The End is Near for CAP Americano Sur 2015

It is sad for me to think about my travels coming to an end for a couple reasons.  The first is the fact that I will probably never get the chance to travel like this again.  It was a pure blessing to be able to even come to South America at all. Of course it doesn’t mean that I will never travel again; that would be silly.  I plan to continue traveling for the rest of my life.  It will always be a priority; though, it will most likely never be of this magnitude again.  Having experienced World Tour and now CAP Americano Sur, I think I am ok with that.  These trips are amazing experiences.  They are also exhausting experiences.  I think everyone has reached their limits for now and is ready to go home, myself included.  It is funny though to compare this duration of a trip to an entire semester.  It has been so much easier this time around than it was for World Tour.  Many people have complained about being tired and fed up with life on the road.  It isn’t terrible for me yet because I always have World Tour to compare it to.  It can always be worse, no matter what the situation is. 

The second reason that I am sad to see this trip come to an end is because I have really enjoyed traveling with Amanda.  She has helped make it so much more fun than it would have been without her.  Odds are we won’t be able to do something like this again.  You learn a lot about someone when you live with them.  You learn even more about them when you travel together.  Amanda and I have done both and we have yet to kill each other.  In fact, we are still friends, not that I ever doubted our friendship over the duration of our travels, but I at least expected to be annoyed at times.  That comes with traveling in general.  I admit there were times we got frustrated with each other, but I don’t think it was ever directed at each other personally, more just the situation in general.

Despite the week of altitude sickness, it has been a fantastic trip.  I couldn’t have asked for anything better, really.  Between Amanda and I, there are plenty of photos to look back on to process everything that we experienced over the past month.  I am still trying to convince myself that just in the past week I walked among the ruins of Machu Picchu, surfed off the coast of Lima, and walked through the streets of La Paz, the highest metropolis in the world.  How did I get so lucky?

Lima, Peru

If I am being completely honest, Lima was just another city to me.  It wasn’t a bad one; there was just not much that I saw that stands out in my mind.  That being said, we were only there for a couple days so I wouldn’t say that I really got to experience the city.  One reason for that is because it is very difficult to get around.  The only form of public transportation in Lima is the bus system.  Imagine a city of 10 million people with only a bus system.  It is nuts! 

Our first day in Lima we took a bus to the city center, that is the square where the government buildings are located.  It is also the main historic center of the city.  Not only was it a long ride, it was chaotic!  Ana asked at least five different people what bus we should take and where to find the stop, and she got five different answers.  No one seemed to know what was going on.  It was only a few miles away from our hotel.  It should have been a quick bus ride; instead it took an hour and a half.  Even then we got off the bus because it wasn’t taking us to where we wanted to go.  After we got off the bus we had to walk several blocks to get to the square. 

The square was really pretty.  By the time we actually got there it was way past lunchtime, so we stopped for a nice meal before exploring.  A full afternoon was spent walking around taking photos, visiting the cathedral, and shopping at the markets.  Around 5 p.m. everyone met up to head back to neighborhood where our hotel was located.  No one even thought twice about that being rush hour.  The group spent an hour trying to locate and flag down the right bus to take us back.  The buses were absolutely packed, and traffic was moving at a snail’s pace.  Thankfully a nice man redirected us to a bus stop about 7 or 8 blocks away.  We eventually found and boarded the correct bus, but by then rush hour was in full swing, and we were getting nowhere fast.  Since the bus was packed full most of us had to stand for the two hours that it took to get back to the hotel.  It was not a pleasant experience, and is the reason why my first impressions of the city were not the best.  

My second impression of Lima is the complete opposite, and includes one of my favorite memories of the trip.  On Tuesday, a small group of us met for breakfast and headed to the beach.  Lima is located on the Pacific Ocean and is a great geographical location for surfing.  A guy from our group, Zach, is from South Carolina and has grown up surfing.  He decided to rent a surf board and spend the morning surfing on the coast of Lima.  We obviously did not want him to be there alone so we agreed to go hang out on shore, watch him, and keep an eye on his belongings.  I was excited to take it easy and enjoy the beach atmosphere.  I had no intentions of joining him. 

It wasn’t long before I found myself all zipped up and tucked into a wet suit, receiving surfing lessons.  Surfing has always been an activity on my bucket list.  I looked into it once while I was in California, but it was pretty expensive so I decided against it.  I don’t know what it was that got into me, but I spontaneously decided (with the help of Amanda and Paige) that if I was going to learn how to surf what better place to do it than Lima, Peru.  Plus, I was with someone I knew and it was incredibly cheap; I am talking $23 American dollars for an hour and a half of instruction and surfing.  I checked and double checked before I agreed to anything, just to make sure it was safe for beginners and average swimmers like me.  I was in no way prepared to surf, but I think that is what made it so fun.  I stuffed myself into wet suit with only my bra and underwear on under it (since I did not have a bathing suit), and pulled my hair back with a hair tie.  Just like that I was ready to surf, or ready to learn how to.    

Zach headed out to surf while I got the basic instructions about what to do and what not to do from my instructor Xavier.  We got out into the chilly Pacific water and, to my surprise, I did not feel cold at all.  My instructor did not waste any time and immediately helped me catch a wave.  The first time I was able to get up but only halfway, so I rode the wave out on my knees.  The second time I tried, I bit the dust… hard.  Thankfully I only did that a couple times.  The rest of my time in the water I felt like I did ok for a beginner.  I even rode out a couple waves standing up.  It helped that the waves were very small.  I paddled to shore when my time slot was over, exhausted from treading water.  Zach still had time left, so I hung out with the others on shore and enjoyed the beach scene.  I couldn’t think of a better way to spend our last morning in South America.  There is something extremely fulfilling about crossing something off of your bucket list; it will leave a smile on your face for the rest of the day. 

We met a couple hours later with the rest of the group to walk to a building where Ana had arranged a tour for us.  I cannot think of the name of the project off hand, but it is a museum and memorial to social justice and tolerance in Peru.  The building is a new project, not yet open to the public, but Ana has connections everywhere it seems like.  I am assuming that is how she was able to get us in.  The project is a very nice example of emerging modern architecture in Latin America, or anywhere else for that matter.  The building was great; the couple mile walk to get there was not.  Regardless, walking was exponentially better than taking a bus.  Hopefully I never have to experience something like that again. 

Travel Day through Peru

Today was primarily a travel day.  Normally, I don’t enjoy travel days too much because they just aren’t that exciting.  Today was a little different though.  It began with a fantastic breakfast at our hotel in Auguas Calientes.  Most of the breakfasts on this trip have been subpar, with mainly bread and cereal.  This morning was a breakfast full of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, cheese, bread, and even pancakes!  It also helped that this was the first time in a week that I actually felt like eating breakfast.  Of course, my body would finally adjust to the high altitudes the day we leave, but hey I am not complaining. 

Anyways, we left our hotel around 8 a.m. to catch a train to Ollantaytambo, Peru.  The train ride should have taken an hour and a half, instead it took about 5.  The reason was because a wheel on our train car somehow derailed about 15 minutes into the trip.  We were stopped on the tracks for at least 2 or 3 hours.  The problem was fixed thankfully and we were able to get to our destination.  A driver met us at Ollantaytambo with a private bus where he transported us to a lunch buffet about 15 minutes away.  My appetite came back just in time because the food was really great.  I even tried alpaca meat and liked it!

