dead or alive

Tough luck for the ones that tought I was dead. It's just, you know, with christmas and things, this time of the year that you have other things on hand than visiting internet cafes and the likes. Ok, maybe dash in quickly but no hour long visit.

What has happened here? Some personal disasters and some other things. Life, you know.

And life goes on

Not too sure that all what's happenening lately in national politics is doing any good to argentinas future, sending some of the better politicians as far away as to france. i wonder wether it can be considered a promotion to move from foreign affairs to ambassador. well, we'll see. lavagna is gone too, he dared to express concern about public spending, he was minister of finance, no?

Examenes

Pfieuw, the hard work has been done. All written exams corrected in 1 weekend and still managed to find time to go out and even sleep a bit. Tomorrow the last oral exams and yes, big payday. The summer is having difficulties to get started here, which means the weather changes a lot, humidity runs up pretty high and temperatures stay high at night, a lot of light rain as well though.
Still no tourists where I need them, but is supposed to be no more than a little lull before the porteño-peak.

Wat de trouwplannen betreft, ben onlangs Karina tegengekomen en zij vroeg of ik met haar wilde trouwen en naar Vuurland verhuizen (zij woont daar al een tijdje en is nu tijdelijk bij haar familie in Salta) en ik heb dus maar ja gezegd. Is een goede start voor een relatie, niet? Blijkbaar vind haar moeder niet echt een allerbest idee, we zien wel. Eind volgende week misschien foto, heb jammer genoeg niet zo'n digitaal ding, maar ik zal er genoeg trekken om mijn huidige film verder op te vullen, zouden er leuke van de Quebrada de las flechas op moet staan ook.

voor morgen

SE NECESITA: Profesor/a , Traductor/a o bien Estudiante avanzado/a de Inglés, con experiencia en el dictado de cursos, para trabajar en la enseñanza del idioma con alumnos de distintas edades y niveles.
Tratar: Enviar CV a Laurasza@netcombbs.com.ar

It's the end of the world as we know it

Ten gevolge van de laaste ontwikkelingen hier in Salta is er een reele kans dat ik begin volgend jaar van het noorden naar het zuiden van dit land verhuis, ruim 5.000 km verschil, met uiteraard ook een totaal ander klimaat. Ik hab van het zuiden en tierra del fuego nog niet veel gezien dus dat spreekt me wel aan, en het betreft eveneens een commitment aangegaan met een persoon hier ter plaatse (ik neem aan dat de trouwplannen niet gemeend zijn op dit ogenblik). Momenteel echter nog niets definitief beslist, eerst even tegen de zaak aankijken. Gedeeltelijk owv de 48-uur stakiung bij Aerolineas die al meer dan een week aan de gang is, is het hier heel rustig in het toerisme. Enkel nog examens afnemen en verbeteren en het schooljaar zit er op. Laat de zomer maar komen.

Strike

Tourism is a volatile industry. As the pilots and mechanics of Aerolineas Argentinas are on a 48 hours strike, we are waiting for tourists to come to Salta and book the tours to the outer regions. Meanwhile all I can do is gather more information about the history and social structures in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy to be better prepared as a guide.
Wednesday I've seen entire plantations of tobacco ruined by rain in southern Jujuy on the return from the tour to Humahuaca, rain accompanied by heavy hale just stipped the leaves of before flooding everything around. Subtropical storms they call that, all very local and therefore still regions that haven't seen rain since march. It's either too much or too little, never good.

money money money, always funny, in a rich man's world

My favourites Leeds beat Alan's heroes so I am back in the running again for the great Championship Jackpot.

Working

Finalement ça devient rentable, salaire et pourboire ensemble pour l'excursion du week-end de 122 pesos, avec des frais totale de à peine 25 pesos.
Un grand merci encore aux Français et la Polonaise pour l'invitation de diner ensemble et la pourboire de 42 pesos, ça me donne l'idée qu'ils étaient contents.

Cafayate

Hey, I am starting to like Cafayate more and more. Today I discovered that the guide who comes with a group to visit the Bodega Domingo Hnos receives 2 bottles of wine for the effort. By now I can do the tour around their winery by heart, I don't need to listen to the version in Castillano anymore to translate.
It's nice to get complimented at the end of a tour as well. Today I had 3 Slovenians who didn't speak a word of Spanish, so they were glad to get a guide that speaks english without a heavy argentine accent.

Crash

Due to busy activities, missed another plane crash in Afghanistan, an old Iljushin Cargo plane ... . 10 died though.

Viajamos

Entretiempo hacio excursionas hasta Cachi / Cafayate y San Antonio de los Cobres/Salinas Grandes/Purmamarca.

No News

This week two trips, one to Cafayate resulted in a job offer to work in Cafayate, and another to San Antonio and the Salinas, showed me how things can get disorganised, but all's well that ends well.
Normally next week, starting from sunday I will have a week full with some french tourists.
By the way, thanks for the comment on the WallMart crash, but at the time of publication I found only a one-sided commment on the event.

