The Arrival

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Well, we finally arrived in Buenos Aires after a long and tiring journey. Our adventure began in Vancouver on August 22, 2006 and took us through LAX, San Jose, Costa Rica, Lima and finally into BA on Thursday August 24th at 3 in the morning. The challenges continued, as the driver for the ride that we had arranged for was not in the airport when we arrived. Finally, a man with a sign reading Laurence Lemay (my girlfriend) arrived looking a little dishevelled, definitely understandable given the time. And so, we were off to an unknown apartment to meet a stranger who would be our landlord for the next 5 months in BA. Arcadio was waiting for us when we arrived. A middle-aged man whose background was clearly Latin, he flaunted his thick black chest hair through his half buttoned shirt as if it were a badge of honour. Arcadio took us up nine floors and opened the door to what we hoped would be a distinguished pad to hang our hat in. In fact, this was not the case at all. We were surprised to find a filthy little apartment that was shut out from the world by the very-Argentine shutters, which covered its windows. Laurence and I, exhausted from travel were not impressed! Arcadio agreed to send a cleaning person the next morning and we agreed to consider the rental agreement after and long and well deserved sleep.

The next morning we awoke and began to consider what our next move would be. One option was to bail on this filthy little apartment right then and there. We could have easily left the keys on the table, called a cab and checked in to the nearest budget hotel; on the other hand we needed a place to live for the next 5 months and were unsure of what would be available to us within our budget. In the end, we agreed to stay in the apartment for two weeks with the option of a full month while we searched the papers and pounded the pavement looking for other places to live. The agreement seemed fair and in all honesty, Arcadio and his assistants treated us very well considering the circumstances. After a weekend of walking through unknown neighbourhoods, visiting seemingly questionable rental agencies and seeing that familiar Cheshire cat smile from agents trying to unload apparently extravagant apartments on the two of us, we arrived at the final decision that it would be better to spend a little bit of money making our current digs feel a little more comfortable. This was the first instant where I began to understand that I was in fact travelling with a living, breathing women instead of a my normal male travelling partners. Where I saw adequate, only slightly stained bed sheets, Laurence saw filthy and tattered linens that would not do. Where I saw quaint and cozy drapes, Laurence saw pollution encrusted, unknown smelling draperies. It was clear that things were going to have to change if we were to stay in this apartment.
After a day of shopping and cleaning we (Laurence) was satisfied that the apartment was now hospitable and up to our standards. In fact, the little apartment has grown on us, with all of its natural light and we are quite pleased that we have now committed to calling it home for the next five months.

There is so much more to tell and I am sure than many stories will be shared in the coming months. I am already certain that Buenos Aires will be an experience of a lifetime.
Ciao

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Photos

Our new living room
Chaos upon arriving!

Our view from our bedroom Window
Didn't I used to have a view of False Creek?

Comments

[mormor]

interesting
We really enjoyd you telling us how things are. love mormor and Morfar I dont really know how this is supposed to go looking forward to next chapter.