After lunch we had about an hour bus ride back to Cusco, with a brief stop at a textile market.  The market was very much like ones we visited on World Tour.  First the locals tell you how they make it, starting with harvesting the material and then they lead you through every step of the process.  At the end they expect you to buy their goods.  It’s very effective.  You educate the tourists, get them involved, and before you know it they are hooked.  They have to buy something to commemorate the experience.  I saw their scheme from a mile away, and I still fell for it.  I bought a blanket woven of alpaca wool.  To be fair, I had previously planned to purchase one before I left Peru.  I don’t regret the purchase; I love it! 

I had planned to either nap or journal on the bus ride back to Cusco; however, the ride was so scenic that my eyes were glued out the window the entire trip.  We drove through The Golden Valley, up the side of a mountain, and through the foothills and plains of the Andes, all while the snow-capped mountains dominated the landscape.  It is, hands down, one of the prettiest roads I have ever been on.

We got to the Cusco airport in plenty of time for our flight to Lima, despite the morning train delay.  There were a couple hours of down time before our flight started boarding, so Amanda and I reviewed pictures that we took from Machu Picchu.  It is only a day later and it does not seem real that I was there.  With a place as pretty as Machu Picchu any photo you take is a great photo.  It makes amateur photographers (that’s me) look like experts. 

Our flight was a typical one.  It lasted about an hour and a half; I blogged for most of it.  The minute I stepped off the plane, my lungs had so much oxygen, by body didn’t know how to react.  It was a great feeling, also one that I had never felt before.  The air felt heavier breathing it in.  It made my lungs ache a little bit, but not in a bad way.  It didn’t take long for my body to adjust and I finally felt normal again.  After six full days, the altitude sickness was completely gone! 

It took a while, but we made it to our hotel in Lima, the last city on our itinerary.  Once again we are spoiled with a nice, clean room to stay in.  We are all very thankful for that.  I am speaking for us all when I say that it has been a fantastic trip so far.  I also know that we are ready to get back home.  For me specifically, it is bitter sweet.  I know that this is my last chance, probably ever, to travel on a trip of this magnitude.  Also, the idea of going back to work in a couple weeks is really putting a damper on my will to return home.  That being said, I am ready to see my family again, and my friends, and my roommates.  I want to sleep in my own bed, have an entire closet of clothes available for me to wear, and brush my teeth with my Sonicare.  It’s the little luxuries in life that I am most thankful for. 

Machu Picchu, Peru

Yesterday I walked through Machu Picchu.  It still seems surreal that I was there.  It is a place that everyone should get the chance to see in their lifetime.  There are just no words.  Even now as I try to record the day’s events, I find that all words leave me.  I mean, what is there to say about an ancient Incan city carved into a mountain top 8,000 feet in the air?  The pure fact that Machu Picchu exists is enough evidence for me that God exists, not that I needed any more.

If the Andes Mountains landscape is not impressive enough itself, think about how the Incans got up there.  It was quite the journey for us to get there even with modern technology.  It began with a flight to Cusco, Peru.  From Cusco we took a 30 minute bus ride to a train station in Ciudadela.  Next was a 3 hour train ride to Aguas Calientes.  From there, we finally reached Machu Picchu after a 20 minute bus ride, scaling the mountain on a switchback road.  It blows my mind thinking about how they constructed and lived up there without planes, trains, vehicles, and electricity.  Not only that, but to be committed to the development and construction of a civilization for centuries.  In today’s world, we can’t even commit to dinner plans. 

Ok, so the Incans get the city constructed.  How do they continue to live there, on top of a mountain?  I am not educated on the ecosystem and environment of the Andes Mountains, but it seems to me that the availability of resources may make life difficult.  It would not be an easy climb up and down the mountain, and it’s certainly not a trip you would want to make every day.

As I walked through the ruins yesterday, I was in awe of the environment around me, and the skill and precision involved in the construction.  We had about 5 hours to explore the site; I could have spent the entire day up there.  Amanda, Ana, and I walked around for most of the day.  We stopped several times to enjoy the views, take photos, and ultimately to rest.  Even though Machu Picchu is 3,000 feet lower than Cusco, it is still high enough to inflict altitude sickness.  I didn’t feel too bad, just short of breath at times.  Unfortunately, Amanda was struggling more than I was.  There wasn’t a bad view in the city.  I found myself several times gazing out at the mountains, at a loss for words.  Even today, I have tried several times to finish writing this blog, and I still can’t formulate the experience into words. 

More than any other landmark I have visited, Machu Picchu reminds me of my place in humanity.  It illustrates just how significant or insignificant life could be on earth.  Because of this, I feel an urgency to make every second of my human life count towards my eternity in heaven.  If it isn’t for God, then what is the point to life?

My life won’t be the same when I return home after traveling though South America, just like it wasn’t the same after World Tour.  Each place that I have had the opportunity to visit around the world has shaped my values and outlook on life.  Traveling has made me who I am today.  Learning about new cultures opens my eyes to such a different perspective that I sometimes have a hard time relating to the place I call home.  It makes me question everything I know to be true of life.  The questions, though, teach me so much about who I am and my purpose on earth.  But don’t worry Mom and Dad, I still think my home base will always be the Midwest.  After all, I could have none of this without their support.  They continue to give me the roots I need to grow and to experience the world through God’s eyes.

Instead of me continuing to ramble on, I guess you will just have to take my word for it.  Machu Picchu was phenomenal!  Being there evokes a certain spirituality that, if you allow it, will cause you to question anything and everything you know about life.

Cusco, Peru

Thursday morning we had a flight from La Paz to Cusco, Peru.  I can recall very few times that I have been more ready to leave a place than I was La Paz.  After two long days in the high altitude, my body still had not adjusted.  I woke up Thursday feeling worse than ever.  We all made it to the airport from our hostel despite being squished into a minivan with our entire luggage.  Yes, all 12 of us with our luggage fit into a van a little larger than a typical minivan.  It was a clown car if I ever saw one. 

The plane ride to Cusco was short, but eventful.  For most of the flight the pilot flew parallel to the Andes Mountains.  We got off the plane and I could certainly tell a difference in the way I felt, still not 100% but a large improvement over La Paz.  It probably also helped that I took an altitude sickness pill and an Imodium a couple hours prior. 

The weather in Cusco was gorgeous when we got there, sunny and 65 degrees.  A van took us directly to our hotel, which is by far the nicest we have stayed in thus far.  We all had a bit of time to wind down in our rooms before heading out to explore the city.  Thursday was the day of Corpus Christi, so the entire town took part in a celebration by the city’s main square.  I do not know a lot about the holiday and why it is celebrated by the Catholic community, but the square and the several blocks surrounding it were packed.  I have never seen so many people in one place at a time.  There were parades, band processionals, and street carts on every corner that lasted all day and into the early evening.  It was quite the experience to witness all the celebration. 

I tagged along with a group for lunch, even though eating was the last thing I wanted to do.  I ordered pasta with chicken and was able to choke down my first meal in three days.  Although my stomach was still upset, I felt like I had a lot more energy.  The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around, visiting markets, and enjoying the scenery.  Cusco is a beautiful city located in a valley of the Andes Mountains.  Everywhere you look you get a view of the mountains and the buildings that are built up on them.  It is similar to La Paz in that way.  What makes it better than La Paz in my opinion is the lower density and cleanliness of the city.  Cusco is much more geared towards tourism than La Paz.  In some aspects, I really enjoy that.  More people speak English and I feel more comfortable as a traveler.  That being said, any town that thrives off of tourism often loses the authenticity that makes traveling fun.  At this point in the trip, though, I am ready for some familiarity; so, I am soaking up the tourist atmosphere. 

