Day 7 - Rosario

The bus station
The bus station this morning was very vacant in comparios to BA´s station. I like it much more. I actually enjoy my time at the bus stations. You meet and observe some very interesting people. This morning, for example, there is a poor older women with her grocery cart filled with her belongings begging. It almost looks like she lives here. She as a whicker foldign chair and is very dirty. Most of the seats around her are empty. I was going to sit in one of the seats, but I am not in the mood to be begged or asked for money. I almost wonder if there is some sort of senior care available in Argentina. It is my understanding there is socialized healthcare and free education.
That is another thing about Argentina, not as much in Rosario as in BA, but there are a lot of children begging. it is definately not a good thing to give the children money because it really encourages them to continue to puruse begging rather then going to school to earn a living. I don´t think it is good in any culture.
Everyone also tries to sell you stuff here. Whether you are walking down the street, sitting down at a cafe, or your bus is stopped letting people off or on. I generally ignore them or say no gracies. Some people try to beg me more but I just say no espanol and they walk away. Sometiems what they do is put the item on your table or in your lap then come back and get it later. It gives you a chance to examin it. Everything is usually that made in China crap no one has any time or use for.

John
The best part of being in Rosario was meeting John. He is a really great person. He reminds me of my friend Jake Sproul, kind of fat, kind of short, and kind of weird, but good hearted, kind and positive. I think he is someone I will keep in touch with for years to come. I think he would enjoy visiting Alaska someday.
The other great thing about John is the perspective I was able to get from him. Not only did I learn about our culture differences, but our similarities too. For example, last night when we were out he told me about how he does not go to church or even believe in God, but because he has a different idea of who god is. He doesn´t think if he goes to church Sunday and goes to confession that his sins will be forgiven. He believes if he is truly sorry inside God will know. He said that perception is very common in Argentina. Faith isn´t lost, it has evolved. I think that is very common in the US too. It was interesting to find that two cultures, so different, are really very much the same.
I also asked John why he learned english. he said his father told him it was the language of the world so he must learn it. So since he was seven he studied english. I then told him about the issue in the US about whether we should be an english only country or not. He said that is silly and if people come to the US they should learn the language, English. I think it is kind of ironic that he said that considering I am a foreigner in his country and I do not know his language. But then again, I am only spending a short amount of time here and a great amount of money, by their standards, so they probably are not too worried about it.

Peanutbutter
I am very glad I brought peanut butter with me on my trip. It`s oily goodness has been delicous with my melt in your mouth chocolate, especially with my sick feeling from yesterdays wine. The wine I had wasn´t really wine though I guess. John said it is like the foam from when they make the wine. I really liked it, sweet, bubbly, and satisfying.

The bus ride
The bus I was on today is much more stuffy and cramped compared to the last bus I was on. I had someone sitting next to me, but he moved next to one of his friends when I got on the bus. Now I have a row (two seats) to myself. That was nice considering it was a 12 hour bus ride. I am also sitting on the top this time. These are double decker buses. The top sways a lot more then the bottom. At least one time I want to ride in the front of the double decker bus on the top. I hear it is scary, I really want to try it.
Another similarity is the use of the ¨F¨ word here. They use it just like we do in the US. :)
I do not remember how, but John and I got on the subject of the simple things in life being the ones you are appreciate of. I think it was because he was reflecting on his childhood. I told him the story about how when we were kids we used to make ¨canoes¨ out of sleeping bags, stuff them with pillows and blankets and ride in them down the stairs. I thought that was kind of funny.
I think one of the things I like the most about riding on the bus, even though it is disgusting and filthy, is your time to reflect and day dream. It reminds me of when we drove to Alaska in 1997 in the big brown van. I remember staring out the window watching the world go by and daydreaming while listening to Billy Ray Cyrus and some 60´s music like feeling groovy and daydreamer. Now everyone needs dvd players and movies to make it on a long trip. How silly.
The road from Rosario to Corrients is nice. It reminds me of driving to the cottage, the first part anyway. I think it is because of the fields and farms, except less houses and more fields. It also reminds me of the time Dee and I road our bikes from teh bridge to the cottage. I think it is because of the feeling of openness and there being no pressure to hurry up and get somewhere. You have time for enjoyment. Maybe that is why Andrew always takes the bus. I like it too now. (For those of you who don´t know who Andrew is he is my brother. And he takes the bus everywhere. Oh and the cottage was my grandmas place in Canada where we spent a lot of time in the summer. It was kind of perfect, run down, shabby, falling apart with uneven floors. You slept with sand in your bed and tried to fight off the misquetos all night. Now it is new and clean, but that wasn´t how it was when I was young(er). It all leads back to the simple life theory I suppose. The more youhave the more you want the more you work the more complex your life gets. With a complexlife you are rushed and stressed and loose touch of the simple parts of life and you are unhappy. And slippery slope affect. Maybe that is partially why Argentina is such a loving friendly, relaxing place. I think I like it.
I asked John the significants of some of the memorials and monuments in Rosario. John said the tall memorial with the walkways and the eternal flame is Monumento Nacional A Bandera. It is essentially the grave of Manuel BGelgrano. He designed the Argentine flag. He is buried underneath the 75 meter tall monument. The memorial near the river is round with many names on it. It is in honor of everyone who has died while fighting Britian over the Falk Isalnds. There still are a lot of hard feelings of Britian owning those islands. Argentines are very proud people.
The area near Sante Fe, the capitol of the province Sante Fe is very beautiful. The rivers are a dark brownish tan color. It is probably due to the sediment in the water. There are many trees too. They are a different kidn of tree. I don´t know how to describe them. Some look like they have lilacs on them. There is also a long white brick fence paralleling the road. I want to stop here on my way south. I will spend a day in Santa Fe. It looks beautiful.
On the road leaving Santa Fe there are a lot of loose horses running around. So BA has cats, Rosario has dogs and Santa Fe has horses.
The drive north to Corrientes is so beautiful. The further North we get the more vacant the land is. It is like we are driving through a photo. When I look out the window and see the endless fields of grass, trees, and bushes I get that feeling I get inside when I am at home in Alaska. The feeling of wanting to run out in the fields or up in the moutains in Alaska and feel the fresh air in my lungs. And the sky was so beautiful. It was light blue with darker blue clouds directly above. As you look further off in the distance the clouds were turning pink and if you look as far off in the distance as you can the sky is shades of pinkish white with light purple clouds. There is something about the green of the trees and the color of the ksy that just makes your heart float. Words can hardly describe its beauty.
The road from Santa Fe to Corrientes is paved, but narrow. Going over the bridge is scary and thrilling at the same time. From the top of the bus you cannot see the bridge and the railings are really small. The landscape varies between wet swampy marshes, huge cattle fields, small farms with houses that appear to be made out of some sort of clay or stone and small forests. There are sheep, there are horses, there are pigs in the mud, and many chickens. You see houses with cloths hanging out on the lines, people carrying buckets of water to their livestock, and every once-in-a-while on occasional person riding a bike up their dirt driveway. Some people have lemon trees in their yards. Based on movies I have seen I feel like I am driving through Africa and parts of mexico. I even think I saw an antelope. i don´´t know if they have them here. It may have been something else. I only got a glance at it.
I have this desire to run through the fields, eat a lemon then lay down on a blanket and stare at the sky. This part of Argentina is amazing.