See St. Louis in 3 days

OK- as a St. Louis native, I have given a few friends recommendations on what to check out (in the rare occasion that one of my friends actually wants to go!) and see while they are in St. Louis. Well, since I have such wonderful recommendations ;) (wink...wink)- I figured I would post them up here for the world to see.. . enjoy! There is a 3 day itinerary, a list of things to do/see, and a brief description of my favorite neighborhoods worth checking out.

St. Louis, Missouri

A traveler’s guide to the perfect weekend in the “Gateway to the West” in 3 days

General Cool things to do/see
• Cardinals game (or Blues if they are not in season)
• Dueling piano’s on the landing
• Cocktails on the patio of Lumiere Place Casino (great skyline view of city)
• The Arch/Riverfront
• Anheuser-Busch Brewery
• Bocce Ball on the Hill
• Forest Park- the Zoo, art museums, golf course, take your pick
• City Museum
• Outdoor Play at The Muny
• Secret Room atop of Union Station
• Mardi Gras
• Soulard Market
• Botanical Gardens
• Summertime Music Festival on the Eads Bridge
• See the mosaic atop the Cathedral Basilica
• A movie and cocktail at Chase Park Plaza Hotel

DAY 1
Start at the Arch, St. Louis’s #1 must see- you cant leave with out going up to the top of this architectural marvel. Completed in 1968, it’s the countries tallest monument (630 ft). Plus- it’s a cool view. ☺ There is a nice museum chronicling the westward expansion of the US, admission is included in the ticket price to the top. Its hard to get a feeling for how big the arch is- until your are standing next to its base and looking up.
Stroll down to the Mississippi River afterwards, its not really anything to see since St. Louis’s relationship to the river is still very industrial, but many people want to say they saw it. And before you go, note the 'old cathederal'- which stand on the south west corner of the arch grounds- its the oldest standing church west of the Missippi river.
Now take a load off and head to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, a source of much St. Louis pride, and many local jobs. This is one massive brewery! Don’t worry, free samples are given at the end. ☺ Don’t miss Guss’s Pretzels on your way out- an institution surviving on the beer Goliath next door, grab a hot one for the road to your next destination.
Choose a night out option: Pub night in Soulard, party with the tourists and dueling piano’s at “The Big Bang” on Laclede’s Landing, or check out the scene on the Washington Ave Loft District.

Day 2
Forest Park is also a must see. It was created as a home to the World’s Fair of 1904, (and St. Louisans won’t let you forget it) and I believe it is still the largest urban park in the country. You can EASILY get lost in here! Exploring the park is fun on its own, and feel free to journey around and find your favorite hidden gem- it is very safe during the day, and only slightly more dangerous at night. Take the Metro-Link to the Euclid stop in the Central West End- this is a good place for a quick detour to see the amazingly beautiful (second largest in the world) religious mosaic that adorns the ceiling of the Cathedral Basilica on Lindell its just a 15 minute walk from the train stop. If you don’t want to wander aimlessly around the park, check out one of its many attractions. #1 on that list is the St. Louis Zoo- its still free, and consistently ranks among the best Zoo’s in the country. Its also home to the Science Center (and omnimax theatre), the oldest running outdoor theater in the country- The Muny, The History Museum, and The Art Museum, among others. You could spend many days here, but alas- there is more to see!
Grab a cab over to the Hill, have a beer at Milo’s and get in on the Bocce Ball action- a true Italian way to spend the afternoon. This is truly one of the coolest Italian neighborhoods in the country, not because its glamerous or touristy- but because its real. Not just anybody can move in here- homes are rarely listed on the open market, and although that may seem elietist, it helps preserve the charactor of the area. This hood is home turf for the baseball greats like Yogi Bera, and Joe Garagiola, and the 5 St. Louisans who played on the 1950 US World Cup team that miraculously defeated England in the first round in Brazil, all grew up on the Hill. Both sports are still very important to the culture of the city today.
After you are done schooling the locals, head back downtown (either cab it all the way downtown- or take it back to the train stop on Euclid in the Central West End) to catch an evening Cardinal’s game at the new Busch Stadium. No Cardinal game?, take in an outdoor show at the Muny, maybe a local concert in the Loop, or maybe a Blues game at the Scottrade Center.
Still have energy? Go out for sushi (Drunken Fish) or cocktails (Sub Zero Vodka Bar) or cigars (Brennan's) in the Central West End, or check out the scene on Washington Ave- go to Lucas Park for people watching, Mosaic for a dinner expierence, or Nara Cafe for a taste of hookah.