There were a couple hours of down time before we met for dinner; I decided to take advantage of it.  I had the best shower I have had the entire trip.  There was great water pressure, hot water, and plenty of space to move around in.  I was even able to shave my legs for only the second time this trip. Additionally, the sink in our bathroom was clean and held water, so I was able to wash my last round of laundry.  Sink laundry is so much easier than shower laundry.  It’s funny the luxury that I live with daily that I take for granted.  I know I have said this many times already, but that’s why I love to travel.  The struggles… the unfamiliarity… it is humbling. 

((the next day))

Amanda and I both woke up today (Friday) feeling the altitude sickness yet again.  It is so frustrating.  One minute I feel pretty good and the next it hits me.  Going on day four I can say that I am ready to be done with anything and everything related to high altitudes.  We went down for breakfast with the rest of the group and ate, but decided to go back to the room and rest for a few more hours.  You are not supposed to push yourself with altitude sickness, so we are taking it easy again today in hopes that we will be rested up for Machu Picchu tomorrow. 

We ventured out for a couple hours to get lunch and shop at a few markets.  It wasn’t long before Amanda had exhausted all her energy, so we headed back to the hotel to rest again.  I could have stayed out and about by myself; the city is safe enough.  I didn’t really want to be by myself and I had no way of contacting anyone else in our group, so I rested with Amanda at the hotel until dinner time.  We watched TV and were fortunate enough to find a channel that had sitcoms in English.  Several episodes of Will and Grace, Two and a Half Men, and Friends helped pass the time.  Honestly for as much as we have been on the go, I really needed this afternoon of down time.  I could have done without the altitude sickness though. 

La Paz, Bolivia

Today we all woke up with altitude sickness.  Just under 12,000 feet above sea level, La Paz is the highest metropolis in the world.  Had I known what we were flying into, I might have prepared myself a little better, although I don’t think there is much you can really do to prevent it.  Instead you just have to wait it out.  I do not have it nearly as bad as a few of the others, and for that I am thankful.  The side effects I am experiencing are mostly rapid heart rate and shortness of breath with a little bit of queasiness.  Other people have the same effects but with headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, or fatigue.  Ana headed out before breakfast to find coca tea for all of us.  Apparently it helps the body reach equilibrium faster, and it seems to be helping my queasiness so far.  It takes your body a day or two to adjust, but we are only in the city for two days, so I am hoping all of our symptoms subside quickly. 

From the little I saw, this city seems to be really great.  Most of our group headed out after breakfast to explore the city, but I decided to stay back with Spodek and Paige at the hostel, both were not feeling well.  I didn’t necessarily feel that sick, but the rapid heart rate made me feel subpar for most of the day.  With my history I didn’t want to push the issue.  The good news is this city is the highest elevation we will be visiting so with any luck the rest of the trip will be downhill.  Yes, that pun was intended. 

((a little while later))

I hung out in the lobby of the hostel for several hours by myself taking it easy, drinking water, and sketching.  Despite the circumstance, it was really quite nice.  I had some quiet time with God, reflecting on how thankful I am for good health.  It’s amazing how much I take that for granted.  After what seemed like forever the group of semi-healthy students came back to the hostel to rest for a bit after lunch.  Walking around on flat surfaces is one thing.  Walking up and down steep hills is a whole different ball game.  The constant elevation change of the city makes the altitude sickness that much harder to overcome.  So everyone took it easy for the day.  Ana, Spodek, Amanda, and I headed out about an hour later to see a bit of the city.  Ana was kind enough to show Spodek and me what we missed out on earlier in the day.  Mainly a cathedral and market is all that we missed, but I am still very happy that we got to go.  The weather was flawless, even a little bit on the warm side.  For the first time in at least a week I needed to use my sunglasses.  The little outing was fun, but I had exhausted all my energy after a couple hours.  We headed back to the hostel to meet with everyone else and to rest up before an early dinner.

I was hungry for dinner, given that I had only had a few crackers and a granola bar for lunch.  I didn’t exactly have an appetite for anything though.  I decided to try chicken soup because you can’t ever go wrong with that.  Let me tell you, this chicken soup should be in its own elite class.  There should be a warning on the menu.  The bowl they carried it out in was the size of a shared salad bowl at Olive Garden.  It was filled to the brim with broth, rice, potatoes, vegetables, and a half chicken, basically a roasted chicken cut in half and placed in the middle of the bowl.  I barely made a dent in the soup before I couldn’t eat any more.  The soup tasted great, I only wish I would have felt up to eating more of it. 

((The next day))

We had some visitors in our hostel room last night.  At 3:54 a.m. I woke up to the light glaring in my eyes.  They flicked off quickly so I didn’t think much of it.  Still half asleep I heard people speaking Spanish right outside our room.

 To understand the rest of this story I have to explain a few things about our hostel layout.  The ladies of our group have a suite that is only ours.  Inside our suite are three different rooms with beds in them.  Ana has her own room and the rest of us are split among rooms three and three.

After I woke up a little more, I realized there were people in our suite.  It didn’t take long for everyone to wake up and question why people were in our suite in the middle of the night, talking loudly I might add.  Ana came out and began to communicate with them, because none of us really know Spanish.  Apparently they were told by management that the room we are staying in was unoccupied.  So they flipped on the lights thinking they were moving in to our room.  Talk about a rude awakening, for both parties really.  So after several minutes of arguing, Ana shooed the strangers out of our suite, as we all went back to bed.  Not five minutes later we heard our suite door opening again!  This time it was the lady working at the hostel that stomped her way into our room.  Paige met her at the door and asked what she was doing in our room in the middle of the night.  Ana was immediately out of her room again, and began to converse with her.   Apparently she just wanted to come and check things out with our room.  There was miscommunication by the management and they thought the room was open.  Regardless of the issue, it is still unacceptable to wake up an entire suite of paying customers.  Needless to say, Ana sent an angry email recounting the events.

After several minutes of winding down from the strange event, I was able to fall back asleep.  I woke up a few hours later (Wednesday morning) feeling better for the most part; my stomach was still giving me issues but it was manageable.  We wanted to take it easy so we headed out to a well-known café mid-morning and enjoyed the down time.  The main event of the day was riding cable cars up to the top of the city.  It was only $1 American dollar, but the experience was amazing.  It is the best way to see the entire city; once you get to the top there is a lookout point that makes you feel like you are standing on top of La Paz.  Also at the top, there was a cholita (a woman dressed in traditional Bolivian attire) with an alpaca that you could get your picture taken with.   I did not pay to have my photo taken but I had fun watching Ana, Judy, and Amanda get theirs.  We headed back down to the city in the cable car in search of a place for lunch.  We walked for an entirely long time before settling on a restaurant.  At this point I didn’t even feel like eating so it got a little frustrating.  I got chicken soup again; this time I was able to eat a little more, and it seemed to settle better.  Next on the agenda for me was a nap at the hostel. 

One last adventure in La Paz came a couple hours after we had rested at the hostel.  A small group of us decided last minute to walk to a nearby park and overlook the city from a skywalk.  I was a little nervous about going because I did not want to push my luck with the altitude sickness.  I was ok on the walk there because it was mostly downhill.  Unfortunately by the time we made it to the bridge it was dark outside.  Despite the disappointment, the view was still amazing.  The city was lit up with energy as the cars crawled along the roads, pedestrians bustled about the sidewalks, and athletes competed on various soccer fields.  Standing right in the middle of all the action seemed like a dream.  It’s a feeling I can’t describe.  I was distracted by the awe-inspiring view for several minutes and didn’t realize how fatigued I felt.  So the walk back was a slow one because we all had to take it easy; especially since we were walking uphill this time.  We made it back of course, and spent the rest of the evening packing for an early departure in the morning.  La Paz is a beautiful city, but it’s time to leave.  I love this city, but I hate how it makes all of us feel.  

