WOW! It has been entirely too long, but I have been traveling so much it is hard to stop and write.

The last time I wrote was about Santiago, so I am going to start with Mendoza!

MENDOZA:
We finally got to Mendoza, Argentina and met up with Sarita! She is researching the gay and lesbian culture in Argentina, so a few nights we went to gay clubs with her! I had the best time because the gay community seems to me to love to dance, so I just got to dance and have a great time! We went to some straight clubs too where there were more Americans. The schedule in Mendoza is so relaxed. Everyday they take siesta, so all of the stores are closed from about 12 to 5 or 6! Andrew and I could not get on this schedule to save our lives, so a lot of things took longer to do because we would not be able to do anything until places opened back up around 6! We went to the park a lot and went on a lot of awesome jogs around the city, which was really odd because NO ONE runs in the city. They drive to the park and run there, so needless to say we got a lot of weird looks! We stayed with this man named Mario. He was about 60 and he was an actor when he was younger, but now focuses more on his art projects around his house! He lived in Chile during the Pinochet times, so that was interesting to hear about. We also got to meet some of Sarita´s friends from the south of Chile - where they speak more clearly and they are nicer! Carla and her brother, Arturo, who was visiting for Carla´s birthday hung out with us all week! The last day was by far the greatest because we all went to a winery or a bodega and tasted wine! It was so much fun to be tipsy in the afternoon. Sara´s friend worked there, so he completely comped everything and we had an amazing meal in the wine cellar. That night, they all came over and we cooked dinner and Mario ate with us! Andrew was drinking scotch, so he was saying ridiculous things about the ballenas, which is pronounced so much like vaginas! So everytime Mario talked about the Patagonia and the ballenas flapping through the water, Andrew was cracking me and Sara up! The hispanohablantes or Spanish-speakers didn´t get the joke. Andrew then asked Sarita how many ballenas she had seen when she visited the Patagonia, which she answered something like all of them! Such good times! We also met Sarita´s other friends Matias and Martin, who were really good at speaking English, so between all of us we had some good laughs. We hung out at Sarita´s house with her madre Mariana, who was really cool. She is really used to have Americans because she hosts students when they study abroad, so it was really great talking with her because she was really patient and spoke clearly. She was also pretty hilarious! Mendoza is definitely one of my favorite cities in South America!

BUENOS AIRES:
We took an overnight bus from Mendoza to BA, and found the coolest hostal called LimeHouse! We were right on the Avenida 9 de junio - June 9th Avenue. The first day we went to the grocery store and got some amazing food. For five quality steaks here, it cost about 10 pesos, which is about $3.30! We went to this tour called the Pub Crawl that night. It turned out to be a rip because it was so expensive and then we had to buy drinks, which we were told we´d get enough free drinks, but anyways we met some cool folks from Scotland, England, and Chapel Hill! It was so much fun because at the last boliche or club, we got up on the tables and our whole group was dancing! We went to various barrios or neighborhoods around where we stayed. The first one was called Recoleta and the other was called La Boca. Recoleta was the fancy, posh side of town and everything was expensive. It is also where the cemetery is! This cemetery was like nothing we had ever seen. It was like a little village, but instead of houses, they had little shrines or cottages that fit a whole extended family after death! It was so bizarre! La Boca was the coolest because it was like a mixture of Charleston and New Orleans. Everything was colorful and there was so much tango and music! It was great and I wish I spent more time there. I bought a huge blue poncho there that is so cool! I cannot wait to bust it out in the States!

That´s about it for now: I still have to write about Uruguay, Iguazú, Salta, and then back in Arequipa!

chau chau