Cordoba and Argentines

First of all let me tell you that no amount of time is enough to do backpacking in South America. You’ll be a fool like me to think that 6 month s would be enough. I mean I haven’t even scratched the surface and I already know that my time is too short and I plan to visit only 4 countries.
I am in Cordoba right now which is the cultural capital of Argentina. A tall claim to live by but when you come here it’s not difficult to see why. The city is steeped in history with colonial building all around. It’s built around plazas and people fill them up all the time. It’s a student town and quintessentially Argentine in nature with its laid back lifestyle. It’s also the adventure hug of Argentina but I am reserving all that for Patagonia where I am headed next. Cordoba is a big province and the hills are close buy. The locals in this heat love to head for the mountains and camping and just about everyone in the town are out doing that because it’s boiling right now.
The city has got culture but the trick is to get away from your guide books and roam around the city especially parts which aren’t mentioned in books – places where the locals visit. Like yesterday I went with a local friend who was as inquisitive about India as I was about her country took me to a bar where they experiment with electronic music and tango. The whole experience was great. Its fusion like ive never experienced.
I have already started feeling that I don’t have enough time in this continent so now I have decided not try to see little of just about everything and want to spend 2 weeks in Patagonia. It’s a 20 hour bus drive but these buses are really comfortably. They serve you meals and wine and you can also travel first class but it comes at a price. The bus terminals have information boards like in airports and it’s pretty easy to find your way around.
The Argentines have to be some of the friendliest people in the world. My Spanish is no where close to be good expect for the touristy phrases but you just need to spot someone for help and they would go out of their way to help you. Not like Europe where there the most unfriendly especially to backpackers. Argentines are very interested about Indians and respect out culture and way of life. They want to know more about us and just about everyone wants to come to our country, but then who doesn’t.
Everyone in the hostel is surprised when they come to know I am from India especially because they haven’t come across Indian backpackers but I guess it’s about opportunities.
And yah, I finally learnt how to do laundry and took my first tango lesson. The later was for free. Viva Argentina.

New years and Tango

Its 2010 and i have just surfaced on the 2nd evening after what was a kick ass way to usher in the new year. Rio is probally the party capital of the world and i did want to spend new years there but it was frightfully expensive to be there. Buenos Aires but as expected was great.
Like on most nights no club opens before 2am. New years there for you can either spend on the streets or like me in the hostel with firends.
I went to Pashas, a nightclub the the ticket included a bus transfer from the hostel. I really dont remember much from what happened and from where i see it i think i had a blast. Electronic music playing with some of the best dj´s from across the world, four different floors, 3 different sets and the club is on the sea shore. It was brillient honestly with people from across the world. I made friends with some aussies on the bus and with a guy who thinks he is Borat. We were together for a while but then the madness started .
The party continued till 10 in the morning from where i went with some gringos - read americans, to another place before i came to the hostel the next night. So you now know why i surfaced on the second evening because i had had no sleep for 40 hours. Go Argentina.........
Buenos Aires has a timeless air about itself. Its got culture mixed with charm, music and dance is the birth right of the residents. Tango for example. Sex and lust. Love and frigigity. Rythm and high healed shoes. Tango has been about competing interests. Its flirtation with paradox is how. On one had it seduces because it is ancient and timeless – in a worldfixated with fads and fashion – and on the other it is rejuvinated and renovated. Buenos Aires and tango complement each other and the dance says alot about the city because its special.
Today in my last day in BA and i am off to Cardoba which is in the north. The bus system in Argentina is very good and relatively cheap.ive only heard good things about it so togight should be fun.