Day3
Wake up early and win the freshest veggies and fruits at the market in Soulard. Don’t worry- they also serve cocktails to get your day started on the right foot.
Head over to the privately run City Museum and climb around this giant sized jungle gym with the kids- its an experience you wont forget!
Now hop back on the Metro-Link and head to the Loop. You can get on at Union Station, to check out the cool secret room I mentioned- as long as you can handle walking through the struggling-to-be-tourist attraction that is the mall inside Union Station. Nevertheless, it may be worth a quick stop- plus you can buy your “I heart STL” t-shirt here. Just ask someone where the bathrooms are, and when you get there take that grand staircase up a couple of flights, and you will see the room I am talking about.
Now- get on the metro-link and get off at the Delmar loop stop. Walk WEST, in fact ask someone- or 2 people along the way where the loop is. The stop is only a 1-2 block walk from all the action, but if you head the wrong way, you end up in no-man’s land….and you don’t want to be there. Have lunch on the street café of Blueberry Hill, grab a St. Louis favorite root beer at Fitz’s, get a tattoo at Iron Age, catch a show at the Pageant, or roll with the hipsters at Pin Up Bowl. Drink the night away at Delmar Lounge.


Neighborhoods to see-

The Loop- or the “Delmar Loop” is St. Louis’s most bohemian community. Just to the north of Washington University, it’s the recreational home to many Wash U students. Catch a show at Blueberry Hill or the larger option, The Pageant, across the street. Have a St. Louis favorite root beer from its source at Fitz’s, get a tattoo at Iron Age, and roll a strike with all the hipster’s at Pin Up Bowl. But be careful not to stray too far from the main drag (Delmar st), going south is fine since you are generally getting closer to Wash U, but going north (sometimes even a block or 2) is dangerous- especially at night.

Central West End- Perhaps St. Louis’s ritziest ‘hood- you wouldn’t really know today that at one point this neighborhood got its start welcoming same sex preferring couples from the region. Unless you look for its few and far between existing “gay friendly bars” or happen to be there for its FABULOUS Halloween street party. Now it is a neighborhood with great jobs nearby at Washington U Medical School’s BJC Healthcare Hospital, easy transportation with the Metro-Link stopping nearby, Forest Park at your fingertips, and a great concentration of bars, restaurants, and café’s at your disposal. I recommend sushi at the Drunken Fish, and then heading to either Sub Zero vodka bar or the wine and cigar bar, Brennan’s, across the street afterward, depending on your mood.

The Hill- This is St. Louis’s Italian neighborhood. Not much more need be said, except it is still known as one of the safest neighborhoods in the city (they take care of their own policing) and is famed today for its welcoming Italian eateries on almost every corner. Get a schooner of beer at Rigazzi’s, play Bacce Ball at Milo’s, or take in the old school Italian atmosphere and great food at Cunetto’s.

Soulard- more on the Irish side of things, here you wont go thirsty. This is the home to St. Louis’s own, self awarded- 2nd largest Mardi Gras festival in the country. And- it is HUGE! …and very fun, as long as you are in the mindset of dealing with crowds of drunks, looking to self expose for payment of plastic beads, Irish music in the streets, parades, and generally street “festivalness.” (yes it’s a word) The other 363 days of the year, this is a good spot to get a laid back beer. McGurck’s has a huge outdoor beer garden in the summertime, and is filled with the must see young crown of the city. More laid back versions are offered on most other corners. Oh- and if your in the mood for good eats, and a bit of a show- you absolutely must check out Johnny’s on Russell st. Through some sort of loophole in the law- this place has managed to skirt the modern day uniform laws….lets just say this place puts Hooter’s to shame! Another must see in the city is located here, the Soulard Produce Market, grab a beer and shop for some fresh produce in a turn of the century and still booming outdoor market…what could be more fun? ☺

