On the Loose in South America

Sightseeing in beloved 'BA'

vegemite_vagabond — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 21:52:00 GMT

The last two days have been spent avoiding the shops like a plague (to salvage my bank account!), and sightseeing in Buenos Aires.

Yesterday, Flee and I took a 5km walk through BA to the cemetary of the rich and famous - Dating from about 1600, and featuring its own streets and up to 5-metre high memorials, this is not your typical cemetary. In fact, it more resembles a small town.

Most of the 'gravestones' (or memorials) of the dead are marble/stone edifices the size of a small bedroom. The majority are clear glass at the front, allowing you to se the coffin and decorated area inside. The coffin aside, it feels like you are looking into the window of a foyer. Some 'gravestones' even feature small stircases inside that descend to additional coffins for other family members.

A spot in this cemetary comes at a huge expense, and therefore, it is only the rich and famous buried here.

We managed to track down Evita (Eva Peron)'s family grave, as well as those of many famous influential politicians and wealthy aristocratic families.

It is a shame I am not filthy rich, as I would be quite partial to my own little reservation in such a cemetary for a future date. ;)

Then again, I think I would rather spend the money whilst still alive, as I dont know how much I would be able to appreciate when six feet under!

After our visit to the Cemetary, we took a walk around the city, admiring the beautiful old colonial buildings, and lunching in the leafy Plaza de Mayo, where the bright pink government building stands.

We also managed to see a lively protest in the Plaza. These apparently occur on a weekly basis. For those who dont know, Argentina's recent history is rather controversial.

Ill give you a little summary:

In 1976, in a well-planned coup, the Argentine armed forces overthrew the government of President Peron (1931). Then, between 1976 and 1982, a three-man military group, led by General Videla, took charge and began a ruthless campaign against all opposition. Anyone suspected of favouring opposition was subject to arbitrary arrest, and those who had illegally profited from the former corrupt government were prosecuted. People were kidnapped on the streets and never seen again; the prisons overflowed with so-called political prisoners, and torture was common; there were no trials, and legal process was ignored. An estimated 11,000 Argentines disappeared between 1976 and 1982.

With the return to civilian government in December 1983, Argentina's newly elected president Alfonsin announced plans to prosecute the nine military leaders who ruled during this "dirty war,". After an eight-month trial in Buenos Aires, Videla and his navy commander, Admiral Massera, were found guilty of homicide, illegal detention, and other human rights violations and were sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, In January 1991, Argentina's President, seeking to quell discontent in the military, issued pardons to imprisoned military personnel, including Videla. This resulted in much public protest and outrage, which still pervades today. Furthermore, there remains large numbers of 'disappeared' persons whose murders during the regime have never been recognised. Other offenders who have never been brought to justice still walk the streets of Argentina. The protest we witnessed, comprised partly of families of victims, aims to publicise and rectify these injustices.

After the fairly sobering experience of seeing the protest, we headed back to the hostel for a quiet night in. With my curiosity aroused, I spent the evening researching more about the dirty war on the hostel's computer.

The following day, I tried to find a book on this period, either in Spanish or English, but failed miserably. Unfortunately, it seems this controversial period is still too recent and too controversial to be documented in books sold publicly.

Tomorrow, I fly back to England to see Dan for two weeks. We are planning a jaunt to Berlin to visit friends Nicky and Phil, and then a few days in romantic Rome, before returning to England. In two weeks' time, I will then fly back to Buenos Aires, beofre continuing on to Australia. Sounds like a lot of jetsetting? You are not wrong! Will let you know how I cope with the jetlag!

Shopping wallet free

vegemite_vagabond — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:49:00 GMT

Hello all!

So I am still relishing life in beautiful Buenos Aires, despite the fact I had my wallet stolen this morning! Flee and I stopped off for a morning coffee, I paid the bill, returned my wallet to my bag, and half an hour later it had vanished. It seems the pocket pinchers of Buenos Aires are indead very practised at their profession! Never mind, thankfully I did not have a lot of money in there, and once I had cancelled credit cards, the situation was basically dealt with.

I did then consider spending the afternoon sulking at the hostel, but figured there was no point in punishing myself......So, I went on a shopping spree!