Another

A plane is said to have crashed into a WallMart garden center in Manchester, New Hampshire, but as yet no proof found.

Planes in trouble

Just a quick update: 2 people died when a small private plane crashed during an emergency landing minutes after take-off at Houston Hobby:

Ca y est

Voilà, j'ai complété mon premier circuit, une excursion à Cafayate. Puisque c'était le premier fois, il ne m'ont pas payé le montant complet, car je suis en formation ils disent, mais les passagers étaient content et m'ont payé un pourboire presque le même que mon salaire. Mais quoi que ce soit, demain j'ai une excursion qu'en fait je ne connais pas du tout: San Antonio de los Cobres y les salaires ... déjà heureux d'y aller gratuit.
De l'autre côté, je suis offert un boulot à Cafayate, dans un auberge que je connais, et qui maintenant ont ouvert une agance pour des tours et activités extrèmes.

Tout le monde content, et j'ai de nouveau de l'argent.

Chau

Bergen

Just to convince the people in countries like Belgium, The Netherlands and Ireland what it means if you use the word mountain: the highest point in the provincia de Salta is Volcano de Llullaillacu with 6.739m, nearly ten times the highest "mountain" in Belgium, and far more than that to the highest point in The Netherlands. It is not the highest of Argentina.
By the way, I nearly went on excursion tomorrow, visiting San Antonio de los Cobres, the salinas grandes, Purmamarca and Jujuy. If the japanese girl just would have bought the trip.

Fuera Bush

Today protests against the presence of Bush in this country.
Today temperatures that make you stay inside early afternoon.
Today my first day in my new job.
Today hostal Los Cardones will reopen.
Today is a day nobody will remember.

Travel agent

Tomorrow I start my job in the agency described below. Initially I'll be working in the agency selling or assisting from 3 to 9 pm. Whenever they need a guide to go out with foreigners, I'll be sent along as a translatora nd lateron on my own. I'll stay teaching with Mercedes for my fixed hours till the end of the year, as long as I am not away. My first excursion will be from 13 to 20 November.

B767

Not a crash, not even e real incident, but all mesures were deployed when a ANZ plane arriving from Hong-Kong was to land at Auckland airport. Luckily all went well.

Holy Saints

Help help, southampton is crossing the line using child labor in persuit of a return to the premiership. They are playing a minor who happens to score goals and so they won again.

I call for action to abolish all minor labor, this counts for professional soccer players as wel!!!!

Muchissima gracias

Thanks you all for listening to my cry for help, the gods in heaven were listening too and I am now supposed to have a job as translator from castillano into french and english on the tours organised by Nordic Viajes, see new link for more info.
I still have to undergo a test, which means that I will be going on an excursion for free, to see if I am up to their standards, but I don't fear my level of french nor english. I just have to translate what the guide says. When not on tour - traveling will become my job - I can work in the ofice trying to sell tours, paid on 10% comission only.
Hey, it looks fine to me.

Survival of the fittest

Let's see if I fit in here in Salta. As the hostel has been sold and currently is closed for refurbishment, I have one job less to attend to, as well as less money coming in. Teaching is nearing a 3 month break as far as the institutes are concerned, so I am currently looking for a job.
Appears there is a belgian running a tourist agency hereabout and he promised me to check if he could find some kind of position for me, as he himself, just a couple of weeks ago, employed a german fellow and subsequently doesn't need help.

Meanwhile I have been kicked out of Los Cardones, they still owe me 88 pesos, and I've moved to Inti Huasi, a more cosy place and also for sale. If anyone could help me getting a 10/12k euros loan, repayable over 5 years or so- no less than 3 -, then everything is settled. I could do with a lot less, let's say 6k and partner up with a friend in buying the business. Price doesn't include the building. Yearly turnover estimated at 20/25k euros a year. I have people to work the thing while in the first year(s) I might keep on teaching to earn extra money.

Hey, this a cry for help!!!!

Chauchau muchachos
Slainthé

Picture of Let410

yet another

Cargo plane crashes in Italy

Tuesday November 1, 2005

Let 410 cargo aircraft operated by Trade Air crashed Sunday night around 10:05 p.m. local time shortly after taking off from Bergamo-Orio Al Serio en route to Zagreb Pleso. Two crewmembers and one passenger onboard the turboprop were killed. Weather was described as poor with limited visibility of 200-300 m. owing to fog, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

Frente para la victoria

De machtsstrijd tussen de huidige en de voormalige president van Argeninië is beslist in het voordeel van Nestor Kirchner. Hun respectievelijke echtgenotes Cristina en Chiche hebben het in de tusentijdse verkiezingen van afgelopen zondag uitgevochten waarbij Cristina Fernandéz de Kirchner met 40% ruimschoots de overhand had op Chiche Duhalde (15%) dit voor de provincie buenos aires. In ba ciudad ging de overwinning vlotjes naar voorzitter van voetbalclub Boca Juniors, Sr Macri gevolgd door Bielsa, huidig minister van buitenlandse zaken en kirchnerist. Lavagna blijft minister van financien en dus ziet het er voorlopig nog positief uit voor de heropbouw van de argentijnse economie.

