halloween! in uruguay! wha?!?

As you may well have heard, it was Halloween yesterday. I honestly though that we were about as far as you could get from Halloween - rural Uruguay, in the town of Minas. I didn't have a costume, it's warm out - I was just looking to quietly overlook it this year.

Nothin' doin'.

Last night, there were kids running about yelling trick or treat in Spanish (more or less - dulce o travesura - with about 99% of them dressed in store-bought costumes (there must have been about 80,000 witches on the streets, I swear, and a bunch of Scream masks. I did see Spiderman, Batman, and Superman, though, and my favourite was the skeleton army - five or six boys all together, all dressed as skeletons. Now that's scary!) There is a store in town that seemed dedicated to Halloween-related merchandise, and they had two women painting faces outside (for a fee). It seemed that Halloween was limited to businesses, too - we didn't see any kids going up to houses at all, just running into stores and restaurants, usually in big groups, sometimes with an adult.

It was weird seeing this obviously non-native holiday piped into someplace so small. It felt so...soulless, that it wasn't even done out of some sense of tradition, but out of pure greed. It reminds me of the fact that there are two Mother's Days in Argentina - the traditional one in October, then the North American one in May. No one says a word.

When tradition is removed, it takes away the last connection we have to these things. If that's gone, they really do become Hallmark holidays, all meaning ripped away except what is sold to us. Costumes and candy, hearts and cards, and of course all the holiday tie-ins with every company. Is this what our holidays have been reduced to? It certainly seems so when one is abroad.

at your service?

One thing that really weirded me out on the trip home was the service. I mean, what I received. I've experienced a wide range of service (North American courtesy at a distance, Malaysian hovering on your shoulder, Argentine couldn't-care-less attitude) and it's probably the biggest shock for me. Things that I took for granted when I was growing up - water being refilled at restaurants, 'do you need any help' in stores - disappeared in Argentina. A friend once related a story of how he went for drinks with friends (which took forever to get, along with the bill), and after sending off a hundred peso note for a sixty peso bill, didn't get any change. When an inquiry was made, the reply was that the rest was kept as a tip.

The thing is, places that give good service down here do really well - people love them! It is totally a cultural thing, I just don't understand why some businesses don't use it as a tool when there are 16,000 parrillas around that all look pretty much the same. Now I just laugh and wait my turn, sometimes even exercising my weak Spanish muscle with someone close by (usually not, I have to confess). It is how it is, and understanding that that's the way it goes is part of living abroad. It's still better than chasing bureaucracy in Chinese!

leaving buenos aires

This should have been written when I actually left Buenos Aires, though I am going to be going through the city at least three more times in the next year, so really, I can write this when I want to.

I'm really of two opinions on leaving this city, leaving living on this continent (travel is a whole different ball of wax and doesn't count in the same way - don't like something? Move on!). On one hand, I've really liked teaching adults (well, in some ways) and understanding the language enough to converse with people and read and generally get by pretty well. It's been great living in a city with an artistic life, full of nooks and crannies, something happening every week, a picture to be found every day (not that that can't happen in other places). There's so much I didn't do, neighbourhoods I wanted to explore, artistic projects I wished I had the time for. Just as other times, I was just starting to cement some relationships, open some doors, and gain some new experience. But that's always the way, isn't it?

On the other hand, I knew almost from the outset that this place wasn't a fit to me. I really loved my time in Asia, there's something there that goes along much better than life here (though I don't know if 'here' means big city life or Argentina). It was harder to change earning levels; even though things were a little cheaper overall here than in Taiwan, I was earning probably 1/3 to 1/4 of what I had been there. The noise was very intense, much more than I ever experienced in Taiwan (or North America, obviously). It was harder to make connections, as there were not as many people my age around for any considerable amount of time - most people around for a while were either retirees (I met and liked them, but it was hard to meet them for a night of beer and cards) or students down for a short volunteering experience. So life had its drags here, too. Oh, and it got colder than I've wanted to be for a long while. I'm not a fan of cold anymore.