In my opinion, the clothes-shopping potential of Buenos Aires is unmatched worldwide. Shopping here is practically a national sport (One I partook in and enjoyed, even though I traditionally dislike shopping!). The boutiques are typically located in beautiful tree-lined streets (although there are also shopping malls), and the clothes are stylish, good quality and most importantly, REALLY cheap!

However, I may have negated the cheap aspect by overbuying! In truth, I dont think I typically buy in a year the number of clothes I purchased today! However, given my normal aversion to shopping, and the fact I could not afford the clothes in pricey England, it was high-time for a new wardrobe (as my sister will agree!). More surprisingly, due to my love of a bargain, and the beautiful setting, I actually really enjoyed my shopping day! Maybe I am a convert, and will now WANT to join the masses in Melbourne scouring the clothing shops for designer bargains during the January sales......!

So, the score at the end of the day was:

Minus one wallet;

Plus a suitcase-worth of new clothes!

I think my closets will require a spring-clean when I get home!

To avoid returning to the shops tomorrow, I am planning a day of sightseeing - Will let you know what wonders I discover!

In love again

vegemite_vagabond — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 14:37:00 GMT

I may have only been in Buenos Aires for 24 hours, but it is already official - I am in love!

BA is the most liveable city I have ever come across, surpassing even my beloved Melbourne. It has similarities to London, yet with more hospitable people, much more reasonable economically (in fact downright cheap), and despite a large population, manages at the same time to never feel overcrowded.......even on the subway!

It features beautiful old buildings on wide, tree-lined boulevards, a wonderful cafe culture, and ridiculously good shopping opportunities (which may be my downfall!). In addition its beauty is a mountain of things to do and see, including every imaginable type of museum, wonderful tango shows, street performers, theatre, and an extremely lively nightlife. In fact, Portenos (people of Buenos Aires) do not even consider eating dinner until 10:30pm, and as for going out, one would not make an appearance at a club before 2am if they wanted to maintain any semblance of 'cool'. Typically, a weekend night finishes at approximately 7am the next morning. I am hardly a nightowl at the best of times, so it is requiring a little adjustment on my behalf!

Well, I am now off to sample the best of Buenos Aires boutiques (a dangerous activity), so I will let you know how many unnecessary purchases I make!

Picturesque Rosario

vegemite_vagabond — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 03:40:00 GMT

I arrived with Flee in the town of Rosario ( south of Buenos Aires on the River Parana)in the early hours of the morning. We caught a taxi direct to our hostel, and attempted to check in. Unfortunately, the hostel, whilst recommendable, is an HI hostel, and as such, has rather draconian rules. We were told that (even though our beds were free), we could not check in until 12 midday, and not a minute earlier. Exhausted after a night's bus trip, we found some beanbags in the bar, and had a 4- hour nap!

When we finally did check in, we were still rather tired, and so spent the afternoon kipping and relaxing in the hostel. That night, we hit the town with a few Irish guys, only to find that nothing was open. It seems that, despite the majority of Argentines being nightowls, Rosario differs slightly to the norm, and bars close at approximately 11:30pm weekdays. So, we returned to the hostel for a quiet drink before bed.

The following day, two american girls invited us on a sail boat along the Rio Parana. Given the lovely blue sky, the lack of any other concrete plans, and our desire to sunbathe, we accepted. Not only did we enjoy a peaceful sail along the coastline of the city, but I also learnt the basics of sailing, including hoisting the main sail and steering the boat! I have decided sailing is a thoroughly enjoyable activity, and I therefore shall buy myself a sail boat in the future.......Ok, so maybe it is not quite that simple, but there is nothing wrong with the occasional pipe dream!

The following day, I had the chance to properly see the extraordinary beauty of Rosario. I hired a bicycle, and took myself for a cycle around the city, along the riverfront, and through the beautiful green parks and boulevards. The city features gorgeous old colonial buildings, a well-designed riverfront, and many beautiful esplanades surrounded by greenery. It is the greenest city I have seen in Argentina so far, and as such, would have to register as the current favourite.