Mar del Plata

This most popular coastal town is in the highest state of alert, inhabitants can't normally walk their dog without being interupted by control posts, roads are closed or closely watched all around the city centre, and all this because the worlds biggest mass murderer and terrorist and his 2.000 strong staff have started to arrive their for a meeting of the americas. The airport and seaport are controlled by military, because maybe, this one man might have an enemy. Thank you Mr Bush for ruining another day.

Road to San Lorenzo

Just in case I ever will be able to actually run again, here are some pictures of my training route. Just ida y vuelta on the same route along the road to San Lorenzo, a residential area just outside Salta and tourist attraction for its fine quebrada.

Cerro Porteño

For the football fans reading: this is the (open) home of Cerro Porteño in Asunción. They were eliminated from the Copa Nissan Sudamericana by Boca in a 5-1 defeat played in Salta while I was in Asunción watching the game in a kiosko near these grounds.
This is the first of two international tournaments they play here in South America. Boca is defending titelholder.

Centrale plein van Posadas

Asuncion - su casa rosada

Who cares in how many posts I bring you the pictures. Anyway, I left the internetcafe as their connection kept me waiting for over an hour to publish the first three pics. They will follow now in bits and pieces. Please admire both sides of the house of parliament of la republica Paraguay.

Betty y yo

Betty estuve en el hostal con su hermana Mabel. Mabel necesita un tratamiento en el hospital de Salta todo las 8 semanas. Betty vive en Chaco, Mabel en Catamarca.

Parque Lezama (Chamber) Orchestra

As it apears to be difficult to find a compu with both a cdrom drive and ample RAM, please find in a couple of posts some pictures, these ones from the proof that culture doesn't need to be expensive. Also apology for the very poor quality.

Plane crash info

Nieuwe link: alle info over plane crashes on a specially dedicated website: check the crashes of today and yesterday.

Milwall 0 - Saints 2

Help, they won and gained 2 spots in the rankings again.

Bellview Boeing 737-200

A Bellview flight from Lagos to Abuja, within Nigeria, crashed minutes after take off. It took 12 hours to locate the crashsite and none of the 116 passengers and crew onboard have survived the ordeal. Bellview was considered one of the few serious and safe Nigerian privately owned airlines.

Spring is in the air

Ayer fue mi ultama dia trabajondo en el terminal para los cardones. Continuaré a trabajar al recepción hasta el fin del mes. Hoy hace de nueve el sol con bastante de calor. Cuando me voy al instituto sacaré mi rollo para revelar mi fotos de paraguay y otros lugares de mi ultima viaje.
Muchos problemas ahora - todo la semana - para los turistos que quieren ir de/al Bolivia por que cerian la frontera. Muchos como Claudia, se van de Salta hasta La Quiaca, y volven una/dos dias mas tarde por que no pueden cruzar la frontera hasta Villazón.
Aqui hay elecciones el domingo que viene, por eso todos los bares van a ser cerado desde sabado a la noche hasta lunes a la mañana. Nada para salir sabado, comer una cosa y despues dormir y pensar a la politica. En Salta lo gente no quieren demasiado la politica, no como en la capital federal. Las campañas estan en marcha aca desde una semana no mas.
Salta esta en el aero.

Leeds Utd 2 - Saints 1

Just for the ones that have read about the "Great Southampton Bet", the title shows it all. The Saints fail to win, and after a chain of draws lost to my favourits Leeds United. I'm going to be rich hahaha ...

Primavera

Still no news from Puesto Viejo, the hostal I tried to get a job as a night receptionist. Will have to find another alternative. Los CArdones, where I work right now, is changing hands expectedly at the end of the month but paying me decently with free accomodation for 3 hours of receptionwork a day. Checking out to arrange private classes which would help me bridge the summer.
Temperatures are a bit going up and down all the time, yesterday hardly over 20 degrees with rain ( many people here are happy when it rains) and today touching at 30, still clouded though.
Haven't yet developed my pictures from the last trip, will try to think of it but not too many shops in Salta can get my photos on cd.

