tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289454172024-03-08T00:33:19.263-08:00Corporate whore no more!Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-65980258433749297642009-03-05T07:48:00.001-08:002009-03-10T15:54:19.192-07:00So what?So I've spent the better part of a year and a half abroad. I'm working again in Omaha, waiting tables at a cool Italian place near my parents' house. What do I have to show for the last 18 months? Plenty<br /><br /><br />--I visited five countries: New Zealand, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Argentina, Uruguay and Panama<br /><br />--I developed a taste for foods that I would never have touched just a few years ago. <br /><br />--I made friends from all over the world, more than 50 countries. I still keep in touch with many of them.<br /><br />--I have learned to not sweat the small stuff. I could have gotten quite distraught when I lost my wallet, shoes or camera case, but focusing on all I had going for me was better use of my time.<br /><br />--Going into my trip, I was pretty self sufficient (don't you have to be to embark on a solo trip abroad?). But traveling, especially in China, has taken that to a whole new level. <br /><br />--Building off the last item, I've really had to put my problem-solving skills to work. How do you get to a place, about which you only know its name, without any information about it and no one whom you can fluently speak to about it? <br /><br />--I've seen some beautiful sights, including a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites: Iguazu Falls and Glaciers National Park in Argentina; Northwest Yunnan Province, the Great Wall, terra-cotta warriors and many others in China; Fiordland and Tongariro Park in New Zealand; the historic old city of Panama City. All amazing.<br /><br /><br /><br />These are just a few of the things that have made this adventure totally worthwhile for me. <br /><br />I have been giving a lot of thought lately about what I've enjoyed most during my time away. I hope to share my favorite moments and experiences here soon.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-23265783265835167542009-02-14T14:15:00.000-08:002009-02-14T14:16:59.858-08:00Panama CanalThe canal was cool, though I only was able to see the last two boats of the morning. It would have been several hours before anything else passed through this set of locks (one of three sets in the 80-km canal).<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/P-9DSJpXNeaR1dlkGRoUZw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SZcy6iqAqgI/AAAAAAAACJ0/ETHh-f8Sss0/s400/IMG_4068.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Panama?feat=embedwebsite">panama</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ODYlTAsXHI04P1P6mKkO0w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SZcy9wePTVI/AAAAAAAACJ8/4c5IYTq2wE8/s400/IMG_4069.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Panama?feat=embedwebsite">panama</a></td></tr></table>Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-27273728859431593952009-02-10T09:46:00.000-08:002009-02-10T09:58:26.602-08:00PanamaWhat an interesting week it´s been. I am now back in Panama City, after spending the last several days along the northern coast of the country. This post stands between me watching the latest episode of LOST, so it´s gonna be short. Sorry.<br /><br />Brandon and Ashley very kindly let me stay with them for four nights in their three-bedroom house in Playa Chiquita. I haven't seen them since their wedding in June, 2007, so it was great to visit them. <br /><br />Their village is a two-mile walk from the nearest bus stop, unless you´re lucky enough to catch a ride (didn´t on the way, but managed one leaving). The walk includes fording a river that´s about a foot or so deep. We spent half the walk in the dark, eager to get back that evening, rather than spend the night in a neighboring town.<br /><br />The village is quite small...about 50 people. There are more now that school is out for the ¨summer¨ (non-rainy season). And even though it´s supposedly the non-rainy season, we got lots of rain. Unfortunately, I didn´t enjoy a nice day until after I left their town. The wind was fierce: it nearly tore part of a neighbor's roof off one night. We also lost electricity for about 48 hours. I came back on just in time--our ipods were dead and their laptop didn´t have enough power for us to watch any DVDs. We spent much of the time playing cards, Scrabble and the like.<br /><br />The entrance of the village<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gsRCRBei7cMlADo_QUCgDQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SZG87ooLZNI/AAAAAAAACJI/E0hsDMLcklw/s400/IMG_4040.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Panama?feat=embedwebsite">panama</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Part of the town.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TTPvnAq8pDXQL41BeBRS1w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SZG86l7_5RI/AAAAAAAACI4/lo-vpq1ADPE/s400/IMG_4037.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Panama?feat=embedwebsite">panama</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />Their house<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_f2Q0v7gra5pD2sT-v8Tog?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SZG87eiga2I/AAAAAAAACJA/IXBKBXWlvsQ/s400/IMG_4038.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Panama?feat=embedwebsite">panama</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><br />We attempted to see a major cultural event on Saturday night in a neighboring town. Congo dancing is very big this time of year, in anticipation of Carnaval. That night was particularly big, as they were crowning the local Carnaval queen. But it got going so late that we gave up and went to bed. Disappointed.<br /><br />I spent the last two nights on Isla Grande, just off the coast. This island is a popular day trip for locals to go to the beach. It's fairly minimally equipped, with just a handful of restaurants and lodgings. It was nice to relax, read and enjoy some very nice weather, save a few showers.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AI1CeoORz6Xbt_1WCD4erQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SZG871uWIhI/AAAAAAAACJQ/JrOb6LdaeOU/s400/IMG_4052.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Panama?feat=embedwebsite">panama</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Anyway, I´m back in Panama City now and have one night here (and a half, i guess--I leave at 3 am thursday morning). I´ll check out a bit of the town and see the locks tomorrow. I am looking forward to getting home and freezing my ass off. OK, the last part´s a lie. But it will be good to see everyone again. I will post some recapping-type stuff soon and probably some unpublished photos as well. Adios!Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-39471237390584117932009-02-02T18:03:00.000-08:002009-02-02T18:06:23.316-08:00One last stopI arrived this evening in Panama City, a seven-hour flight from Buenos Aires. Aside from about five minutes of pretty violent turbulence, it was a pleasant trip. My high school friend Brandon and his wife, Ashley, are here on a two-year post with the Peace Corps. They're stationed in a beach town north of the capital, so I will be doing a lot of bumming around the next week. And of course, I'll hit up the famous canal. Won't be any updates until I leave, I think, because they don't have Internet access in town. But I'll be sure to give a good update next week. More then.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-74854032788865705802009-01-30T09:15:00.000-08:002009-01-30T09:21:00.605-08:00Que malo tiempo!Weather once again ruined my carefully (haphazardly) made plans. I stayed in Montevideo two days longer than I intended, which left me only one day for beachgoing. That particular day was mostly spent inside, avoiding the unrelentless rain and 30 mph winds. Oh joy.<br /><br />The town, Punta del Diablo, was interesting though. Its single paved road is just the one that leads away. Everything else is dirt and sand. The lifestyle is so lazy, I got impatient (this coming from someone who´s done as little as possible for the last two months). No one is in a hurry and no one likes to work. People are happy to live in povery as long as they can smoke pot and surf.<br /><br />Anyway, back in Buenos Aires. Rainy here today as well. But the weekend is supposed to be sunny, so it should be a nice ending to my time down here. Looking very much forward to my pitstop, which begins Monday. I should be enjoying some nice beach time in the next week and a half.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-919181392573975972009-01-27T04:41:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:47:08.885-08:00What´s leftI will be back in Omaha in 16 days: Feb. 12. There´s still a lot to do between now and then.<br /><br />I´m heading along the Uruguayan coast to the east today. Gonna stay on the beach. Friday, it´s back to Buenos Aires for one last weekend. I plan to enjoy a beautiful steak one last time.<br /><br />The on Monday... Well, once again, I´m not at liberty to say. I have one last country to visit before I make it back stateside. I have a good reason for going there as well; not so random as Argentina from China. I´ll let you know that it is in the Americas. It´s somewhere I´ve never been. And it´s meant to be quite the up-and-coming destination.<br /><br />It´s not Costa Rica.<br /><br />You´ll find out soon enough, anyway.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-36997215626441520042009-01-23T05:25:00.000-08:002009-01-23T05:49:59.355-08:00ItchingTruth be told, I´m looking forward to going back to the States. Time and again, I´ve been told how jealous people are of my travels. It´s been a blast. However, I´m jealous of them, too. Things like a private bedroom, decent knives and good friendships are hard to go without for so long. <br /><br />I´ve spent all but two months of the last 17 sleeping in shared spaces. It gets hard. It´s nice to be able to throw your clothes and stuff around--stuffing it back into a backpack day after day becomes tiresome. And of course there´s the snoring, late-night returns by drunk bar hoppers, early morning departers who couldn´t bother to pack the night before and countless other annoyances. Just last night, some dude threatened to kick my ass because I insisted he turn off the light at god knows what hour of the morning. Unreal.<br /><br />Hostel kitchens run the gammut. Some are absolutely abysmal, with handleless pans and knives that haven´t been sharpened since they were purchased 10 years ago. Some are quite good, with multiple stovetops and all variety of cooking implements (the one where I lived in Wellington was fantastic). I like to cook my own food, but usually I can´t be bothered. It´s a hassle. You have to hope someone left some oil or oregano, or you need to buy these type of ingredients, which you´ll leave or have to carry with you. Ultimately, this leads to really bad eating habits. The number of times I ate noodle soup in China and empanadas in Argentina would make a nutritionist cringe.<br /><br />And finally, the social life on the road. For a long time, it was cool to meet people from all over the world. I´ve met folks from all range of nations. Ireland, Iran and India. Australia, Argentina and Austria. Iceland, South Africa, Estonia, Singapore, Indonesia, Colombia, Italy. The list goes on into the 40s or 50s, I´m sure. But these "friendships" are temporary and superficial. They´re more like drinking buddies than friends. And every day, it´s the same conversation, with new people: Where you from? How long are you traveling for? Where have you been so far? You don´t even ask eachother´s names until about three beers in, and you won´t remember it. This daily ritual has taken its toll on me. I don´t give a shit where you´ve been in South America. And of course, there´s all the stupid storytelling and oneupsmanship: <br /><br />"And then to get from Lima to Cuzco, we had to take a 10-hour bus ride, but the bus broke down so it ended up taking 12." <br /><br />"Oh yea? well, I took a 50-hour bus ride in Bolivia, and we had to get out and push the bus the last 10 kilometers."<br /><br />Just whip em out guys; I´ll go get the ruler.<br /><br />Once in awhile though, you´ll stay in a place for a bit longer and some other folks will too. You get past the superficial chat and get to know eachother. I have made some good friends on this trip, whom I keep in touch with on Facebook. But generally, it´s the same day after day after day.<br /><br />It´s been fun. It´s been enlightening. It´s been challenging. But it´s been a long time, and I´m ready to bring some consistency to my life once again.<br /><br />But hopefully not in a cubicle.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-37436710091834349562009-01-23T05:16:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:27.915-08:00MontevideoIt´s always fun to go to a new country. Passport stamp, new money, different culture. Uruguay isn´t terribly different from Argentina though, in many respects. Food´s quite similar. Language also is similar. It´s small, though. Buenos Aires has a bigger population than the whole country. Montevideo is cool. Very European, like Buenos Aires. A bit worn down. Some beautiful architecture:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9anT6JcsMlBolsIkS4G5Yg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXnCoGyM5TI/AAAAAAAACIA/24eL8E3tl2M/s400/IMG_4026.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I don´t know why they put that godawful antenna on top, though. And for every nice building like that, there is one of these eyesores:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/h4NCXFDiVxYqcKVP37Tyfw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXnCo5aG6yI/AAAAAAAACII/WZNJD7iGAcg/s400/IMG_4027.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I have two more nights here in Montevideo, then I will check out a few other spots in the country, probably along the coast. <br /><br /><br />And how about a random photo? In Montevideo, and in a few Argentine cities, the recycling program looks like this:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fCspKkNo6GxFfNqANuu9ew?