South of America

A new continent to explore. Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, and wherever else works in. Read more

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South of America Traveler
Long Walk -part 1
October 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F
I headed out down Olleros (here an LL is pronounced Es, so it sounds like Oceros) towards Largo de regattas. A park with a lake.
Then through the park and saw an Equestrian Club, Tennis Club, and a restaurant called Belasario Roldan. The later is a famous Argentine Steak house.
Across another park to Museo Savori (small modern art, which was closed).Read more
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South of America Traveler
Long Walk -part two
October 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F
I walked through a beautiful rose garden with bridges and birds and nice walking paths called Tres de Febrero Park. Many places here are named for dates I’m assuming something historic happened on that date, but they never explain.
Across the street and a walk through Ecoparque Buenos Aires. A zoo’ish area that was a combination of a park and zoo. I didn’t see many animals but I saw a few that I have never seen. And one I don’t know the name of. It looked a rabbit and deer mates and this thing was the result. I will look it up and add its name (but these things were all over the park just hopping around).
Then to the Subte (subway) and back to Olleros and a blocks walk home.
Almost 5 miles in 3 hours 49 minutes.Read more
TravelerDid you have cocktails?
10/13/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Shopping
October 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
Today I did a market run… all the way across the street at Coto. It’s so close I can see it now as I sit on my sofa.
Here’s a photo of what I bought.
I like that sauce things (spaghetti, yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup) come in these package with a spigot. It probably makes them easier to ship. But I’m really at a loss what to do with one After I open it. How do you reseal it so I can have more yogurt the next day.? It doesn’t stand up. I’ll have to look that up.
Grand total for today. 10,572 pesos Less than $30. It’s a bit confusing because of the exchange rate. As it fluctuates every single day.Read more
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South of America Traveler
China Town
October 14, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Today’s adventure took me to Buenos Aires China town. A 10 minute bus ride and then 2 miles of walking around. In reality about three blocks long. And just full of people. So much to see there that my brain was overwhelmed.Read more
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South of America Traveler
This must be how a bank robber feels
October 14, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
This money volume feels so weird. It’s a combination of the 1,000 pesos on the bills and the sheer number of them. $173,500.00 Argentine Pesos. That’s 867 pesos to the USD. So quick math and that’s $200 USD on the table. I won’t need to exchange anymore for this part of my trip. I don’t think I could carry any more.Read more
TravelerIs this the same pile of pesos you got on day 4? Or, did you go back and get more?
10/21/23Reply
TravelerThis is the money I got from western union. So I have 300.00 in pesos since arrival. I think it is way too much!!
10/22/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
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Things I’ve Seen
October 14, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Here are random photos of things that have caught my eye in the past days. From all over Buenos Aires.
TravelerLol’d at the Subway
10/14/23Reply
Traveler ....interesting concept for sure....
10/16/23Reply
Traveler like white wine maybe? Or maybe it is a light version like Bud Lite?
10/16/23Reply
TravelerI haven’t tried it. I bought a six pack of regular Stella.
10/16/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Bookstores
October 14, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 64 °F
There are so many independent bookstores here. Not just the beautiful one from earlier, but shops on the streets. Here are a few I’ve seen.
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South of America Traveler
Asado
October 14, 2023 in Argentina
Red meat is huge here. The pampas region of the country has been cattle area for over 100 years and cooking that meat is a specialty.
I heard about Fagon Asado from another traveler and I was lucky to get a seat for 1 in short notice.
There is one seating a night and the dinner took 3 hours so it was truly an event.
The seats were in a square around a wood fire BBQ thing. The rack went in a circle and the chefs could place everything from ribs to dishes on the rack, spin it to hot or cold areas of the fire with great results.
It was a bit of a show also. I made my own chimichury (sp) sauce, selected my own steak knife, and branded my own desert.
I passed up the wine pairing as I knew that over the three hours I’d drink the wine and then loose the experience.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Laundry Day
October 15, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
7 days in and it’s laundry day. I went to a Kiosco (newsstand) nearby and purchased special tokens for the washer specific to my building. Each token was 850 pesos (about 1.00 each).
The tokens are notched specific to my building. In the photo you can see how the doing thing has ridges and the coin has valleys. Like it up and it works.
One token for wash and one for dry. In 2 hours one load all done, folded and put away.
Everything about a new country is a learning experience.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Kentucky Pizza
October 16, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
I’ve seen Kentucky restaurants all around Buenos Aires. I’m not getting the tie between Kentucky and pizza. In the Subte (subway) I found a KFC ad on one wall and Kentucky on the other. Admittedly I haven’t tried either.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Ferry to Uruguay
October 16, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
I’m off to a new country. Uruguay. I think this will be my 23rd.
The port and immigration has you check out of Argentina and into Uruguay before leaving Argentina. One hour on the ferry to Colonia del Sacramento.Read more
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South of America Traveler
The “Voyage”
October 16, 2023, Río de la Plata ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
As the ferry goes between countries there is a huge duty free store. One floor for candy, clothes, electronics and luggage. The second floor is for perfume and cosmetics. I think the boat could be faster but the money maker is the duty free.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Colonia Uruguy
October 16, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌙 66 °F
Interesting little town. Feels like Catalina Island complete with golf carts but there is more history.
Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay is on the Rio de la Plata. It’s one of the oldest towns in Uruguay founded in 1680 by the Portuguese. There were back and forth battles for the City with the Spanish for many years. Into the 1815-1816’s. Then it was under Portuguese control then transferred to Brazil, then transferred to the United Kingdom’s (not the UK one a different one), until it was settled as part of Uruguay.