The only problem with the city is it lacks the liveliness of other Argentine cities, particularly during weeknights. Actually, there is one other problem - Many of the intersections do not feature traffic lights. They act similarly to a roundabout.......just without the roundabout! Therefore, there is a kind of who dares wins mentality, and so intersections can become rather hectic. I was not quite so daring, and so it often took me the equivalent of three light changes to pluck up the courage to toddle across the intersection on my bicycle! Whilst it was a little frustrating and time-consuming, I figured that those who love me would appreciate the cautious approach!

The following day, our last day in Rosario, I spent wandering the pedestrian shopping streets, and resisting the temptation to splash out in the beautiful clothing boutiques. The only justification for this was that I would shop till I dropped in Buenos Aires instead, before my flight back to London. I also visited Che Guevara's birth place - a small apartment in Buenos Aires, that is now privately occupied. There was not a lot to see there, but I still managed a few photos, and had the satisfaction I had seen his first residence.

That night Flee and I cooked a delctable dinner, and relaxed in the hostel, before our much anticipated journey the following day to Buenos Aires.

Iguazu Falls

vegemite_vagabond — Mon, 6 Nov 2006 13:37:00 GMT

I must begin by apologising profusely for the delay in updates. To all of my diligent readers (basically that refers to my mum, granny and Dan!), I am very sorry, and I will attempt to be more organised from now on!

The long-distance bus trip to Posadas, in the region of Missiones, was surprisingly pleasant. It helped that the bus came complete with effective air-conditioning and reclining seats, screened newly-released films, and featured hostesses that served breakfast and dinnner......Not your typical australian bus I´ll admit!

I arrived in little steamy Posadas, a town of 200,000 surrounded by rainforest, in the early morning, and found myself a basic hostal in which to stay. I spent the day relaxing, and taking a stroll along the riverside esplanade, which was very pleasant. However, Posadas as a town had little to offer in terms of other activities, and so I boarded a local bus the following morning to Iguazu.

The bus, which lacked air-conditioning, and whose windows were sealed shut, was an absolute sauna, given the 35C heat outside. It was comforting, however, that even the locals didnt cope well with the heat, and spent the 6-hour trip fanning themselves with newspapers, and complaining to the driver.

We finally arrived in Puerto Iguazu (the small town closest to the falls on the Argentinian side), after a drive through humid tropical lowlands and rainforest. I was thrilled to find the hostel I had selected had a large swimming pool, and so spent the afternoon by its edge with my trusty book. The hostel was the most resort-like backpacker haunt that I have ever seen. It came complete with a large pool set in landscaped gardens, with a restaurant, pool-side bar, and beautiful resort-like reception building. However, it still offered all of the benefits of a hostel - Free internet, a fully-equipped kitchen, and a basic free breakfast. Furthermore, it was absolutely packed with travellers. (Speaking of which, given there was only two computers for approximately 100 backpackers, and one was temperamental, this partly explains the delay in journal updates!).

The hostel also featured its own small travel agency, and so I paid them a visit and booked a trip the following day to Iguazu Falls (on the Argentinian side). The following morning, I met my travel buddies for the day - an australian ex-rugby player called Garv, and a lovely enlgish girl called felicity - and headed for the falls.

The infrastructure of Iguazu Falls was very impressive, and the area included small shops, information centres, brilliantly maintained trails through the surrounding rainforest, and many viewpoints for the falls themselves. We spent the morning walking the trails and viewing the breathtaking falls from all angles and heights, as well as spotting some local wildlife. In the afternoon, we boarded a speedboat, which took us directly UNDER one of the largest parts of the waterfalls! I was expecting to receive a little spray, but was not at all prepared for the absolute soaking I received - Neither were my clothes, which I was still wearing over my bathers! The boat under the falls was a thrilling experience, and really demonstrated the power of these natural wonders. However, given the humidity, I could not get my clothes dry.

In the later afternoon, it then started to rain, first lightly....then extremely heavily. I was already walking around in very uncomfortable wet clothes, and the minute the rain started pelting down, and the sun disappeared, I felt akin to an ice-block. There was only one solution - take off my wet, cold clothes......and walk around Iguazu falls tourist park in my bikini in the rain - So thats exactly what I did. The local groups of Argentine school boys seemed to appreciate it, but im not sure how many others did. At least I avoided hypothermia!

