las sierras chicas

I spent this past four-day weekend in Córdoba, a provincia northwest of Buenos Aires. We left Retiro around 10pm Thursday night and embarked on our twelve-hour bus ride to Capilla del Monte, a small town about two hours from the city of Córdoba. Arriving on a cold and rainy Friday morning, we hopped on a van that took us forty-five minutes to our estancia. Estancia Ongamira is owned by an Australian/Argentine family, and it has been in the family for six generations (…and counting!). Some of the buildings on the estancia were built as early as 1597! It was pretty neat. We were the only people staying at Estancia Ongamira; it was very relaxing and tranquil. Upon our arrival, we were presented with a big and delicious breakfast of Bircher Muesli (a mixture of yogurt, rolled oats, fruit juice, nuts, honey and fresh fruit—SO good!), tostadas with dulce de leche and jams, and of course café and té.

After breakfast we began our hike on Cerro Colchiqui. Our hiking guide, Domingo, brought us on this five-hour hike that took us through the cool and misty mountains of the area surrounding our estancia. Even though it was really cloudy we were still able to see some incredible views from the mountaintops. We had packed a lunch—milanesa, tomato, and lettuce sandwich and an apple fresh from the estancia’s orchard—and ate it at the top of the mountain while Juan (our trip guide) told us some story about supposed UFO sightings at the top of said mountain…

We were welcomed back from the hike with a big merienda of té, café, deliciously fudgy brownies, mini lemon pancakes, and lots of dulce de leche and jams to smother on the pancakes. Inevitably we devoured ALL of the food. I took the most amazing shower (water is fresh from the spring, so amazing water quality and pressure…plus the towels were so soft I thought I was in heaven.) and immediately fell into a severe food coma. I woke up a few hours later only to eat MORE.

The chefs at the estancia had prepared an asado de bienvenida for us: first bringing out some blood sausage (MUCH better than it sounds, I promise) and chorizo, then a salad full of fresh and delicious vegetables (the tomatoes in Argentina are so jugosos), then another platter of lamb and tons of bife. I ate until I nearly exploded! Painfully full, but it was all so good I just couldn’t bring myself to stop eating. However, that was not all. They then brought out an apple and vanilla cake in a grape sauce (apples and grapes fresh from the estancia) with homemade cream garnished with fresh mint; if I could eat that dish every day for the rest of my life I would be the happiest person alive. After dinner—as if all that food simply was not enough—Alex, Vicki, Brandon and I walked through the estancia together to eat fresh grapes (off the vine!) and fresh walnuts in the greenhouse. The sky finally cleared up at night: there were so many stars! We all had a guiarreada outside. Juan is a guitarist in an Argentine band, so it was a really good time, especially under the stars. At one point we saw a bright orange “star” which we at first assumed to be either Jupiter or Mars, but then later found out that it actually was the light of a radio tower on top of a mountain…¡qué lastima!

The next day we woke up to another delicious breakfast of Bircher Muesli, tostadas with dulce de leche and jams, and café and té. We had the morning libre so Vicki, Brandon, Alex and I walked to Las Cuevas de Ongamira. A three-kilometer (I hate the metric system…) walk down the road from the estancia, we paid ten pesos to enter this entire canyon of caves and cliffs. We walked through the whole thing, including an ascenso that looked over the entire valley. The view was incredible. Being the only people there, we were able to take in the beauty of everything around us. It was SO WINDY (at some points I actually felt like I was going to fly off the cliff) but it was such a liberating feeling. After spending a solid thirty minutes soaking in the endless panorama at the top, we hiked back down to see the cuevas, which ended up less of a cave and more of a big curved rock surrounded by an arroyo—still so cool. The trail then led us to a pasture where there were some wild stallions. We played in the pasture for a little bit (like children) and then walked back to the estancia. The view of the mountains walking back was absolutely breathtaking; it just was not real life.