Santa Cruz en route to La Paz

Our last day in Santa Cruz wasn’t too exciting, although it was nice to have a laid-back day.  It rained again today for most of the day; you would think we were near a rain forest or something.  The highlight of the day was walking up the Santa Cruz Cathedral tower.  It was a bit of a hike but worth it because the view overlooked the square and the surrounding area.  Other activities that I did during the day included market shopping, coffee drinking, empanada eating, and dessert sharing.  Oh, and I should mention that a pigeon landed on my head; no one else though it was a big deal but me.  Shortly after I finished telling the group why I didn’t enjoy the flock of pigeons, something scared the birds so they all flew in different directions.  One pigeon apparently thought I looked safe, so he landed right on top of my head.  Dumb pigeon.

We left Santa Cruz around 5 to head to the airport.  Our flight to La Paz left around 7:30 and arrived around 9 p.m. this evening.  The drive from the airport to our hostel was amazing, even at night.  La Paz is located in a valley of the Andes Mountains and expands upwards.  Immediately we all noticed the much thinner air as it was a little harder to breathe than normal.  This, combined with the steep elevation change, will make for a great workout over the next couple days. 

We have a hostel again, which we all know isn’t my favorite, but this one is pretty unique and clean.  For that I am thankful.  Amanda, Paige, and I went on a mission to find bottled water before settling in at the hostel.  It was only 10:30 p.m. but we had a hard time finding a place that was open nearby.  Finally we saw a restaurant on a street corner and decided to try it.  They had water, but in 2 liter bottles.  So we each bought a couple.  The minute we walked in it was clear we were out of place.  Everyone was very nice though and helped us.  We returned back to the hostel and shared the stockpile of bottled water with a few others.  There is something about being able to tackle a situation like that successfully that makes one feel accomplished.  Again with traveling, it’s always the little things that have the most importance.  

Santa Cruz and Samaipata, Bolivia

I have a theory that when traveling, the best places to go are the ones you are not familiar with.  The places you have no expectations of are usually the best experiences.  Bolivia is a country that I never even thought about until this trip.  I had no idea about the culture, or what was even here.  So far it seems this country is a hidden gem. 

We arrived in Santa Cruz early afternoon Saturday after a long 24 hours of traveling.  It began with an overnight bus from Cordoba to Buenos Aires, then an early morning flight from Buenos Aires to Santa Cruz.  My first impressions of Bolivia were not great.  At the airport in Santa Cruz we were warned to watch our bags closely at all times because of pickpocketing.  We also learned from Spodek that Bolivia is a third-world country. Something about that label is alarming to me and I don’t quite understand why. We went to several third-world countries on World Tour, so it should not have been anything new.  The idea of a third-world country is very foreign to me, so I suppose visiting one takes away all sense of comfort.  I am growing to appreciate this sense of being uncomfortable.  It teaches me a lot about myself and the world, but I am getting off topic.  To top it off, customs gave us a harder time than usual as we tried to enter the country.  It was nothing serious, just frustrating technicalities.  For example, I had some things crossed out on my customs form that I filled out, and the guard didn’t like it, so I had to fill out a whole new form.  There was also the issue that we were supposed to have a visa to enter the country, but it was not online so there was no way for us to know about it.  We spent an hour before getting through customs registering, paying, and getting approved. 

After we left the airport though, my views of the country began to change.  We got to the hotel, yes a hotel, and unloaded.  We eventually met up as a group and headed out to explore the city and get dinner.  Everyone we came into contact with was so nice and friendly.  At dinner I had one of my favorite dishes yet, it was cut up beef tips and roasted yucca.  There are just no words to begin to describe it.  We had an early night because of the full schedule planned for today. 

Ana pulled some strings and found a way to plan a day trip to Samaipata, an archeological site dating back to AD 300.  Again, none of us had really heard much about the site, but it sounded cool.  After a three hour bus ride, our driver informed us that the roads did not appear to be safe for the bus to drive on because of the mud.  Most of the road leading up to Samaipata is paved, but the last few kilometers are not.  Because it had rained for the past couple days, the dirt roads were in pretty bad shape.  I am thankful our bus driver did not try to continue up the road, but that also meant the only way for us to get to Samaipata was to walk there.  As soon as I stepped off the bus to begin walking with the group, I couldn’t help but have flashbacks to Mongolia and the multiple times we were left walking because our bus got stuck.  The driver explained that it wasn’t too long of a walk, about 4 kilometers, to the site. What he failed to mention was that it was entirely uphill and the mud was dangerously slick not only for vehicles, but also walking humans!  It was a tough walk.  It was slick, wet, muddy, hot, exhausting… I had so many feelings during the hike up.  Perhaps one of the most pressing was the fact that I downed a couple coffees at breakfast, rode on a bus for three hours, and had no sight of a bathroom anywhere.   About halfway through the hike up, I decided I couldn’t hold it any longer and squatted on the side of the road.  Amanda kept watch for me. 

We finally made it to the top about an hour and a half later hungry and tired, only to find that there was no food and only water available at the visitor’s center.  At that point it was about 1 p.m. and everyone was starving, but we couldn’t exactly leave to eat lunch and then come back.  We all toughed it out and walked the UNESCO Heritage Site without food; it was also still raining by the way.  The path around the site took us a little under two hours to walk, and then we had another 4 kilometers to walk down the road again to meet our driver with the bus. 
As difficult as all of the walking got throughout the day, it really did make the experience for us.  It gave me an insight as to how great this place actually is.  People used Samaipata as ceremonial ritual grounds for hundreds of years and they all made the hike without modern technology.  Not only did they hike it, they constructed it.  It is important for us, as architecture students, to understand how these people lived and used their architecture.  The more we know about the past society and cultures, the better we may be equipped to address our current issues in the built environment.  It also reminds me of the importance of culture to architecture and how they are one in the other.  Architecture should be directly influenced by the culture in which it exists.  It seems this is an issue that grows continually as the world becomes more global and connected by technology.  It is hard for large, modern cities to maintain a culture and identity.  Visiting Samaipata today reminded me of the importance of remembering and understanding past cultures in the world, as well as, the importance of preservation.

The night ended perfectly with an amazing late lunch/dinner at the Samaipata village about 15 minutes down from the archaeological site.  The restaurant was run by artisans, or friends of the artisans (I can’t remember which) that sold their work at the site.  Ana made friends with them shortly after we finished the hike on top of Samaipata, and they invited us to eat.  They opened up their restaurant only for our group and cooked the best meal any of us have had yet on the trip.  We all ordered different dishes, but of course we all shared bites with each other.  I enjoyed a wonderful cappuccino and rosemary chicken with a side of Hawaiian rice.  That experience is one that I will never forget.  The kindness of strangers is so refreshing!

Cordoba, Argentina

Cordoba seems to be a fun city, but we have not gotten to experience it much.  Compared to Buenos Aires, the scale of the city is much smaller.  I do not feel quite as overwhelmed by the chaotic bustling of people around the city.  Cordoba is the place to be for college students; about 10% of the city’s population is students who attend the National University of Cordoba.  There are roughly 14,000 students in the Architecture and Design program alone just to give a scale on the size of the school.

