Finally out of town

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Well looks like if you want to get out of town you need to do it yourself even if you do it wrong. I finally got in touch with Venesa and I headed off to San Luis for the weekend. I made the decision on Thurday night and headed out on >Friday night. It seems that all of the busses leave at O dark thirty in the morning or late at night and arrive at some un godly hour in the morning. Mine left at 10:10 and got in at 5AM. you know how much I love the mornings.

At any rate, the buses are pretty first class here. There have two levels and look like planes of sorts. Some have full beds on the bottom of the bus and Semi camas on the top. (Large reclining seats). On some there are stewists or lovely assistants, who if they are women are dressed in High heels and very tight skirts. How those clicks make it down the aisles, or the stairs without falling on their asses is beyond me. I however, did not one of these truely skilled profesionals assisting me. Just some guy in a suit who handed out cookies. The bus was over air conditioned so you frozed your ass off. The other notiable feacture were the movies. They had the sellection that consisted of 1970s horror films and 1970s kong Flu movies. We got a really bad horror flick complete with evil children. Fortunately they turned down the volumne because it was in english. So It had spanish subtitles. I fell asleep of sorts of but woke up to nightmares of the evil children who some how made it on the bus.

When I arrived at San Luis at 5:oo I waitied and waiting until 6:30 for Venesa who was supposed to arrive at 6 from BA. At 6:30 I called her cell phone and got no answer so I called her parents house and got her mom. Who informed me that I was in the wrong place about 170 Kms of course. But that was about the extent of what I could understand from her. She tryed to give the name of where I was supposed to be however, I even got that wrong. Later I did get a hold of Venesa and It all worked out 5 hours later with another bus ride take took three hours more.

When I arrive in Merlo, I was glad that this was the place I was going to be spending my time. In truth, San Luis did not look all that great. San Luis is also the name of the state. The town Merlo, was a booming tourist town. All of the tourists however were Argentine. They had munerious casinos there, and nice hotels. There was a really big building exposion going on there. The place was pretty but I could not really understand the attraction. It was simular to the Dalles in Oregon. But I think it was an escape from BA for most people. We laughted about the error and headed to her parents house. It was a nice small place in the country. It seems that the two houses on either side of them have been under construction for a while, it looked like it would be years and the case of one it has been before they were completed.

We enjoyed a nice lunch, and then afterwords we slept a bit. At about 5:30 we got up and Venesa took me around town. We stoppped and walked around a bit. It seems that the afternoon naps are part of the daily ritual. We went to an artistans market there and they had some nice things. I brought a necklace.

That night her father was making a special Argentine dish that is made in an outside wok of sorts. It was chicken and rice in a wine sause it was really good. There were some other guests at the house who asked me lots of questions about America and life ect. I tried to answer in my caveman spanish best. There was wine and champange and the evening ended around 1:00 AM in the morning Venesa wanted to take me out on the town but I was beat. Likely becuse of the nightmares on the bus ride.

The next morning we got up and Venesa had to go into the office and help her dad with some things. Her dad a took me up into the mountians the view was amazing and it was cloudly that day. Some poeple for Paragliding and her dad offered to hook Venersa and up with that next time. Since you go escorted I may be up for it.

At 2:30 we all headed to the BBQ, I offered to take them out to a BQQ because they seem to have a very special one there. They cook whole goats around a fire. It is a strange thing to see, and it took awhile to figure out what types of aminal I was eating. An it was something. the food was excelent. It was all cooked outside. Even the bread and the empendades. Venesa{s Dad knew the owner so that had a big kick showing me around the place. We ate beef cooked with bacon cheese, and vegetables over the grill. We ate the goat of course, which was truely amazing. and all of the side dishes. I was so full. THis is why they sleep in the afternoon.

After the long lunch which took 2.5 hours to eat. We went to a waterfall near the town sadly the place was being loved to death. The rocks someone had spray painted on and they loads of people there. It was difficult to see how they were having fun swiming there. There was trash all around the place. which was sad because you could see what the attraction could be. We went to another tourist atraction that seemed really strange to me. It as sort like gauging at the Rich people. There were views of this country club place where the houses were big and stately but gated off from the regular humans. But you could see them at a distance. It was Like the rich people zoo of sorts. (Look see the rich humans swimming in there big pools). One such person was the x governor of the state and was president for a day. It was really strange to me.

We returned to the regular human end of the town and most of the family took the daily map and I read. Venesa was leaving on the 10 pm bus to BA and the only bus we could get for me left at 2:30 in the morning. However, even with all of the travel time I have a great time there and I was happy to get out of the city. Not that the city is a bad place just needed some clean air.

Today is valentines day, No great loves for me, but people here do give flowers to each other. My classes are better I am in the class with one other person and we practice speaking only which is better. The women is older and is from Isrella (spwg) . She knows very little spanish so it makes things slow. I will be glad when I do the one on one classes in the morning at the other school. I hope that will work out better. Most of the orginal people have left and now there are new students. More from Europe. They tend to be less click like. There is a pack of American Women who are all in their twenties who seem to have a gang of sorts. They don{t say much to other students who are not part of the Click, a thing I have grown out of, well actually it was something I never embraced. Last night even thought I was dead tired I went to salsa dancing class. It was something that the click girls did but I went with the Europeans and we danced with the Argentines. It was good fun and I will likely return. The classes are monday and friday nights. However this friday I have an invitation to Lorenzos house for another fine Argentine meal and Festisa.

Well that is all for now, I hear you in Portland may be getting snow on Friday. I know how the weather folks love to report something so we{ll see. For those friends and family on the east coast, I hear they are digging out of it. Sorry to say I am enjoying summer here. I will send warm thoughts home but you however can enjoy the Skiing, All the best Rebecca

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Comments

[Rick]

Hi Rebecca: It is sunny and cold in Portland on Friday but no chance of snow. It is like 5% humidity outside, with wind up to 40 mph. Nice from inside the office. Sounds like all you do is eat and sleep, not such a bad life if you can get it. The powerball is up to $380 million so I bought $5 worth of tickets. I never play but with this much money on the line you have to think what the heck. Hope you keep having fun. Rick