Worldtour diary- Part 5

Worldtour Diary Part V - 01 Dec - 22 Dec 06

Here we are again right before Christmas for the most boring diary of the whole system, between beaches, bitches, football and other stupid stuff.
Where were we?
1st of December 2006, after a funny 21 hour busride, including a change of bus ´cos they forgot to book me on the second part of the journey...I arrived in the biggest town I´ve ever been to. Buenos Aires.
Fully motivated to ´entirely discover Argentinian culture´, meaning 4 football games on one weekend...I didn´t pretend to be tired but rushed through the nice parts of the town, picturing 1000s of statues, parks, the beach. The sun was shining, the mood couldn´t be better, a week full of joy was awaiting me...
Jeep, but...sometimes being too enthusiastic isn´t the right way to travel...and this lesson was very hard.
Going ALONE in the DARK to a FOOTBALL game in the POOR area of Buenos Aires with my CAMERA was a little bit too stupid....and 4 nice Argentinian guys with two guns, nice as they were, explained that you shouldnt do that.
The price for this lesson. My camera, mobile and some clothes...
but as Elton John says I AM STILL STANDING.
The following days I learned some other interesting things about Argentinian culture.
People eat about two kilos of steak with 10g of potatoes and no vegetables here for dinner. Dont know how they manage to stay slim, but it tastes great!!!
Perhaps this results from thye fact that they take their dinner at about 111 pm and then head 3 hours later to the club, staying there until 8 am in the morning...
I can tell you guys...traveling (or shall I say partying ,-) ) is soooo tiring..
Besides? Meeting up again (I know you love these stories...Imagine what you want...you should know I´m an angel ) with two girls I got to know in Peru, meeting the parents of Leonardo, an Argentinian friend I got to know from England...I really felt ´home´a bit.
Nevertheless I couldnt let it and left Buenos Aires after one week, having watched a second football game (RIVER PLATE) and having changed my plans for the 50th time.
So..in order to buy a new camera I discovered the huge black market in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, changing borders between Argentina, Paraguay and Brasil 5 times in 48 hours.
Still in a rush, looking forward to the beaches of Souther Brazil, I visited the two sides of the Iguazu falls, discovered what it means to strike in Brazil (Singing and dancing like in a gym...) and...took a plane to...mid Brasil, RIo de Janeiro.
Arriving there in the rain and dark wasnt too much fun, but finally it got how it was supposed to be. 40 degrees for mid December...Christmas trees behind the Copacabana beach, street parties, Samba shows...that doesnt sound too bad, or?
Finally, after 1 week in Rio I headed direction South to the Isla Grande, the so called most terrific island in South America.
Finally a place to chill and make everybody REALLY jealous.
Wonderful beaches, in the background some palms and jungle...35 degrees and more...
Got a nice tan for Xmas which I ll spent...in the 3rd biggest town of the world, Sao Paolo.

By the way... I wish you all a nice Christmas, some funny New Year´s Eve parties (@Romain: J espere tu openses un peu a moi, c etait trop cool l annee derniere!!!) and of course...I keep you informed about my newest experiences before heading in about 4 weeks to New Zealand.
Hasta luego
Jochen