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXnCpOol_wI/AAAAAAAACIQ/3wQ6HXO5Q94/s400/IMG_4028.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />The city´s poor patrol the streets, digging through trash in search of bottles, cardboard and other goodies to cash in for $$.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-10262327389193164972009-01-19T05:56:00.001-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.003-08:00ProgressA map of my travels through the country:<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&s=AARTsJotVMplEvKs31Mktewg7NYJT_HhzQ&msa=0&msid=104452136399973706335.000460d5f8066e1e25608&ll=-27.371767,-62.578125&spn=53.132124,74.707031&z=3&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104452136399973706335.000460d5f8066e1e25608&ll=-27.371767,-62.578125&spn=53.132124,74.707031&z=3&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-73754334951658563502009-01-19T05:42:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.003-08:00On the wild sideYou´d have to go to a zoo to see a larger variety of animals than I saw yesterday. Guanacos (type of llama), rheas (small ostrich-like bird), sea lions, elephant seals, grey wolf, oversized rabbit-thing, armadillos, magellanic penguins and all sorts of other birds were on the menu.<br /><br />The trip started with a two-hour cruise along the coast to see some sea lion (sea wolf--lobo marino--in Spanish) colonies. Next stop was a bit of snorkeling (sorry no photos) in the chilly water. We had wet suits, so it wasn´t so bad, but there wasn´t much to see, thanks, in part, to recent storms, which made the water green and murky.<br /><br />Once ashore, we had a stop at a small penguin colony. I´ve seen wild penguins before, but never in such numbers. The small colony had hundreds of birds. Apparently there is a bigger one south with thousands. The chicks were molting their fluffy feathers, revealing a coat like their parents´. Soon they´ll be hitting the water.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/W7ZHak4uobRyBJuHGaoniw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXSAOpQXs0I/AAAAAAAACHU/BsGVN-XgHxE/s400/IMG_4005.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />After that was a visit with the elephant seals. There were only a few dozen on the beach. These non-mating males were simply molting their fur before they migrated--as much as 11,000 kilometers away. The females and the ¨beachmaster¨ males were gone, as they had each lost a lot of weight during the birthing and mating season and needed to eat up.<br /><br />More exciting was a large sea lion colony. It was quite interesting: a female gives birth to one pup and can soon thereafter mate again. This cycle happens every year. So there were dozens, if not hundreds, of new pups--some born within the hour. You could tell this, because there were tons of sea birds swooping in to eat bits of the placentas. Yum!<br /><br />The bulls were each minding their harems, with frequent fights and showmanship to ensure no one encroaches on their territory. In this video, you see what happens with a womanless bull decides to run right through a couple harems.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BQeGlnVaTUc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BQeGlnVaTUc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Very sorry to not have more photos. So much of what we saw was at a bit of a distance, as we were in a protected area. But this guy didn´t hesitate to scurry right through the parking lot.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n90m5c1bWokHuJzqvvPpRA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXSAPRX-btI/AAAAAAAACHc/u237FlsGJ_4/s400/IMG_4017.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><br />Off to the north today and Uruguay tomorrow, if all goes as planned.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-42437248217835834952009-01-17T09:39:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.004-08:00Let´s play catchupNow that I´m finally back in civilization (well, sort of. I´m still in a small town and surrounded by absolutely nothing on one side and the ocean on the other), I can finally provide a much-needed update to the happenings of the last week.<br /><br /><br /><strong>By the numbers</strong><br /><br />--Number of hours spent on buses in the last week: 50<br />--Kilometers traveled: Approx. 3,000 (about 2000 miles)<br /><br /><strong>Bariloche</strong><br /><br />Bariloche is beautiful. It sits near the Andes, on Lake Nahuel Huapi. It´s surrounded by mountains. I enjoyed excellent views, a great 25 km bike ride and the best ice cream in the world--lots of it.<br /><br />The scenery:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nt4mC0DEf1LA2VTaQz2GLA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXIWXoDwSRI/AAAAAAAACGI/w4wHTI6TCqU/s400/IMG_3928.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />The deliciousness:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4vYfGj8LWDQRL95bQhyDLg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXIWYIh90yI/AAAAAAAACGQ/17WEGhGhwME/s400/IMG_3942.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><strong>Across Patagonia</strong><br /><br />The southern chunk of Argentina is known as Patagonia. I don´t know what I expected, but I don´t think this was it. It´s barren. It´s flat. It goes on forEVER. There is so little life out here, the rare service station can charge 25 bucks a gallon for gas and $8.50 for a bottle of coke (or could if then wanted to).<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ck7l7htrnjvx9eAbUDVqNg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXIWZH_fL7I/AAAAAAAACGg/1MMFbxevYto/s400/IMG_3951.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />No trees. Lots of ugly bushes. Some sheep. A few ostrich-type birds and some llamas. If the sheep are scared in Montana, they´re used to it here.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Getting around</strong><br /><br />Never have I traveled so well. There are several classes of bus available to travelers in Argentina. Semi cama (cama=bed) provides seats much like the economy seats in an airplane, except they recline further. Upgrade to coche cama for just a few dollars more and you have a business-class seat that reclines quite far. They´re only three across, and a hot meal and booze is included on the better fleets. I have not enjoyed the luxury of ¨cama total¨, which is a seat that folds into a flat bed.<br /><br />The buses are, more often than not, of the double-decker variety. <br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Byu-bG3Alg-k2m2mN2zlVA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXIWY0Gw33I/AAAAAAAACGY/v83bXYAQR98/s400/IMG_3943.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />And a view of coche cama:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OQZtfwC7WezRTNMrvcsB1A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNHZhR4fAI/AAAAAAAACDY/a5NvPP6sZ2Y/s400/IMG_3817.