We came back to a delicious lunch: a wonderfully cheesy and meaty lasagna and for dessert a baked apple covered in a sweet dulce de leche sauce, filled with more dulce de leche, topped with fresh walnuts. After stuffing our faces for a solid hour and a half, we left for Las Salinas Grandes, about a three-hour van ride from the estancia. We got there right before sunset; the clouds in the sky were so trippy. I was in disbelief of how vast Las Salinas Grandes actually were; they seemed to continue forever. It really messed with your depth perception. There was a huge body of water (that actually looked more like a mirage at first) that didn’t appear to be that far away, but we were walking for a solid hour before we finally reached it. There were old, abandoned train tracks and mining equipment from when salt used to be mined at the flats. Las Salinas Grandes were super soft and mushy (from just having rained the week before), and when we took our shoes off to walk around it felt just like a spa treatment. Amazing. We roamed around the flats until it was completely dark outside. We had set up camp at the flats and enjoyed a merienda of brownies and yellow cake made by Juan. We relaxed by the campfire until dinner, when Juan made us a delicious stew of rice, bife, carrots, onions, potatoes, and more delicious vegetables. We stayed at Las Salinas Grandes until about 1:30am (not returning to the estancia until close to 5am), soaking in the stars and having another guiarreada.

On Sunday we were sad to wake up only to realize that this would be our last delicious breakfast of Bircher Muesli and its accompaniments. (I managed to get the Bircher Muesli recipe, and plan on making it often when I return home.) After breakfast, John (one of the owners of the estancia) gave us a ride on the back of his pickup truck to a trailhead where we started our horseback ride through the mountains. My horse was named Gringo (of course) and he sure was a strong-headed guy! We rode up to the base of the mountain and hiked up. The view was UNREAL; I felt like it was a green screen. We had some mountaintop maté while Juan told us some stories about the aborigines. It was so amazing and peaceful at the top, and we ended up hanging out at the top of the mountain for a few hours.

When we returned to the estancia, the chefs had prepared an early dinner of homemade pizzas for us. I don’t even want to know how much I ate, but it was easily more than a full pizza. They had prepared such an amazing variety for us: margherita, smoked goat cheese and caramelized onions, Hawaiian, and a lactose-free one with chorizo, tomatoes, peppers, and olives…among MANY others. We were all so sad to say goodbye to Juan and the staff; they were all SO amazing and the food was unbelievably delicious. Juan told us about some other tours he leads including a backpacking trip that goes through indigenous villages in northern Argentina, which particularly interested me. Before leaving the estancia I went to the grape vines and snagged some of the delicious uvas jugosas for a merienda on the way back to BA, but obviously finished them before we even got on the bus.

Buses in Argentina are really the way to travel. All of the seats recline almost all the way back—if not full cama—and they provide you with a pillow and a blanket. The seats aren’t all that uncomfortable, and it was very easy to fall asleep on both rides. The meals are just decent, but they are free and edible! Each bus has two levels, and the front row on the second level looks straight out in front of the bus, as from the same perspective as the bus driver. On the way back to BA I was lucky enough to get one of these golden seats, and watch the sunset over the mountains as we drove away from Capilla del Monte.

What an amazing weekend! Fresh air, lots of sun, and being away from the bustling life of BA was really what I needed. I’m off to Santiago on Friday for Lollapalooza…let’s just say that it will probably be a little different than my relaxing, outdoorsy weekend in Córdoba.

Chau,
audgentina.

justicia, verdad y malbec

Banging pots and pans, carrying signs and posters with pictures of their missing loved ones, shouting: ¡Que aparezcan con vida nuestros hijos! Every day until the end of the Dirty War, women known as Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo gathered in the place of the same name, begging that their children be returned, safe and unharmed, from the mysterious detention centers scattered all throughout Argentina. It is now 35 years later, and they have not given up. Every Thursday at 4PM, Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo continue their protest. Being a Spanish/Political Science/Latin American Studies major, it’s safe to say that I’ve done my fair share of research on the Dirty War and the Madres. (Actually, anyone who knows me at all will tell you that I take every research opportunity to approach a different angle of the Dirty War in Argentina. Weird interest, I know.) But today was THE day to go. March 24 is a national holiday in Argentina, commemorating those disappeared during the Dirty War in the 1970s-80s.