Retraso

Hace una semana no he visitado mi blog, una recapitulación.El maraton fue probablamente el ultima vez que corio. La rodilla izquierda me da siempre mucho problemas despues un abandon forzado al km20 del maraton en ba. Desde km14 no mas puedia poner mi peso en mi piedra izquierda. - sorry, switch to inglés - and 5/6 km thereafter I was forced to give up. So no more running, maybe unless I can get hold of New Balance shoes with the right correction soles again.My trip was fine, just a pitty that Eva and Hicham didn't make it to Argentina. Not just because i cut my trip short eliminating Iguazú, but most because it would have been nice to meet them again.About my stay in argentina, i am arriving at a crucial point. As i do not have a return ticket to europe, i might want to keep some money aside to buy one if i should need one, and i am getting close to the cashlimits for that. I make about 200 pesos a month now, and might go for a job that pays me 300 today. as December to February there will be hardly any teaching, i do need to find something else. I have also been thinking of moving to bolivia for a couple of months, as it will be definitely cheaper to survive overthere. Or Paraguay, was really nice there. Fotots will follow in a good week's time.

Marathon

Jawel, morgen lopen we nog eens een marathon. This time a real one, unlike the Salta sprint the full distance. I managed to get an Argentine entry of 40 pesos, as they were charging 40 dollars for foreigners, you have to keep in mind that every non-argentine is really rich and only Argentina and nobody else lives in the 3rd world. Vandaag enkel pasta eten en slapen, misschien een flesje wijn om vroeg in slaap te geraken. Mañana fiesta con un asado en la casa de Angeles.
Trouwens een nieuwe link erbij: het kruiswoordraadsel van de standaard nu beschikbaar online, test je brain.

Que divertido

Hoy me sacan del Via Via por que llego un grupo de Joker. Ahora cambio de hostal hasta 'el hostal de San Telmo', 4 pesos por dia mas barato que Via Via.
Voy a ver tambien que vale la offerta de Angeles (y Paula) para divertirme en la Capital Federal.

Para mostrarvos que otro cosas tengo en mi tiempo libro, he mandado unas direcciones hasta Popomundo y Itsagoal, los mundos virtuales del gran succes.

And for Alan and the entire world, the reminder of the biggest and most complicated bet ever invented by a true fan and supporter in soccer history:

The Southampton bet 1:
For 100 ARS, Alan bets that the Saints will get promoted back to the premier league

The Southampton bet 2:
For 100 ARS, Alan bets the Saints will finish champions in the Championship (why else they call it a championship)

The Southampton bet 3:
For 150 ARS, Alan bets the Saints will end up in the top 4 of the Championship`

All bets made towards the season 05-06, signed by Alan Seabright and Fons Jansen.

Other link added for those who would like to follow the progress of the Saints after they painfully slipped out of the Premier League last season. I say so far so good, sorry Alan.
C'mon Leeds United!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Despues Paraguay

Ahora estoy en bsas despues unas noches en collectivo. Como siempre, ubicación en Via-Via.
Encarnción no fue impressionante, dice que no he visitado el centro nuevo. Caminando del terminal omnibus hasta la frontera por Posadas visto nada mas que pequeños negocios abiertos, todo vida en la calle casi como en el norte de Africa. ¿Es por este que los Isralis dicen que Paraguay esta peligroso? Mes mejores encuentras en Asunción fuen en la Britania bar, y el sandwich de lomito del Lido. Voy a regressar otra vez en Asunción y visitar pueblos afuera de la ciudad.
Llegado en Posadas, Argentina primera buscar el centro, muy lindo y el domingo todo fue cerado con exepcion para las heladerias. Almuerzo dulce.

La ciudád de la señora de la asunción

I suppose this is like the average capital of a third world country. You probably have what you need, as long as you have the money. Like yesterday, whilst trying a shortcut, I ended up in an area where I wouldn't have felt safe in the dark, not even me. The houses that had water, did have a small tap near the streetside of there shack, outside, so don't even think of hot water. These shacks were an exeption. Luckily there was some electricity about which meant music here and there, because what could be more important than a stereo or TV. Anyway, by nightfall I decided to take a bus to get out off there, before, I was using my principles never to return on a taken track, getting further off track every step I took. I 've seen children, children and more children. Adults seemd to be a rare species out there. Anyway, Argentina is far more develloped than Paraguay, although Asunción does have the features of an Argentine city and fine architecture, it doesn't have the finesse of a complete town. Lomitos here are great though, with thick slices of ham and cheese, for 11.000 Guaranis. Yeah, money is big here in numbers. 7.240 Gs for a euro, 6.090 for a dollar, you convert, I work with pesos.
Monday I will have another kind of 'visitor'. Eva will be here in Argentina (sorry for the here, I am currently not in Argentina) together with Hicham. Can't wait to see her again, but maybe I shouldn't write that here.
Talk to you later as it will be hell to get this published in a Paraguayan cyber.

Ciudad de la señora de la Asunción

Here we are, safe and sound in Paraguay. Temperatures just over 30 degrees and pretty humid. The guarani values about 2070 to a peso, change into your own currency if you like. Was a bit strange to say goodbye to Lorena, knowing that I'll only be gone for about 2 weeks, but yes, after a while I managed to go. Nearly 16 hours of semi cama bus stopping in every pueblo with a busstation en route. The road from Metan to Resistencia was once entirely paved, but it manages today to more than equal the pothole status of many Irish roads. Hostels seem to be non-existant, so I am staying in Hotel Atlantic for 25.000 Gs per night, still cheaper than the average dorm in Argentina. As usual I am just wandering around the city looking at whatever I encounter. Currently cooling myself a bit in a cybercafe. Saturday I'll be going on to Encarnación, I think.