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Greyhound needs to get its shit together.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Brr</strong><br /><br />I experienced the coldest weather in nearly two years these last few days. I was in the deep, deep south of the country. So far south that the sky wasn´t totally dark until after 11 p.m. Why put up with such torture? To see the Perito Moreno glacier. Worth it? Yes, definitely, despite going on a horribly rainy and cloudy day.<br /><br />The glacier is massive. Something like 20 miles long. It´s three miles wide at the bottom (I had to look that number up, and I couldn´t believe it--this thing´s huge!) It advances at about two meters a day, with about that much breaking off into the lake. We could hear the ice groan and pop as it moved forward, and huge exploding noises as chunks of ice crashed into the water. It was absolutely awe-inspiring, despite the horrible weather.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vE9DLj4ZiajTwnlNucMoFQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXIWymMbM8I/AAAAAAAACGs/thCZjlM56oI/s400/IMG_3969.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />The section you see here is well over a mile long, along the water:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/l38LV2W2dki5neZKSRRmkw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SXIWzNiucQI/AAAAAAAACG0/XEUJSbaSkjU/s800/IMG_3972.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Today I´m in Puerto Madryn, on the east coast of the country. My hostel is seconds from the water. Tomorrow, I intend to go check out some wild life on the Peninsula Valdes, which is a protected area. After that, its up north and over to Uruguay. <br /><br />Stay tuned for more about my stop on the way back home!Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-50554051338977225532009-01-12T05:40:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.004-08:00Snail´s paceProper updates will have to wait for a few more days it seems. Here in Bariloche, which is Argentina´s equivalent of NZ´s <a href="http://www.corporatewhorenomore.com/2007/10/sensory-overload.html">Queenstown</a>, the Internet is absolutely dragging ass. The town is packed with tourists from all over the country, as well as plenty of backpackers.<br /><br />I´m off to the far south on Tuesday to see the Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate. Apparently it moves up to a couple meters each day, causing huge chunks to break off into the adjacent lake.<br /><br />After that, I think I´m heading to the east coast for a few days and then quite possibly into Uruguay for about 10 days. These plans change daily, so I could be up to just about anything by the time I update this again.<br /><br />Regardless, I´m leaving South America on Feb. 2 and making a nine-day pitstop on my way back to Omaha...somewhere outside the states.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-3712283111584313262009-01-06T04:06:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.004-08:00Iguazu FallsI have seen some amazing natural wonders in New Zealand. Milford Sound and the mountains around Lake Wakatipu come to mind. And in China I enjoyed some fantastic views from atop mountains and the beautiful karst structures in Guangxi Province.<br /><br />But Iguazu Falls may very well top all of these.<br /><br />It´s one of those things that you ¨have¨ to see in Argentina, let alone South America. The falls are in the northeast part of the country and share a border with Brazil. They stretch wider than Niagara, and stand higher too. The falls (cataratas en español) are actually 275 distinct waterfalls. Don´t confuse this with Venezuela´s uber-tall Angel Falls. And if you´ve seen the latest Indiana Jones movie, these are the falls you see at the end when the spaceship thing leaves.<br /><br />And now, I present you with some of the greatest eye candy ever featured on this blog.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2LWCzok97uXnG5Q4htScJA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNHZzJ0KcI/AAAAAAAACDg/GeVj4ST98Fo/s800/IMG_3837.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EWPy87ELFq-hOrlJVmGPWw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNHasSX7xI/AAAAAAAACDo/rPcXFy74ioA/s400/IMG_3842.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TfvsAniSMCRWQeFdJsMvnQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNHb7F-NzI/AAAAAAAACD4/IsyO5ttI4hY/s800/IMG_3877.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CJ_6vSnbQ9y_RuPFBFet4A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNH4-Bpu2I/AAAAAAAACEE/SRJEEQdIAoI/s400/IMG_3879.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wiWigyhSAFwzCl31WmegIw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNH5XDT3aI/AAAAAAAACEM/Uge9Kg1zlQk/s800/IMG_3888.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />A long-distance view of Garganta del Diable, or Devil´s throat, the falls´ most impressive section.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rD-GtJvX6Lrhpqo5rArnLA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNHbh0UpMI/AAAAAAAACDw/Y-6Yt79hqVY/s800/IMG_3854.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />A view from atop Garganta del Diable. The Argentine-Brazilian border runs right through these falls.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CP557RmPQEXElSc-8XogpA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SWNH56Q3dnI/AAAAAAAACEU/cUuCsy91b5E/s400/IMG_3902.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />And since that hardly does this view justice, here´s a video that shows the power of the falls.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NPzyhjnBUOI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NPzyhjnBUOI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />And lastly, a video of a different section of the falls.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J3O7EUpBeOk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J3O7EUpBeOk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />I´m back in BA for another night, then on to Bariloche in the south tomorrow. I´ve got about 3 1/2 weeks to explore some of the south, before I depart Argentina in early February.<br /><br />And I´ve got another mystery stop on my way to Omaha.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-42133138761301948822008-12-29T15:47:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.004-08:00National Flag MonumentMy camera doesn´t take very good night shots, but I thought this one turned out quite well.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7_g5_yxanEfnymoO3Ov9BA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SVlhbVdEzmI/AAAAAAAACC4/SVfQPVn9-SA/s400/IMG_3810.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />This was the site where the original Argentine flag was flown. The flame is in dedication to all the dead Argentine soldiers. And beneath the pillared part of the monument is a cool museum with flags from every member of the Organization of American States, as well as soil from most of them. There´s also a tower, which you can see in the background. You can get to the top via elevator.