So I leave this city with a bittersweet feeling. I've learned a lot about photography, had a few new doors opened to me (including one that has given me a potential goal to head for in life, something I enjoy doing and am really good at), and seen a wonderful city as it is named one of the top cities in the world to see. I've seen sides of it many foreigners don't see and not all of them have been the pretty sides. I've certainly collected a lot of photos and gotten a lot of ideas - now I just need time to put them into practice. I won't miss the noise, nor the pollution, nor the horrible stereotypes and sometimes blatant racism. I won't forget them, I'll just choose to remember the many good times I had here. Hasta luego, Buenos Aires, and suerte in the future to you - you're gonna need it!

tests of endurance and rewards

I haven't written about Uruguay yet (later today, I hope), but I wanted to put this down first.

We're in Puerto Madryn, home to whales, penguins, sea lions, and, uh, sea elephants (that's what they're called in Spanish and damned if I can remember their names in English). We arrived Wednesday afternoon after leaving Uruguay Tuesday morning. So that means, out of roughly 30 hours, we spent about 24.5 on the bus (a lot of the rest was spent in bus stations). Couple this with the fact that we still are only about halfway down the country and you can start to get an idea of how big this country is. For reference, it's about as long as the U.S. is wide. We started roughly a quarter down from the top and are headed almost to the bottom, then back up the other side to about a third of the way from the top. This means lots and lots of bus riding. Good thing the buses are comfortable here (and relatively cheap).

The other feat of endurance I made my way through recently was diving in Puerto Madryn. Now, those of you who have dived before may say, "Pshaw! Diving is a fun and easy sport!" While that is true in many places, I can honestly say it is not easy when the water is 10 degrees Centigrade. Dives last for an absolute maximum of 25 minutes and when emerges, fingers and toes and lips are a little less sensitive than one would care for.

However, the rewards are outstanding - diving with sea lions! These little sociable guys and girls are so cute and interested in the divers. They gently bite your hand when it is offered to them (in a glove) and will nudge your fins and even try and get a hold on your head, as that is how they play. All of this, in addition to seeing them slide gracefully through the water, their oily skin reflecting the dull sunshine from above, makes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Photos coming soon.

Update Sea elephants are elephant seals in English. Sorry I didn't make mention of that earlier. This is the only place they have a breeding ground on accessible land.

uruguay - argentina to the max

Well, two weeks in Uruguay has brought this knowledge to me: Uruguay is South America's unknown gem. It is the only country below Peru that doesn't touch the Andes and is therefore generally left off the Gringo Trail, and it doesn't have any huge, famous festivals or events. The only thing it might be known for is its world-famous beef, though it's often overshadowed by Argentina in this regard, as well. Despite this, to use Chris' words, Uruguay is like a super-Argentina. They do everything that Argentina does - drink mate, eat beef, open stores late - only they do it MORE.

In Argentina, people drink mate at home and in the office. Sometimes on their stoop. In Uruguay, it is very common to carry your mate gourd and thermos with your on the street, drinking as you want. In Argentina, they have good beef. In Uruguay, they have really, really good beef. In Argentina, stores open at 10am and restaurants at 8pm. In Uruguay? 1pm and 9pm, for the most part.

Yet the country is still really easy-going. Nothing phases anyone. I love it here. The Lonely Planet says that some people define traveling by the hardship and trouble that they experience and notes that these people should avoid Uruguay. Always nice beds. Always good food. Always nice people. That's Uruguay.

buy my stuff

Hey all. I like selling my stuff and getting my photographs out around the world. I also like saving my friends money. Here's a chance for both to happen.

Right now at RedBubble, the community I've chosen to join to sell my photos, there's a special deal for November - free shipping! I want to pass those savings onto you, as the offer is unlimited. In addition, if you buy over $100 worth of art, they'll email you a coupon for 10% off next time. Not bad! All you have to do is, when ordering, type the code Novembershipping into the coupon code box. So go on, purchase a few greeting cards for Christmas, or maybe a nice print for someone. It's a limited time offer, so take advantage of it soon. Oh, and thanks!

