Sunday, March 21, 2004
Letter from the exit ramp
Hass-
Bummed I didn't get a chance to say goodbye.
I spent the better part of your last afternoon in Buenos Aires at the U.S. embassy; needed more pages added to my passport so that the officials at the Brazilian embassy would grant me my visa. Despite their warnings that it was a privilege to enter their country and not my right, I managed to get the $135 sticker; patience is all it took.as usual.
Mike and I spent the rest of the week walking the ped-malls of B.A staring at beautiful women as they stared at their reflections in the shop windows. We were all quite impressed! All tolled it is a fine city with some interesting architecture, meandering cobble, a freshly revitalized waterfront and attractive people, but I think 5 days of city-life was too much for us too handle, the campo called.
Hey, I defiantly lucked out in hooking up with Mike before you put your bike in storage and joined the bussing circuit. Only problem is I can no longer tell people I am Canadian when the Ugly American rears his head. Truth is we have been really taking it easy lately. I think it is starting to sink in that we will both be homeward bound in just a couple of weeks. Funillyenuff, this trip started as a mission that just needed to be done (a calling), but eventually turned into an adventure, now it is more like a holiday.slow-going. The burn to go hard everyday has faded. We stop often and take coffee and fresh juices at welcoming roadside stands, no hurry, the end is close enough.
After B.A we made the short leap over to Rosario to fix Mike's engine. I was not expecting much of a city, but was so very pleased to find it being a bustling college town with parks, warm people, art houses, fine dining at bargain prices, chicas-chicas-chicas and the Savoy Hotel (Mike hears mid-day sex in the corridor.`It ruled'). Juan Carlos booked us a room in this hotel built during the high-season (in history) for Argentina. For $3 each a night we had our messages brought to our rooms on a platter by a neatly pressed hotel clerk, sipped cheap whiskey in sunken sofa chairs in the dark-red mahogany smoking room, took our chances on an elaborately decorated, ancient wrought-iron lift and watched the sunset from a marble balcony before making our way out to the trendy river walk for cold vino and cheese plates with some music students we hooked up with. I could draw the comparison of Buenos Aires to New York and Rosario to Boston; much more manageable, easier on a traveler.
Sticking to the plan, Mike completed his engine rebuild in 3 days and we were off like a pinball up the northern corridor of Argentina hitting Uruguay and Paraguay just for lunch and the right to place the flag sticker on the bike. We got into Uruguay without any problems, even managed to get the invite to stay for a few nights at a 5-star hot springs resort by an enamored hospitality director. Paraguay, however, did not want us. For a little cash under the table the border guards would have let us in, but it was not worth the hassle just for a beer or two. You would have been proud man, I rubbed some Paraguay soil on my hands and laid down a mean peel-out rubber mark on the road leading up to the guard house; now I can say I have technically been to Paraguay, if not officially.there is a difference, no?
With a freshly rebuilt engine Mike and I were able to cover some serious miles and we were in at the Falls do Iguaçu in a day. Despite what you said, I think the Argentinean side of the falls (as opposed to the Brazilian) has the best vantage point to see the raw power of the water as it makes the 200 foot cascade. We met a bunch of tourists that claimed you needed two days to really appreciate the splendor of the falls, but Mike and I visited every viewing platform in 3 hours confident that we experienced the best the park had to offer. Why dilly-dally, really? Maybe I will return someday with a girl to kiss, embarrassed by her misty-wet t-shirt, taking romantic pictures and picnicking on the rocks of the outer banks, but for now, 1 day will have to suffice.
While I am very excited to work my tan on the beaches of Brazil, I am a bit jealous that you are already home getting on with things. The thought of the return home is like an adventure unto itself.not really sure what to expect, but I gotta make the most of it regardless. That's why they call it adventure-living!
Lastly, thanks for all your support, mechanical and otherwise. Your positive attitude and abounding energy made the tough days a little easier and the long ones more exciting. You are a hell of a travel partner, really could not have asked for better. I won't forget anything!
I will see you on the road to somewhere.