Abbie, Paloma and I met up early this afternoon and began our Día Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia (what a mouthful!) by touring La Casa Rosada. La Casa Rosada essentially is the same thing as the White House, except for that it solely consists of government offices; the president lives in a separate house. It's free to enter La Casa Rosada and you can get a tour of the whole building, including the presidential offices where you can also sign a guest book. (I wrote ¡Viva la Argentina!...I wonder if Cristina will actually read it.)

We then plopped ourselves down in the Plaza de Mayo where thousands of people had gathered to celebrate today’s national holiday. Commemorating 35 years since the last golpe militar, people from ALL kinds of organizations—not just the Madres—gathered to protest for justicia, verdad, and igualidad. We had packed a picnic of tostadas integrales, jamón crudo, uvas, and Malbec (of course. I love being abroad in a wine country!). Soaking in the energy of the march was an indescribable experience. More and more people kept filing in from Avenida 9 de Julio; easily fifteen thousand marchers. We had some entertaining interactions with vendors and beggars, but it made for an all-around incredible afternoon.

After the march, we continued walking down Avenida 9 de Julio, against the traffic of the marchers so we were able see more of the partaking groups. From socialists to students to H.I.J.O.S., the diversity of the participants astounded me. We made our way to the Obelisco, a historic icon of Buenos Aires (which I shamefully had not gone to visit until today). There were marchers all throughout Avenida 9 de Julio, and it seemed like forever before the marchers began to dwindle down.

I came back from the march actually high on LIFE (and some Malbec). Such an incredible and eye-opening experience. As for now, I’m headed off to Córdoba for the weekend!



Chau,
audgentina.

¿a dónde voy?

Bariloche, Argentina. THE Patagonia. Easter weekend. Hostel is booked...is this actually happening?!?!

shakira, carnaval y san patricio

SHAKIRA. Oh. My. God. Thinking of that night still brings me chills. It is definitely safe to say that my life has changed for the better. I was never a huge fan, but thought it would be fun to see her live in Buenos Aires. I arrived at the festival with a few friends around four in the afternoon. Thanks to Cassie’s inconspicuous maneuvers, we were able to sneak in a whole picnic of fruit, sandwiches, a liter of Coke and a bottle of Fernet—an Argentine spirit that at first taste resembles battery acid but it really does grow on you. We set up camp and enjoyed the sunshine while some of the smaller acts played. Ziggy came on before Shakira, and as the daughter of an exceptionally devoted Bob Marley fan (what would be the male version of a groupie?), it was pretty awesome to see him play. You can totally hear his father’s influence in his voice, and he even played a few Bob songs towards the end. Throughout his performance, more and more people started to shuffle in, but it wasn’t until the end of the festival when I realized exactly HOW many people were there. Shakira really is a GOD in Latin America. Although she is actually Colombian, she really does consider this entire region to be her home turf. The first thing she said upon arriving on stage was “no hay lugar como estar en casa” (there is no place like being home). The crowd went NUTS over every song she played (especially “Loca” and “Loba”…two of my personal favorites). She even played a 90s throwback: “Underneath Your Clothes.” English-speakers were the evident minority, but we rightfully went nuts when she sang this song.

The festival ended around midnight, and it was then that I realized that there were tens of thousands of people at this concert. (Final headcount: 45,000. Thanks Cass!) Por eso, finding a cab was near impossible. We had anticipated this, so instead of hopelessly trying to hail a

cab right away, we stopped at one of the many pancho stands along the boardwalk in Puerto Madero for some late-night nomz. You know I can’t get myself away from those panchos. It took us a solid hour to find a cab that wouldn’t charge us $100 AR to take us back to Belgrano, but our tummies were happy, and that’s all that mattered (even though we didn’t get home until close to 3AM).

URUGUAY. If someone had told me a few years ago that my junior year spring break would be spent in Uruguay, I would have laughed in their face. Until I decided to study abroad in Argentina, I knew NOTHING about Uruguay and never would have imagined that there were such serene beaches in that country. Amanda, Abbie, Paloma and I set off on our journey late on Sunday night. Our transportation to La Paloma consisted of a ferry from BA to Colonia, then a bus from Colonia to La Paloma. I was imagining the Buquebus (the ferry) to be a dinky little ferry like the ones that go from the Cape to Nantucket. Wrong. This ferry had a delicious food kiosco, fully stocked duty free store, bar on deck and a glass elevator. This Buquebus almost resembled the Titanic.

