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It has been some time since my last post, both due to being lazy and generally just having lots of things going on. In the last few weeks we have travelled some distance, and gone against our original plans and intrepid style, to end up now in Uruguay of all places. A little out of the ordinary, well for us anyway. We have relaxed and enjoyed some luxuries and not being super active. Kinda being normal tourists in a way, I suppose.
Exploring the interior and exterior of picturesque towns and cities has been the main feature on each day's agenda. Destinations included, Bariloche, San Martin, Pucon, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Colonia del sacremento and now Montevideo.
Sunshine, crystal clear water, chocolate shops and artesenal markets are common themes in the Lakes District of Argentina and Chile...
Nicely situated on the shores of scenic, crystal clear lakes, Pucon, Bariloche and San Martin are just some of many playgrounds of winter and summer recreation in the area. Not only this, they also provide perfect space for some nature therapy and relaxation, which we seemed to resort to.
To start, a few nights in a 4 star hotel was a very welcome late birthday present, which we sure to make the most of. Most importantly, going back for at least thirds each morning at the buffet breakfast. We camped some more in all of these spots and met some crazy people in hostels, keeping a nice balance overall.
Plans to hire bikes and walking fell through due to laziness, closed shops, poor connections from where we were, and being sick. However, after recovering, I havemanaged to get out paddling whitewater in Pucon and have done plenty of exploring every place visited. It was fantastic to feel the rush and the true force of nature once again when paddling!
Time in Pucon and San Martin was somewhat plagued by a sickness that was not easy to overcome. (Readers you have been warned the following may not be for all ears...) what started as excessive gastro-intestinal gas, requiring frequent airing of the tent, evolved into a muy doloroso stomach pain and regular "movements", shall we say. Adjectives suck toxic, explosive, and "uh oh" could be well utilised. The worst part was standing in the line at the border crossing when a false positive was given... You can finish the story.
Highlights more recently have been giving tango a go and going to a football match in Buenos Aires. Both activities provided some great insight to the culture and true passion here. Right away from the centre and tourist crowds, we seemingly found the real experiences. The tango was held in an old dingy warehouse that had been used as a milonga (pretango dance meeting house). Decor and the atmosphere effectively reflected the history of the place, and the tango itself.
Way out in what looked a lot like my understanding of a slum, the football one crazy and amazing experience. Being put in the cheap seats was a fantastic way to absorb the full passion and pride of the fans all around. It was intriguing to me the how they were so loco yet no drinking was allowed. Even more so, the amount of security - there was a small army.
Although I'm not so into history, generally avoiding historic sites, it is hard to fathom the amazing pasts these areas have had. The small town of colonia in Uruguay for example, has changed crown some 14 times between Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Argentina. Throughout time, the city has suffered, but seems to still stands proudly and reflects its melting pot of culture and history. Maybe I'm just getting old.
Nice one ;)
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