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Published: March 3rd 2008
Today I had orientation at the Universidad Catolica de Argentina (UCA). It was pretty hot today, but due to UCA’s dress code, I was in pants and shoes w/ socks. No shorts and No flip flops! As this was a new bus and a new part of town, I arrived about a half hour late (But just on time according to Argentines). Carolina, a staff member, was waiting outside for all of the people who were showing up late. We went inside and through the UCA maze, finally arrived in the classroom where we were having Orientation. They were just finishing up the first part, which was a general information session. During the hours that followed, we had chances to ask questions about classes they offered separated into their respective colleges. The only class that seemed interesting to me was one called Creativity 1. Lucky for me, the Social Communication school was scheduled next and I got to ask my questions and be on my way. Creativity 1 involves graphic design and the thought processes that go into being creative. I thought creativity was one of those things that couldn’t be taught (thanks, hooli), but apparently the Catholic school in Buenos Aires thinks differently.
As I had stayed a bit longer to ask questions and talk to Leandro, a staff member, most of the people who were leaving UCA to go explore had already left. I was on my own and not worried about it. I started walking along the river. UCA is in Puerto Madero, which turned out to be a very confusing area! I checked my ‘Guia T’ (Essential Buenos Aires map/bus route handbook) and decided to head down to Boca which seemed like it would be close and I had been wanting to get there for a while! After a while walking, I began to pass a large Casino on a boat and then I saw a sign for Puerto Sur, another neighborhood. Another gander at my Guia T told me that I was not on track to get to Boca, so I kept walking. I passed a lot of restaurants and some really cool public artwork. There were an unusual amount of policemen stationed all along the street and I never figured out why. I came to a very nice and shady park. It was raised up about 10 feet from the ground and paved with openings for trees and benches. A statue at the end of the park was completely covered in graffiti - so much so that it actually added to the statues presence (in my opinion). To the left of the statue was a locked corridor through the trees that looked like a tropical oasis. I noticed that I could walk around it to get to the same place. As I did that, I had to go down the steps from the raised park and realized that people had made the space under the park their home. Clothes were hanging up along the concrete wall and a young child was washing dishes in plastic tubs outside.
I walked a bit further and entered in through a gate with a sign that said Nature Reserve. It is a Wetlands area that has been preserved on the edge of Buenos Aires. I started walking and then slowed down trying to get a glimpse of the wide variety of birds I was hearing. They’re pretty good at hiding, though. I spent my whole time looking up into the trees, and almost stepped in some very large puddles a couple times. As I was sneaking up on a couple birds to get a picture, some dude was walking towards me from the other direction. He slowed down to wait for me to get the shot before continuing. Then he stopped to look down the side of the trail, telling me he had seen a snake. Cool! I wasn’t thinking about looking for anything besides birds since Argentina seems so empty of actual wild animals (besides llamas and sheep).
I turned off the main trail onto a less-populated trail and kept my eyes glued to the ground. After a couple minutes I had gotten glimpses of some very cool looking lizards that scampered too quickly back into their hiding spots. Finally, coming around a corner, I got a long enough view of one to see all its markings and it was incredible. At about 10 inches long, these were big lizards (Iguana?). I put on my lab coat and did an experiment. I walked a bit farther, and then slowly crept back to where I had seen the lizard. He had come back out and I was able to get very close and take some great pictures before he ran away again. Thanks little lizard man!
Having gotten the shot, I walked a bit faster. Farther down the trail, I was taken my surprise by the telltale lizard scamper sound and cranked my head to the left. I saw a HUGE lizard running back into the brush. This one ran more like an iguana (higher off the ground…) and was about a foot and a half long. I walked the rest of the way out a different entrance to the nature reserve, completely stoked on what I had seen. I was tired, so I took a cab instead of trying to figure out the bus situation.
Taxi tip: On Friday’s at about 3, it is faster to walk than take a cab. As soon as we were relatively close to FLACSO and I knew where we were, I payed the fare and got out and walked the rest of the way. A bit further up the street, some firetrucks and ambulances explained that they were a contributing factor to the especially dense traffic. A Parilla Restaurant had burned and was burned all the way up to the top floor of the building. A sign hung on the front doorway that said “the most typical restaurant in Buenos Aires”.
'I took the bus back home and decided to go for a jog. I had just bought my running shoes the day before and was excited to have the energy to use them! So I headed out…I ran through one park and then another. The second one was much bigger. An egret chilled by the pond and a dogwalker struggled with 7 large dogs. A group of Porteños were playing fútbol and then, shit! My ankle rolled, and my leg buckled as I found a safe place to lie down. This one hurt. I had rolled my ankle on a hike in El Chalten, but running shoes provide NO ankle support. When I was able, I got up and limped back to the house for ice and an ace bandage. I had planned to go out tonight and wanted my ankle to get better asap!
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Taylor
non-member comment
Hi from another traveler
Hi! I came upon your blog as I was googling "bus from Buenos Aires to El Bolson" as I will be going there in about two weeks. I skipped through your entries and notice you are now in BA same as I and also from Colorado (or at least going to CU? or something?).. crazy. I notice you like to meet up with locals more than other tourists, which is a feeling I share.. but I´d love to talk with you and get some advice and opinions about busing down south alone and about El Bolson in particular. I don´t have a cell phone here but I also have a travel blog (with nothing published yet) and email. Email me if you'd care to share some of your experiences, I´d be most grateful. Thanks! Taylor