was a bit lighter. Then, we hurried back on down the mountain, packed up our stuff from the hostel, and did the 12 hour bus ride home through the night. All in all I learned that spontaneity has its perks, especially when you're with a good crowd.

For a more complete look at pictures check out my facebook album. There's actually two. There you go.

Un Mes Despues

Translation: a month later. It also rhymes, just in case you didn't know.Let's see, what have I been doing lately? Well, Point number 1: Buenos Aires Pub Crawl. Probably the most borracha I have ever been in my life but also fun as all hell. We went around to four bars, and ended at a bariloche called LOST where we got to jump the line. Which was also very cool. However, I got lost at lost, and subsequently walked home. Probably better too, because I doubt I could have stayed on my feet for much longer. Before we started bar hopping we were promised "unlimited wine, beer, and pizza!" what this really meant is that we gathered in a plaza and had to fight tooth and nail for all of the above. Mostly pizza though, there was enough wine and beer to go around. At each bar we went to we got a free shooter, and somehow I managed to drink three shooters at each bar...and ended the night with a tequila shot...but it was a total blast...lots of dancing and plenty of good friends and good times. So: Buenos Aires Pub Crawl: highly recommended.



Traveling: I went to El Tigre, which is this little town where people live in stilt houses on the river. I love it. I positively adore getting out of the city. Who knew such a big place could be claustrophobic? Tigre was nice, but just a day trip- we took a boat tour around the river and saw all sorts of things. But in all reality I couldn't tell you much about it because the tour guide spoke in spanish and I understand nothing. Well, that's not true- but I find that listening and understanding spanish is actually physically exhausting. Listening to someone speak for an hour and a half and having to translate it in your head, is positively tiring. Entonces, I have to space out every now and then. And I was enjoying the river, so I didn't want to spoil it with being too tired. Pictures here are a little dock on the river and my friend Nick enjoying Mate on the boat ride, which is not, despite what you may believe, yogurt, crushed up bugs, drugs, or even slightly hallucinogenic. It's just funny tea.





Also: We went to Colonia for a day (which is in Uruguay by the way), and it was so beautiful and quiet and wonderful and I loved it. The end. I want to move there and have children there. I took some of my favorite pictures yet on this trip, and I felt like I was in a dream the entire time I was there. We started out the day with a walk around town, and them met up again to have lunch, and afterwards we went to the beach (a beach on the biggest river in the world, mind you), and relaxed there for awhile, and then walked back to town and had wine and cheese on the pier. Love Ruby's...but it had nothing in comparison to this. I also bought my mother's birthday present and an ashtray that looks like a foot that I adore. My host brother's girlfriend, Ro, also adores it and we both ash it in as a bonding activity. Wow, look at me making friends with ashtrays. Now that's talent. Pictures here: Me in front of a lighthouse-it was one of the first things I saw there and seemed like a good tourist opportunity. Also, a man on the rocky side of the beach...one of my favorites...the sandy beach, and sharing wine on the pier watching the sunset.

Here's a few more because I love them

I swear guys, I'll figure out html soon, or at least find a good template so my pictures are better organized for your viewing.

I love you all so much!  Thanks for reading and leaving love, makes my day.

MUAH.