Coin shortage

There seems to be either a real or perceived scarcity of coinage around here, so much so that stores will post hand written signs that declare exact payment, no tengo monedas. That being said, I’ve had great luck in obtaining lots of coinage and used them on the buses and subway. Yes I took the subway one day and navigated that fine but I was a little disoriented when I came up and got lost. Some friends were beside themselves when I gave them $4 in change saying I had no idea how easy I just made their lives. I figure because they are hard-core backpackers and couch surfers and they don’t usually buy things or something. Currently in my wallet I have 5 $1 pesos and thats not counting what I have upstairs. Of course, some of them won’t work on the bus as there is some kind of fake ones going around, not sure. Lots of funny stuff going on with the money here. The banks, only allowing to withdraw $600 pesos at a time (thats less than $200) in the name of them wanting to hoard people’s cash I suppose. It only makes me upset in that I am charged $5 USD for each transaction. Of course I can go to many ATM’s in a day but its a little pricey @ 5 bucks a pop.

This frog needs another pond

I’m making preparations for my visit to the Estancia now, its pretty much my focus for the next week or so. Being here a month I realize that I must find another place that feeds me hence going remote where I will not have electricity and unknowns in every possible way. While I have over a week left, I am searching for a few things that I will need for my upcoming work, like work gloves, a flashlight, spare batteries, as well as things to attend to, brasil visa, changing departure with airlines…

Yesterday I found THE boots I have been dreaming of, they are black and tall and are a fine pair of Argentine made boots for riding. Super comfortable, of course, and I’m so grateful I waited for them among all the other boots that I tried on. I just couldn’t settle for anything less!

Soon I’ll post photos of them, I know that must be killer hard to wait but such is life

Aside from finding the beloved botas, it was such a warm spring day that I went out with only a jean skirt and a shirt. I felt so free walking through town so unencumbered with layers of clothing. And today, Sunday, it rained, not hard, but with grey skies it made the streets even less occupado.

Oh and I got hit by a bike yesterday too. Well we both could have done better to avoid it and no one got hurt but I have to look both ways when crossing even if its a one way street for cars, at least on sunny days. The seasonal bikers are coming out.

Pics from Puerto Iguazu

Just posting pics from trip to Puerto Iguazu. I had one afternoon at the Falls and sent Miwa ahead on Tuesday as I sorted out the news from home and tended to my developing cold. Because Iguazu is popular solely as a tourist attraction, I was constantly asked if I wanted a taxi or to buy something. We enjoyed a nice pizza on the patio our last night there, a nice tropical breeze, a cold cerveza…

Tomorrow we board Via Bariloche bus back to BA…

Sweet little town and farmland

Cute little towns with red earth

Miwa enjoying dinner

Baby friend on the bus, didnt cry once

Pulling into Puerto Rico, are we lost?

Lush

Walking trail into Falls, on the way to board the train

Mariposas everywhere!

The Grand Falls

Truly awesome

Getting closer

Caught a rainbow

The roar is awesome!

Stunning, this is the looking at the Brasil side of the Falls

Misty valley

Magical

Loads of international visitors, can you find the nice Canadian man?

On the bus ride home

Serene

Another day

Typical Argentine breakfast, sugar and sugar sin protein

Spark your dream

It’s always been a dream of mine to travel the world and now I am doing it. I’ve been in Buenos Aires for a month now and so much has happened in my internal world, I cant begin to extrapolate.

As I shook off my cold and faced the day, I went in search of a “GHD” or good hair day straightener for my hair and postcards. I found that and more. As I am headed south to the expanse of wild nature, I’m aware that I need a warmer jacket, riding boots, a good wide brimmed hat and a flashlight. All of which I have in storage and the day I knew would come when I wish I could virtually repack for this trip. But there was no way to know….

In my attempt to find a suitable wind/water proof jacket I met 2 nice portenos. Javier and Jessica (pronounced Yessica) work at Mulac Patagonia outdoor wear store. He’s helpful and speaks some English. Down jackets are not the norm here so I’ve had to regroup. As I’m trying on jackets, I start to feel warm as its warmed up here, in the 70’s now. When he hands me a fleece to try on under neath the jacket I tell him I’m getting so hot with all these clothes on so he picks up the remote and turns on the air conditioner and it blows cold air on my while I tack on the layers. The jacket is ok and then he remembers another one as I point out that the sleeves are too long. This one is the last one and its perfect. The hood is removable and it has pockets on the inside, key. We negotiate the “liquidation” price and he brings up that we don’t call it liquidation. No, we call it a sale. An end of the season sale. He repeats and Yessica giggles. She doesn’t speak any English though she understands quite a bit. She laughs when I tell her I’m from SF, I ask them where they are from. Buenos Aires. He would like to go to Bolivia.

