Technology 4, Strategerist 0

Yes, I am defeated. Every piece of technology that I brought with me to Argentina has given me significant trouble. It's sad. I do promise a posting on what I've actually been up to in Buenos Aires, but since I finally have my computer/phone/camera up and running (sort of) I figured I would take this opportunity to write.

It all begins when I was back in the States and trying to book my internal flights on Aerolineas Argentina. I, naively apparently, thought I could book my flights to Iguazu, Bariloche, and Calafate (and BA) simply by going to their website, choosing my flights, filling out my personal information, and getting a confirmation number and copy of my itinerary. Obviously I was wrong, and things are not that simple in Argentina.

I arrive very early Christmas morning (santa was on my flight, coming from the north pole to buenos aires) and I transferred airports to the local/domestic one. I get up to the ticket counter to check my bags in for Iguazu Falls and the woman very politely tells me there is no record of my reservation. I insist that there is one and that I booked online. After searching (harder?) she finds some semblance of what once was a reservation and tells me that I need to go to the cashier, because I didn't actually purchase my ticket. SO I make my way and stand in another line. I tell the next woman about how I booked my tickets online, and could she check to see if my other flights were still good to go. She told me that unfortunately the same problem persisted for all of my reservations. Apparently, their website (even when you click that you are in the US or another country) only actually holds reservations paid with credit cards if they are Argentine credit cards. I pointed out how this was stated no where on the website and that it appeared to process my card, and even issued me a confirmation number. I believe she referred to all of this as a "glitch." A glitch implies minor, this was major...all my flights had been lost. Fortunately, since I don't plan far in advance, I was still able to get on all my flights, but the cost had gone up. Internet/Aerolineas Argentina 1, Strategerist 0.

On Christmas Day in both airports (and later a third, the one in Iguazu), I spend time wandering around looking for an Argentine SIM card to put in my international phone. After a while a nice vendor who spoke some English told me they don't sell them in the airport. I still don't fully believe him since I saw a kiosk that clearly said they sold the chips, but it didn't matter, since most things were closed in airport. I figured I could pick on up in Iguazu. In fact, I told a cab driver that I was looking for a SIM card. He then told me that he had a passenger from Ciudad de la Este (Paraguay...oh, and by the way, a major hub for Hizballah) who had bought a card in Cordoba, Argentina, and had left it in his car, but that if I wanted it I could have it. I politely declined, thinking about the ramifications of putting a possible Hiz chip in my cell phone with which I often cross the Israeli border. Not a good visual. I finally get back to Buenos Aires and renew my quest to find a SIM card (day 3 in country). But it's Sunday, so this is no easy task. I head to the electronics and touristy area of the city, near Florida Street (or is it Flo Rida?). I finally managed to locate a chip at a kiosk in a shopping mall...affectionally called "shoppings" here. I pay my 12 dollars (relatively cheap compared to other countries) and I'm about to bounce out of the mall happy, when the kiosk vendor tells me that it has no credit, but I can purchase some at any small store along the main drag. His advice was my downfall. I spent the next hour (maybe more) wandering up and down Florida looking for a place that recharged credit on phones. Some places were helpful "no, we don't do that, but I think the store one block down on the right does." Others were less so, with a shrug of the shoulders or a blank look, which basically said "how should I know?" After walking in and out of stores, I decided to try a different part of town and walked into a bodega of sorts. I waited on line, asked the guy if he could put credit on my phone and he said no. I asked him where I could find a place. And he yelled at me "how the heck should I know" (it was in Spanish). I'm thinking, you should know, because you have a phone, and you have to put credit on it somewhere. So unhelpful. SIM Card/Credit 1, Strategerist 0.

I couldn't find my cell phone charger before I left town, but I figured with a Nokia, I should be able to pick one up relatively easily. This wasn't an issue until Monday because A) I still had enough charge in my phone and B) it's not like I had a SIM card or credit to actually use it. I went to an electronics store on Monday morning with a friend of mine from grad school who lives in BA. He took me into a store and the guy was super helpful, showing me the different chargers. I showed him my phone and he suggested I go with a mini USB charger, which plugs in to the top of my phone. I told him that's not usually how I charge this phone and explained my old charger was a thin circle, but I was happy to give it a shot. He demonstrated how to use it in the store and I was off for the day of touring. When I got back to the hotel later that night, I plugged the charger into the wall and hooked up my phone. Nothing. Tryed a different outlet. Still nothing. A third. Nothing. GRRRR. So Tuesday morning I head back to the store with the charger in hand and explain that it doesn't work. He starts to plug it in to check, when he notices the small hole (that I pointed out to him the other day) for the charger. He hits his forehead and tells me that he gave me the wrong charger (um, yeah, you think?). Cellphone 1, Strategerist 0.