Clayton- Clayton is St. Louis’s friendly neighbor to the west. And ever since the city turned its back on the expanding needs of the “county” in the early 20th century, Clayton has been more St. Louis’s rival than friend. Now Clayton has almost as big of a “downtown” as downtown, and is home to all of the St. Louis County’s jobs- which are many now that the county has grown. It is also home to some of the priciest real estate in the region, is known for its excellent school system, is safe- and offers close proximity to the city and counties alike. Grab a beef sandwich at Café Manhattan during the day, then stroll down Wydown and check out the mansions. Or, take a cigar and cognac in the lobby bar at the Ritz Hotel. Or be seen on the scene for cocktails at Miso or Bar Napoli. Rather chill at the pub? Check out John P Fields or Kilkenny’s. How about tapas? Check into the hot BARcelona. If you’re here in the summer, take a few hours off and dip into the Olympic sized pool in Shaw park- just a few bucks for non-residents.

Washington Ave Loft District- St. Louis’s big gamble paid off, at least I would say so, some others may still disagree. But, downtown St. Louis-and the city in general, have been in population decline since the 1950’s, just like many other American cities. Many times during those years, St. Louis has tried- and failed- to bring the people back. Just 10-15 years ago, Washington Ave was a red-light district, the black eye entertainment hub of the city. Now, nearly every building on this strip- which were once major manufacturing spaces, are now converted into Loft apartments or condo’s. That is the good news, the bad news is-although purchased- many of these condo’s were purchased by investors and many still sit empty. That being said- the neighborhood is perhaps the coolest in the city! Many hip bars and trendy restaurants call this neighborhood home (don't miss Lucas Park for a cocktail, or Mosaic for a cool fusion meal), and the increase in housing stock here claims to be responsible for St. Louis’s first population census increase since the 1950’s, hence- a success in my book.

Laclede’s Landing- not so much home to any real residents, I still claim it as a neighborhood- because it certainly has its own personality. The Landing sits alongside the riverfront- and its cobblestone streets are no doubt among the first laid in this city. Now, it is home to entertaining the regions bachalaurette parties, local radio stations broadcast from these clubs, and the riverboat casinos are busy leaching off the money of the weak. Nevertheless, it does retain some amount of charm. It is easy to walk into after a day on the arch grounds, and has some cool eateries, such as the St. Louis Spaghetti Factory- locally known as the “old spaghetti factory”.

St. Thomas, USVI

Hi all, its been a while- I've been working, a sad excuse I know, but what can I say....I'm here now! Charlotte Amalie (pronounced Uh-mahl-ee) is the capital of the USVI's, consiting of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. St. Thomas is notoriously known to be the tourism whore of the 3 islands- and I believe that is a good way to describe it. They say more than 300 jewlrey stores exist on the island, and while that number is hard to believe- there a ton of them! The two main commercial streets are lined with them- one after the other- all seemingly selling the same thing, and using the sales tax free tagline to get eager and willing tourists in the door. Each day one of the massive cruise ships comes to dock here, sometimes 2, and the town floods with grey haired overweight rich tourists, ready to buy stuff. A weird phenomenon, that ends up strangely defining the city, and hence the island. While busy during prime time with the ship people, that streets are a desert at night. Most shops close down around 5, and all that is left are the few public drunks roaming the streets making trouble. Marijuana seems to be thought of like drinking a coke, and prostitues are not hard to find. It feels unsafe- and mostly I think becuase it is. To top it off, there seems to be some still strong segregation here, constantly brewing feelings of race tension. That being said, everytime I have asked for directions I have been treated well by the locals. On the contrast however- every forienger I talk to, seems flabergasted that I would be staying in the downtown area. An interesting dynamic for sure.