<br /><br />Off to Buenos Aires in the morning.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-30044486260255943892008-12-29T06:55:00.001-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.005-08:00A note about hostels in ArgentinaArgentina has provided, by far, the best hostel experiences I´ve ever had. The level of services is far above those you typically find in China and New Zealand (which does have some great hostels).<br /><br />As a rule, you get:<br /><br />-breakfast included<br />-free Internet<br />-free wifi<br />-lots of help with travel arrangements<br /><br />They also clean like mad. The hostel in BA where I´m staying again for New Year´s festivities has a cleaning staff that works throughout the day. It´s great.<br /><br />And speaking of wifi...it´s EVERYWHERE. I´d say 75 percent of cafes provide it. You can find it at malls and at bus stations. There´s a public square here in Rosario that provides Internet access. Amazing.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-8008151904126034362008-12-26T09:46:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.005-08:00Felizes fiestasWhew. The fun never stops in Córdoba... We had a huge dinner on Christmas eve... sushi, beef, rabbit paella and more. Plus lots and lots and lots of champagne. Some great people have been staying at this hostel. We did secret Santa (Papá Noel invisible) and watched fireworks in the street. I present to you the following photographic evidence of said fun night. I´ll let you make up captions for them and try to fill in the gaps. <br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/puDT_Wti1XB5lP8JDm8cLA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SVUXCK-CpXI/AAAAAAAACB0/Kd3eS2HqLSY/s400/IMG_3755.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WjMDvZKqfzK39PIqHG62Iw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SVUXEJhoUMI/AAAAAAAACCU/lDKrApvQFKQ/s400/IMG_3768.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QafQ6-9vyrvbqrdeRD5gEQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SVUXCiKkF_I/AAAAAAAACB8/4VvQ36VkL0Y/s400/IMG_3764.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WKi9zpdYtdFhddpNmCqnOQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SVUXDVfXHhI/AAAAAAAACCE/CPP1_3ctP-g/s400/IMG_3762.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RHTUcHQUCTFQmNs4ZMoC7w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SVUXDrsJUfI/AAAAAAAACCM/Mmr_OHlQCdo/s400/IMG_3773.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table>Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-41183499935487424612008-12-23T07:02:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.005-08:00At least it´s not snowingWe´ve had a lot of rain lately. Rained last night. Rained during the day. Rained in Mendoza last week and flooded the street.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9rPCYyr_vGV1_NoLilOnWA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu83QjuZUI/AAAAAAAACAg/JMYaxXVf4GI/s400/IMG_3730.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />There was a good two inches of water in the street. Apparently, when it rains a lot, the entire city floods. Since it´s technically in the desert, they´ve installed a citywide irrigation system along the streets. Without that to take a lot of the water, it would have been quite ugly.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Futbol</span><br /><br />I caught another football game last week before I left Buenos Aires. The last game of the season for the Boca Juniors. They won, which put them in a three-way tie for champion of the league. Tonight´s the final match of a three-game playoff of sorts ot identify which of the three takes the crown.<br /><br />I had a much better seat at the last game. I could actually see the rest of the stadium.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nNW7kV300jhK1AwNrpL5fA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu8if0WSNI/AAAAAAAACAM/vrj0hgTstl8/s400/IMG_3686.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />And in case you didn´t understand it before, security really is a big deal.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tSr1u6ocwAr9mWMGsRzAKw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu8hzy-iPI/AAAAAAAACAE/WEoz6ThFFyE/s400/IMG_3675.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Grape juice</span><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0xv4YJdmt1z74Wi_r95Kuw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu8ir3IGPI/AAAAAAAACAU/SnK_78G1GaU/s400/IMG_3710.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Mendoza is the country´s main wine region. To enjoy what the area has to offer, it´s popular to hop on a bike and tour some vineyards. With the help of Mr. Hugo, several of us grabbed bikes and pedaled from site to site. We visited three vineyards, a chocolate/liquour factory and an olive plantation. Upon returning to Mr. Hugo´s, we were treated to bottle after bottle of local wine--all included in his 25-peso fee.<br /><br /><br />Now I´m in Córdoba, the nation´s second-largest city. I´ll spend Christmas here--there´s some great folks staying at the hostel. I´ll be back in BA for New Year´s festivities. Sounds like I´m going to spend the evening with some folks who work at my hostel there--a good group of locals.<br /><br />More soon.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-19374239368073665382008-12-19T07:46:00.001-08:002009-01-27T04:48:03.005-08:00How is anyone here skinny?Argentine cuisine isn´t exactly world-renowned, but it is quite good. Obviously, the country is known for its beef (I can confirm that this is for good reason). But there´s plenty more to eat here than a thick juicy steak. Including the ginormous amounts of beef, the diet here is horrendous. Vegetables here typically include potatoes (fried or mashed), plain lettuce, tomatoes, onions and sometimes mashed pumpkin. Lots of breads--all refined grain, of course. I´ll be going into seclusion when I return, while I burn off a few extra pounds. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Beef: It´s what´s for dinner (and lunch)</strong><br /><br />First, a few words on the steak. They really do eat tons of it. I ate the best steak of my life in Buenos Aires. A tenderloin (bife de lomo). Juicy. HUGE. Less than US$10. And I´ve had several decent steaks for even less than that. Argentines love an asado, or barbecue. They lay out every part of the cow across the parilla (grill).<br /><br />This was an asado at the hostel where I stayed in BA. You can see short ribes on the left, with chinchulines (small intestines) in front of them (yes I tried them...crunchy on the outside; pastey on the inside). Chorizos are in the middle, with some morcilla, or blood sausage, in front of them. And to the right, we´ve got a couple kidneys. They taste like beef, but are pretty fatty. And the bife de chorizo (sirloin) isn´t even on the grill yet.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hEzHRvmzyAFI4nT4ZW9ElA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu7ybKOn-I/AAAAAAAAB_o/twi23Qa3U7s/s400/IMG_3668.