We returned to the hostel late afternoon after a brilliant day at the amazing waterfalls and rainforest, and discussed our impressions over a nice meal and a few drinks. There was a great group staying at the hostel, and I got on particularly well with Felicity, the english girl on my Iguazu tour.

The following day, we awoke early, and boarded the bus again, this time for a visit to the BRazilian side of the waterfalls. This side was also impressive, although much smaller, and offered more an overview of the waterfalls, rather than an up-close expeience. It did however, feature a fantastic tourist bus which escorted you through the surrounding rainforest, as well as some brilliant boardwalks that took you over the surrounding rivers and up close to the base of the waterfalls.

There was one other advantage of going to the Brazilian side - I got another stamp in my passport - It is official....I have now been to Brazil!.....for approximately 5 hours! ;)

From what I have heard though, Brazil is a brilliant country with a huge amount to see and do, so I dont plan on that being my only passport stamp into Brazil. However, that will have to wait for a future trip.....

That night we again returned to our resort-like hostel, and enjoyed a late afternoon swim, and a few drinks, not to mention a home-cooked pasta meal. Felicity and I realised that not only were we heading in the same direction after Iguazu, but that we were both flying out to London on the same day! (although admittedly on a different flight). We were getting along brilliantly, so we decided to travel together for our remaining two weeks in Argentina. Having seen most of what the Iguazu falls had to offer, we booked an overnight bus to Roasario for the following day, thus beginning the journey South to Buenos Aires.

Argentine Arrival

vegemite_vagabond — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 23:12:00 GMT

Hi all!

Just a quick update to let you know I safely crossed the border into Argentina (thankfully reasonably hassle-free this time!), and have spent the last three days exploring northern Argentina. The area is a maze of tiny villages set in countryside very similar to the wild west of the United states. In fact, I travelled through the very setting of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (The area bordered a lovely little town called Tupiza).

The Argentine people in these cacti-surrounded villages are the friendliest I have come across on my entire trip. I need never sit alone sipping a local mate tea, as there will always be a friendly local who approaches for a chat. I even managed to make a friend at the local ice-creamery yesterday, who offered me spanish lessons for $1 an hour, and spent 30 minutes planning me a route around the small town to see all the main attractions! Unfortunately, I had to leave the next day, so no cheap spanish lessons there for me! :(

Last night signified the end of my Argentine desert explorations, as time is running short, and I had to head back to the city. I stayed the night in little Cafayete, one of the larger semi-desert towns, and spent the afternoon frollicking and sunbaking at the local swimming pool with a couple of Austrians who I met the day before. Complete with a large waterslide, free of charge, this swimming pool was a fantastic find, especially given it was 33C!

Tonight, I am in the city of Tucuman, in Northern Argentina. Although a perfectly pleasant city, with very friendly locals, I must make tracks tomorrow if I am to reach Iguassu Falls in comfortable time. Tomorrow night, I am therefore boarding a night bus to Posadas, in far north-east Argentina. Right now, however, my stomach is calling, so I am off to dine in a nearby eatery for what will be, by argentine standards, a VERY early dinner (8pm!). Hasta Luego Amigos!!!!

Change of Plans- Potosi Mines

vegemite_vagabond — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:29:00 GMT

Ok, so I was having a great time in Sucre, Bolivia, but after a bit of serious thought, I have decided to continue my travels down through Argentina, about which I have heard great reports. I have also decided to fly back to England in late November to see the boy (Dan) for two weeks. I will then return to Argentina to continue my travels, before heading home to Australia for Christmas.

Given the above, I have under four weeks to make it to Buenos Aires for my flight to England, which is little time for such a vast continent. I therefore decided to leave Sucre after just under two weeks, and head south in Bolivia to Potosi. At over 4700m above sea level, this little city is supposedly the highest in the world! (This is however according to the Bolivians, who are a little too keen on their superlatives!). The main attraction is the mines nearby, where Bolivians survive treacherous conditions to mine and sell silver, zinc and lead. So, in accordance with the tourist trend, I decided to partkae in a mine tour, despite hearing they were not overly safe or pleasant. I did, however, book it through a very reputable organisation.