We arrived in Cordoba late afternoon on Wednesday.  Ana and Spodek showed us around the downtown area, visiting several cathedrals along the way.  We had group dinner at a nice restaurant that had several dishes unique to Argentina.  I tried a few different meals; everyone ordered different things and shared their food.  It was a fun dinner but it lasted about two hours too long.  I really enjoy the culture in South America, the act of coming together to eat and converse, but sometimes I am just ready to go back to the hotel and chill.  The food at this restaurant was delicious, but I was ready for bed about half-way through. 

We got back to the hostel around 11 p.m. and four of the girls needed to take showers, myself included.  At this particular hostel we only had one bathroom for the six of us.  The hostel life is cheap, but with it comes many challenges.  Fighting for the bathroom is one of them.  By the grace of God, Ana offered her private room and bathroom to me for the evening.  I took a very refreshing shower and enjoyed the “me time”; it was much needed. 

Thursday in Cordoba was unfortunately my least favorite day of the trip so far.  Ana worked very hard to arrange a day for us to visit the architecture school in Cordoba and participate in a workshop with the students.  We arrived mid-morning and got introduced to the students right away.  We came on the third day of the workshop.  Students had to design and build a piece of furniture that functioned as a place to relax, study, and work.  The first two days that we missed were design days, so when we got there they had already started building the design.  We were paired off into groups; Amanda, Reeva, and I joined a group of about seven people, only one of those spoke English.  The language barrier definitely played a very unfortunate role throughout the whole day.  Plus the fact that our group seemed uninterested to help get us involved.  I understand.  If I had a group of international students I couldn’t communicate with, I would not exactly be keen on letting them help build a project they know nothing about.  I’d like to think I would at least try to get them involved though.  After several attempts asking them if they needed help, we gave up and began sketching to pass the time.  After six long hours of watching them cut and build their design, the workshop finally came to a close, well almost.  We sat through a couple hours of critiques for each group’s project… in Spanish.  The workshop ended with a lecture by Spodek to all of us, the students and faculty involved.  He lectured in English, while Ana translated in Spanish.  I didn’t mind the lecture at all because I could understand it, plus I was genuinely interested in the topic at hand, that was constructing a framework for historic and cultural preservation.

I know other groups had a much better experience than Amanda, Reeva, and I.  Their groups spoke a little better English and included them most of the day.  A few groups even bought lunch for them.  Despite our group experience, it was still interesting to participate with international students.  It was very different, yet familiar at the same time.  These students come from a completely different culture than I, but we find a common bond through architecture.  Once you find this camaraderie between cultures, it makes the world seem so much smaller.  I have a lot more in common with people from other countries than I realize.  I just have to take the time to understand them, their languages, and their culture. 

After the workshop finally ended, it was about 9 p.m.  Frustrated from the day and tired from an oncoming cold, Amanda was not having it.  I got her a McDonald’s cheeseburger and fries and headed back to the hostel ASAP.  We were able to eat and get ready for bed before the others made it back from dinner. 

Today was definitely an improvement over yesterday, mainly because it was pretty low-key.  I failed to mention earlier that we found a laundry mat a block away shortly after we arrived in Cordoba.  It was only 5 American dollars for a load; a clean bag of laundry is definitely worth that in my book, but I digress.

We woke up around 8 to pick up our laundry at the nearby laundry mat.  Amanda was still not feeling well when we woke up, so I opted to skip out on the morning activities and stay back with her, so she would have more time to rest.  Ana gave her some medicine and gave strict instructions to take it with warm tea.  Amanda and I headed out mid-morning to a café in search of coffee and tea.  We met up with the rest of the group around noon and talked with the dean of the architecture school in Cordoba.  He showed us a few of his projects and shared his philosophy on all things architecture.  Again, it was great to see that his ideas and inspirations parallel the education that I have gotten at Ball State during the past five years.  The most interesting take-away from the conversation was the challenges he faces as an architect, and how they differ from the challenges architects face in America.  This is a result of the differences in culture, economy, and environment.  It was a great privilege to speak with such a talented and renowned architect.  The rest of the day wasn’t too demanding as we ate lunch, stopped for ice cream, and then headed out for a short walking tour of a few significant buildings.  I won’t bore you with the details of the architecture, just know that they were pretty unique, yet successful designs.

Currently I am sitting on an over-night bus to Buenos Aires.  We have to return to the city to catch a flight tomorrow to Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  I was dreading tonight because the idea of sleeping on a bus all night sounds even worse than sleeping on a plane all night.  I have to say though; this is the nicest bus I have ever been on.  The seat I am sitting in rivals the comfort of my favorite recliner at home.  There is even a padded support for my legs.  One thing that I learned on World Tour was to expect the absolute worst in a situation, and then everything that happens is always better than your expectations.  This bus ride is far better than my expectations.  I mean, I have so much space that Paul and I are both using the same arm rest at the same time and we aren’t touching!  Here’s to a restful night’s sleep… hopefully!

Iguazu National Park

Cataratas Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and for good reason; it is one of the most spectacular landscapes I have ever experienced.  The falls are located inside the Iguazu National Park on the very northern, and remote, tip of Argentina.  It is a 17 hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to the falls, which is why we opted to fly there.  Once our flight actually left Buenos Aires it took a little under two hours to arrive at Iguazu.  Leaving was the part that gave us trouble though. 

We left the hostel around 3:40 in order to catch our flight at 5ish a.m. I can’t remember what time our flight actually was.  We arrived to find our flight was delayed a couple hours due to severe weather in Iguazu.  A couple hours passed and the flight was delayed again.  I was worried about not being able to go at all, but we finally boarded around 9 a.m.  Immediately upon arrival, a guide met our group and took us to the national park.  Because of the lost time we weren’t able to unload at the hotel first. It became apparent that we would be fighting the stormy weather, so it was a scramble for everyone to prepare for the day in the park.  I mainly wanted to waterproof my bag, and by that I mean put everything in zip-lock bags. 

Our first destination in the park was the top of the big falls.  A small train transported us to the beginning of the trail, and from there it was about a 15 minute walk.  There are no words to describe the energy of the water rushing over the cliff and plummeting to the river below. Nature is so powerful; it puts a human’s life into perspective.  Most of us got soaked from the mist of the falls.  I really appreciated my new rain jacket purchase.  It kept me dry!

It started to rain pretty steadily so our guide decided it was a good time for us to stop for lunch.  Unfortunately it was actually storming when we finished lunch.  Despite the poor weather, we began a hike that led us through the rain forest to several vista points across from the falls.  Each viewpoint led us closer to the falls and was more breathtaking than the last.  By the end of the trail we were all soaked, but I don’t think any of us minded.  If anything, it added to the whole rain forest experience.

Everyone in this world is a product of their upbringing, their experiences, and their education.  Each day our lives are being shaped by the choices we make and the relationships we build.  I am excited to see how my traveling and cultural experiences will fit in to the rest of my life.  Like I have written many times before, not many people get the chance to visit 35 countries by the age of 23.  There has to be a reason that I am one of the few.  It does not seem fair to me.  I am so lucky to have had the chance to make this trip, to stand on top of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  It has never seemed clearer to me than the moment that I was standing on top of the falls, that I have a purpose to fulfill in this life.  While I may not have the slightest clue of what it may look like at this point, I am confident that God has it figured out.  After all, he is the one that led me on these trips in the first place.  

La Boca in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Today is our last day in Benos Aires.  We had a fairly low-key day today with several pockets of down time.  This is really nice because we have to get up tomorrow at 3 a.m. to catch a flight to Iguazu.  I have been dreading that for a couple days now.  I know the early morning will be worth it, it will sure be a struggle to get going though. 

