WARNING: super long post...mainly because of the tons of pictures.
The weekend of October 1st I went with some of my friends from CIEE (there were 6 of us including me) to Mendoza, Argentina! Our venture into the unknown started off in Valparaiso (on Thursday night). From Valpo we took a bus to Santiago and then from Santiago we took a bus across the border to Mendoza.
On our way to Mendoza we traveled by night and got there around 9am in the morning! The longest part of the trip was when we had to go through immigration at the border. It was SOOO COLD as it was night, we were high up in the mountains, and didn't have adequate clothing! We were standing around in this random dome shaped building/terminal for about two hours! Waiting for our bags to be checked! When they finally came around to us, it ended up being a joke of a bag check...immigration always seems like a bit of a joke to me at times. (Bekah...did you catch that? I just said...'always' and then 'at times'...hahahahaaaa). Luckily enough, I brought my prized Hope College Sweatshirt Blanket (it deserves all caps) that I won in a wheel chair contest! YES! So, that kept us warm as us gringas huddled together shivering. When we got back on the bus, they gave us alfajores (chocolate cookie type deals) and tea/cafe! Granted, it wasn't the best....but it was still really nice! Funny story: When we very first got on the bus in Santiago they came up and started passing out these boxed sandwiches...at first we wouldn't accept them...as we thought they were trying to sell them to us! We also weren't quite sure what they were. We've been trained to not accept anything handed to us when on a bus...as on the buses (micros) in Valpo/Viña people are allowed to come on to the bus to sell stuff. It's really weird actually. Usually they sell snacks (candies, chips, peanuts, etc), but sometimes they come around passing out pieces of paper or cards and then when the come back to you they expect you to buy it from them or you just hand it back. (Sometimes they sell sewing kits, flashlight pens, etc!) The very first time that happened to me, it was a card about sign language. I actually thought it was pretty cool and could imagine myself whipping it out and memorizing the signs when I get bored...sooooo...I folded it in half and put it in my bag. Then, the guy came back around and held out is hand for money. I looked around and everyone else was just handing them back to him. Darn itttttt...he got the clueless gringa! So...I ended up paying for it as he wouldn't take it back after I had folded it in half. Anyways...back to Mendoza...we tried sleeping on the bus and we arrived in Mendoza we went straight to the hostel to check in, drop off our stuff, and eat breakfast.
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| Nina with the amazing triangle boxed sandwich...which we didn't have to pay for! |
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| We've arrived! In our Hostal room! It was just us 5 (one of the girls stayed with a friend studying in Mendoza) and we had our own bathroom...with our very own whole-in-the-floor-with-a-shower-curtain shower! hahaha Sorry...I didn't get a picture of it! |
One of the very first things I noticed that was different about Argentina was the language...and that I noticed the entire weekend. Well, not so much the language, but the accent. Argentinians have beautiful accents as there is a lot of influence from Italy. So, imagine an Italian speaking Spanish...kinda like that. To be honest, at first I thought to myself, "Dang, Diane...I should have studied in Argentina...so that I could pick up this beautiful accent!" Then as the weekend went on I heard Argentinians using 'vos' with everything! They even use 'vos' with strangers! It's not like the different verb tense they have in Chile where they have another way of saying tú...so instead of "como estas?", Chileans say, "como estai?" or instead of "a donde vas?", they say, "a donde vai?" They love the, "ai" here. In Argentina...it's a little different but it's along the same lines....but they use it alll the time. I can get away with not using the "ai" here in Chile...I stick with my proper tú Spanish...but I were in Argentina...I think I'd be stuck using 'vos'. SO...after all this explaining that was actually really confusing, I'm happy with my decision to study in Chile (even though their Spanish isn't the best). hahahaaaa!
Later that day (Friday) we went to the hot springs! It was about an 1 1/2 - 2 hour bus ride, but so worth it...yet again! The bus ride itself was beautiful! Gosh...I think I take too many pictures. I always tell myself, "ok, just put your camera away and enjoy what's going on." So I put it away and seconds later whip it out again to take another picture! I just can't resist!