All this people stuff aside- the beaches are truly amazing here, and undoubtedly are singlehandedly bringing people to this island in droves each and every year. I found a 'local' beach yesterday, called Linqust beach- you can get there using the public transit system, which are simply pick-up trucks with converted truck beds into open air bench seating that constantly circle the island (except of course at night!). You can jump on one of these if you know the drill, and act like a local, and only pay $2 to go anywhere on the island. If- however- you opt for the the exact same type of truck with tourist on it, you will be charged $10. Locals never ride the tourists buses- or "safari's" as they are called here, and tourist seldom ride the local buses. I always like to take public transport where I am- you will definitly get a better feel for the real people who live there, when you share a ride with them...I think this applies no matter where you are in the world. Anyway- it dropped me off at the top of a hill, where a sign read "Smith Beach Park" and a dirt road lead down a hill. I walked down, avoiding the rocks and holes from my flops, scurried throught the last bit of foilage, and entered paradise. Quiet, no houses or hotels in this cove. White flour like sandy beaches greet your feet, a wonderful blue sky with intermitten big white clouds, a bright turqoise almost still ocean in front of you, dotted in the not-so-distant view with lush green volcanic islands. Really, tuely, and amazingly beautiful place. This is it- this is why they come. I spent the whole day there, swiming, relaxing, reading, and at times napping :). This is what St. Thomas is really about, or at least it should be!

After a night out with friends at XO in Red Hook, I feel like I have seen the night life, gotten to know the town, and had a glimpse of the beaches. Time to move on, I catch a ferry today to Tortola, where I start what should promise to be an amazing sailing adventure in and around the British Virgin Islands. I'm looking forward to properly learing how to sail, and soaking up all the sunshine I can, before I head back to the grey Chicago winter.

Stay tuned, hope to update you on more fun travels again soon.

Massive Mexico City, Lucha Libre, and Swine Flu

Mexico City, before I knew it was infested with Swine Flu, I had a grand old time exploring this massive city. Some say its the largest in the world, although since, I have had a tough time distinguishing, as the numbers and counting methods vary. Tokyo and Seoul the main contenders, fyi.

Riding the subway system, was comparable to NYC, only with more frequent trains, and maybe a slightly easier to understand system map, and slightly more confusing transfers. If your polished up on your Spanish, and have no problems following signs, and can deal with some rudeness during the boarding process then, I highly recommend this economical way of getting through the city. Another interesting part of the system was that the first 2 cars of each train were reserved for women and children only during rush hours. Can you imagine trying to pass such a concept in the US?

The two highlights of the trip though, must have been Lucha Libre and the Bosque de Cheputepec park.

I knew I only had a few days in this mega-city, so I would have to choose a few things and do them all out. Well, my first night in town was a Friday, and it didn't take me long to find some friends at the hostel willing to witness some outrageous wrestling madness that is called Lucha Libre. We rode the train to within a few blocks of the "stadium", which, as it turns out, is more like an old hollowed out warehouse retrofitted with some stands and a ring. Our first obstacle was the security at the door, which was surprisingly thorough- I guess the Lucha fans can get a bit roudy.?.?.. I was first in line, and right away I had problems- he found my camera. Of course, I wasn't aware it was not allowed...what was I going to steal the soul of the match, or reveal their hidden trade secrets by taking pictures??? I didn't get it, but I sure as hell wasn't handing my camera over to some dude in exchange for a ticket, which I was supposed to use later to retrieve the camera. We stepped back, hid the cameras in socks, and belts ect., and most of us got through...except me. I still had a huge knife stuck in my belt! Ooops! I had totally forgot, the guy looked at me like I was going to murder someone, and I just sort of shrugged- like "oh yeah, the knife..." He took it away, and I gladly accepted the retrieval ticket for this oversight. What can I say, it was my first night in town, its just a precaution.

Upon entry we find the match already happening. It is usually a 2 on 2 match, and their is a small official cheering section for the "good guys", but inevitably, some of the bad seeds in the crowd will continuously cheer on the "bad guys"...bad seeds... :) Funny though, the good guys did not always win. Anyway, the matches were incredibly scripted, but the crowd (including us) loved it. A few 24 oz beers later, and the action became really fun. Soon, a female on female match came out of nowhere, and later a midget wearing a gorilla costume was part of a trio of fighters! The later it became the better, bigger, and more extravagant the matches got.

As we left the stadium and recovered our things from the holding booth, we were amazed to find them in tact. I got my knife back, and a friend who got caught taking pictures inside also got his camera back. But it was about 11 pm now, and it didn't take us long to figure out the dynamic outside had changed. We weren't feeling 100% safe, and debated if the train, which was closing soon, or a taxi would be the better return option. We opted for the train, and had a relatively uneventful ride home, except for some random guy telling us that he hated us because we were Americans. Oh well...we got home safe.

I continued to follow this rule, and never stayed out past 10 or 11 pm, it always started to feel unsafe.

