In Cordoba at the minute but leaving tmra to go to Rosario. The city has a really European feel to it, maybe cos it´s a university city. Apparantly it was the place where rich Argentinians came to about 50 years ago when there was lots of money in the country. It´s only starting to happen again recently according to the tour guide. He reckons that there will be resorts like this all over the States in fifty years! There are loads of churches and museums all over the city - just walking around you get to see most of them. It´s definitely cultural rather than touristy.
Went on a tour round the surrounding villages but there was not a lot to see. Booked the tour through an agency where the english speakers were at lunch so was a bit of a mystery tour as I didn´t know what to really expect. We went to a reservoir that´s surrounded by ´mountains´ but it was nothing spectacular. Maybe I´m spoilt cos of living in Ireland - travelled to Villa General Belgrano with an Israeli guy Lori and a German girl Julianna and Lori was busy taking photos of the scenery all the time as it was impressive to him whereas there are mountain ranges in Ireland that are prettier and bigger, not to mention in New Zealand or the Alps!
Anyway went to the Oktoberfest with Julianna and Lori. Stopped on the way in a town called Alta Gracia where Che Guevera lived. His house is now a museum with mostly photos and mementos like the motorbike he toured on. It looks so uncomfortable. The museum had a room dedicated to photos of Fidel Castro visiting it which was kind of bizarre. Then headed to the Oktoberfest which I have to say was a disappointment. There was a cordoned off area with shows on which you had to pay 30 peso to get into and then you could only buy beer if you bought a stein first - another 15 pesos. We decided to just have a local beer instead and couldn´t believe they were charging 12.50 for a half-litre...nearly 3 times the usual price for beer here. Came back to the hostel where there was a BBq.
Lots and lots of meat and some salad. Everyone else at the BBq spoke spanish, bar Lori so it was a bit strange. There were American girls there but they are over here studying Spanish in Uni. Can´t wait til I actually can speak it cos it´s just awkward at the minute. Most people headed out but it´s not like home here...the BBq started bout half ten, then people were heading to a bar at about half one. You can´t go to clubs here til after two cos they are empty before then!!
Heading to Rosario tmra and then into Uruguay so will fill you in on anything exciting that happens later...