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| The host springs were soooooooo beautiful! It was more like a mini water park as there were a lot of families there and even one water slide! |
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| It was so relaxing and the view was incredible! Here we are in the middle of mountains...sitting in hot springs! |
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| Look! I'm doing what I do best! hahahaha |
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| The lunch my friend ordered at the restaurant near the hot springs! |
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| When we came back to the city...we went to a cafe and got SUBMARINOS. It's basically hot chocolate, but they give you the hot milk and you drop in the pieces of chocolate (and they sink to the bottom like submarines). yummmyyy... |
Saturday, my friend, Stephanie, and I went to the Zoo! This zoo in Mendoza is one of the most important and one of the biggest in Latin America. It was really cool as it is on a mountain, and each exhibit is set up along this trail. There are no maps except for a few signs set up along the trail. You follow the trail and then every so often there is a fork in the road guiding you to either follow the "long path" or how to leave. Stephanie and I did the long/full path and it took us about 2 1/2 hours. Not bad. The other girls went on bicycle wine tours for the day. That would have been cool too....but I would have been more interested in riding the bike than going on all the tours. In the end, I'm glad I went to the zoo. Stephanie and I also had time to go to the biggest monument in Argentina which happened to be right next to the zoo (on the other side of the top of the mountain), eat a delicious long lunch (Mendoza is known for its meat), and walk around the downtown area (Stephanie bought a leather jacket...as Mendoza is also known for its cheap but good leather).
ZOO:
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| Stephanie, mi amiga, y yo! |
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| One of the very few maps. hhaaha |
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| feeding a random monkey a skittle. (it wasn't my idea!!!!!! *caugh* Stephanie *caugh*) |
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| Small dog?........nope, pooooooop! |
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| the poop belongs to this beautiful animal! |
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| another random animal just wandering around the zoo! preeettttyyy! |
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| Would you look at that! Another random wandering...in its natrual? habitat??? hahaaa |
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| I saw my uncle!!! |
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| and look! another wild creature in it's natural habitat...the zoo? a cat? |
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| The first time we saw this random monkey...outside of its cage...we thought it had escaped! heck, maybe it did! |
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| What a magestic lady. |
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| cacti galore! |
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| Stephanie and Skittles! ...we named it! |
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| No, I was not trying to take a picture of its butt. I was trying to show that even the sheep have dreads here! Not only do people love mullets here...they also love dreads! EVEN dreaded mullets! It's a sight to be seen. |
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| Yes, I was trying to take a picture of its butt! PINK BUTT! |
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| sleepies! |
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| taking a siesta with the bears! |
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| ya toyerd mr. lion? |
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| this zoo was FULL of animals catching up on their zzzzzzzzzzzz. |
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| The zoo was beautiful! Tons of wonderful scenery along the trail! |
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| jajajajjajajajaajaa! |
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| greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen |
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| I made her walk up the hill to the monument...she wasn't happy. She did it because she loves me. |
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| Then she got tired and plopped on down. She was still nice enough to let me run up then rest of the way and see the monument. |
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| ARGENTINA |
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| Here it is! Victory! |
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| Later that night we met up with the other girlies and got ice cream! (I was quite excited...for my BANANA and dulce de leche ice cream!) |
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On Sunday we woke up early, had breakfast at the hostel, walked to some of the plazas, and then hit the road. My host parents told me that we should do one of the trips during the day as crossing the mountain range is gorgeous. I'm so glad that they told me that...and that we made it happen, because it really was incredible! Lucky for you all I ran out of space on my memory cards so couldn't take as many pictures as I wanted to. hehhee
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| In plaza San Martin. |
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| There was an exhibit of history and a book fair in the plaza...but it was too early that nothing was open. (Mendoza is also know for their cheap books!) |
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| This is in Plaza Independencia...ya know, no big deal, just a protest about education. |
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| WONDER! |
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| We were right in the middle of the mountains...snow and all! |
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| Immigration on the way back. This time it only took 30 minutes! Thank goodness! |
All in all, it was a great weekend and we all had lots of fun, but it was nice being back 'home' in Chile with my host family. I'm a home-body...usually the best part of a trip is coming back home. I think another thing I like about being 'home' is not having to spend money wherever I go...hehe. Heck, I won't even spend the 400 pesos (80 cents) to go to class in Sausalito. hahaaa
ALSO: good news! I'm getting a bike! I mentioned to my host parents that I was looking into buying one and then later they told me that my host sister had a bike that she doesn't use and that I can borrow for my time here! SO exciting! I realllllllly miss riding my bike! It'll also be another mode of transportation (and exercise) for me. YAY! I think I'll finally be getting it this weekend!
God is good.
I love you ALL!!!! MUUAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a bear hug to all!!!