We arrived in Uruguay towards the tail end of Carnaval, and let me just say GOOD LORD. I always thought that Carnaval was all street parties, costumes, and good times. No one told me that you literally need weapons of defense in order to survive Carnaval in one piece. I wish I were kidding. We began our aventuras uruguashas (note the accent!) in La Paloma, a small beach town in Eastern Uruguay. The population of La Paloma is less than 4,000, which had led me to believe that the locura of Carnaval wouldn’t be as intense here. Yeah, well FALSE. Regardless of the time of day, it was actually impossible to walk the streets—be it the main street through downtown La Paloma or one of the small side streets—without getting foamed, hit by a water balloon, or some other weapon of minimal destruction. It was funny at first, but after that first time I was ready to take out the suckers with a full-blasted water gun.

Other than the Carnaval mayhem, La Paloma was incredible! (Said mayhem actually made my time in La Paloma more interesting! Quite the experience…) I absolutely LOVED the hostel we stayed at and would return there in a heartbeat. They had the most delicious dulce de leche (locally made, I believe) and the staff recommended the greatest local asado restaurant. Hands down best choripan I have had yet.

After three days in La Paloma we headed west to Punta del Este. But of course it wouldn’t be a South American backpacking adventure without a smoking bus breaking down in the middle of nowhere! (Soaking up the Uruguayan atardecer definitely made up for this minor transportation mishap.) I was pleasantly surprised by the efficient communication between the bus drivers. They only had us waiting (albeit on the side of the ruta…) for a half-hour before the new bus came and got us. They told us on the bus that those of us going to Punta del Este (having to transfer buses in San Carlos) would not be able to be dropped off IN San Carlos, rather on the side of the ruta. GREAAAT—I thought—ANOTHER HOUR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. Wrong. Right when we pulled up to the side-ruta drop-off location, our bus taking us to Punta del Este pulled up and we got on our way. It seemed a little too easy, because how could South American transportation POSSIBLY be so (relatively) efficient?

After meeting up with Allegra, Sheehan and Paula our first day in Punta del Este, we decided to make some sangria and rent a boat for the afternoon. This ended up being such an amazing day. We first went to Isla de Lobos, the habitat of SO many sea lions. Seeing this was incredible, but then our boat driver told us that we could get out and swim with them! They came so close to us; it was unreal.

We then went to Isla de Gorriti, which is an island off the coast of Punta del Este where people will take their boats and jet skis to relax on the uninhabited island (only infrastructure on the island: a beach bar). When we arrived on the island—around 4:30PM—everyone, including us, was in verrrrry good spirits. We made many friends there, including some Argentines who let us take out their jet skis!

The rest of our week in Punta consisted of lots of beach time (checking out Los Dedos!) and taking advantage of the bustling nightlife, re parecido to the nightlife in BA (but obviously on a much smaller scale). We managed to find a very cheap seafood restaurant (with paella AND sushi…WIN.), which was convenient when the week came to an end and our funds did as well.



CLASE. I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. It actually feels like a lifetime ago that I was doing homework, studying for exams, and taking notes in class. I’m taking four classes: Historia de movimientos políticos y sociales (with ARGENTINES! Eek!), Historia económica en Latinoamérica, Sistemas políticos: los populismos en Latinoamérica, and Taller de escritura. Some classes are easier to understand than others, it really depends on el profe. None of my books are in yet (and won’t be in until Wednesday), so I conveniently haven’t had to do any homework yet. I’m hoping this study abroad experience will be more abroad and less study…but we will see how these classes go. OH…and I don’t have Friday classes. Helloooooooooo three-day weekends. This is really how life should be.

Over 10,000 kilometers from Ireland and you can still find wild St. Patty’s Day celebrations. I know I did, and was not expecting to at ALL! Obviously a ploy to gather all the Americans in the Buenos Aires area, get them drinking a little, and let the rest of the night unfold as it inevitably would. I’m not complaining—I had a GREAT time (peep me with a midget dressed up as a not-so PC Spanish leprechaun).