Just to compound my technological woes, on Tuesday night I try booting up my computer. You know, I'm feeling lucky now that I have a working telephone with charger and the battery pack to my laptop dies. It has endured some wear and tear over the last five years, but it won't work with my computer. So now I'm computerless. I throw the battery pack and cord (it's really the cord that's shot) in my backpack and head out of my day of touring, with 3 agenda items for the day 1) tour BA, 2) get a new battery charger and 3) recharge my phone (again). 1 and 3 are accomplished relatively easily, but 2 has me a bit stymied. I tried a bunch of different stores in some different neighborhoods, before someone pointed me to a computer shopping center. Once there I realized I would be in good hands, but still got sent from store to store. I went to one store that specialized in Dells, they sent me to an actually Dell store. Dell doesn't have the battery pack until January. They took me to another store, where I got to bargain for my new battery (not cheap). So now I can connect to the internets. Computer 1, Strategerist 0.

All told: Technology 4, Strategerist 0

The Only Difference is Shorts!

That was my conclusion about the differences/similarities between Buenos Aires and any European city. Shorts. Argentines wear shorts. Probably because they are smarter than Europeans who choose to wear jeans in insanely hot weather, but the Latin influence in this case has made for happier people, who are not suffering in heat and humidity. I, of course, am not wearing shorts, because while in Iguazu I wore my Keens a lot while they were wet, and I got a slight heat/water rash on my ankles. So I needed to wear socks, and I couldn't wear socks with sandals and shorts! So I had to wear pants, which defeats the whole awesomeness to wearing shorts. But enough about that.


Buenos Aires is a magnificent city and I was lucky enough to have a few local guides along the way, including a friend from graduate school - M. From the newly rebuilt/refurbished Puerto Madero (think urban renewal) to the streets of Recoleta and everthing in between, M was an amazing guide (Gracias). Having a local was key to understanding the city as we were able to pop in and out of buildings, banks with marvelous interiors, and in one instance, even get to the roof of a fourteen story building designed after Dante's Inferno to snag a view of the city. The best parts about Buenos Aires (hereafter BA) are the neighborhoods, the incredible architecture that rivals Paris, Vienna, or Berlin, and the detailed and meticulous wrought iron work. The two best examples of the architecture and wrought iron are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building and Circulo Militar, both on San Martin Plaza (pictures to follow).

We started off our tour by heading through the main financial building toward Plaza de Mayo, one of the main squares in BA, located directly in front of the Pink House, where the President works. The Argentine political system is modeled after the American version, with a bicameral legislature (called House and Senate) and a long street that connects the Congress to the Pink House where all the lobbyists work (sound familiar?). Outside of the Pink House in the square is where a lot of protests occur, including weekly ones held on behalf of the "disappeared," people who vanished and were killed during the military rule of the late 70s and early 80s. Below is a picture of the permanent graffiti that can be found in Plaza de Mayo (and many other town squares across Argentina) which reads "Victims of State Terror." While meeting with some cousins in BA, I was shown pictures of disappeared family members.

Running along Avenue de Mayo (between Congress and the Pink House) were some of the best buildings in BA. Great architecture. It really gives you a sense of how European the city is and what the future promised for Argentines. I mentioned above about a building modeled after Dante's work. Palacio Barolo is one of two buildings (the other is in Montevideo, Uruguay) whose design is based off of the Divine Comedy. The building has three distinct sections, the lower 7 stories are Inferno, the next 7 stories are purgatory, and the top tower section is heaven or paradise. To the untrained eye (or one without a good guide), this looks like another great BA building, but with the added explanation, you can really appreciate the thought and design.

In the Jungle (sort of)

I landed in Argentina on Christmas Day, and I could almost have forgotten it was Christmas. I half expected the airport to be decked out in green/red, trees, santas, lights, and music...and I was pleasantly surprised there was none of that. There were a lot of MOTs on my flight. And in Iguazu. And in Buenos Aires.

I spent the weekend in Iguazu Falls. The two best parts of the trip were see the Devil's Throat falls, which were much wider and bigger than I had anticipated. Iguazu is certainly larger than Victoria Falls, but the latter is taller, and you can walk much closer to the falls themselves. I also went on a boat ride at the foot of some of the smaller falls. Also really cool. And soaking wet.

Here are some pictures of the Devil's Throat:

Iguazu is in a sub-tropical climate and had many unique birds, trees (you can see the difference when you fly in to the airport), and butterlies (crocadiles and other animals too). It's also located in the tri-border area, home to Foz Iguacu (Brazil), Iguazu Falls (Argentina), and Ciudad de la Este (Paraguay)...and Hizballah. Although I must admit I didn't see anything overtly Hizballah...but then again I didn't go to Paraguay.

Here are pictures of two Coates I saw in the park:

And here's a cool butterfly:

This first shot gives you an idea for the jungle/tropical aspect of the area along with some of the smaller falls. The second photo is a cool rainbow.