We left Buenos Aires on November 7th for a long three day journey through Peru, Costa Rica, Los Angeles and finally ending in Guadalajara, Mexico on November 10th. Our last few days in Buenos Aires were very eventful and a lot of fun. On Friday evening, Bush arrived in Mar Del Plata (about 5 hours by bus away) and there were lots of protests. Our hotel was on the main street between the Legislative building and the Executive Palace (Ave. de Mayo) and many of the marchers went down this street on the way to the Legislative building. We decided to walk along with them to the Legislative building. The protests we saw were very peaceful, although almost every group of protestors had a few young people with masks on carrying a wooden club or metal pipe. Not something you see at protest in the U.S.
On Saturday, Megan and I took a trip by boat to a former prison island (and now nature reserve) in the Rio de Plata called Isla Martin Garcia. This island was home to no less than 4 Argentine presidents (most before or after their term in office). The island was beautiful and definitely a place that would be great to live. Unfortunately only those who work on the island (mostly Coast Guard, tourist services and park rangers) are allowed to live there.
During the trip we met a very nice Argentine couple, Arturo and Lily. We talked with them a lot and by the end of the boat ride they invited over for lunch the next day. We of course agreed.
The next day we woke up and went to a craft markets and then grabbed a train out to Arturo and Lily's house. They live outside the federal district of Buenos Aires, in the Cuidala neighborhood. The neighborhood is a very nice middle class suburb of Buenos Aires. Lilly cooked a nice lunch of ravioli and roast beef for us. After a nice slow lunch and lots of conversation about politics we went to the social club that they are members of and enjoyed a nice coffee.
That afternoon we went to another craft market (a huge one with great artisan goods). After buying some very nice things at the market we went to a park to watch Megan's sister Rebeca dance at an outdoor milonga (tango dance) before we said goodbye to her. Rebeca is staying in Buenos Aires till the end of December to learn more Spanish and teach English in a volunteer program.
The next day we packed up our things and we caught our flight and headed towards Guadalajara.
(I'm actually writing this entry from my hotel room in Guadalajara, Mexico. I didn't have a chance to write an entry before I left South America.)
Posted by Noah Brimhall at November 7, 2005 09:47 AM