Today I got to wake up without an alarm, which was incredible.  A group of us headed out around 11 a.m. to get breakfast at a café.  We hung out and worked on our blogs until time to meet at Ana’s for lunch around 1 p.m.  Her apartment is located in a very nice neighborhood and is only about a ten minute walk from our hostel.  It is a unique loft-style unit with a tiny outdoor patio.  Every inch of that place has Ana’s style embedded in it.  It’s so great!  If I ever live in a city, I could easily see myself living in an apartment like hers. 

After spending a few hours at Ana’s about half of us took a bus to the neighborhood of La Boca.  It is a fun, energetic neighborhood where The Tango dance was created.  La Boca is the neighborhood that immigrants used to arrive at when coming to Argentina.  All the buildings in the neighborhood are very colorful; they were painted by the settlers as a way to improve the city while using very little resources.  In La Boca, we visited a contemporary art museum that had a fantastic view of the neighborhood from the top.  We also walked around the main streets and the markets, before stopping for coffee at a café.  We sat outside and enjoyed the rest of our time drinking coffee, feasting on pastries, and observing the crowd. 

Days like today are so great because I feel like I actually get a chance to experience the culture.  Some days on this trip, and every day on World Tour, I was so busy trying to see everything that I rarely got a chance to stop and take in the experiences I was having.  I need time to process what is happening and how I feel about it. It is impossible for me to do that if I am constantly on the go.  This is just one more way that traveling challenges me and my weaknesses as a person.  I do believe I am getting better at it because this trip has been so much easier than World Tour for a number of reasons.  The biggest reason is the people I am traveling with.  There are only twelve of us total, which is so much easier than the twenty-four on World Tour.  I also have Amanda with me, so it makes it much more fun, and less lonely.  Lastly the people on this trip are great travelers.  Don’t get me wrong, I grew to love and respect all the people on World Tour.  I just instantly had a connection with most of the people traveling with me to South America.  It has only been a week, and I feel like we have been friends for months.  

Recoleta and Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sunday we had an early start so we could catch a bus to the neighborhood of Recoleta.  This area of town is a little ritzier than downtown where we are staying.  Ana led us to the National Library, but it was closed for the holiday weekend.  Her mentor years ago designed the building so she was able to explain to us the main design ideas.  Nearby is a Sunday market packed with handmade arts and souvenirs.  For the first time on the trip I did some souvenir shopping; I also bought a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  Well, Ana bought it for me.  Coffee is happiness in a cup.  I bought a painting for myself and gifts for a few other people.  It was so much fun to walk around and see what they all had to offer.

After a few hours in Recoleta, we headed to a Sunday market in San Telmo.  We did not buy as much in this market but it was just as impressive.  We bought lunch from the market and headed to Ana’s to meet back up with the group. 

Ana and Spodek had lunch with Ana’s brother while we were at the San Telmo market.  We were supposed to meet them around 3 p.m. but they were late, so our group decided to head over to the neighborhood of Palermo without them.  The bus ride to Palermo seemed like it took forever.  We are told that traffic in the city is bad because of the holiday weekend.  Once we finally got there our group walked around the Botanical gardens headed towards a street called Honduras.  We were able to get a message from Ana over wifi to meet at a bar on Honduras, which was a total coincidence because we were already headed there. 

I found myself on market overload because once we arrived at Honduras Street, we found another market.  We quickly passed through and found Ana and Spodek at a bar close by.  The neighborhood of Palermo reminds me a lot of a high end European city.  There are several fashion and design stores.  Palermo also is THE place to be for “young people”, as Ana would say.  We wandered around for a bit to see the area, and then headed back to the hostel via subway. 

This weekend was a great, but we walked sooooo much.  My feet and knees are ready for a break.  We walked about 10 miles on Saturaday and 11 miles on Sunday.  If I don’t lose a little weight by the end of this trip, there must be something wrong.  

Another Day in Bueno Aires, Argentina

This weekend in Buenos Aires we had a couple free days.  For being free days though, we kept ourselves busy exploring the city.  Like any big city, Buenos Aires has many different neighborhoods each with its own character.  With Ana’s recommendation, we visited Recoleta, Palermo, and San Telmo. 

Saturday began with a rainy walk to the nation’s capital square; only to find that the museum we were heading towards was closed.  Ana rerouted us through the nearby area for a couple hours to see a few buildings by famous architects. 

Around noon we met with her family and friends at a newly renovated cultural center to get a private tour by the architect who designed it.  The architect is a friend of Ana’s and invited us to tour the building with him.  The fact that we got to tour was a privilege because the building was not even open to the public until Monday.  The interior was unique to say the least; it’s a kind of building that you don’t get to experience everyday day, especially in Indiana.  The cultural center has several smaller performance spaces, one main stage, a historically preserved post office, a lookout point over the city, and a multitude of other programs.  I loved the main performance stage and the lookout point. 

After the cultural center tour, Amanda, Ege, and I walked around the main square and enjoyed the Independence day weekend festivities.  We wandered through the streets enjoying the markets, live music, and activities.  At one point, a group of drummers surrounded the area where we were standing.  As we were escaping the action, they began performing.  We had front row seats to the best street performance I have ever seen, and it happened right in front of us.  Highlight of my weekend for sure!

The three of us relaxed at the hostel for a few hours early in the evening.  Outside our room at the hostel is a patio and bar with nice lights and music.  It was a fun atmosphere to blog and decompress about the first week of the trip.  We left around 9 p.m. to join our group for dinner at a restaurant nearby.  If you haven’t noticed yet, the culture here is different in that people schedule their days a little differently than American culture.  In South America, citizens start their day later around mid-morning, have a late lunch around 2 or 3 p.m., and late-dinner around 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.  I have been able to adjust to the schedule for the most part; however, I do not enjoy eating dinner so late.  It takes at least an hour or two each time we eat out, so when we have late dinner we do not get back to the hostel until midnight or later.  When we have to get up early there is no down time to do anything.  It is slowly starting to wear on me, and us.

There are a couple main differences I have noticed between this trip and World Tour.  We are staying in a lot more hostels this trip.  It makes the trip cheaper, which I appreciate, but after a while it gets exhausting.  Al l the girls have a room, six girls in one room for a week.  It’s rough.  Because of the dorm-style bathrooms, there isn’t a clean sink to wash our clothes in.  We all washed our clothes in the shower, which was a pain, but do-able.  The struggle came with getting the clothes to dry.  A small room with a multitude of wet clothes and no ventilation makes for a very soggy room.  Every time we open the door, it’s like walking into a rain forest.

 I am also currently struggling with needing alone time.  This is not anything new.  I expect to have that problem when I travel.  Hostels just make it difficult to fulfill alone time.  It’s only been a week and I am reminded of how much I miss luxury.  This is one of the many reasons I love to travel; the challenge reminds me of how lucky I am.  I am also reminded of the problems most of the world has to face daily while I live blindly in luxury. 

Buenos Aires and La Plata, Argentina

Yesterday we did not have much planned until the afternoon, so we took it easy in the morning.  Spodek took Amanda and I to a famous café called Café Tortoni.  It is a fancy historic café located in the heart of the city.  I ordered my usual café con leche and some pastries called medialunes.  Medialunes are very common to Argentina.  Breakfast was great, but I felt somewhat out of place; everyone was so dressed up, and there I was in my hiking boots.  Regardless, I was glad to visit when we did because we walked by today and there was a line outside that stretched two doors down.

