Nick and Laina's Adventures

Our last few days in Rosario were a blur of meat, bread and people. Mostly a blur of meat. That being said, This afternoon we went to a hostel with the greek girl, Atanacia, and the swiss girl, Aline, and our Argentine friend, Genaro (notice I started using names?) This hostel is owned by genaros two friends, they bough tan onld house in downtown, cleaned it up, and opened it up as a hostel, pretty cool. The main center of the hostel has huge vaulted walls, and no ceiling, perfect for having a barbeque. At the hostel there were about 15 people, most didnt speak english, but some did, and everone was hungry for Asado. Asado is roughly translated into barbeque, but it is much more. The Asado is a grill used with real coals from wood charcoal, that is burned on the side, and then hot coals are scooped under the grill, and very large cuts of meat are grilled to perfectionon the large grill. Our Asado consisted of chorizo, ribs, and some other cuts of beef that they told me the name, and either the wine willed me to forget the name, or the fact that I cant speak spanish prevented me from remembering what they were called. Anyways, the meat is slow cooked for about 1 hour 15 mins, and is served by first meat done, first meat served. the chorizo and small ribs are done first, then the larger cuts, and finally the gradaddy cut, which tasted like prime rib only better. Onthe table with the meat, is alot of wine, Vino Tinto or red wine, alot of french bread, and a small bowl of salad with lemonjuice and salt as dressing. I think the salad is an excuse to try to be healthy. There were fifteen people, and the salad was pretty small compared to the amount of meat. As the meat is served, you can eat it with your bread, by hand or with your knife. I went with the hand option, and got very greasy. If any of you are questioning our health on this trip, you should be. It is very difficult in Argentina to eat healthy. Their diet is very much a red meat, carbohydrate diet. The next day we went to Parque España for some Maté. Yerba Maté is a tea like drink that you make with Yerba, a dried plant, like tea, hot water, and a metal straw with small holes in it to filter out the water. There is a small gourd that you fill halfway with Yerba, and then add hot water to fill. The person who is drinking, drinks the whole gourd full, then hands it back to the pourer, and the next person gets their own gourd. Its a social, boding thing here in Argentina. I like Maté, It has a dry, strawlike, bitter flavor, like green tea, but dryer and more bitter. On Christmas Eve, we head to Genaros home town, Cruz Alta (tall cross) about 100 kms away from rosario, towards Cordoba. Cruz Alta is a small town, with a little center, and it is in the middle of farmland. It is very hot here, I mean like 95 degrees, its christmas EVE!! We re very thankful that genaro has a pool to swim n. We spent most of Xmas Eve swimming and tanning. Around 9 PM we went to a big family party, where we met alot of genaros family at a big house on the edge of town. Genaros family is all very italian, and they are extrememly friendly. Most cannot speak english, but there were two aunts that were proffessors in english in Argentina, and I could talk to them, and Laina is abe to talk to people that cannot speak english. Pretty quickly we got to know many people and a little about them. At midnight, we open the champagne and everyone cheered Feliz Navidad (not the song, feliz navidad is what they actually say.. I know you thought they say merry christmas). The little kids get christmas presents and all the adults go around huggin and kissing. Another thing I forgot to mention, everyone here kisses hello and goodbye, all the time. After the party ended, we headed to another party by a pool until 5AM. Very different here, we woke up christmas morning at 1PM. That never happens in the US! Around 3 we went back to the house where we got to eat Asado again! this time there was LAMB!!! I was so excited. We had quite a nice time, the weather was hot, and we went swimming tanning and watched the surroundings. Laina enjoyed sweet maté with a cousin, and I took a nice nap under a tree until I got bit by some damn ants that hurt so bad! WHy are they always biting me! it hurts so bad it wakes me up. Christmas here is alot of fun but very different. We miss the cold weather a little, but not for long, and we especially miss the music and eggnog! So Merry Christmas everyone from down here in agentina, and We hope you have a great time with famly and friends!