First time in Mendoza


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South America » Argentina » Mendoza » Mendoza
May 12th 2011
Published: May 20th 2011
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I suppose I will keep up the pattern of doing an entry ever time I move locations. It has become routine for me to write each entry during the bus rides between destinations. Yes, I am yet again on another long bus ride. This time I am headed for Buenos Aires.

When I first arrived in Mendoza I did not like it at all. Its location did not appeal to me. In a lot of ways the landscape is what Santiago might look like if it were not so built up. After all it is just on the other side of the Andes. I tried to walk to my selected hostel without truly knowing where I was headed. I was lost for a long time. This did not do well for my mood.

As usual I rented a bike to cruise the city. I went into the giant municipal park. I got to the top of a lookout point. Yuck, pollution. It was even more like Santiago than I had hoped. Next I decided to run a few errands. It was roughly 3pm, but everything was closed. I could not even find a place to buy food. This was my first experience with siestas. In Chile they do not take siestas. I used to think it was a good idea to take a break in the middle of the day. However, I had just gotten off an overnight bus ride. I was hungry. I began to grow frustrated.

I went back to the hostel feeling defeated. I got back just in time to meet my roommate for the night--Trent, a twenty-three year old Australian. We hung out for a while, then headed back out in search of the grocery store I had failed to locate. The only ¨bad¨ news about meeting Trent was that it was all English. Other than that it was nice to be with someone my own age.

We went to a party organized by the hostel that night. It involved unlimited pizza and tequila. I had never had tequila before. It turned out to be alright. Maybe I say this because I did not have enough to feel its dark side. Trent bumped me a bit during the first shot. I had an open cut on my finger. That plus spilled tequila equaled major pain.

This morning I went paragliding for the first time ever. The initial takeoff was exhilarating. After that is was okay. I enjoyed it, yes, but fifteen minutes of circling the same area was not super thrilling. Before we landed we did a series of downward spins. This was by far the best part. I felt like James Bond/Bear Grylls circling down on the landing zone.

In the afternoon I went to a casino with one of the workers at the hostel. I was turned away at the door because I had a pocketknife. This was the second time I have forgotten I was carrying a weapon. The previous time involved a tour of La Moneda .

My new friend stuck to the slot machines. For over an hour I watched him lose time and time again. I asked him why he never walked while he was ahead. He said he liked to lose money. Today was a bad day for him. Apparently every day is a bad day for him. Ultimately I think he was just bored. It is not high season for the hostel.

I found two tokens in a machine. I decided to play. I turned fifty cents into $2.50. I was almost set on walking, but thought they would look at me strangely if I cashed out aty $2.50. That fact, along with greed saw me lose it all. Although it was not my money, I have learned that if I ever did gamble I would probably end up losing a lot of money.

Even though my time in Mendoza was brief, I did not have much tequila, I did not paraglide for long, nor did I gamble with much money I can now say that I have done four new things. That makes four more check marks on the South American list.



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