Oh, yeah, here's my picture listing.

rider pride all over

Longtime readers of this site may remember a video I made a loooong time ago of my youngest class in Taiwan singing Green is the Color (the official cheer of the Saskatchewan Roughriders) and posted it to this site. Since the Riders have made it all the way into the playoffs for the first time in forever (they play the western final [semi-final] this weekend), that very video has been uploaded to Youtube by a professor at the University of Regina who found it last year and mentioned it in his blog. I guess it hit #86 on the most-linked site chart last week - we Rider fans love our tributes. Anyhoo, I guess there might be a story on the CBC in the works (in Saskatchewan, anyway). I'm just sad I won't get to see the score until mid-week - I'm off deep into the Andes for a few days, about as far as you can get from a computer these days, so I'll just have to sign off now and say GO RIDERS!

Update As Warren reminded me in the comments, the Riders have made the playoffs many times. This is their first home playoff game in almost 20 years. Also, get this for a story of six degrees of separation. The manager of the school where I taught the kids this song went to the same high school as Kent Austin, the current coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Kent's sister was in my manager's graduating class! Weird weird weird.

uruguayan travels

(In addition to the tidbits I add as we travel, I'll be posting the emails I send out to those who check email and no more on the Internet - I like to keep in touch with everyone. Might as well get some mileage out of my work!)

Uruguay. The little-known cousin of the South American family. If you know it, there's a good chance it's for one of three reasons:

1. They both hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930.
2. They have amazing beef. (They do. Possibly better than Argentine beef, though I must eat more beef to confirm this.)
3. The following quote from Homer Simpson: "Look at this country! U-R-Gay!" (It's not pronounced like that; they get offended when you say it like that.)

While Christine and I had visited one small town to do a few visa runs and we hit the laid-back capital of Montevideo when my parents visited, but we wanted to see more of this country off of the Gringo Trail (the most-traveled route by foreigners through the continent). Long ago, it was actually known as an eastern province of Argentina, but like most nations-to-be, a few locally-born heroes fought off the Spanish (and the Argentines later on. And Brazil, too. Maybe the British. Really, they were attacked by almost everyone) to gain indepence way back. Like most of South America, there's a lot of history here waiting to be discovered, and a lot of it contains fighting.

Uruguay, on the other hand, seems to be the embodiment of peace. The Lonely Planet opens its chapter on Uruguay by saying that travelers who think that travel is an exercise in hardship may want to avoid Uruguay. The capital is incredibly calm, the towns are quiet, things run well, if not a little later than expected. Chris commented that Uruguay is like hyper-Argentina: while in Argentina, people enjoy their mate (mah-tay, the bitter tea-like beverage that's so popular down here) in groups and generally more in private, in Uruguay, people stroll down the street with a thermos under their arm and their mate in hand, even walking into restaurants with them. They eat just as much (if not more) beef than Argentines, and things open even later in the day (some offices didn't open their doors until one one in the afternoon!). There are a lot of similarities, too, though Uruguay maintains its differences - kind of like Canada and the U.S.

Being further north than the majority of Argentina, the first different that one can notice is that the entire country is sub-tropical - my favourite climate. Not too hot and sticky, but not cold. What this translates to is green. Lots and lots of green. Palm trees. Light hills covered with grass being grazed on by cows (under the palm trees). Eucalyptus trees (sometimes whole farms of them, a somewhat novel sight). Not quite as flat as good ol' Saskatchewan, but pretty close; I was constantly (and pleasantly) placated by views of the far-off horizon as we traversed the country. Everything was growing and blooming, being the middle of spring, and perfect weather greeted us every morning. To be honest, I thought I had found my favourite country of our trip, and we had just started our journey.

We spent a short spurt of time in the capital again to see the Mercado del Puerto (port market), which turned out simply to have a lot of expensive beef restaurants - what happened to all the fish I had heard about?! We did enjoy some rather different empandas, taking the first step towards a new goal of ours (trying as many different kinds of empanadas from as many places as possible) after our enjoyment of the empanada festival back in September. With that, we headed off to the east coast for some beach time - what better way to start a trip than on the coast?

Punta del Diablo is a madhouse of Brazilian tourists looking for a beach escape in the summer, but in mid-spring, it's about as quiet as it gets. We rented a cabaña with some people we met on the bus and spent a few days just relaxing, walking along the beach (the water was too cold for swimming, but that didn't stop the surfers staying with us), and visiting a national park nearby. After the short burst of hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires we came back to, pure, quiet nature and delicious fish were quite welcome.