I then spent the entirety of the day following St. Patty’s in the Migraciones office, waiting to get my permanent visa. The incompetence of the empleados and inefficiency of the process astounded me, but I was too “weak” to notice all that much. But I am officially a resident of Argentina…hooray!

Amanda, Paloma and I went to the Recoleta market today, where I bought a pair of re cómodas leather sandals for $50 AR. We spent the day browsing the market, relaxing in the park, and walking through El Cementerio de la Recoleta, where iconic Argentines are buried (such as Evita Perón). We made a b-line straight to Evita, and hogged her grave for a little bit. Oops. Tomorrow is Cassie’s birthday, so tonight we’re going out to celebrate at a club called Rumi. Should be fun!

What’s on the horizon:
-El Día del Campo: Mañana. Not really sure what this día will consist of, but I’m guessing gauchos, maté, asado, and empanadas. An unbeatable combination.
-Córdoba: next weekend. Next Thursday and Friday are feriados nacionales, so on Wednesday night we leave for our long weekend at an estancia in Córdoba. Hiking, horseback riding, asado, maté and a fresh, outdoorsy weekend away from the not-so buenos aires of Buenos Aires. My lungs will be ever so grateful.
-Santiago, Chile: April 1-4. LOLLAPALOOZA…need I say more?!

Chau,
audgentina.

panchos are the bomb-a

It has been a while…I KNOW. I was traveling all weekend and have been so busy with finals this week but I have finally found a moment to update all my fervent followers on my crazy life in the Southern Hemisphere! But never fear, this post will be worth the long anticipated wait.

Well…let’s just say La Bomba was the BOMB-a. After getting off the Subte a LITTLE too early

and thus having to walk through Almagro—also known as the shadiest part of BA that I’ve seen thus far (mi culpa, mi culpa)—we made it to La Bomba on time and alive. Before the concert started, everyone was gathered outside of the venue, enjoying a few drinks and whatnot. Because La Bomba shows every Monday, the audience mainly consisted of foreigners, a lot of them being UB students. The energy of the concert was really something!

I wish I could upload some of the videos I took at La Bomba because the YouTube video I posted last week really does not do it justice. The musicians really feed off of the audience’s vibe, and during a few numbers they use the audience’s cheers and shouts as part of the song. It was so amazing, and I definitely plan on going back!

The gatitos were born last Wednesday! Three little nubs…they are so precious. Except not really because they can’t walk/open their eyes yet so they kind of just sit there. Lame. But they will walk soon I guess? I don’t know. But I am anticipating extreme cuteness when they can walk and I can squeeze the life out of their cute little selves! Once they are cute and actually start doing things I promise to post pictures of them! They will stay at home until mid-April when they will be given to their respective owners…on which day I will cry myself to sleep.

Last Wednesday night I went to an LCD Soundsystem concert with some friends. It was such a great show and it was so fun to see them here in BA…who knew! I am surprised by all the great shows that tour here; I (ignorantly) assumed that since Argentina is so far away from, well, MY life, that we would get the shaft on touring bands. However, pretty legit groups have come/are coming including Sublime, Tiësto, Backstreet Boys (yeah I said it.), and…let’s just say my hips don’t lie. Yes, I am going to see Shakira TOMORROW! (Pop Festival 2011…with Ziggy Marley as one of the opening acts…chyyyyeeaaah) I AM SO EXCITED! My cousin/bff Shans said, “You’re seeing Shakira in Argentina? That’s like eating pasta in Italy”…well said Cuz, well said.

On Thursday night Paloma and I decided to get a group together to go down to Mar del Plata for the weekend. A five-hour bus ride away, it felt like the perfect opportunity to get away from the chaos of the city. It ended up being a group of five of us—Allegra, Jake, and Alex joined us—and the spontaneity of the whole trip made the weekend even better. We got in late on Friday night and got to explore the nightlife of Mar del Plata before hitting the beach first thing Saturday morning.