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Italians at heart</strong><br /><br />There´s lots of italian blood in Argentina. BA even has a local slang based on Italian words. And so there´s lots of pizza and pasta. Quite popular is the basic pizza de muzzarella, usually topped with oregano and a few olives. The pizza below cost me 10 pesos, or three bucks.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ADGDkl5nA8G35Zcj23ABNw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu7vZC02HI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/LCMeri6KyjI/s400/IMG_3610.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />And there´s a boatload of pasta, typically made fresh at the restaurant. You pick your pasta (spaghettis, raviolis and ñoquis are the most popular) and then your sauce (tomato, bolognese, pesto, cheese, etc). Delicious.<br /><br />My favorite, ñoquis (gnocchi in Italian; they´re potato dumplings) with pesto sauce. It´s almost gone for a reason<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-cDbruBRi1tSirs3ev2zEA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu7u_NZzBI/AAAAAAAAB_I/6eg_fMrF2TY/s400/IMG_3609.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Snacks</strong><br /><br />In order to make it from a 1:30 lunch to dinner at 10:30, you often need a snack. I often substitute these snacks for a lunch, as they´re cheaper by far.<br /><br />Empanadas are dynamite. Little pastries filled with ground beef, ham and cheese or any number of other combinations, it´s a mission for me to find the best. A day without an empanada is a sad one indeed. My favorite is caprese--mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-be711khAYdNwqVcVybahw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUu7w9D558I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/DdHo-6BwVrs/s400/IMG_3638.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina?feat=embedwebsite">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />Choripan also is a great snack. The name comes from the ingredients: chorizo and pan, or bread. And this brings me to something very important, as you must must must top your choripan with<br /><br />CHIMICHURI. Slather it on everything from the obligatory rolls to your steak and sandwiches. It´s oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic and usually some chili, depending on the recipe. Awesome.<br /><br />Argentines also like a sandwich. Quite common is a simple tostada, a white-bread sandwich with ham and cheese, grilled.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Breakfast</strong><br /><br />Breakfast is simple, and it´s also, as a rule, included with your hostel stay. Coffee--usually cafe con leche--and medialunas (literally "half moons." Croissants). Smear some dulce de leche, a creamier version of caramel, on your croissants and you´re having desayuno Argentine style.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Dessert</strong><br /><br />Of course there´s flan. Of course there´s tirimasu. But why would I waste my time on those when there´s gelato (known here as helado)?? For as little as US$1.50, you can have a small cone piled high with four inches of ice cream. Popular flavors are dulce de leche, a variety of chocolates and fruits. Get at least two flavors to do it right. Like empanadas, I enjoy an helado more often than I should.<br /><br /><br />I haven´t eaten this well so regularly in my life. Are you drooling yet? Want to come join me?<br /><br />Now I have to go decide which of these treats is going to be my lunch!Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-24380378317473274982008-12-11T13:11:00.000-08:002008-12-19T06:59:43.564-08:00Segunda semanaI decided, pretty much on a whim, to take a Spanish class for a couple weeks. It´s been good to have somewhere structured to practice, but we´re studying things at quite a high level (I tested into level five of nine)--verb tenses that I don´t exactly need to use in basic conversation. Some have no exact equivalent in English. But tomorrow is my last class.<br /><br />Just a couple quick updates for youse all...<br /><br />Last Saturday, I went a little way north of BA to Tigre. It was a nice change from the loud city. It lies on the Plate river delta. We took a water taxi through the rivers and canals, passing many rowing clubs on the way, to an Island with no cars. Very nice break from the city.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MSedJRzOTlPNUP4aABIyFQ"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUGCFu-FNuI/AAAAAAAAB90/INEoMzJvNj8/s400/IMG_3643.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vRP0pxAnBpc3ezA0-H3aUQ"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUGCGKhLenI/AAAAAAAAB98/Ar1shWK9PTU/s400/IMG_3647.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I´ve spent a lot of time just relaxing on the hostel´s roof, enjoying a Quilmes beer and conversation--in English and Spanish--with my fellow travelers. I´ve made quite a few good friends since I´ve been here.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PnRuG1kfVI0V4Ao9gHsYHw"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUGCG7IUKLI/AAAAAAAAB-E/lz-MpMMe488/s400/IMG_3651.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I also went to a market on Sunday--a huge market. I will get photos this Sunday. Quite cool. It was a holiday weekend so there were lots of other small events going on, including a concert by a brass band in the Plaza de Mayo, where the goverment offices sit. They played such standards as CCR´s Green River and a Madonna medley (she was in town for a series of show).<br /><br /><br />Lastly, I know you all wanted to see what my foot looks like, post glass incident. Here it is mostly healed. I had already taken one stitch out.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Q5VVYcxr2TxjHlIB-3Uyug"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/SUGCHT26rOI/AAAAAAAAB-M/w4M0ObxXodQ/s400/IMG_3664.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I´m in town until Monday, I think. I´m going to head off to the northwest and see Cordoba, Argetina´s second-largest city, and Mendoza, the country´s chief wine-growing region, and probably another stop or two. Then it´s back to BA for New Year´s and after that, onto the south of the country, where I´ll see glaciers, lakes, mountains and maybe even visit the world´s southernmost city.<br /><br />But before I jet, I´m going to catch the last Boca Juniors game of the season on Sunday. Bound to be a blast!Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-63009771331654396172008-12-04T08:11:00.001-08:002008-12-19T06:59:43.565-08:00No hay cambioGetting change in Buenos Aires often is a hectic procedure. <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2205635/">An article</a> from one of my favorite news sources, Slate online magazine, discusses the issue, noting that there seems to be a shortage of coins, particularly one-peso coins, or monedas. It´s also quite difficult to get a five-peso note.