We left the café and wandered around the neighborhood for a while before heading to the San Telmo district.  In San Telmo there is a nice square surrounded by cafes and shops.  There is also a market with local foods and trade.  Spodek bought three bananas, I bought three loaves of bread, and Amanda bought a block of white cheese.  We split the food among us and had lunch in the square.  It was two dollars each.  Cheap and delicious!

We met with the rest of the group back at the hostel and left for a short bus trip to La Plata.  In La Plata we first visited Le Corbusier’s project, a private home Casa Curutchet.  Le Corbusier is a “starchitect” famous for his mastery of the five points of architecture.  I really respect his work because mastery of design it is something that cannot be achieved by many.  That being said, this house seemed too sterile to live in.  The design was fantastic; I don’t think I would be comfortable living there though.  It is divided into two sections, a private residence and a public doctor’s office with an open air breezeway.  Cool, but not necessarily my favorite style of architecture. 

Also in La Plata we visited La Plata Cathedral.  The outside was amazing as the scale dominated the surrounding city.  I have seen a lot of cathedrals, but I would rank the exterior of this one in my top 10 favorite cathedrals.  Unfortunately the interior wasn’t quite as impressive.  I mean, it was still amazing, but I don’t think it made my top favorite list.  Seeing all these cathedrals makes me miss Europe. 

The cathedral was our last stop in La Plata before we headed back to Buenos Aires.  From our hostel, we walked to San Telmo again and got a quick tour of the neighborhood from Ana.  Her apartment is located in the same area.  We sat for a while at San Telmo’s oldest café and enjoyed a quality cup of joe!  If you can’t tell, coffee shops are quickly becoming my favorite part of this trip.  South American culture is very much rooted in coffee (and mate) and I love it!  There really is nothing better than coffee and conversation with friends. 

After coffee, we had group dinner at a favorite restaurant of Ana’s.  It sure didn’t look like much from outside, but the food was great, a hidden gem!  We headed across the street to get gelato at a place, again recommended by Ana.  It was gelato, so of course it was fantastic!  After gelato we walked down to the main square to observe all the festivities happening for the holiday weekend.  Live music dominated the square as we watched musicians and dancers perform on a stage in front of the Pink House (Argentina’s equivalent of America’s White House).  It was so fun!  It is stupid but seeing the national pride of Argentinians almost brought tears to my eyes.  It is amazing to think about what they had to go through to get freedom.  I wish there was more pride like that in America.

Staying in a hostel complicates several things while traveling.  The thing that hurts most right now is the fact that I do not have a place to wash my clothes.  If we were in a hotel, I could wash them in the sink, no problem; however, at the hostel there are dorm style bathrooms.  I am not about to wash my clothes in a community sink.  So I improvised and washed them in the shower, while I was also showering.  It was not the easiest, but it got the job done.  Really though, this hostel life is not for me.  Thank goodness the traveling makes it all worth it. 

Buenos Aires, Argentia

Our first day in Buenos Aires was a very busy one.  The day began with a visit to The University of Buenos Aires.  Ana studied at the college and taught there for several years.  She is basically a celebrity around the building.  The university is the national school of Argentina, so if citizens of Argentina get accepted, they will receive a free education.  Sounds like a pretty nice setup.  The architecture program though is longer than it is in America.  Students must study for 7 years to receive their degree.  It is not split up into under graduate and graduate level programs either, basically all or nothing.  The building itself houses several different design programs each with thousands of students enrolled.  To imagine myself studying at this school is terrifying to me.  The building is so loud and chaotic; it seems that I could never get anything done.  Students do not have a studio space assigned to them; instead each must bring all the supplies with him or her daily.  Seeing how other students study around the world makes me appreciate my rural, sheltered life back in Muncie.  Traveling has a way of doing that to me and it is a love/ hate relationship.  The minute I begin to feel overwhelmed by the density of people, dirtiness of the place, or inconvenient location, I realize how incredibly lucky I am to have been born into the life I have. 

We visited with a few professors and students for about an hour before Ana began a lecture to the first year students.  A few girls spoke decent English so we talked to them mostly.  They were very nice, as well as, intrigued by our lives as American architecture students.  When we parted ways, they hugged us and kissed us on the cheek, as if saying goodbye to good friends.  I am sad we did not have more time to talk to them.  Ana’s lecture was very interesting I am sure; however, she spoke most of it in Spanish so I did not take much away from it. 

After we left the college, we all grabbed a quick lunch and piled into three taxis.  The next activity of the day was a bike tour throughout southern Buenos Aires.  It sounds fun on paper, and at times it really was fun, maybe even relaxing; but with a population density of over 4 million people in the metropolitan area of the city, it was quite stressful at times.  Buenos Aires has very nice bike lanes throughout the city, but trying to deal with the traffic was insane, especially towards the city center.  Beunos Aires is the capital city of Argentina, similar to Washington D.C. in the United States.  Monday is Argentina’s Independence Day so as one may imagine there are all kinds of festivities scheduled for the extended weekend.  It seems all of these activities were being set up during our bike tour.  At times there was so much traffic it was more stressful than it was worth to be riding bikes.  Once we got out of the center it was a little easier and more fun.  We even stopped with our guide about half-way through the tour for Mate and pastries.  The second half of the trip was fun until we hit rush hour on the main street in Buenos Aires.  That was exhilarating.  Bryce and I were so close to being sandwiched by two cars; I thought sure we were going down.  Luckily we both lived to tell the story! 

Everyone was exhausted after the four-hour bike tour of the city, so we returned to the hotel to freshen up and rest for dinner at Siga la Vaca.  Dinner was an all-you-can-eat buffet complete with wine and dessert.  The buffet featured several different types of meats grilled by chefs, cooked to order.  Of course since Ana is from Buenos Aires, she knew exactly what to order for all of us.  The meat and wine was fantastic, but what sealed the deal for me was the dessert.  You are only allowed to order one dessert item out of about 15 choices.  With a different dessert in front of each one of us, we began a “speed-dating” approach in order to sample each dessert.  We all ate a bite of the dessert we had, and passed it along to the next person on Ana’s count, “Uno, dos, tres, SWITCH!”  We continued on with 2 or 3 rounds until all the desserts were gone.   Easily the best dessert experience I have ever had!

Buenos Aires is referred to as the New York City of Argentina.  With all the bustling traffic and business, I can certainly see why.  I cannot say that the population density is my favorite.  I constantly feel in the way on the sidewalks, and well, pretty much everywhere else I go.  Despite that though, I know the next week in Buenos Aires is going to be fantastic.  The city has so much culture to offer!

Colonial, Uruguay

Yesterday we spent one more day in Uruguay before leaving for Buenos Aires.  After an early morning departure from the hostel in Montevideo, we arrived in Colonial, Uruguay around 11 a.m. Colonial is a picture perfect town located on the wide river that separates Argentina from Uruguay.  It reminded me very much of an old, historic European town, a little larger than Little Nashville, Indiana.  At any street corner one may find a cute little café to drink a coffee and relax, or a quaint hotel or gift shop.  The streets and alleyways are decorated with vegetation, flowers, trees, and ivy.  All the streets are brick.  It was like walking through a daydream the entire day.  I had a wonderful café con leche (coffee with milk) while I sketched a postcard-worthy alleyway, enjoyed a gourmet lunch with wine on the waterfront, and watched the sunset as I drank fresh lemoncello.  I could not have dreamt to have a better day because it was so relaxing and unexpected.  We had nowhere to be, nothing to do, and only the scenery to enjoy.  