Salta

Went to see Ines at English Now yesterday, and she will probably be bale to give me some hours teaching at her institute upon my return from Asunción and BA. Am really looking forward to be on the road again, all be it spending loads of hours on the bus, at least the bordercrossing tomorrow will be on foot.
Since I am leaving town, all the people seem to have plans that include me, so my agenda for after my return is nicely filling up. Don't ask me how I am going to combine the different types of life.
Just quote the Flying Circus: Life 's a piece of shit, when you look at it ... Always look at the bright side of life (dead).

Raining

It has been raining all day yesterday, but luckily today the sun has come out again.
Anybody can help me? Am I allowed to stay 3 months in Argentina with my tourist visa, or only 90 days, as I have July and August in my current 3 months that makes a difference of 2 days.
Anyway, I have made up the plan to go to Assunción, Paraguay and from there go either way to Ciudad del Este and Iguazú or to Encarnación and Posadas to proceed further to ba, run the marathon and return to Salta.
The job in the busterminal is horrible at times, you spend hours ans hours in the terminal, by now I know most of the people who work there, just from the people that work for the buscompanies selling tickets I still don't know all the names.
At the moment half the city here is barricaded as the 2 biggest football clubs play at home. Not the the club with the fiercest hooligans though.

Cafayate and wine

It's just to post some pictures so the entire world can enjoy them.

The airline world

Brilliant news, with United in chapter 11 since december 2002, and US there as well, not as long but already for the second time, the CEO's have found partners to play a game of cards. Both Northwest and Delta have joined them to sit safely under the wings of the american governement. When will American and Continental join them?

Think it's about time I started with an airline myself.

direct sales

This is hard life, for both, customer and vendor. Imagine getting off a bus after a 15 hours or more journey, the relief of getting up and walking again. You do realise you still need to find a hostel or other place to sleep, and it is past 10 pm. How are you going to fix that problem?

Well, no problem actually, rather agony. You're still trying to get your backpack comfortable and there they are, 8 guys pushing a flyer of a hostal under your nose, all telling the same thing.
Hablas castillano? Dormitorio 12 pesos, taxi gratis, free internet, ... . Where shall I go?????

Well, I am one of these 8 guys in the Salta busterminal, there are more than 8 of us, but seldom all present at the same time. So if you're visiting Salta in the short term and arrive on a micro between the hours of 2100 and 0100, you're pretty likely to see me. Please accept my offer, just tell me what the others offered you and I'll do all possible to at least match the best offer.

Oh yeah, I am still teaching as well, but as long I can't survive on just that, I'll take on some other things.

By the way, it has been cold here lately, by daytime still easily matching the Irish summer, but at night cooooold.

Fuel

The USA have more friends than they had tought. Now fuel prices soar, hit by the latest hurricane, Chavez announced he will help the poor in the US by providing them with 40% cheaper fuel to heat themselves the coming winter and come up with some medical aid as well.

Teek

Hier in Salta hebben ze een hele goeie manier om teken te verwijderen, gedemonstreerd door Bruno op het hoofd van een arme française. Pincet warm maken en de teek "over de buik strelen" het beestje besluit daardoor dat het geen goede lokatie heeft gekozen en trekt zich terug.

La cuisine du monde

By the way, I have started an online cookbook, and am looking for co-writers. If interested I just make you a blogmemeber. The thing is named Mas que vino, url-ed fonsiesfood.blogspot.com and linked under ik kan koken, voor de nederlandstaligen onder jullie.
Ik ben op zoek naar eigen versies van recepten, no copies from well known chefs, seulement vos versions améliorées.

Bon apetit

La vie en rose

Bonjour les gars,

I am working on a small change of carreer, as currently, in the middle of the academic year and without large companies present in the region, there seems to be little need for teachers in Salta. It appears on the other hand that there is a need for people knowing a bit about the region, and speaking a bit traveler's lingo, especially english and french, so well, yes, I am working out some tours to take small groups of tourists on to discover the lesser develloped areas of la provincia the Salta.
Am still training for the BA marathon 9th of october, will spend a long weekend at least in la capital federal around that time as is also birthday of my very good friend manu on 12th.

¿Salta la fea?

You know when you leave the 1st world and enter the third. No more paved roads, no nice houses, and eventually no more anything but burnt earth. I didn't take pictures of the actual villa of San Cayetano, but the proceedings of the so called maraton where to feed the hungry in this part of Salta. Again I'll try to do something with layout, but I've warned you before, the pictures just pick a seat and sit down.