As he asks why I need the jacket, we get into what I “do”. Trabajo. I search for the words to say “sound healing” and then remember I bought a dictionary and had it with me. I put the words together and he says “claro” meaning right and looks like he understands and then has more questions. I end up drawing him a picture of a tuning fork, hmm, thats not helping. I direct him to get on the acutonics website and things start to come together for him. I explain I’m going to work with horses and do sound healing on them. It’s totally fun watching them react to what I say. The blank looks tell me they don’t understand and visa verse. When he gets excited I have to remind him to “despacio por favor” meaning slower please.

The inevitable question comes “do the people of america like bush”? ah yes, I wish I had a sane answer for you. How do you explain the collective unconscious of a society that has lost its ability to think for themselves, that the media brainwashes people, that our values are based on trucco or “falsehood”. It’s complicado I tell him. The media here covers the election news quite a bit and he knows about Palin. I think he understands that goverments have problems, even theirs, and that we are a part of the problem and the solution.

I hit the atm for cash as there is quite a discount, usually, for paying with cash, though not at restaurants. I pay for the jacket and know it will keep me warm and dry with special memories of my new acquaintances and the afternoon we shared.

Oh and those of you who know me well will appreciate that I have located 2 knife/gun shops in the immediate area. One is at the corner of Maipu (my pooh?) and Viamonte. They also have flashlights. I’m thinking of picking up a nice blade to pack onto my belt buckle. I’m going way country and couldn’t be more excited about it.

Feliz Compleanos Lin!!!

September 25th is my dear friend Lin’s Birthday!!! OH….

Miss you! Wish you were here!

Sad news from home

last night i got on my itouch from my hotel room and read an email from my mom, my aunt mo died sunday morning. she was out walking and was found not breathing…

great sadness at the news, seems surreal being so far from home. she is loved by many and loved good humor.

i´m going to put a page up on the blog to remember her when i return to the apartment tomorrow. i´m hoping to make the page collaborative so you can post your photos and comments.

and for me, my mom says to stay here and keep living life, enjoying its ups and downs. will do, even though i would like to be there to support my family. mom assures me that by living my life in the most authentic way i can and sharing that with others i am supporting and inspiring others to do the same. enough said.

<made it<!

caught the bus at 6:55 pm and arrived here at 10 this morning. its not as hot as people have been saying but its nice to not be bundled up in the wool coat. pleasant. i feel pretty good for getting 5 bus hours of sleep on a crowded noisy bus.

miwa and i are truely lost in translation. she doesnt speak much english so she tries to communicate in espanol, can you believe that is the language we have in common, plenty of short conversations, smile.

we’re off to see the falls today, my eyes and soul are in heaven with all this lush green tropical juju

Off to Puerto Iguazu!

I’ll be back Thursday! XOXOOXO

Corazon

Tonight I went to hear the talk from Swami Puri, one of Amma’s peeps. So great to see a healthy following of Amma here. I met a sweet young couple from Argentina and they are going to see Amma in December in India. He is studying the tabla and that is how he knows of Amma. The word “corazon” was heavily used and I couldn’t remember what that meant which is how I came to talk with this couple. It means heart and surely I would never again forget the meaning.

The movie made about Amma was dubbed in Spanish so I looked at the pictures and imagined what I wanted to hear. Swami actually spoke English first and then was translated into Spanish. Beautiful night.

1 year anniversary

Today marks 1 year since my life changing car accident. I’m grateful to have a healthy spine and that I am taking the trip I researched during the long months of recovery and day dreaming.

To celebrate, I watched the movie: Lars and the real girl, took a nap and went to dinner with an American friend, Estelle and enjoyed 2 desserts.

Last night we entertained some friends, 1 American from Boston Oren, Miwa from Oskaka, and Katharina and Marten from Austria. My roommate made cheesy bread, delicious lasagna, and chocolate pops. We hung out in the attic/crawl space as they thought it was just quaint and different, the “secret room”. Wonderful night with new friends.

I’ve declared tomorrow as “eclectic religious/spiritual” day. We start with Tierra Santa http://www.tierrasanta-bsas.com.ar/index.html and continue with Amma’s Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri giving a talk about Amma. I think there will be a movie about her, singing and great music. But first I look forward to sleeping in.

They are a sweet couple

I think they would have moved in if I’d offered

Fun house, they loved this room!

bye bye

Almost gone

Hand puppet show

Hobbit-ville, this is where we keep the dead bodies

Austrians in the secret room