Amanda and I spent a majority of the day with both of our professors, Ana and Jonathan, and another person from our group Ege.  The day in Colonial began with coffee and pastries when we first arrived.  We sat at the first café and sketched for about two-and-a-half hours.  During this time, Ana taught Amanda how to drink Mate, a tea-like drink custom to Uruguay’s culture. We wandered around town for a while before stopping for lunch at a nice restaurant tucked behind a small street corner with private access to the waterfront.  We sat, ate, talked, and drank for a few hours taking in the scenery.  After lunch, we wandered through town again, this time towards an old lighthouse.  We paid $1 U.S. dollar to walk to the top and see a panoramic of the picture-perfect city.  Amanda, Ege, and I headed for another café to sketch and enjoy the last couple hours in Colonial.  The waiter served us complimentary Lemoncello while we watched the sunset over the water.  It was so pretty; it almost beats the sunset I saw in Greece.  

I am having a hard time finding words to describe how magical yesterday was.  In this case, I think pictures speak so much more than I could even begin to describe.  Our time in Colonial sadly came to an end around 7 p.m. when we walked to the other side of town to catch a ferry to Buenos  Aires.  We only spent about 8 hours in Colonial, but I think I could spend a whole week there

Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevideo is referred to as the Europe of South America.  I can definitely see the similarities and some characteristics of the two, but Montevideo is a bit more rundown.  We got into our hostel in Montevideo around 10 a.m. Monday morning.  The 9 hour flight was not near as bad as I had imagined. The flight was only half full so everyone was able to stretch out and actually get some sleep.  

Most of the day Monday was spent exploring the city.  Later, Ana (our professor) led our group to the old town where there are nice markets and older buildings.  The old town had a lot of really interesting shops and vendors, but it is a little more difficult to communicate with the people of Uruguay than I imagined.  Not near as many people speak English as I thought there would be.  For this reason it was hard to barter at the market, or even communicate with the server in a restaurant; however, in the old town I was able to muster up enough Spanish to order my first cup of coffee, a cappuccino.  As to be expected, it was delicious!  Amanda ordered a drink specialty of Montevideo, Mideo y Mideo.  It is a wine made from both green and red grapes.  Together we sat at a cute little café as I tried to convince myself that I actually was sitting in Montevideo, Uruguay in South America.  Amanda napped.  

Later in the evening, before dinner, Ana, Amanda, Jonathan (our other professor), and I sat at a café on the main road in Montevideo and enjoyed coffee.  It was nice to relax and talk to my professors about the trip.  Ana taught us a lot about South American culture as well.  A little later we had a group dinner at a restaurant called Facal.  Ana ordered us three pizzas, South American style, to try.  Es delicioso!  

Everyone headed back to the hostel for showers and bed, but in the spirit of travel, nothing can ever be that easy.  A routine check for bed bugs turned into a nightmare as two of our roommates found bugs.  We notified the management, who handled it nicely.  The bad part is there was not anywhere else for us to stay.  Instead of everyone sleeping on the bottom bunks we moved up to the top for the night.  Apparently the bugs do not migrate, on their own, to other beds.  Between the threat of bed bugs and the loud traffic outside, I got maybe a few hours of sleep. 

Tuesday morning we traveled to Atlantida to visit a famous church by Eladio Dieste.  Iglesia Cristo Odrero is an amazing feat of brick masonry engineering, aka the exterior walls are wavy and made entirely of brick.  I really enjoy modern churches, so I appreciate that I was able to see it.  I continued my tradition of praying in any religious facility I come across during my travels.  Praying in Cristo Odrero was a humbling experience to say the least. 

The second half of the day was spent exploring more of Montevideo.  We walked the entire length of the city, it felt like.  The walk was scenic along the riverfront/ shore of Montevideo.  We stumbled across an architecture school and decided to pay a visit inside.  Their facility is so much more exciting than Ball State.  All the classrooms/ studios surround an open air courtyard, a much more inspiring environment than CAP in Muncie.  A few of us stopped for dinner at a bar/ café.  

The night should have ended with a relaxing pizza and beer, but upon arrival at that hostel a roommate found more bedbugs, in her top bunk!  Again, we notified the management, and this time decided to sleep in the guy’s room with them.  They had exactly 5 extra beds for us!  So everyone but Ana slept in the same room last night.  Hopefully this problem does not keep happening.  I never have enjoyed hostels much.  Despite the unfortunate bed bug situation, Montevideo has been a fun start to the trip.  From what I have been told, it is only a warm up compared to what Buenos Aires has to offer.

My Next Adventure, South America

It’s go time! The hardest part is over.  The goodbyes. The packing. The anticipation. The preparation.  That is all over; now it is time to enjoy it.  What is it that I am going to enjoy, you may ask? 

Once again I find myself with an amazing opportunity to travel.  This time it is not nearly as ambitions as World Tour; but in the same spirit, I am traveling for one month through 4 countries in South America (Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru) with a group of 11 Ball State Architecture students and 2 professors.  This trip counts towards my summer term of classes required for the master’s program in architecture.  I have no idea what I did to deserve such a trip as this, let alone come across the opportunity to begin with, but I am here.  I plan to make the most of it.  Sometimes I feel guilty for these once-in-a-lifetime chances I have been blessed with.  Because of this, I have to make it count for myself, my family, friends, and even acquaintances who may never have the chance to visit South America. 

Looking back on World Tour, I learned so much about myself and who I am as a person.  Not only did I discover invaluable culture and architecture, God began to open my eyes and show me the world in a way I have never experienced before.  I can only hope for the same experience on this trip.  I am on my way to South America for a reason.  God blessed me with this opportunity, and I wish, more than anything, to share it with as many people who will listen.  I will share it all: the good, the bad, and the moments in between, because traveling is more about the journey than the destination. 

(a little while later)

World Tour was unique in that I began the trip by myself.  To elaborate, I did not know anyone that I went with.  A few people were classmates that I shared studio with, but we were not close friends.  I signed up and decided to leave home for a semester and travel without knowing anyone, which by the way, is completely unlike me.  By an act of God, funds were made possible and my parents willingly supported me through the whole process, even though I am sure they were more scared than I was.  I felt drawn to this trip as my own adventure, just me and God.  You see it’s the most challenging and uncomfortable times in my life that I feel closest to Him, which last time I checked that is how it is supposed to work.  I have never been more terrified, excited, and just plain nervous than I have the day I boarded that plane to leave for World Tour.  That feeling is something I will be chasing for the rest of my life because those moments are the ones that are the most rewarding.

Of course I jumped at the chance to take another trip. World Tour was an amazing trip of self-discovery, but even with the comfort of God by side, it got pretty lonely at times.  I see this trip to South America a little differently.  This time I have a pre-established friend to travel with me, a great friend and former roommate, Amanda Heinzman.  While I still hope for another trip of self-discovery, I am beyond excited to share my experiences with a friend this time, a friend who knows me almost as well as I know myself.  That being said, there are apparent differences between the two of us.  If you know both of us at all, you just laughed.  We are complete opposites in some aspects, which is what leads me to believe this will be a memorable, yet enjoyable trip.  I am the introvert who needs “me time”, while Amanda is the extrovert who requires an excessive amount of attention.  She is generally excited to share, more like force, her happiness on anyone and everyone around her.  I am laid back and chill the majority of the time.  She is a tourist.  I am a traveler.  There has been a running joke for a couple months that since I am an experienced traveler, I will have to watch out for Amanda and keep her alive. (probably true)  What she probably does not realize is that she will be keeping me alive as well.  She reminds me that it is ok to be excited about the littlest things in life.  Let’s just say her energy is enough for the both of us.  Please, standby for our exciting and sure-to-be-entertaining adventures in South America.