teamaster的部落格

After Iguazu, I flew to Calafate. El calafate gave me much more surprise than expected, not only beautiful but also classy. People're the most "身光頸靓" among all the Argentinean places I ever been.

在Frankfurt經歷了10多小時在 -5度的天氣, 數次凍到要躲入starbucks/cafe 飲熱茶取暖. 我發誓以後一定著夠衫才出遠門lol. 第二日早上一踏出buenos aires 的機場, 我的心情是無限感動, 30度的高溫, 萬里無雲, 陽光普照的天氣一下子將我的寒冷抑鬱型一掃而空, 這時我明白我的人生不可以缺少陽光和與人的接觸. 星期日的San Telmo 完全俾藝術家佔領, 十幾條街變成一個Sunday Market, 由本地製作的手工藝和食物至街頭表演, 對一個剛剛落機的人來說一切都是應接不暇的, 40幾個小時的旅途絕對值回票價.對Buenos Aires 愛恨交雜, 一方面佢真是一個具拉丁+歐洲文化的大都市, 望著當地人我以為我在意大利/西班牙, 但聽當地音樂和佢地開口說話, 我明白我在南美. 阿根廷人比起歐洲人更加熱情和樂於助人—or 比較單純 or 有人情味? 保留了拉丁的多情, amo 是一個common 的稱呼: 對朋友對客人等等, 好奇怪因為佢地叫得太自然, 你好難有討厭的感覺. 恨的是我第二日就俾bed bug咬到我成身一粒粒, 最痛苦是一星期後好痕跟住自己抓爛晒皮膚, 而家成身沒一處好肉, 以後打死我都唔住cheap cheap hostel LOL.Buenos Aires 才是真正的不夜城, 無論星期一至星期日, 早上4/5點你都可以聽到開party, 談天的聲音. Buenos Aires 亦是Eva Peron 的城市, Eva 無處不在. 而好似耍雜技的Argentinean tango 睇到我目瞪口呆. 想食最美味的Gelato, 阿根廷都有, 好回味. Buenos Aires, 只可以用 tiempo bueno tiempo malo 去形容我的感受

I've prepared a notebook to write some diary during the trip-->I thought it's going to be a very self-reflecting trip and I'd write meaningful things out of my experiences. Unfortunately I only managed to write few short logs, but reading what I wrote at the last night of Iguazu, I found it quite meaningful although we happen to have this kind of reflection time after time, I hope it'll continue to remind me how blessed and fortunate I'm and to live every moment.
15 Dec 2012
First day stepped into Iguazu, I could feel the humidity right away, green's everywhere and my mood's again excited by the beautiful nature.

If you have plan to visit Argentina, I guess this blog might help you a lot, in saving $. The monetary policy in Argentina's fully controlled by the govt, there's no freedom in foreign exchange in the financial market. While the ar pesos're seriously devaluating each day (like I took a cab on the first day from the airport to the hostel, it costed me 200peso, 3 weeks later it's already 220pesos).
Local people long for foreign currencies such as USD, so if you hold USD to exchange in Argentina, you can get 6 pesos with 1 USD, instead of 4.8 pesos according to the official rate. Of course it's highly recommended you exchange your money in a trusted tourist information center or a local shop, also you should change your money in bigger cities such as buenos aires or bariloche. You might not be easy to get a gd rate in small towns such as calafate.
I just happened to bring enough USD with me to Argentina instead of trusting my ATM card, the $ was like 25% more of value for a more luxurious trip. Many shops also accept USD to pay for their merchandise in the rate of 1usd to 6pesos.
But bear one thing in mind, you can't change your pesos into USD, so make sure you spend all your pesos in the end of your trip.
Due to the poor economy, Argentina's quite dangerous especially big cities (I was lucky to meet only good and kind people and had a great experience), there're a lot of robberies and stealings. But it's more than worthwhile to visit it because the views're breathtaking, and the people're beautiful and nice, plus the sky's always blue and clear!
 

I've bought the airticket to Buenos Aires 3 months ago, simply because I wanted to go to South America and I didn't want any change. 
Until I seriously started to plan my trip, I just found out Argentina's so widely spreaded and it's costed me almost the same for domestic flights (I flew from Buenos aires to Iguazu, then Iguazu to Calafate, Calafate to Bariloche, Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires).

Seriously I'm a bit freaked out to spend 40hrs going to Buenos Aires, but guess it's better doing it when we're still young.
It'll be the first time I stay in a shared room in a hostel for the first few days--> I guess it might be a lot of fun and experiences. 
Nothing really planned detailedly but I know where I'm going.
I guess it's a trip where I'm going to refresh my mind to work and life, I simply need a break to my soul and body LOL.

I decided to have my hair permed last week. Went to my stylist and sat over 5 hours, it came out ok, I looked wild enough with the whole head permed without turning into a more mature look--->guess I've got what I looked for. However it's straightened after few days, so I got to sit in the salon for another 2 hours to double perm the hair on top, my hair was lightened in color after the second perm. Ended up I've turned into a even more wild look, whatever, since I've got a wild kid inside, good to have it presented in my look too.
 
  
(First perm)

經過10小時的飛行, 她終於踏足傳說中的東西交界, 既有羅馬帝國的輝煌, 亦有鄂圖曼的興盛歷史, 同時交集保守伊斯蘭文化的星月國. 初夏的伊斯坦堡的早上陽光是那麼大方, 她開始責備自己為什麼不在下飛機前把臉蛋加上一層幼粉, 在嘴唇上擦上有一絲粉紅的嬌嫩, 現在要這麼蓬頭垢面見人.
一走出海關, 她已經見到S 和他的朋友, S 那充滿期待的表情令她忍不住舉起手大叫" S I'm here". 話都還沒發出, 她已經見到S 一個箭步從人群中衝出來, 向她跑過來.......
還沒清醒過來, 她發現她已經整個人被他緊緊地抱在懷中. 她完全無法思考, 眼淚一下子湧出來, 幾個月的思念在此刻終於缺堤. 他輕吻她的臉頰在她耳邊輕輕呢喃"Don't cry." 時間好像在此刻停留, 她終於第一次感覺他的"真情"............
當兩個人回過神來, 才發現他的朋友在旁邊偷笑.

We arrived Istanbul in the early morning, got a car and arrived in our apartment, we booked an apartment in the old town (european side) overlooking the sea and mosques.
It's quite cloudy that day, air was like not flowing at all. My first impression to Istanbul was quite bad because of the air that day. The grand bazzar's only 10 mins from the apartment so we went out right away. It's the first time I felt scared of walking in the middle of the all men's world. It's like so many eyes focused on me in the street (I guess because it's early morning and there're less tourists coming out that time). I had to ask a male friend to walk in front of me because it's not comfortable at all.
In the way to grand bazzar you can see almost all men were smoking, my head was like in pain after the secon hand smoke and I HATED Istanbul just on the first day. 

We came back to Istanbul after 1 week in the south, I couldn't believe I've have changed my dislike to like with Istanbul. Guess it's the weather reason too, it's much more sunny and windy the last two days when we're there. No more headache caused by smoke or pollution.
I think Istanbul is worth spending 1 week exploring because it has so many to see and visit. You'd able to experience the extreme of a religious country: seeing women covered all over except the eyes, also women showing off half of their breasts. I think it's wonderful to live in a country free of religion & speech.
No need to plan in detail, just spend 1 week in Istanbul freely, is already an enjoyment.....
Sunshine and blue sky welcomed us back to Istanbul