The Bosque de Chalputepec park I went to really does deserve some mention. Honestly, I think it was the coolest city park I have ever been to. Cooler, dare I say, than Central Park in NYC. It was easily accessed via subway, and once arrived, you were greeted by statues and old growth trees shading a walkable, plant less, and sometimes paved undergrowth. It housed some of Mexico Cities nicest Museums, including the Anthropology Museum- which has a ton of ancient artifacts from the Myans, Aztecs, and other tribes from region of Mexico. A highlight was the life size replicas of an ancient Myan town grown in with vegetation you really felt like you were walking through the old city.

The park also featured the Museums of Modern Art, Contemporary Art, History, Botanical Gardens, free bike rentals, plenty of space to play and relax, plenty of interesting DF (districo federal) residents to watch, and plenty of vendors to satisfy your occasional appetite. It was truly my favorite place in Mexico City. Then again, I left before I could discover Palanco. A neighborhood next to the park, which I would like to go back and see.

Unfortunately, the plan to return has been scratched. Over the weekend, new has been released that a deadly Swine Flu is spreading through the world, and has its origins traced back to Mexico City. The place I need to fly out of tomorrow! So far, I think 127 people have died, and there are already 20 confirmed cases in the US. Indeed today, even people here in San Miguel began wearing face masks to prevent infection. The CDC is recommending wearing that, along with using hand sanitizer. I'm on my way now to buy both, and I hope I can managed to get home well.

My Last Post

Yup, the trip is now complete- and I think this will be my last post. So, first I want to say sorry to all of you out there that have at one point or another, wasted some valuable company time reading my blog...but- thankfully- March Madness can now take its place. :) But, also- to those same people- a deeply felt thank you. I'm really glad that people took an interest in the blog, and although it was always intended as a type of electronic journal for myself (so that when I'm old and can't remember my own name, at least I'll still have some stories!), it was encouraging to hear the comments on my adventures and it kept me returning to the blog to write more.

All that aside, I want to briefly mention the swirling worlds of emotions that I have gone through the last days of my trip. So strange, the emotions were...that I'm actually a bit reluctant to share the whole intensity of them to the world....nevertheless, here is the snapshot. It has really been a strange experience...leaving, that is. Actually, when I was leaving Buenos Aries (the start of my long journey home)..for the first time in several months, I really truly felt sad, but the sadness was mixed. It was combined with a strong sense of accomplishment, and pride. This trifecto emotion is a new one for me- and thus I thought worth mentioning. I'm not sure really if the sadness was leaving the people who I met along the way- some of whom I would have liked to get to know better- leaving places, ending a trip that I felt could have lasted a lifetime, or just the overall ending of what at one time, seemed such a monumental decision in my life. More and more I pondered the revelations of my trip...searching for super cosmic discoveries....but of course there were not many. At least none that would surprise you. I of course, have a truckload of new memories, fun stories, and amazing pictures! Mainly, though- I think I'm taking away a new sense of openness. To everything. The world feels open to me now, and the fear of going new places, is utterly lost.

In fact, along the way...and now...I have come to the same conclusion that I have in every sales job I have ever had. The question people like to ask is, so what is it like selling to 'xyz' type of person? (the same question applies to people in "xzy" country) As if they are some type of foreign species...they are not- we are all just people. And many of us have very similar wants, needs, and desires in this world. If you understand that, you can relate to anyone on the planet. And, when you can relate to people, everyone feels better. In fact, I've become relatively comfortable with people staring at me because I look different, or talking my broken Spanish to people who are making fun of me...I think these skills may help me down the road.

There is one thing that scares me though. The travelers plague that all of us carry in common...we are all forever planning our next trip. I will freely admit, that more than some thought has already gone into my next adventure. But, the question then really becomes, how do you sustain this type of lifestyle? what type of career will allow for it??? And, is that what you want to do?? ...all good questions...

My next adventure, I believe, will be starting my own business. A tough one indeed...but I think I'm ready for the challenge, and seeing people living through the rest of the world with virtually nothing has taught me that life will go on...no matter what number I see in my 401k. The fear of loosing it all, although not completely absent, has subsided in me for now. I think, having the nerve to risk it all for something you believe in is an important quality for an entrepreneur.

