Big City, Little City

Tuesday March 25, 8:30pm Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilization, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

On the ferry to Uruguay this morning I was struck by a powerful emotion that I have experienced a number of times already on this trip - intense joy. It is a joy that fills the body with warmth and excitement, that brings a goofy smile to my face, and makes me do a victory dance in airplane bathrooms. There is something about traveling, about actually moving (as Stevenson suggests), that is exhilarating, thrilling and rewarding. Knowing that I am alone, having left new friends behind, once again starting another small adventure, another small life . . . it is freedom, joy, anticipation of what is just around the corner . . .

I am so happy to be out of Buenos Aires! The city was actually quite lovely for the most part- the shopping (as previously mentioned) excellent, the neighborhoods charming, and the booze flowing. Generally, however, I am more partial to cobblestone streets, small cafès oozing with character and meringue, beautiful sunsets and quiet. So anyway, yay for Uruguay!

I spent the last few days in B.A. a bit more calmly, taking time to sit, relax, get laundry done, etc. I saw a Tango show at the historical Cafè Tortoni which was lovely, and I went with some locals and an American girl from my hostel to a really fun punk rock show in a small emo-type venue. On Easter I attended mass at the cathedral with two women from Columbia who were in my room at the hostel. We arrived early and prayed the rosary for thirty minutes, not my normal style but very nice. Still having a bad taste in my mouth from the map-mugging, I was happy for a chance to pray to the Virgen for safety during my travels.


After mass (which was of course in Spanish and only partially comprehensible . . . although I could recognize some of the readings . . . "this is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it" etc.), I called my parents and then headed to the San Telmo street fair.

You may remember San Telmo as the neighborhood of terrible late night food and muggings, but it is actually quite charming during the day. The streets are filled with artisans selling their wares, bands (pianos and everything on the sidewalk) playing for change, tango dancers asking for a few pesos in return for a show.



I walked along and heard from the sidewalk, "Hello! Are you American?" It was Democrats Abroad, wearing Obama t-shirts and registering voters for mail-in ballots. We had a fun discussion, and as always I was intrigued by the idea of living abroad.

Yesterday I went with Stuart the Scot and a Brazilian women from the hostel to the protests held in Avenido del Mayo/Plaza del Mayo. Argentina had some very rough political years in the 1970s which included mass murder and thousands of people "dissapearing." The mothers of the people who dissapered keep constant vigil in Plaza del Mayo, and are the focus point for demonstrations throughout the year. The march included all sorts of leftist groups, including Peronistas, Socialists, and Anarchists. Good times, good times.

I need to make a few notes here before I forget (this is random, please don't mind)
- I can't get spell check to work for blogger. Sorry all.
-There are loose dogs everywhere.
-When you use the bathroom you throw the toilet paper in the basket, not the toilet.
-Everywhere is flooded with young Israeli backpackers, taking some time abroad between military service and college.

Excellent. Now that I've shared those, back to our story . . .

I had a couple drinks the other night with Omri, an Israeli guy I met with my family in a tiny pub in the tiny town of Doolin over New Years vacation. He happens to be working this summer at a camp about five minutes from my parents' summer house . . . if I see him there too, we will have seen each other on three continents. Pretty nifty, hmm?

So today I hopped on the ferry (which was lovely, well organized and desperate to sell you fancy expensive, yet duty free perfumes and booze) to Uruguay and arrived in lovely, small Colonia del Sacramento. This town was colonized back in the 1600s as a base4 for the Portuguese smuggling goods into Buenos Aires. The houses are old, there are seven historical musuems, a few lovely green squares, lovely views over the river separating Uruguay from Argentina, and charming cafès. My hostel is gorgeous, old, with cathedral ceilings, tiled floors and it just bursting with character, only in an elegant gentle way.




I had a great day just strolling the streets, visiting some hitorical bits, eating incredible meals and desserts, and watching a gorgeous sunset of the water.



I am so greatful for this trip, for these experiences and for my life. ¡Gracìas a Dìos por todo! I have spent the evening ready my new book (having finally finished the Coehlo), "eat, pray, love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. So far it is fantastic and perfect . . . a woman gets divorced and travels the world searching for pleasure and divinity. Excellent.


Tomorrow at 5pm I take the ferry back to B.A. and I have an 11:59pm flight to Auckland with Aerolineas Argentinas. I arrive at 6am in Auckland on the 28th. I haven't actually figured out how long the flight is, I'm not sure I want to know!


Thank you all so much for the comments, they make me so happy! I appreciate each one and am glad to have you on the journey with me, keep them coming!

Lots of Love!

Anna