The mine tour was a truly eye-opening few hours, and I will never again complain about working in a restaurant, shop, care industry or otherwise!

The safety standards in these suffocating, intoxicating, and sweltering mines are non-existent. Even if not claimed by a mine collapse from misplaced or forgotten explosives, miners rarely live beyond 45 years; Noxious fumes and other harsh realities of the atrocious conditions make miners susceptible to every form of heart, lung, respiratory and otherwise disease. To enter the mines, one must crawl on hands and knees through tiny dark holes, surrounded by intoxicating gases and with an almost complete lack of oxygen. Despite having an oxygen mask (which the miners dont), I still found it extremely difficult to breath at times, and was also dripping with sweat from the stifling humidity. These mines are still very primitive, and lack any modern technology - Huge carts weighing many tonnes are still pushed, pulled and manually filled by the overworked miners, who work with little aside from a shovel. Miners also develop severe back problems due to the demanding physical labour.

Possibly the worst aspect of these mines is the age at which men start work. Miners are typically the poorest Bolivians, as no-one with other options would choose to work in such surroundings. Sadly, many begin in the miens at 13-15years, as orphans or very poor children who have no choice but to do so to survive. Many work for 15-20 years, before dying an untimely death due to the factors above. A miner typically works a 10-12 hour day, with several breaks in between. In that time, they must remain in the mine, as entry and exit is too time consuming. However, because of the noxious fumes etc that can be fatal, they cannot eat whilst underground. Therefore, they chew coca leaves to suppress their apetite and give them energy, and drink water, which they must carry on their backs. They use rudimentary lamps which are operated using a ctalyst and water. However, as water is a precious commodity that must be carrried, they often dont have enough to operate the lamps. So, they ´recycle´ the water by lighting the lamps with another bodily fluid.

Miners also carry and drink liquor which is 96% pure alcohol, and very cheap. I was offered some myself, but didnt think it wise at such an altitude, and being such a lightweight!

The mines are a co-operative venture, and miners work in small groups to mine and sell their produce. Work is completely performance-based, so if one has a bad day and doesnt find any material of value, they earn no money. Most miners therefore have to work a 6 or 7 day week to earn enough money to support families/themselves etc.

After 3 hours in the mines, I was exhausted, shocked, filthy and dripping with sweat. And I wasnt even working! Imagine how it would feel for those who toil for three times as long every day, without the luxuries of oxygen masks, protective clothing, and food in the stomach. To support the miners, we all brought them some explosives and catalysts, and water and soft drink. It must, however, have been a small consolation for them.

After the tour, I returned to the hostel for a long hot shower, before heading to bed for an early night.

Sucre Antics

vegemite_vagabond — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 10:12:00 GMT

I am still thoroughly enjoying my time in Sucre, and had a very busy last few days, between voluntering at the centre for disabled children, to working at the after school program for poor country children, to teaching english at the language academy.

I have had a few interesting english lessons. On thursday, I was waiting with the class for their official teacher to turn up. When she eventually did, she gave me a piece of paper with instructions for a 5-minute game to play with the teenagers, then told me she hadnt had her lunch yet that day, so she was going to do so. And with that, she walked out of the class, leaving a rather bewildered and unprepared Kate in charge! After the game finished, I had to think on my feet, and managed to come up with a few more activities in english and spanish to fill in the hour. I actually quite enjoyed the challenge, but a little advance warning would have been appreciated!

Then I had my university class. They were presenting speeches on the person they most admire in the world. One said Ronaldinho, another her hardworking father etc. However, I got a bit of a shock when my last student stood up and spoke for a good 10 minutes about his admiration and love for Hitler! Apparently, he thoroughly admired his intelligence, his ability to relate to the people, and his military strength, including the fact he never lost a battle! - I didnt think it wise to point out that was in fact incorrect, and it took all my willpower to hold back any of my own thoughts, and limit myself to correcting his grammar and pronounciation!

I spent Saturday visiting the children in the country, and sunday involved a trip to Tarabuco, a small town nearby with a much talked-about market. The market was alright, and the prices were very reasonable. However, the highlight was sitting in the central plaza and talking to the incredibly friendly locals, which I did for most of the afternoon. I had a chat to one man for an hour about Bolivian politics and the future prospects for his country, which proved extremely interesting. I was also thrilled that my spanish has reached a level where I was capable of having such a discussion and understanding almost everything! There is however still a long road ahead to fluency!