For now, though- I will enjoy being home, close to family and friends....and try to decide what that new venture will exactly be.

Once, again- thank you to all who were readers.

Last Night Out

What a great last night in Buenos Aries...and sort of all S. America. Today, I officially start the long, long, long journey home. And I must say, I am ready, and excited to see family and friends. But, it just so happened that my last night here was also St. Patrick's Day- and I was invited to a great party to celebrate the holiday, and a birthday.



It was dinner and drinks at an apartment in San Telmo, then out to the Irish pubs and street festivals afterwards. I opted to step up the standard wine gift, and bring a bottle of rum and coke....it was a bad decision. When I arrived, I quickly realized I was going to be the only guy there, which was just fine with me. Especially since the rest of the company where about 20 Norwegian girls, all who spoke great English...sweet! I always feel a bit of trepidation when surrounded by a gang of the opposite sex...but they made me feel amazingly comfortable, going out of their way to speak English around me. I was really grateful. And, I was honored to be a part of their birthday celebration. Eventually a few more guys showed up, and more girls...and then the police.



Yup, good ole B.A.P.D. came a knocking. As always, someone invitingly opened up the door, and they walked right in, looking for the tenet of the building. Immediately they snatched up here passport, and started threatening to take her to jail. Of course, everyone was mildly freaking out, until we got a number out of him. That is, the amount of money it would take to pay the 'ticket' and just break up the party. The amount was about 60 dollars, but someone smartly called the landlord, who also happened to be the Spanish teacher of the Norwegian girls. He swept in to the rescue, worked things out with the police, and everyone went on our merry ways.

Our merry ways took us to the street festival, which...quite frankly, did not do St. Patrick's day justice. Maybe I'm spoiled after Chicago's yearly festivities (which I spent a lot of time talking up down here) but either way, I was not impressed. A good start would have been beer and portable toilets...but apparently that was too much to ask. Not long after we arrived, the group split up a bit and some of us ended up at a bar called the Red Door, Ironically a bar that I had already been to on my previous trip. Most importantly though, they had drinks and elbow room...as well as a really cool atmosphere. The night went on, and fun was had by all...especially now well lubricated with alcohol-as a proper St. Pats should be spent! :)

Today, I am meeting a friend for lunch, then going to purchase some drugs from the pharmacy to gt me through the bus voyage, off to never never land! All in all, I couldn't have a had a better last night out.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

The Small Things

I've noticed my blogs becoming more and more about the bigger things on my trip. When I started it seemed like every little thing was worth writing home about, and as I went along and saw more and more amazing things, well, I guess I began to ignore the subtle pleasantries of my trip in my blog. This, though, I think is a bad thing. So, this blog is tribute to my latest subtle pleasantries.

My trip from Punta Del Este turned out to be really cool. I was never really that impressed with the beaches there, but then- 5 minutes outside of town we drive past this huge beach, lined with mansions, and a golf course on the other side of the road!! Where the hell was that! 5 minutes away...oh well, I´m willing to bet the people watching was better at my beach. (at least that's what I'm telling myself) The route to Montevideo followed the coast the whole way, and really the beaches are pretty nice, but the water is not. It is a river delta area, and the water is half salt half fresh...and well the water coming down river isn't the nicest - picture the Mississippi River entering into the Gulf at New Orleans. It turns the ocean a nice brown color closer to Montevideo. As we get closer to the city, huge mansions and embassies start showing up along the coastal road, along with running paths, and beach volleyball and soccer courts. Then suddenly a wall of mostly even height buildings, from the same long past architectural code, faces the coast as if it is a massive fort wall, and you know you are there. It is a cool sight, and the 2 hour ride flew by.

My other small, very guilty pleasantry, was Burger King. Yup, I confessed last time I ate at our fast food in Lima, well- I faltered again...and I loved it! I had not tasted BBQ sauce in a long time, then I sprang for the new western burger (or something like that) and had a sweet taste of home. I must say I really did enjoy it. I do feel terrible though, I had that terrific seafood restaurant, literally for the same price I could have had a huge piece of fresh fish and rice. But, I had eaten that for the last 4 nights....what can I say- I guess you can have too much of a good thing.