<br /><br />Some examples:<br /><br />I dropped my laundry off for washing today. It costs 15 pesos. Unfortunately, I only had a hundred-peso note (since I´m getting charged $2.50 every time I take out cash, I take out several hundred pesos a go. ATMs here do distribute 10s and 20s, so i´ll usually take out something like 490 pesos.) Of course there was no change, but he said I could pay later. Eventually, I tracked down a 50 and five 10s. Even still, he didn´t have a five to give me as change. Hopefully I can get some change when I pay for my Internet time.<br /><br />I bought some clothes the other day. The total was about 55 pesos, and I presented another hundie. It took the woman several minutes to track down the correct change.<br /><br />Lastly, I have a pocket of five- and 10-centavo coins because 25 and 50 coins also are relatively hard to come by.<br /><br />The article really nails the situation on the head, and offers some explanations. It´s a very interesting read.<br /><br /><br />Now can anyone break my 50?Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-4228344427398376852008-12-01T05:27:00.000-08:002008-12-19T06:59:43.566-08:00La primera semanaLots of great food, a football match and a trip to the hospital (via ambulance, no less)...what an exciting first week in Buenos Aires. I hope you´ll forgive me for the delay in my first post from this amazing city, but I have been a busy guy.<br /><br />Buenos Aires is a great city. It feels very European--lots of wide boulevards and plazas and cafes. It has dozens of distinct barrios, or neighborhoods. Each has a unique character. I´m staying in the microcentro, the center of the city. This has positioned me well for lots of exploring on foot. <br /><br />Not far from where I´m staying is the Plaza de Mayo. Adjacent to the plaza is the Casa Rosada, the office of the president. It´s also where Madonna sang ¨Don´t cry for me Argentina.¨<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Rs3Z3tmbKxtTZ0rmgcxMSg"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPn3BDfIHI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/CW7xjPVjmTc/s800/IMG_3579%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />One thing I enjoy about the city is its numerous parks, perfect places for an afternoon siesta after a big lunch.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Dmu5lDFHdgWB18LYfmAy4A"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPl8sM597I/AAAAAAAAB78/sLnvbwtoBNc/s800/IMG_3582.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />And, as I mentioned before, the city has a number of sprawling boulevards, including, apparently, the widest street in the world--as wide as one city block. Avenida Calle de Julio is the main north-south artery in the city. In the center is one of Buenos Aires´ more well-known landmarks, an obelisk dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the city´s founding.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1mohCKeit6halNdjszRjVg"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPl86rAdfI/AAAAAAAAB8E/7Or0CY8fH9E/s800/IMG_3587.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />One of the city´s most famous barrios is La Boca. It´s a very colorful neighborhood, with a small tourist area loaded with cafes and tango clubs. Many of the cafes have small stages outside where couples dance the tango. (In case you didn´t know, the tango is from Argentina).<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KXQpdbOLbCpUNYXR7Cd7Ew"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPl8YKpx6I/AAAAAAAAB70/BCLiXoU6qVU/s800/IMG_3581.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />The neighborhood is known for being a bit rough. This was more than evident during last night´s Boca Juniors game. The Boca Juniors are one of the world´s most famous football clubs. Diego Maradona, who was recently named the coach of the national team, played for them a couple decades ago.<br /><br />The police had cordoned off an area around the stadium. To get within one block, you had to go through a police checkpoint and get frisked.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ExCGlQETh6DyBIzkVI02rA"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPmg-pIxpI/AAAAAAAAB8o/fkMaKCaRZYw/s800/IMG_3612.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />And to enter the stadium, you had to be frisked once more. Inside, the field itself is surrounded by a fence topped with barbed wire. The general seating section (where I sat) also is circled with a tall fence. As you might guess, futbol games in Argentina have gotten out of hand now and then. But last night´s game was without incident. It was, however, exciting as hell--one of the funnest things I´ve done during all of my travels so far. The crowd sang and chanted constantly. They had a different song for every part of the game--welcoming the team, yellow cards, goals. They even had one to sing at the police while we waited to be released from the stadium (they do it in sections, so that the crowd is better dispersed.)<br /><br />The crowd welcomes the team onto the field:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oBZBQn9bPaL3eZYRCmSUpQ"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPmhL393iI/AAAAAAAAB8w/JWJAu06WaWE/s800/IMG_3620.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />And now, in a first for this trip, some videos. Here are two from the match, the first is the crowd welcoming the team onto the field, and the second is the fans celebrating the Boca victory.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AMzTXT0iNVA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AMzTXT0iNVA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EODD0bTqL-g&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EODD0bTqL-g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />A few other highlights:<br /><br />--The city has a pretty extensive subway network, the Subte. The oldest line is like no other subway I´ve been on. The line, built in the 19-teens, features wooden cars with doors that are manually opened. It´s really cool.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rSjAU22rEuxKsHL9Egk01A"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPl9GH6n8I/AAAAAAAAB8M/8C0W-93DaZ0/s800/IMG_3589.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />--The Recoleta neighborhood has lots of beautiful buildings and feels quite Paris-like. It also features a cool cemetery, which includes the mausoleum of Eva Peron. The cemetery is entirely above-ground tombs.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/a7gOCYV60agUmqrBeFCung"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PpKdMtzOiOw/STPmftAjSlI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/qmeUClvhs-8/s800/IMG_3596.