Mas arboles

Scarlet flowers on a near leafless tree.

Salta y sus arboles de invierno

It is not working as planned, but I will end up posting some pictures of the trees I found wandering around Salta. Forgive me the layout, next time hopefully it will be better.

Anyway, for the ones that remember that my entire equipment got stolen in BA, this is the first film of a new secondhand camera that ViaVia bought for me. I received two, but the one I used in Iguazú appeared to be faulty and therefore I don't have any pictures of the Catarates, waiting for Alan to upload some on his blog.

For one or other reason, the pictures do not appear at the spot where I place the cursor when importing pics. But the trees look nice anyway.

Winter

Yes, it was going to happen. It is winter again in Salta, temperatures didn't even reach 20 degrees for two days in a row. Help, it can be cold here.
Saw Sin City today, brilliant movie!!!
Boca beat Gymnasia de Jujuy 4-1 and go top of the leagua after the first day of the apertura, best result came from San Lorenzo, beating Velez - last year's champions - 3-2.

Que broma

The word marathon clearly has a different meaning in Argentina than it has in the rest of the world. I used to comment on Dublin's Women's mini-marathon, saying a 10K is far from a marathon. Well, here they don't even use the mini prefix, and then offer you a ride that takes you hardly over 4K. I must say I was a bit disappointed. My basic training run here covers the same route and a lot further up the hill. What I was afraid for never happened, temperatures have dropped to normal winter, and the climb was pretty short.
Well next time I'll just follow with the first group, and see how far it is. A marathon, pfff

Besides that only good news.

Que broma

Marathon redefined, not even 5K, this was a joke, hilarious, ...

hahahahahaha

Let them call the women's mini-marathon a marathon, it is at least 10K.
Sorry, needed to get it off, really disappointed.

Chauchau

Que broma

Marathon

To confirm furthermore that I currently live in a different country, saturday 6 august I will be running a marathon here in Salta. The main difference is the entry fee. While in the "rich" countries this can become a pretty high amount of money, this time I was charged 1 item of non perishable food. Only downturn for me personaly will be the weather. The temperatures are still in the high twenties to low thirties, and of course this is the in between to the Andes, so some climbing to do. Main festivity is around the Saint of the workers, who is celebrated that period.

Some side news, in a friendly soccer match a referee has been beaten up.

Chauchau

¿¿¿Winter???

Ze zijn hier blijkbaar vergeten dat het winter is! Ik zit binnen in een ruimte met airco om de hitte tijdelijk te ontvluchten. Nog een half uurtje, een uurtje misschien en het zal weer wel ok zijn. Heb snel op internet gechecked, 32 graden, en dat is in de schaduw. Toegegeven in de zomer wordt het nog gemakkelijk 10 graden warmer, maar toch.

Actualizado: 3:00 PM ART on Julio 30, 2005Observado en Salta, Argentina (History)
Elevation: 3990 ft / 1216 m
90 °F / 32 °C
Despejado
Humedad: 13%

Voilà, bewijs.

Ik zit nu in Salta, maar het zou kunnen dat ik toch binnenkort weer in BA vertoef, enkele puzzelstukjes in elkaar passen voordat we daar uit zijn.

OK

Let´s call Argentina third world, because they have flat bed seats long-distance busservices, while 1st world countries use planes for that.
You find villas in Argentina that are beyond the worst you´ll find in Europe.
The country is struggling endlessly with the inflation, moving towards price control and caps on lucrative exports. All the time fighting with international institutions about when to repay loans, and how to organise taxes and services. The IMF wants more taxes being collected and less services being provided, not to help the Argentine, but to get their precious dolars back, at the same time the central bank of Argentina buys massivly into the dolar to keep the exchange rate close to 3 to 1 (about 25 billion now).
The leading political party is struggling to stay afloat due to internal power contests, and therefore nearly falling apart, all be this not too clear outside Buenos Aires province.

I like this country, for it´s beauty, panchos, people, culture, ¿can I not have it all?

Fos

Third world

When do you call a country third world? Many of the people here say Argentina is third world, but I can not really agree on that. It is true that a large amount of people live at the wrong side of the povertyline, and it is a fact that life here is not the same as in Europe, but the causes signalled by the people over here make me say that the US of A as well is a 3rd world country.

...

Is Ireland a develloping country?

Salta

Still looking for a job, and it might take me to Salta la Linda! I have been talking to institutes and other people, but thusfar nothing concrete has been proposed, until I received a pretty nice email from Mercedes from Salta asking me details as if the deal was done. I´ll have to check that out, because I wanted to move in that direction anyway.
So many beautiful people around, the food is so good, even the weather is fine now, some days a bit fresh but... . I believe now that it rains a hell of a lot in Ireland.