Your friends, Frankie & X.
posted by Xavier - RoadWarrior on 7:04 PM
Bummed I didn't get a chance to say goodbye.
I spent the better part of your last afternoon in Buenos Aires at the U.S. embassy; needed more pages added to my passport so that the officials at the Brazilian embassy would grant me my visa. Despite their warnings that it was a privilege to enter their country and not my right, I managed to get the $135 sticker; patience is all it took.as usual.
Mike and I spent the rest of the week walking the ped-malls of B.A staring at beautiful women as they stared at their reflections in the shop windows. We were all quite impressed! All tolled it is a fine city with some interesting architecture, meandering cobble, a freshly revitalized waterfront and attractive people, but I think 5 days of city-life was too much for us too handle, the campo called.
Hey, I defiantly lucked out in hooking up with Mike before you put your bike in storage and joined the bussing circuit. Only problem is I can no longer tell people I am Canadian when the Ugly American rears his head. Truth is we have been really taking it easy lately. I think it is starting to sink in that we will both be homeward bound in just a couple of weeks. Funillyenuff, this trip started as a mission that just needed to be done (a calling), but eventually turned into an adventure, now it is more like a holiday.slow-going. The burn to go hard everyday has faded. We stop often and take coffee and fresh juices at welcoming roadside stands, no hurry, the end is close enough.
After B.A we made the short leap over to Rosario to fix Mike's engine. I was not expecting much of a city, but was so very pleased to find it being a bustling college town with parks, warm people, art houses, fine dining at bargain prices, chicas-chicas-chicas and the Savoy Hotel (Mike hears mid-day sex in the corridor.`It ruled'). Juan Carlos booked us a room in this hotel built during the high-season (in history) for Argentina. For $3 each a night we had our messages brought to our rooms on a platter by a neatly pressed hotel clerk, sipped cheap whiskey in sunken sofa chairs in the dark-red mahogany smoking room, took our chances on an elaborately decorated, ancient wrought-iron lift and watched the sunset from a marble balcony before making our way out to the trendy river walk for cold vino and cheese plates with some music students we hooked up with. I could draw the comparison of Buenos Aires to New York and Rosario to Boston; much more manageable, easier on a traveler.
Sticking to the plan, Mike completed his engine rebuild in 3 days and we were off like a pinball up the northern corridor of Argentina hitting Uruguay and Paraguay just for lunch and the right to place the flag sticker on the bike. We got into Uruguay without any problems, even managed to get the invite to stay for a few nights at a 5-star hot springs resort by an enamored hospitality director. Paraguay, however, did not want us. For a little cash under the table the border guards would have let us in, but it was not worth the hassle just for a beer or two. You would have been proud man, I rubbed some Paraguay soil on my hands and laid down a mean peel-out rubber mark on the road leading up to the guard house; now I can say I have technically been to Paraguay, if not officially.there is a difference, no?
With a freshly rebuilt engine Mike and I were able to cover some serious miles and we were in at the Falls do Iguaçu in a day. Despite what you said, I think the Argentinean side of the falls (as opposed to the Brazilian) has the best vantage point to see the raw power of the water as it makes the 200 foot cascade. We met a bunch of tourists that claimed you needed two days to really appreciate the splendor of the falls, but Mike and I visited every viewing platform in 3 hours confident that we experienced the best the park had to offer. Why dilly-dally, really? Maybe I will return someday with a girl to kiss, embarrassed by her misty-wet t-shirt, taking romantic pictures and picnicking on the rocks of the outer banks, but for now, 1 day will have to suffice.
While I am very excited to work my tan on the beaches of Brazil, I am a bit jealous that you are already home getting on with things. The thought of the return home is like an adventure unto itself.not really sure what to expect, but I gotta make the most of it regardless. That's why they call it adventure-living!
Lastly, thanks for all your support, mechanical and otherwise. Your positive attitude and abounding energy made the tough days a little easier and the long ones more exciting. You are a hell of a travel partner, really could not have asked for better. I won't forget anything!
I will see you on the road to somewhere.
Your friends, Frankie & X.
posted by Xavier - RoadWarrior on 7:04 PM