Buenos dias

Relocceta cemetery
Sab Telmo
Music is in the Argentine blood

City centre

Dakar
La boca
A novel idea to make some money
Outside the Boca junior stadium
La Boca again
Cemetery
Space party - crazy one

Music again - this time on the subway or the subte
Flee market
La Boca
Space party
Tango in San telmo
Hola….
I´ve been in Argentina for a few days now and its great. The hostel i am staying, the people you meet from around the world and the Argentines as well. Its just fantastic. For example i meet a Swiss guy, all of 18 years and he is bagpacking across SA. I dont think i would have ever had the courage when i was his age to do that.
Buenos Aires is a great city with tons of things to do and see. Its got culture, history, friendly people, awsome nightlife- still hungover from yesterday, or was it day before. And the best poart is that unlike Brazil its cheap.
There are awsome place to visit like San Telmo – live Tango going on, beer flowing. Really nice. San Telmo has your European style pebbled streets and has got its own character. I dont know what is it with these South Americans. I mean their dance. Brazil has samba and Argentina has Tango. If Salsa is sexy then Tango is sensual. The intensity with which they dance its just fantastic.
For an Indian it isnt very difficult to get used to Buenos Aires. The europeans find it a little difficulty with the poverty but we´re kind of immune to it i guess. But unike our big cities BA isnt cramped. The economy of argentina went bust in 2001 but now things are looking up.
Then there is La boca, the palace where the soccer team Boca juniors came from. BA is all about its neighbourhoods. La boca was earlier a slaughter house and there were blood stains on the walls. The authorities found a novel solution to this and painted the walls and in different colours. Now La boca is a tourist attraction with tango shows and thousands of tourists flocking there. A little touristy i think but still nice. La boca is a run down neighbourhood and from the poverty comes the rise of excaptional soccer talent. I saw kinds playing there and those guys are definattely better than any of our international players. I am serious.
BA is very easy to walk around. Not alot of people speak english but you can get your way around with a map. Brazilian women are hot but the Argentine women are no exception. And they are really frindly as well.
The adventage of staying in a hostel is that not only is it cheap, you meet alot of people and make friends easily. Like yeaterday we went out to a club and there were two guys from isreal, one from norway, myself, two brazialian girls and another one from america. An awsome cocktail if you ask me. There are people from all over the world. Japanese, koreans, swiss, brazilians, isrealies, argentines, germans, brits- the most unfirendly, scots, aussies. Some have only come for christmas and new years but alot like me are bagpacking around SA.
I am going to be in Buenos Aires till new years because its a great place to party the up into the andes before going to mandoza – the wine capital of Argentina before going into Patagonia which i am sure will be the highlight of this country.
Ciao

Going to the moon would have been easier

I love being an Indian, there are no two ways about that. Ours is a country we all need to be proud of. Unlike the imperielist Europeans and and also the Japs, we have never invaded any country or have tried to impose our way of like or views on any civiliasation. And at that we all need to be proud of.
But for the first time i have ever regreted being an Indian was when i had to apply for my visa to South America. My plan was to travel 5 or 6 months in Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Bolivia and from where i see it, this should have been a piece of cake – getting the visas that is. But this could´nt have been further fromt the truth.
I dont know how difficult by journey through these countries is going to turn out considering i am doing it all alone, but the difficulty is getting the visas was down right disgusting. The travel agents all had the same reply – nahi ho sakta. Its not that I was wanting to go to the moon and as how thigs turned out that would have been simpler.
Holdiing an Indian passport is a punishment and thats despite my passport being well stamped with alot of visas before i applied for the first visa which was of Brazil. The thing that really pisses me of is that all the Europeans and ofcourse the Americans dont need no visas to go to any of the countries i planned to visit. This is really unfare. Its them who actually need to be scrutinized because you never know where again they might intend to set up another conlny. Which brings me again to my ealrier point. India has never invaded any country. I know i am missing the point but it pisses me off immensely that it has to be so difficult form Indians to get visas. Ahhh.
Till the time my Brazil visa came which took 1 complete month, anxiety levels had reach bursting point. I´d left my job for a specific puspose – to travel and it seemed that it would´nt happen.
Eventually after a wait of a month my Brazil visa came after which i presumed that it would be plain sailing. Wrong again. Peru also took nearly 3 weeks and Argentina took another 2 weeks. But they are right when they say that if something has to happen for you then the world will conspire to make it happen.
Eventuially things did fall into place and i am now on my way.