Journeys in Latin America - January to June 2009

Thursday 19 February 2009

Mendoza 2






note above pic from weekend of 21st & 22nd Feb - there will be a whole post about our car-hiring driving, viewing appreciating and walking weekend... at the moment i dont have time to put photos on properly, so just a taste of more photos to come...


Hola mis amigos!


This week i have been mostly... learning Spanish. With a degree of success, it has to be said, although since my currently burst of stomach related illness began just in time for me to start my studies, and is now receeding as i am about to complete my 20hrs of teaching, i am tempted to say that i have been laid low by acute spanish poisoning...

But of course it is just an unfortunate co-incidence, and i have learned a lot - most of which i can´t recall, but it is my closer to my lingual grasp than it was, and i am also making headway into the vast forest of words and collecting up as many fruits as i can. The heat continues to be on the limits of comfort at about 35 degrees during the day, but there has been no wind, no rain, and almost no clouds for a week which is never a bad thing.

Last Sunday i went with a group from the hostel i´m staying in on a white water rafting trip on the Rio Mendoza, which took us up towards the Andean foothills where the water was running pretty healthily, supplied by mercifully chilly glacial waters. The river also picked up a lot of silt on the way, so the rafting was more dirty red or brown than white, but it was nevertheless a cracking trip in perfect conditions. We had about 4 hours on the water, rafting grade 3 & 4 rapids through a steep-sided and parched valley, with cacti & huge grasses visible along the less thirsty river side. After the trip we returned to the little village where the rafting company was based amongst beautiful shady trees (including peach trees & a few tomato vines) & got stuck in to an asado (roast) to finish off. My first "organized" escapade and it was pretty enjoyable.

So now, i have one day further of spanish learning, so ive got to get "home" and do my "homework"... at the weekend i´m thinking of hiring a car with another couple of folk from the hostel and heading up north a couple of hours form here where apprently there are some good walks and "other stuff" which is worth seeing... will update on the nature of the "stuff" if and when i ever see it!

thats all for now,

rob

3 comments:

Alex and Olive said...

Hola de Arbroath. Apenas para dejarle conocer a nos estamos siguiendo su blog y mirar adelante a sus actualizaciones. Olive and Alex. No guarantee about how this translates!

Jillien said...

"Acute Spanish Poisoning" describes most of my childhood. I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one who has experienced this rare condition. Good luck with your studies!

JM

Vic, Chief, Claire said...

hey Rob, not long now till we meet up! I have finally allowed myself to get a bit excited. Hope the Spanish poisoning clears up before we get there, it sounds messy.
My Spanish level is roundabout nil. Claire and Vic are "learning" (is there a special quoatation mark to indicate sarcasm?)Spanish but we may well be relying on you.
Really looking forward to seeing you, it has been far far too long
--Chief--

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