Thoughts on South America (and me) (long)

Now that I've been here for over two months and have visited three countries, I feel well-qualified 🙄 to offer some general observations on South America.  Preface everything with IME & IMHO!

.

1  The climate doesn't vary much, at this time of the year it's generally been about 70 during the day, never lower than (rarely) 50 at night. (Which is surprising given the relative latitudes of Bogotá and Buenos Aires.) The light jacket I brought is perfect.

2. I suppose because of that, most restaurants keep their windows and doors open even if it's a bit chilly.  Again, light jacket.

3.  I've been able to get by on my limited Spanish pretty well.  The only problem is when people speak really rapidly, and either I ask them to speak slower or just give up.

4.  If you plan on visiting these parts, I'd highly recommend learning tourist Spanish, since most people have zero English.

5.  The national color of Colombia must be black, since that's about 90% of what people wear.  Young men dress very fashionably, more so than Argentina or Uruguay. Probably the women too.

6. Young men in all three countries (especially Colombia, 100%) tend to wear long pants skin-tight, which emphasizes their "nalgas." I don't mind.  Unlike Latinos in the U.S. (mostly Central Americans), in South America shorts pants are popular.  I don't mind (leg man).

7. Male Hotness Rankings:  #1 Argentina #2 Colombia #3 Uruguay

8. Cigarette prices:  Colombia $3.50, Argentina $4, Uruguay $5.75, Peru $5.25, Chile $6.

9.  Restaurant protocols vary.  In Colombia, even if there's table ordering, you generally pay at the "caja" (cashier).  In general, the clichĂ©s are true: service is more "relaxed" than in the U.S.  It was annoying at first but I'm used to it.

10.  Uber drivers won't strike up a conversation so that's up to you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Impressons of Buenos Aires

Image
 1.  My hotel is in the city center, which is more upscale than the off-of-center I was staying in in Bogotá.  Think taller (but not too tall) buildings and wide avenues, etc.  BA is often described as having more of a European feel than most Latin American cities, and based on just a day I'd concur.  The obelisk, the "center" of BA: 2. The Hotel Avenida is very old-fashioned, so old-fashioned that it has the kind of elevator that requires you to close not only the interior but exterior doors before anything happens, and comes to a jolt when it gets to the requested floor.  And lets you curse the clueless who didn't shut the doors when the elevator doesn't come. It's the first time I've stayed in a hotel with one of these.  My feet have never been cleaner! 3. It was easy getting around in Bogotá, numbered Calles ran west to east and numbered Carreras ran north to south.  A typical address "Calle 18 #5 56" so that was on Calle 18 and nearest cross...
Read more

Another cathedral, another art gallery, another lunch

Image
 I went to the Cathedral da SĂ©, but I'm kinda done with cathedrals, even if this one is "the third largest Gothic cathedral in the world."  They are all (by design, I know) a bit samey, and I feel just a wee bit guilty impinging on anyone's expression of their faith, misguided as it may be (dismissive, moi?). Anyways . . .  The only thing interesting about cathedrals/churches is the odd bits, like this 3D (wax? plaster?) sleeping/dead Jesus from the church of Saint EfigĂŞnia: On to the Instituto Cultural Tomie Ohtake!  Who?  Japanese/Brazilian artist I had never heard of, and neither have you.  My second (after Buenos Aires) successful Subway Navigation (free for "idosos" - old people, yay!), and in a neighborhood of interesting buildings.  The building houses the Instituto in the first two floors and the rest are I dunno, offices or something.  It's hard to get a decent pic of the wonderful building, here's my best: And the sensuous metal curves o...
Read more

Settling in + El Cerro, Day 2

Image
 The Hotel Virrey is basic, but the room is bigger than my bedroom, and everything works, so that's great.  It's located between La Candelaria (the historic center) and the city center, so it's very convenient to the tourist destinations. The free breakfast is fantastic, over-scrambled eggs, rice, ham, cheese, all kinds of fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt etc.  plus of course tea/coffee/fruit juices.  Way better than I expected! And I already learned a new fruit, ciruela roja, which is like a small plum.  Travel is broadening! The neighborhood itself?  Down-market is probably an accurate description. In the afternoon I went to el Cerro de Monserrate.  Bogotá is built in a valley on the west side of a tall (500m) ridge, on top of which is a church and restaurants, etc.  There's both a funicular and the TelefĂ©rico (cable car), and to get to them is a half-hour uphill walk, an hour (seemingly) in line for the ticket booth, then half an hour wait for the ...
Read more