During the lead-up to Easer weekend the other English assistants who are dotted across Argentina decided to “gate-crash” Mendoza. Mendoza is a city and a province bordering Chile and a long 24hr bus journey south of Saenz Pena. I got in touch with Emilie-Jane who has been my housemate in Bath for the last 2 years, and is currently teaching English in Chile and we decided we could meet in Mendoza!!
I left Saenz Pena at 10:00 on the Wednesday morning and arrived in Mendoza at 10:00 the following morning! The journey flew by considering that I had down-graded from the previous “executive” 13 hour journey from Buenos Aires to Corrientes! I watched some films- Madagasga being the most memorable, we played Bingo over the microphone and I ate so many Alfajores’ that I thought my teeth were going to drop out. I had a great seat on the top deck right in the front with a fantastic view of the ever-changing scenery and landscape.
My first impression of Mendoza was that it actually lived up to its title of a city, contrary to Saenz Pena. There were big roads with road markings, lots of traffic, not many horse and carts and the people had a certain elegant city style, as did all the boutiques, restaurants and squares. I soon realised that this was all due to tourism being one of the key industries, Wine being the principal one.
When I met the others assistants at their hostel I suddenly felt like I was back in Ibiza! The hostel was chic with a nice little garden at the back with a lagoon shaped pool and sun loungers. It was a nice surprise but all a bit naff and un-necessary- I felt like I was on a package holiday when I had come expecting an adventure weekend in the Andes and had packed for an adventure too- walking boots, woolly jumper and all!
Ej arrived the following day and it was great to see her and hear about her experiences and she totally inspired me with the level of her Spanish and her confidence in using it! I learnt a lot from what EJ shared with me about her experiences in the continent and it made me eager to get stuck in to my work, my community and my new temporary life in Saenz Pen!
Ej and I spent a lot of time strolling around parks and walking up and down the same streets. As it was Easter weekend the shops weren’t only closed for siesta they were closed for the whole holiday (holiday being Thursday-Sunday)!
We had some great experiences in restaurants with superb wine, ice-cream and service but also pulled the short straw with one place- not one of us got what we had ordered- avocado had been replaced with chicken, mushrooms were missing and when we finally got the they were horrible sliced and tinned button mushrooms bread and ice never arrived and to top it all off the waitress gave me a hefty glass full of Vodka instead of the mocha that Ej had asked for! The waitress even managed to drag the disastrous ordeal out to a good 2 hours! We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!
I was due to catch the bus home at 9:30pm on the Sunday so after Ej left some assistants and I planned a tranquil day in the park! We bought a Frisbee and were set for a day of bliss when a stray dog decided to befriend us and just wouldn’t leave us alone! We tried all sorts of escape routs and methods but he just wasn’t having any of it! After 3 hours of failed liberation attempts we swallowed our pride and decided the only way to get out of the sticky situation was to go back to the hostel- and hence that was the end of the great adventure!
24 hours later, after tossing and turning and talking to a home-birth midwife about all sorts I arrived back in Saenz Pena and realised that although I had only been away for 4 days I had missed the place and all the people that completed my life in Chaco. Up here it’s friendlier, it’s rural, undeveloped and authentic; it has a quaint charm and next time I’ll think twice before abandoning it for a weekend.
I left Saenz Pena at 10:00 on the Wednesday morning and arrived in Mendoza at 10:00 the following morning! The journey flew by considering that I had down-graded from the previous “executive” 13 hour journey from Buenos Aires to Corrientes! I watched some films- Madagasga being the most memorable, we played Bingo over the microphone and I ate so many Alfajores’ that I thought my teeth were going to drop out. I had a great seat on the top deck right in the front with a fantastic view of the ever-changing scenery and landscape.
My first impression of Mendoza was that it actually lived up to its title of a city, contrary to Saenz Pena. There were big roads with road markings, lots of traffic, not many horse and carts and the people had a certain elegant city style, as did all the boutiques, restaurants and squares. I soon realised that this was all due to tourism being one of the key industries, Wine being the principal one.
When I met the others assistants at their hostel I suddenly felt like I was back in Ibiza! The hostel was chic with a nice little garden at the back with a lagoon shaped pool and sun loungers. It was a nice surprise but all a bit naff and un-necessary- I felt like I was on a package holiday when I had come expecting an adventure weekend in the Andes and had packed for an adventure too- walking boots, woolly jumper and all!
Ej arrived the following day and it was great to see her and hear about her experiences and she totally inspired me with the level of her Spanish and her confidence in using it! I learnt a lot from what EJ shared with me about her experiences in the continent and it made me eager to get stuck in to my work, my community and my new temporary life in Saenz Pen!
Ej and I spent a lot of time strolling around parks and walking up and down the same streets. As it was Easter weekend the shops weren’t only closed for siesta they were closed for the whole holiday (holiday being Thursday-Sunday)!
We had some great experiences in restaurants with superb wine, ice-cream and service but also pulled the short straw with one place- not one of us got what we had ordered- avocado had been replaced with chicken, mushrooms were missing and when we finally got the they were horrible sliced and tinned button mushrooms bread and ice never arrived and to top it all off the waitress gave me a hefty glass full of Vodka instead of the mocha that Ej had asked for! The waitress even managed to drag the disastrous ordeal out to a good 2 hours! We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!
I was due to catch the bus home at 9:30pm on the Sunday so after Ej left some assistants and I planned a tranquil day in the park! We bought a Frisbee and were set for a day of bliss when a stray dog decided to befriend us and just wouldn’t leave us alone! We tried all sorts of escape routs and methods but he just wasn’t having any of it! After 3 hours of failed liberation attempts we swallowed our pride and decided the only way to get out of the sticky situation was to go back to the hostel- and hence that was the end of the great adventure!
24 hours later, after tossing and turning and talking to a home-birth midwife about all sorts I arrived back in Saenz Pena and realised that although I had only been away for 4 days I had missed the place and all the people that completed my life in Chaco. Up here it’s friendlier, it’s rural, undeveloped and authentic; it has a quaint charm and next time I’ll think twice before abandoning it for a weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment