I haven't been writing for a while. I have so much to say! I left Buenos Aires the last day of July. Suzie helped me move out my apartment and, as always, I was always late! Yes, late! my bus was leaving in 20min and I was still trying to change my dollars into pesos! ohh no! I asked the taxi driver to "fly" because the bus was about to leave! Suzie came with me, but she was so scared! The taxi driver was going so fast that we thought we were going to die before arriving to the bus terminal! hahaha She helped me so much. I wouldn't have been able to make it without her. She helped me carry my 3 bags.
The next morning I got to Misiones, Puerto Iguazu. The bus terminal was only 2 blocks away from my hostel, but it was a true challenge to get there. My bags were so heavy. I told myself that is was enough, that I was going to get rid of some of my bags. So I did. I left a pair of jeans, 3 t-shirt and my hair difuser. My bag was still too heavy! I did a little bit of canopy, rapel and mountain climbing in the Iguazu jungle.
The next morning, I went to a tour that took me to the Paraguay to go shopping and to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls. I was with two other couples. One italian couple that were kissing all the time. They didn't even talked to me because I think the girl was jealous or something. The other couple was older and we didn't have much to talk about. I was really bored. When I got to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls I decided that was going to go my own my way. I decided to go rafting in the waterfalls!!!! the only problem was that everybody was Brazilian and the guide gave me instructions in Portuguese! I barely understood what to do and it was my first time doing this! we were in the water and suddenly I hear "to the other side!" and everybody was jumping to get to the right side of the boat. Right away I hear again "to the other side" and everybody was struggling to get to the left side....I didn't make it! I fell out of the water and almost drowned in the falls! hahaha What an experience! Holding tight to the rope around the boat was really helpful though. My teammates got me back on board and everybody clapped!
The next day, I went to the Argentinian side, which is more beautiful than the Brazilian side. It is truly beautiful. I was amazed by the amount of water and the strength which it was flowing. I went on the "Great Adventure". A group of tourists, including two cute Spanish guys, and I went on a boat to literally "shower" in the waterfalls. We were so close to the waterfalls and there was a rainbow! I have never seen a rainbow. Nature is beautiful there!
That same night, I got on a bus to Mercedes. I was in my way to the Esteros del Ibera. I got there by noon and all the banks were closed until the next day and I couldn't exchange my dollars for pesos. No money! Only 40 cents! I asked why everything is closed. People told me that at noon or 1pm they close because it is siesta (napping) time. Some stores open again around 4pm until 9pm or so. I met this girl from Germany, Jenni, and we went to a Chamame show. This music has a little bit of a Brazilian influence and it is a lot of fun.
The next morning, Jenni, other people and I went to the Esteros del Ibera. The bus only goes to that town twice a day and it is not for sure that there is a "colectivo" (bus) every day. I felt trapped because the lady at the hostel said that I needed to stay there for 3 days because of transportation. No internet, no roads, no phones, no banks! i loved it! So beautiful. I love to go shopping for meat and wine to these little stores. A tango dancer, Fernando, Jenni and I stayed at this hosteria. We had the lake right in front of us. We went on a walk and saw wild animals, like carpinchos, deers, and monkeys. Then, we went on a boat to the lake and I saw yacares or little crocodriles! We were so close that we could touch them....but that was not a good idea.
On Sunday night, I went back to Mercedes where I took a bus back to Buenos Aires and then to Viedma. However, we were stuck in the highway for like 5 hours because it was too foggy to continue driving to Buenos Aires. I had breakfast on the highway with hundreds of trucks and buses! On Tuesday morning, I arrived to Viedma where Maria Eva, the lady I am staying with, was waiting for me.
Viedma is pretty small, but the people are very nice. The banks also close at noon here. I really like Maria Eva because she a very caring and sweet. She is a Mapuche and she is teaching some of Mapuzungun, the Mapuche language. I am learning a lot here...not only about the Mapuches and discrimination, but about myself too. I am going to be traveling for the next week or so to different communities. These communities are very far away from cities and they are hard to get to. I will be able to learn more of the language and their culture there. However, there are very few speakers of Mapuzungun because the government banned it. Now, there is a change of attitude. The Mapuche are trying to recover it and teach it at schools.
This is just the beginning of my stay in Viedma and Rio Negro...let's see what this month will bring for me!
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