It is now sunday night, and we are going out to the ´gringo´ bar to watch the film Motorcycle Diaries and have a few drinks.

Until next time, Adios!

Beautiful Sucre

vegemite_vagabond — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 15:58:00 GMT

I awoke on the bus at dawn, as we were driving through some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. Huge rolling green hills, surrounding little valleys of green palm trees, fruit trees and flower beds.

WE arrived in Sucre at 8am, and I caught a taxi to the hostel. I fell in love with this beautiful old town in less than a day, and found some great people to socialise with at the hostel. I have decided to stay in Sucre for a month, and have spent the last two days arranging some spanish lessons, and volunteer work. Today, I began volunteering at a type of orphanage for kids with all forms of social, physical and mental disabilities. Whilst not strictly an orphanage, 70% of the children do not have identifiable parents, because in Bolivia, a disabled child is, in the majority of cases, an unwanted one. Therefore, they are shipped off to this hostel, where they are given medical treatment, education, a home, and food. The kids are absolutely lovely, and it is heartbreaking to think that most have parents out there who never want to see them again. I volunteer there between 9am and midday, helping with feeding, socialising, playing games, and just generally being an extra pair of hands for the overworked, underpaid staff. Then, in the afternoons, I usually have a spanish class, and enjoy a break of a few hours to eat lunch, do my spanish homework etc. At 4pm, I visit another orphanage for girls aged about 2 yrs to 15 years, who are orphaned, abandoned, or kicked out of the house. There are two girls there who are 13 and have just had their first children, but have no money and nowhere to go. Both have been sexually abused by relatives, and have run away from home. Sexual abuse is unfortunately a common denominator amongst most of these girls.

Then, at 6pm, I go to the language academy, where I help to teach two clases in english. The first is a small class of young teenagers, learning rather basic english, and the second is a class of uni students or postgrad students, who for their own reasons want to learn english. This class is a lot of fun, and the students are really easy to relate to.

At 8pm, I have finished my voluntary working day, and usually return to the hostel to cook dinner, relax, and socialise with other hostellers. The majority have already become good friends, and are doing various volunteer programs and spanish classes in Sucre for various periods.

I am really enjoying being in Sucre, and its so nice to have a base, after being a nomad for a month. If I had more time, I might even consider staying longer..........unfortunately, I dont!

La Paz to Sucre

vegemite_vagabond — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 15:45:00 GMT

We arrived safe and sound in La Paz the folloeing morning. However, getting our refund for the bus tickets wasnt so straightforward. Our agent tried to tell us that the bus company only refunds half of the fare, and insisted there was nothing she could do. So we asked she call the company, so we could talk to them. First she refused, then she called them and told us they were too busy to talk. We refused to accept this, and called them ourselves. As it turns out, it was our agent who was keeping the rest of the money, because she charged us double the legal price for the tickets, and tried to get away with keeping it!!!! We were furious, and managed to call in the tourist police who, after lots of explaining and heated arguing, made the agent give us back our money. The whole episode took 2 hours, but it gave me a good opportunity to argue in Spanish!

I spent the afternoon relaxing, reading and buying some cheap DVDs, not to mention gorging myself on another rather sizeable icecream!

That night, I bid my farewells to La Paz, and boarded a night bus to Cochabamba. Given the bus trip was 7 hours, I was surprised at how cheap the ticket was, even by Bolivian standards. However, it made more sense when I saw the dilapidated old bus; Even more sense still when I watched the bus driver loading my luggage into the bus toilet cubicle, because they had run out of room in the bus storage! IT was quite entertaining when the toilet door flew open halfway through the night, and everone´s luggage came pouring out into the isles. Ah, Bolivian transport is a wonderful thing!

I arrived in Cochabamba the following morning, but only stayed there half a day. This big bustling city has a lovely plaza, some nice shops and tasty cafes. However, I had my heart set on continuing to Sucre, and so continued the journey that evening by bus. This time, I forked out a little more for a cushy bus cama, and got a great nights sleep!