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/justinrgilmore/Argentina">Argentina</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />--Lastly, I´m sure I got your attention when I mentioned a hospital visit. I found a bar to watch the Nebraska game on Friday night. Among the people I met there were two locals who had recently spend two months living in Omaha, during training with First Data. Small world, eh? Anyway, at the end of the game, a glass fell from the bar and sliced open the top of my foot. There was a lot of blood. <br /><br />The bar´s security guy told me that he called an ambulance to take me to the hospital. Not only did I think this was a bit much (though it was clear I did need stitches), but I told him that I didn´t have much money on me and no identification. Doesn´t matter, he said, it´s free. Free? Yes, don´t worry. Wow. I tried to insist upon taking a taxi instead--surely the ambulance could be put to better use somewhere else. No, it´s fine, the ambulance will be here soon. Long story short, I got an ambulance ride and three stitches for nothing. I didn´t even sign have to sign a consent to treatment form. Apparently, outpatient services at the public hospitals are free in Argentina, regardless of your nationality.<br /><br /><br />Anyway, what happens from here? I don´t know. I have no plan. I will be in BsAs at least through Thursday. I´m quite happy to stay in the city for a little while, as there´s a lot to see and its a lot of fun. The locals are very nice, and happy to have a conversation with foreigners. I´m actually amazed at how much Spanish I remember, having had my last class more than three years ago. I guess eight years of learning kinda seals it into your memory. The locals can be a bit hard to understand, but if I explain that I´m a foreigner, they speak slowly. And really, I´ve been speaking Spanish more than half the time. I´ve been hanging out with people from around the world who speak Spanish. It´s great.<br /><br /><br />More later this week. I´m very happy with my decision to come here.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-2047833293772970842008-11-24T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-19T06:59:43.566-08:00And the mystery destination is...Well, lots of folks seem to have figured out where I´m at, but only after I led them down breadcrumb paths. The "moo" clue seems to have been a red herring for many of you, but I gave you another HUGE clue in that last post.<br /><br />If you recall, I said, "But don't cry for me--the change also means I'm going somewhere I've wanted to visit for years."<br /><br />Come on, pop culture junkies...<br /><br />Don't cry for me, ARGENTINA!<br /><br />I'm in BUENOS AIRES! Just a short 36 hours on four flights (Hong Kong--Tokyo--LAX--Dallas--BA). Whew. But it's worth it.<br /><br />I made the decision to come here about a month ago. I was in the middle of nowhere, only foreigner in town, wasting time at the Internet cafe. Just happened to run a search on Kayak.com for HKG to Buenos Aires (pronounce it right, people: BWAY-nos EYE-race), and what do you know? The cost was about half what it should be.<br /><br />So I slept on it, and bought the ticket the very next morning. Now for me, this is a very logical decision. I thought, If I don't get to take another long trip like this again (God forbid), where would I be more disappointed to never have visited: Southeast Asia or Argentina? It was an obvious answer for me, as Argentina had been a finalist for my big escape country. I opted for New Zealand instead, as unemployment here is very high and New Zealand was practically begging people to come.<br /><br />What's to like about Argentina? <br /><br />Well for starters, I speak Spanish (more or less). It will be a welcome change after being unable to communicate with anyone in China unless I'm ordering beef noodles or buying a bus ticket.<br /><br />Secondly, it's a beautiful country. Buenos Aires is supposed to be an amazing city. And outside of the capital, there's everything from rain forest and glaciers to amazing lakes and endless plains. Not to mention such famous locales as Patagonia, Tiera del Fuego and Iguazu Falls.<br /><br />Throw in a little culture: Tango, futbol, gauchos, mate, futbol... Oh, and it's known as the most European country in America. How's that for cool?<br /><br />And last, but most definitely not least, the food. I've been salivating for weeks thinking of my first Argentine steak--the best in the world, allegedly (hence the "Moo" hint). And thanks to a huge Italian population, Argentina also has copious amounts of pizza, pasta and gelato. And of course there are beef empanadas, beef sandwiches, beef hot dogs...<br /><br /><br />Now, how about some initial impressions?<br /><br />For starters, summer is definitely on its way. High today is about 85 fahrenheit. Whew.<br /><br />The city does have a European vibe, with some long, green boulevards and many squares, often bordering a church.<br /><br />Argentine men ogle, whistle and holler at any woman younger than their mother (a huge contrast from conservative China).<br /><br />My first meal... a milanesa napolitana. This is beef scalopini (mine was as big as a dinner plate), topped with a thin slice of ham and cheese, with some tomato paste and a bunch of oregano. Four bucks well spent.<br /><br />The rest of the day is going to be dedicated to rest. I´m at about 44 hours without sleep right now (me and planes don´t get along).<br /><br />Photos and more commentary to come soon!Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-18413337347309118992008-11-22T21:54:00.000-08:002008-11-22T21:55:42.923-08:00In Tokyowell at the airport anyway. I have three more flights before I reach my destination. <br /><br />The moo refers not to sacred cows but to tasty cows.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-68068435842660302032008-11-22T16:32:00.000-08:002008-11-22T16:33:42.903-08:00not IndiaLots of guesses for India. Well, I'm at HK intl airport right now an I promise you a flight to India wouldn't take 35 hours.<br /><br />Guess again.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28945417.post-43737641318694796572008-11-21T11:00:00.000-08:002008-11-21T17:47:16.616-08:00And I'm off!Well, it's been a fun ride in China, hasn't it? Two-and-a-half months of great memories, delicious food and welcoming people. But as with all good things, this must come to an end.<br /><br />However, the best is yet to come. Very soon, I will depart for my next destination. Now, I should forewarn you: because of this change to my itinerary, it's likely that my trip will be about a month shorter than I initially had planned. I'll probably be coming home around the first of March (brr). But don't cry for me--the change also means I'm going somewhere I've wanted to visit for years. And the stunning scenery of this place means more eye candy for you. I also will get to have some amazing food (day two of my return to the States: join a gym) and experience a culture as rich as China's (if a little younger).<br /><br />Now, as I'm certain you haven't yet guessed where I'm going, I will give you one last clue:<br /><br />Moo.<br /><br /><br />I promise that's more helpful than you think.<br /><br />I will see you all in a couple days!<br /><br />Adios!<br /><br /><br />PS: I lied. There actually are multiple clues in this post.Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11746321956004166590noreply@blogger.com1