Next we headed off to Minas in the centre of the country to visit a brewery for one of our favourite beers so far (it seems every region has its own brewery, which I don't mind at all) - Patricia. Tours weren't available, but there was a spring with fresh water that legend holds was discovered by a magical puma who stays on in spirit, passing his strength on to those who drink the water. I certainly felt more puma-y afterwards. Nothing beat the draft beer straight from the factory, though - ice cold and one could even still taste the hops. We also experienced Halloween here - the last place we expected to find it. Dozens of witches and skeletons running from store to store (yeah, not houses) asking for sweets and promising mischief. I wasn't sure how to feel about this - obviously, it's not a local-born custom.

For our final fling in the country, we headed east to Fray Bentos and Paysandú. Fray Bentos is the ex-home of the Fray Bentos Meat Pie company, a British (and also, originally, German) creation that joked the only part of the cow that they didn't use was the moo. They were very famous in Britain, selling canned meat dishes that many grew up eating. OXO cubes were also created here and the company sold rations and cubes (to make 'beef tea') to soldiers in the World Wars - to both sides in WWI and just the British in WWII (the German owners had left by then - talk about taking advantage of opportunity). It is said that this factory was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in South America - it was very advanced for its time. We got a tour of the old facilities, including the old killing floor (with a little house for the rabbi on days when they were preparing food for Israel) where the tour guide herself had visited in the fourth grade. Imagine all that blood at nine years of age! She fainted. Understandable - they handled thousands of cows a day. Needless to say, an interesting time.

We finished our trip in Paysandú - orchard county, where you could buy a kilogram of peaches for a dollar. I ate more peaches than was probably healthy. A quiet town with a bit of history (the history museum had a quote that while the government rests in Montevideo, the soul of Uruguay lives in Paysandú) laying on the river, it was a great place to finish.

The highlight here came out of an unexpected place - a visit to the cemetery. We were walking around and taking pictures when some caretakers came over and started chatting with us. They were quite happy to answer questions and show us how cemeteries worked. Apparently, when you die, you're sealed in a chamber for six months. After that, you're taken out and put in the family tomb for three-and-a-half years. By that time, you've suitably decomposed for the next step - 'reduction'. Your bones are taken out, washed, and put in a small box for storage. This is done to save room, and you can be put back in the family tomb, or, if you're not that rich, tagged and put on a shelf in a room. Very different from what we know and do - they almost couldn't believe that we didn't do this back in North America. There was even a guy whose cousin was being 'reduced' and they opened up the box and showed the bones while the guy told us what his cousin was like. I was very thankful for Christine's Spanish that day, as it opened up a world of information to us.

if possible, more rider pride

My Riders won.

First Grey Cup in 18 years. Third in franchise history. I wish I could've seen it, but I was almost as far away from it as one could get. Well, that's life, I guess. Luckily, I have friends and family putting in my share for me.

Witness my brother making the CBC story on the street party in Regina last night. He's screaming at the camera in the first picture. Nice work, bro.

Next, my dad sent me a link to someone playing the rewrite of The Night Before Christmas, entitled The Night Before Grey Cup. Give it a listen.

Lastly, here's a story related by a friend who was at the Grey Cup in Toronto (thank Styler):

So, although the whole day was amazing, I think this will stick out in my mind the most: We were wandering around outside the Skydome, and had heard that the Regina mayor wanted the fans to gather at 4:00 and all march into the stadium. So, at 4:00 we see a big group gathered and head over. We all piled into this multi-tiered fountain, that is off, since it is winter. We start singing the Riders song, and just cheering in general. All the news people are around filiming [sic], as it was insane. There must have been 200 or more people. Anyway, it was right then that the snowbirds started their flyovers. It just made it that much more amazing. It was really almost surreal! They did about 8 or so flyovers. ... It's amazing how much a game can bring people together from all over the country. It really felt like being back at home. All while in downtown TO.

What an experience. Congrats to the Riders and to my fellow fans. There is nothing like a Rider fan's belief. Next year has finally arrived.