I did good

This morning I successfully caught a bus. This sounds like a minor, routine thing but I find it more daunting than catching a flight. The staff at the hostel told me the bus number and the road intersection (two blocks from the hostel) to catch the bus to the domestic airport, which is just North of the city centre, on the river. So, last night, when I went out walking, I went to watch the buses at this intersection because I didn't know where it would come from or where to stand. I got it figured out and made the successful connection.

What I didn't know is that these city buses don't take cash - it's an electronic card or coins, put into a 'slot machine'. I had 2 pesos in coins and a 10 pesos note. The fare was 3.50 pesos (they write pesos with a $ sign - if the amount was US Dollars they'd add US). I asked a young woman if she had change and she kindly swiped her bus card, giving me a ride. Very sweet. I obviously looked very out of place with my luggage and I-don't-know-what-to-do expression.

City centre of Buenos Aires from the air. Yellow circle is the obelisk and the pink x is where I was staying.

On my walk last night... I went to the port area, to the left of the pink x. This is the second of three ports built for BA (this one in 1890). But, they made the docks too small for the ships so it wasn't used and the current main port was built (bottom of photo). It is a fancy area now with restaurants, nice new office buildings, hotels and apartments. They've got two historic ships that you can look around - I'm going to do this when I come back to the city. Great area to walk around and I saw some runners too.

As for Barlioche... My feet started itching just looking at the open, far-South-looking terrain. Oh golly. Not much accessible but just open and expansive and lovely. It is chilly but was a clear and beautiful afternoon. Icy wind that howls across the lake. Mountains visible with snow-capped tops. Definitely snowing the other side of the lake today. White horses on the lake.

Approaching Bariloche. My first view of the Andes. Snow on the mountain tops.

The town is really cool. A bit of sweetness and cuteness mixed with ski-town-tourist-trap - but overall a nice feeling to it.

I did real good to choose to come here instead of staying in the city. I'd go crazy there.

My hostel here is very homey and warm and welcoming - very different from the huge one in BA. They even bake their own bread for breakfast! Big, welcoming kitchen.

Not much in the way of English speaking peeps, which is just what I need ;) Very friendly people. I'm going to have fun practising my Spanish on them - very accommodating.

I'm in a four person dorm - I haven't seen my roomies yet but I think it is two guys. Not as messy as the girls from the BA dorm!

I'll write more tomorrow to give you an idea of the cost of things here etc.

Rio de la Plata - the domestic airport in BA is right on the river, which was quite whipped up by the wind on Saturday.

Walking around a part of the Bariloche town. That's snow happening in that storm across the lake. It seems like there are a few flat roads near the lake and then they go up steeply. During a run on Sunday I'll check out the place more.

OMG - yarn bombing in town! There are a couple of trees wrapped in yarn. This means that there is a group of knitters / crocheters in town and to do stuff like this it means that they probably get together at least once a week... now to find them. Would be fun to join their group, hablo espanol y crochet. The hunt is on!