The money here is Pesos (talk about confusing) but the economy is much more stable than Argentina.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Colonia lighthouse
October 17, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
A small tower light. It’s still an aid to navigation with a red blinking pattern but it’s modern LED type. The light is technically aiding river navigation so there isn’t much tide and the elevation of the tower can be low. No tours when I visited. Likely all rusty and unsafe. I liked how the tower and the walls were built at different times and different eras.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Leaving Colonia
October 17, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
It’s only been 24 hours, but it’s time to hop a bus for the three hour ride to Montevideo.
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South of America Traveler
New Homescreen
October 17, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
There are many times while solo traveling that I’m scared. Not scared of where I am, but scared of what I need to do. Simple things like getting laundry coins, finding the bus to Montevideo, and getting in the right line for the right thing when I don’t understand the language. Mostly I give myself more time for everything. I find myself waiting for the ferry an hour before it leaves in order to give myself enough time if I’ve got it all wrong and I’m in the wrong place. I’ve almost turned around from doing things because I doubt myself or if it’s going to be too much for me. And… honestly sometimes I do turn around, but more times than not I keep on. I make mistakes, I say dumb things, people honk at me, shop owners shrug, google translate fails me, and I get “lost” a lot. But I always find myself, I get a taxi, I laugh off my language (or lack of it) and I move on.
When I saw this sign written in English on a power box in Buenos Aires I knew it was written for me.
Thank you world for leaving me a sign.Read more
TravelerYep. 👏👍
10/17/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Uruguay… I’m not in Argentina anymore
October 17, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 63 °F
Three hours in a very nice bus. Between Colonia and Montevideo it looked like central California. My photos are terrible and very few. The bus kept moving.
TravelerYou act as if the bus continuing to move is a bad thing…. lol
10/19/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Selina, Montevideo
October 17, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 57 °F
I arrived at a Selina Co-living hostel. I’ve wanted to try one since I heard about them. Basically it’s a hotel with a mix of single rooms with bathrooms (mine was $24.00 usd a night), some rooms with shared bathrooms, and some bunk type rooms. There is a large common room, a decent kitchen, tables to eat, desks to work from, a patio and a common area. It’s a bit like an adult’ish fraternity or sorority. Every night at 6:30 is yoga, Friday and Saturday is a movie, wine tasting on Tuesday. These are all over the world and such a great idea. I can see these as a thing for older travelers who want to make friends but not travel together. This location is a block from the beach.Read more
TravelerLove this idea!!
10/18/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Food
October 18, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
Uruguay like Argentina is big on meat. Here there are two main foods, chivitos and Millanasa. Chivitos is a sandwhich made of thinly sliced meat (ham, or pork) served in a roll. I ate it twice and it was dry both times. Maybe I missed the spread?
The other was Millianasa which was thin pork or chicken breaded and then fried. Like chicken fried steak or Schnitzel. There is a version that is served with tomato sauce and cheese (like chicken Parm) but I ordered the basic version. It was fine and tasted exactly like it should.Read more
TravelerEasier to read the menu with the colored pictures
10/21/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Montevideo Sign
October 18, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 59 °F
I’ve decided that every city needs to make a sign with their name. More people took photos of these words than of the Capitol buildings.
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South of America Traveler
Montivideo Tour
October 18, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F
I did something I don’t normally do… I paid for a bus 1/2 day tour. I figured I’m only here for 1 day and I might as well get an overview. The tour was in English. Also in Spanish and Portuguese. All three languages by the same person! Bless her for trying. She said everything three times… and I was the only English speaker on the tour. I did see many things but I didn’t learn much or understand what I was seeing. I ended up using one of my walking tour maps to give me information on what I was viewing.
Things I saw…Read more
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South of America Traveler
Creative signage
October 18, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 57 °F
I always enjoy good wayfinding. This one is new. When I got off the elevator at the Selina I noticed the floor number on the wall opposite the elevator. Wait! Is that in a mirror? Why yes, yes it is. Here is a photos of the 4 printed backwards on the space between the elevators. CoolRead more
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South of America Traveler
Montevideo River
October 19, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
The city is built adjacent to the water. It follows the coast line with bays and peninsulas. But for me the water is not relaxing. When I sit in a cafe on the ocean with beach and sand I find it calming. This water is far from that. It’s brown, murky, and except for the evening kite surfers, no one is in it. It must be that the water is not truly the ocean , it turns out to be a river. (The widest river in the world). So this water is more like being lakeside in Michigan. A never ending run of little waves and a pretty good breeze.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Starbucks Uruguay
October 19, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
My first time in a Starbucks this trip. There was a breakfast mix up at my hotel so I “had” to head out and find something. Not hard here, there are many places to choose from. Today, I picked Starbucks. A small coffee and an avocado bagel. $250.00 Uruguay pesos. Around 6.50 usd. But the views were the reason I choose it.Read more
TravelerDid you buy the Starbucks coffee cup?
10/19/23Reply
TravelerI thought about but Actually I didn’t. I am trying to take memories and not mugs…. I have so many at home that I need to sell instead.
10/19/23Reply
TravelerLol, I’d think a mig from Uraguay might be more deserving than one from CA 🤔
10/19/23Reply
TravelerAnd heavy and breakable. Ha ha
10/19/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Appliance store
October 19, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
This store has prices in both Uruguayan pesos and USD, as the entire country runs on both. Even the atm has the option for one or the other. Here are some items
TravelerInteresting, the stove seemed very reasonably priced, but the other things seemed expensive…. I wonder if the stove was built in Uruguay?
10/19/23Reply
TravelerI thought that everything was “reasonable” might be on the small side but I think I would buy them. Of course that would be based on my US income, I don’t know how it compares with Uruguay salary.
10/19/23Reply
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