Public Transportation

I didn’t actually go to bed pacified by sweat after eating a fruit bar.  I decided to live or something like that and autoschediastically went on an adventure to the hill famed to be the location where some guy during some year first declared this area as Buenos Aires.  I didn’t find the hill but instead some of the poorest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, specifically Boca.  However, I was never assaulted or bothered.  Which perhaps is one of the biggest differences between Denver and Buenos Aires; in Buenos Aires the people are very kind and helpful-even the less privileged.  Whereas in Denver I would have been harassed excessively in the comparable neighborhoods by local hooligans.  So I began looking for a taxi to save me.  I would see one on the other side of the road and then cross hoping more would be following then one would be on the other side of the road, it was really depressing for me.  Finally one saw me flapping my arms and jumping from across the street.

            I decided to sleep in a little because I had a long day of flying with pubescent girls, exploring a colorful city, and getting lost in dark barrios.  When I woke up one of the German girls asked me what I was going to do knowing of my little success last night.  I told her I would open my tourist book and pick something.  Instead she recommended going to Tigre and Delta, 28 kilometres north of the city.

            I struggled to find the Subte (Metro) initially as I have yet to get a map of the city besides the small ones I examine in my tourist book before leaving.  That said, I get lost frequently but that’s how I can learn how to get around the city.  Finally I took the Subte to Retiro and then took a train to Mitre then another train to Tigre.  I paid 10USD and toured Delta on boat which was pretty fun but not super exciting.  I did learn something about public transportation which is apparently not exclusive to Buenos Aires but I had never seen, people will place socks, candy, mirrors, stories of their dying kids, or valentines on your lap walk away and then collect payment or the item.  Also, it is common to sing or in some other way perform on the trains and Subte and then expect compensation.  I compensated nobody.

            I went out for a drink with one of my German roommates.  I had to tell her I´m gay to lure her out though; straight guys should try it, 100% success rate of making girls divulge everything.  I definitely prefer dark beer to lighter.

            All of the above paragraphs begin with “I” and I feel selfish.

 The receptionist must have known I am gay because all four of my roommates are girls, and we get on splendidly.  The other three are Italian, Spanish, and another German.  The Italian has been to this hostel four times, the Spanish just arrived and is trying to find a friend, and the other German is older and learning the Tango.  The younger one (with whom I had a beer but explained I wasn´t trying to pick her up) and I went to look at another hostel because although this one is nice it lacks the homely feeling she recounted to me of her past 10 months in hostels all over the world.  Perhaps if she moves there tomorrow and likes it I will follow.    

A lot of things here are pretty cheap like taking the Subte for miles costs only 23 cents.  I managed to buy two apples and a plum for 53 cents.  Maybe I can buy an animal next; because apparently all of Buenos Aires at 22:00 is walking their dog.  Or in the case of a lady I saw, 18.  I couldn´t believe how quickly the dogs attacked the trash on the curbs and then proceeded to get approval from their owner which she liberally distributed.  Ew.