Marde—as Argentines call it—is notorious for having overcrowded beaches, but the guy at our hostel told us of some less crowded beaches just outside of the city. We hopped on a Colectivo and rode out to Arena Beach, about thirty minutes from our hostel. The beach was perfect and there actually was not a single cloud in the sky. As the day went on naturally more people started to show up, but it wasn’t the towel-on-top-of-towel crowd that it is at Playa Grande. Argentines who come to Marde for the weekend will come to Arena Beach with their 4x4 vehicle and essentially tailgate all day on the beach. (Driving their cars as close as 20 feet from the water!) They blast music from their cars and chill all day. It is amazing, and made me miss the Meadows a little bit (shout out to my CT chongz!). We befriended the owner of the beach bar, who made us the most delicious strawberry daiquiris and introduced us to panchos.

Panchos are the single greatest nomz in the WORLD. It is actually impossible to capture the delicious essence of panchos without actually tasting it, but I will try. Take a hot dog; douse it in mustard, Parmesan cheese sauce (Yes…cheese sauce...they have this in Argentina! SO delishie), and whatever other condiments of your choice; then top it with crunchy little chip fries. SO SO SO GOOD. I don’t even love hot dogs, but these are simply irresistible. And naturally, being at the beach for seven hours, I had three of them, as did Paloma and Allegra. We also befriended two cordobeses (Argentines from the province of Córdoba), Carlos and Marcelo, who proceeded to comment on how much we girls eat. Cool.

But Carlos and Marcelo did end up being a lot of fun. They had brought their car and invited us to their “lot” to chill with them. It was great hanging out with them, because they would not tolerate us speaking in English. Seriously, every time we started speaking a little English to each other they would start yelling "CHUT UP CHUT UP CHUT UP!" (one of the only English phrases they knew). It really forced us to practice our Spanish in a more informal setting. We were at the beach until probably 7PM (the sun was still out when we left…I love summer), and Carlos and Marcelo gave us a ride back to our hostel. When we got back, we showered, slept, ate, and rallied for another night out in Marde. We strategically had booked our bus back to BA on Sunday at 6PM in order to get maximum beach time, so we spent all day Sunday at Arena Beach as well. It was a more relaxing day, to say the least, but nonetheless a very good time. All around, a fantastic weekend.

On Tuesday night I was invited to a cocktail/dinner party, hosted by Uncle Dave. Uncle Dave is an old Westpoint classmate of my grandfather’s, and I met him for the first time this night. We have been in touch via e-mail since I arrived in BA, and he was very eager to meet me and introduce me to his porteño friends. The cocktail party started in his apartment, where I met what felt like hundreds of people. Not as many viejos as I had originally thought! I met some very nice girls, who are the daughters of one of his good friends. I’m really excited to meet more porteños (outside of the boliches, that is…), and hopefully this is where I’ll start! We then went to a restaurant across the street called El Pájaro que Comió. The rooftop was rented out for the party, and although a little windy, it was a perfect night. I am no longer an Argentine steak virgin! I had my first carne, and let me just say that Argentine steak is NOT overrated. If anything it is underrated. I have never before tasted such a juicy, rich, tasty steak in my life. And after having given up meat for the past two years, this was the most ultimate reintroduction to the meat eater’s world. The mozos kept bringing over more, and more (and MORE!) vino, and for dessert we had the fudgiest brownies with helado de crema americana. So. Delishie. I went to bed VERY satisfied.

As of today, my intensive month of Spanish is officially OVER! GRACIAS A DIOS I survived it. Never, ever, EVER will I again commit myself to 25 hours of Spanish grammar a week. And I strongly urge ANYONE reading this to avoid such a hellish commitment. Tonight will definitely be spent celebrating LIBERTAD with my classmates: it’s officially SPRING BREAK! But wait…it’s not spring. Oh well. I leave for Uruguay on Sunday night and will be there until the following Sunday. I can’t wait! We will be in La Paloma and Punta del Este. Feel free to Google these destinations and be jealous. However, the forecast right now is showing for a few more rainy days than I would like…but I’m hoping that it’s lying.

I’m really feeling good about life in BA. Everything is starting to fall into a routine, and I love every moment of it. I no longer feel like I stick out like a sore thumb and not only have people started asking me for directions, but I can respond without stuttering like an idiot and muttering something along the lines of yo no sé, while running away crying. I now have my favorite cafés and stores, where the owners know me by name…or in the case of the health food store around the corner from my house, where the owner knows me as la chica de los pistachios.

Chau,
audgentina.