I´m back in Buenos Aries now, and ready for my long journey home. I have a bus ticket that leaves tomorrow for Lima, and then hoping on a plane heading for home. You don´t even want to know how long that bus ride is...but it will be my last for a while.....OK- just for shock value, its 72 hours. Yeah, that's right, 72. Wish me luck.

Punta del Este, Uruguay

Urugauy, where the hell is that?

Well, it just north of Argentina, and just south of Brazil, the capital is Montevideo, with just over 1 million people, it is recovering from a oppressive dictatorship- as most other countries I have visited here are-, the flag looks amazingly similar to Argentina´s, and I am here.

Punta del Este is a popular beach retreat for many of Buenos Aries´s elite (and of course other S. Americans), and you can see it everywhere here. There are Gucci and Prada, and Luis Vantan stores. They are selling luxory all over the place here...condos, fashion, food, and yatchs! The bad part...it is all expensive. But, it does make for fun window shopping- and given the weather lately here- I have been doing a lot of that!

Unfortunatly I have seen mostly rain, or at least partly rainy days. But, I resolved not to leave until I got a clear day. I was awarded from my wait yesterday by a perfect blue sky day. I went straight for the beach! I planned on getting some good beach time in in Rio, so this is my substitute. It is a sexy beach, but it can´t be quite as sexy as Rio. Nevertheless, there are plenty of small bathing suits, and a small, but happening nightlife.

All the waiting around, also had a good side effect. We found good resturaunts in town. In fact, by asking around a little and searching a bit, we fell upon a real small (4 tables) fish place off the beaten track. They were super friendly from the moment we stepped in, and, not really knowing what was on the menu (it is really hard to learn all the names of different fish, and cuts of meat in Spanish...I don´t even know them all in English!)...we setteled for the waiter/owner´s recomendation. All we told him is we wanted fish. Out came an impressively tasty fish...and a huge portion of it! It was so good, and only $8, that we came back the next night, with friends, and the next night again. I have eaten this insanly fresh fish every night but one I have been here. Last night it must have been a 20 oz. filet of Flounder...which was wonderful! But, the one night we did venture away from our new favorite, we went to a place called a parilla. Now, parilla, translated (I think) is BBQ. But this place wasn´t anything like a St. Louis style slab of ribs. No, more like half of a cow of hot sizzeling meat on a overflowing plate, served for a group. In our case, Alan and I shared the plate for 2....it could have fed 5 hungry men. Two types of suasages, 3 types of steaks, and then the fun stuff, grilled cow kidney, cow ears, intestine...you name it on the cow- it was grilled up and staring at us from the table. I think this one cost up $12 each, and it was quite the expierence. Of course, you muuuussttt try everything on the plate...at least once...I mean, it would be rude not to. .......lets just say, of the aforementioned wierdness ...the ear was my favorite... and it wasn´t good. But, overall, the dinner was great. Definitly worth the 12 bucks!

Also, another unforseen side effect of the storms, are great sunsets. The rain has somehow stopped at sunset time every day, and the sun peaking through from behind the storm clouds, over the ocean, and setting behind an island off in the distance makes for some pretty cool senery, and is an excellent way to wind down the day (you know the stressfull life of a traveler! :)....you really need to wind down. :)

Lastly the nightlife...for some reason, I tend to go out more in these smaller towns. I´m not sure if it is from boredom, or if I just feel safer here, and am more likely to go out and have some drinks...whatever the reason, it seems to be true. Last night, I went out with some new friends from the hostel (standard hosteling practice) to a place called Moby Dick´s Pub. Funny I thought, since I am reading Moby Dick at the moment, and realizing how many refrences of names familiar to me there are from the book. Pequods is the name of the boat in the book- also a pizza resturaunt in Chicago. Mr. Starbuck, is the chief mate on the boat- any refrence to the popular coffee shop?? Now this place...wierd...But, anyway--the place was packed with partiers, I´m not sure from where these people came, but they were there, and carrying on the tradition of the Argentines- we partied late. I´m not sure if the place ever closes, but when we saw the sun coming up over the ocean...we thought maybe that is a good cue to head home. Good times.

All is well, and I plan next to head back to Buenos Aries (which I am more and more excited about every moment) and then make the long journey home. Closing up the trip I am filled with thoughts and reflections, but that will wait for a later time. I hope all is well at home...and I hope to see all of you soon.