Mendoza

I am exhausted and have an absurd amount to do, but I just wanted to write about my trip before I forgot. This weekend was honestly one of the best I've had here in Argentina. Despite all the bad luck I've had down here (you know, the parasite, the fact that for a day and a half we were sure my identity was stolen - more on that later- the fact that my bike was the only one that broke, twice, during our biking wine tour, the fact that I am the one that has spent the most time researching and making contacts for my ISP and it's falling apart faster than I can seam it back together). I was talking to one of my friends in the cab on the way home tonight, and for both of us this weekend was so cathartic. It was like it finally hit us that study abroad is wonderful. Of course, it's an incredible experience but just being able to go, travel, be away from the group dyanmics (for better or worse) and just cheaply tour through wine country on our own pace was so... freeing. Travel with SIT has been wonderful, don't get me wrong. But this weekend was like a true vacation. No classes. No schedules. No rooming assignments. Just what we wanted to do. Amazing.

Thursday night we left Buenos Aires after presenting our final exam paper and flew to Mendoza. The hostel we book at ripped us off (they tried to charge us for a room that didn't have keys or a lock. Not only did it not have a lock, in fact, the door was too wide for the frame so the door wouldn't close). After arguing for 30 minutes, we finally got our money back and at 11:30pm embarked to find a new hostel. 6 hostels later, more or less, we found this wonderful backpacker's hostel that was super nice to us. The insides all had interesting signs and designs. It was very laid back and located in the equivelant of Lincoln Road- shops, bars, outdoor restaurants. It's was lovely.

Friday we woke up expecting to do the bike and wine tour, but since it was feriado (holiday- again!) in Argentina we wound up just walking around the city. We tried to go to the zoo, but that too was closed, so we wound up randomly finding a national monument to General Martin in the middle of a huge park and walked around and looked at some art work. That afternoon we took naps, chatted with some british people we met at the hostel and went to the town feria. As much as I love outdoor markets, I think I am feria-ed out. I think this must have been our 9th or 10th feria since coming to Buenos Aires and I just can't buy more of the same stuff. Still tempting though..

Saturday we woke up super early for the main event: bikes and wine tours. In pure argentine fashion it took about 2 hrs more than expected to get to the city, Maipu and get our bikes. When we finally did get riding though it was just such a wonderful experience. I hadn't been on a bike in years and years and I wasn't sure I could hack it. Especially that long of a distance. Especially after touring vineyards. But the program was wonderfully spaced out and throughout the course of 11am-6pm we toured a few vineyards, went to an olive oil plant, lunched at a close vineyard (two course meal and a wine tasting for about $8UDS- amazing!) and biked over 20 miles. It was surreal it was so wonderful.

This morning we woke up and the group split up: half went paragliding (no thank you, I value my life and don't trust argentine safety very much) while a friend and went white water rafting and rapelling. The water was calm for this time of the year (class 2 rapids) but it was so nice to be out in the mountains, away from cars and noise, and just be on the water. We also wound up sharing a raft with a friend of a friend that's studying abroad in Chile right now. He was just in for the weekend-- what a small world! After an hour of rafting, more or less, we sat outside and had lunch by the river. I took a 2hr nap in the sun and enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather (it was about 75 during the middle of the day!). Finally got some color so that's nice.

I'm incredibly exhausted and need to figure out what in the world I'm doing for my ISP proposal due tomorrow morning. Still no contacts from this organizaiton so it's time to panic, a bit.

The weekend was wonderful. I want to go back, already. It really made me realize that as much as I love cities and the motion that comes with them, that I really am happiest when I'm outdoors. Immediately, upon being back in Buenos Aires I am stressed again. I'm glad I now know that about myself