By the way, if you post a comment, I appreciate your name being mentionned to keep me from guessing who wrote me a nice remark, thx

besos
Fonz

Getting started

Today received my first calls from language institutes to interview me for freelance teaching, as that is the most common form of teaching for foreigners. I will not pay taxes, not really ever register myself, just get myself an official domicile so as to be able to open a bank account - you need one to cash cheques.

Teaching is foremost onsite in mayor companies such as Repsol, Shell, and non petrol linked that want/need their employees to speak english for international relations.

These are probably only the leftovers from the other people of my course, the hours they didn´t want or couldn´t fit in their schedule anymore, as I am not really a native speaker, but what the heck, have to start somewhere.
From tomorrow I will try to post some images on this blog, but I´m not sure if it really works, any suggestions anyone?

See u all one day or another!!!

Fonz

street crimes

¡Hola chicos!

Yesterday we (Alan and me) experienced the statistics about country safety. It is said that Argentina is the safest country in south america, and brasil ranks somewhere near the top. Two guys on a mobilette yesterday tried to rob us, threatening with something like an alarm-pistol: it smokes, makes noise, but doesn´t really kill, so they didn´t get much. We were just walking alongside the mainroad going from brasil to argentina. Life is better over here, definitely, apart from they who want to grab a girl, but then go farther away from the border.
Going back to BA today, and I don´t want to. Met Marcia yesterday and want to get to know her better, but feck it, I need a job if I am going to survive.
Somebody buy a 1st class flatbed seat on the bus from Iguazú to Buenos Aires? I paid 115 ARS, you can have it for 100.

I am crying for Atgentina, but what can I do?????????

Cheerio

Fonz

Viva Brasil

Hola chicos,

Again a language problem: whilst visiting the Iguazu Falls, I decided to cross the border and stay a day or two in Brasil, I had even expected that in a border region the languages would be more compatible, I don´t understand a word of Portuguese, or at the most very little.
Anyway, temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees, so no complaints about the winter here.

The falls are great, and the argentine side is more impressive as a vista. So don´t get carried away by Brasil winning the confederations cup, the worldcup is only next year, and will be ours, you´re all invited for a party in BA.

I will return to BA very soon to get a job, but by summertime it could well be that I will evade the humidity there and move to somewhere near the Andes, for a hotter but dryer summer.

Keep it going guys,

Alfonzo

I am a teacher

Today, at 19.10 I received my certificate, I successfully passed the TEFL course, I am a teacher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight will be a big celebration night for all of us who were on the course, starting with a dinnerparty in a well known 'all you can eat' restaurant (tenedor libre) paid for by the institution that organised the course, than a week holidays, going to Iguazu, or Catarates, the Argentine side of the falls.

From the first of July I will start looking for a job.

Chauchau

Fonz

Going crazy

To prepare a lesson is fine, to prepare a 1-2-1 course of 20 hours is something else, especially if you get about ten days to do it in between your other work. Combine that with a nice weekend out, and some of us are starting to panic. Very nice as well that we got an extra assignment today presenting modals as a peer-teaching practice.
Saw a good band tough last saturday, just a pity that I came home only at 8.30am on sunday, and saw another day waisted.

I hope they'll appreciate it in Dublin I signed my 'resignation' email with my filenumber instead of my name, just to make sure they know who it is writing. I wonder tough who's actually in, as I got a couple of auto-reply messages saying they all were out of the office.

It has gotten colder again, about 10-12 degrees. A relief really, as that makes the air less humid, and easier to bear especially if you're walking or running.

Sorry I forgot your birthday as well Freddy!!! Happy birthday still, and hello to Dennis. Scratch him back for me, will you? Here I stay of the letters, Fernet Branca is enough to keep me happy.

Marco, tell Charlie I haven't forgotten him, and as I still have his address I will send him a letter as promised, it might just take another week or so before I start actually writing.
Have another pitcher of Foster's, and keep me posted about the Lions tour, as apart from the very first match, it is not in the news over here.

Thanks all for your comments, at least it makes me feel I am not typing this for nothing.

Cheerio
Fonz

We qualified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is a fact, Argentina qualified for the worldcup in Germany after a brilliant game in which Brasil was defeated 3-1. The first half was nothing but Argentina demonstrating was football is all about.
Myself, I have started my preparations for the marathon of BA, which will take place the 9th of October later this year. Yesterday I had my first training on my new shoes, Fila seems to be a good brand. I am a bit dying in my course for needing to be native English speaker and the extreme speed at which the course is taking place. I received though some good feedback on my first lessons. The future is looking bright, I will have a god time here, and should be working in about a month from today.
Everything is going fine, apart from the fact that I forgot my sisters birthday now over 2 weeks ago. I feel that my preparations for my next teaching sessions are great, this combined with the fact that one of the students asked me when she would have me teaching again gives me a confident feeling makes me really looking forward to it.

Time to go to bed now...

hasta la vista a todos

Fonso

Werk

Wel, het is hard werken op een intensieve cursus als deze. We hebben momenteel ongeveer het eerste jaar regentaat Engels afgewerkt, en dat op amper 6 dagen. Aangezien er wordt vanuitgegaan dat je alle details van de taal kent, en enkel de uitleg moet krijgen hoe je dat uitlegt aan een groep anderstaligen, valt er natuurlijk al heel wat weg.
Moet ik misschien nog even vermelden dat ik van enkele zaken ben bestolen, eerst mijn horloge, vervolgens mijn sleutels en de SIM kaart van mijn telefoon en uiteindelijk, ik was ondertussen aan het inpakken om te vertrekken, mijn fotomateriaal, wat toch een hele klap was, wetende dat het gaat over een volledige uitrusting voor alle aspecten van de natuurfotografie. De hostel heeft mij wel enkele zaken in nieuw 2ehands materiaal verschaft, maar het is niet hetzelfde, geen telelens meer, geen macroringen, ... .
Vermeld ik er nog even bij dat owv lezersbereik, als ik er al heb, ik van taal ga wisselen vanaf de volgende log.

Het leven is hier schitterend, wat vandaag in de keuken nog amar eens werd bewezen, ik sneed namelijk een tomaat open. Dat heb ik in ruim 4 jaar Ierland niet gezien. Een tomaat waar je zo in wil bijten omdat ie er lekker uit ziet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trouwens, ik eet hier ook veel vlees, moet er nog bife zijn... . Gewoon onverbeterlijk,d e smaak van een Argetijnse steak, of we nu spreken over bife de churasca, bife de chorizo of lomo. Deze laatste smelt letterlijk op je tong

Ik ga terug naar mijn Malbec, Alwin, je hebt nog enkele flessen tegoed, kom ze maar halen.

Ciao ciao
Hasta luego

Fonz

It is all about America

Yes yes yes yes, the course has started, and right now I have to divide my attention between English and Castillano. As most of my possible readers will prefere this one, I will keep the Castillano for later.

My TEFL course has started in the meantime, with 8 students, a sold out, of which 6 americans, 1 Britton and me.
It really is promising to be a very tough course, with our first teaching asignment this coming thursday. A real course using the same manuals as the 3 years "regentaat" course in Belgium, all within 1 month.

Besides that I still have to take back my comments on the weather here, as apart from my first days here it has been quite brilliant compared to Ireland, sitting outside on a terras in T-shirt, not because of a smoke, but because of the inviting weather!!! Temperatures only about 18-19 degrees, but not bad for automn, it will be a lot colder in July/August.

Main protests I saw today were by students, no violence at all.

Please feel free to put whatever comment on this log, as I opened it up for all people.

Say goodbye to the people in Dublin, especially the chinese restaurant in Moore street.

Ciao ciao

Hasta la vista

Fonsie

Maandag start de cursus

Nog een weekeinde, en mijn vakantie zit er op.

Een bemerking ivm de goede lucht hier is het spitsuur, de uitlaatgassen van bussen en autos overheerst dan duidelijk... .

De sociale spanningen hier in Argentinië zijn nog niet van de baan, maar in vergelijking met buurland Bolivia mogen we hier niet klagen. Woensdag was het hier nationale feestdag, 25 de mayo, wanneer in zowat heel zuid amerika de bevrijding wordt gevierd. 25 de mayo is dan ook een veel voorkomende straatnaam.

Over de 40+ dienstplichtigen die in Chile in de Andes zijn omgekomen hebben we hier ook veel kunnen lezen!

Boca Juniors, River en Banfield hebben zich geplaatst voor de kwartfinales van de Copa de los Libertadores - de champions league van Latijns Amerika), de laatste 2 komen daarin tegen elkaar uit. In de competitie doet Boca het heel wat minder.

¿Verder las ik hier in de krant dat Delphine heeft verteld dat haar biologische vader op het punt zou staan de gaan scheiden van zijn Paola?

Hasta luego

hola como va

Volgende week moet ik toch eerste werk op zoek naar een appartement of toch op zijn minst een hostel waar ik kan koken. Seffens ga ik voor de zoveelste keer op restaurant eten, kijken of ik ergens iets beters kan vinden dan bife de chorizo, of lomo, om niet altijd vlees te eten.
Het vlees is natuurlijk van de beste kwaliteit, en overal te verkrijgen. Dat maakt Buenos Aires mee een open stad. Het lijkt wel of de argentijnen nauwelijks zelf koken, zoveel restaurantjes, comedor's, en pizza/empanada tenten overal. Eten aan elk budget.

Met mijn telefoon gaat het nog niet zo vlot, ik moet hem regelmatig uit elkaar halen omdat de batterij los komt te zitten.

Voor de rest is het wel duidelijk richting winter aan het gaan, de temperatuur zakt fel, vooral als de zon niet meer schijnt, die gaat hier nu rond half zes langzaam maar zeker onder.

Heb telefoon

Ho comprado un movil

el numero: 155-9651 555

could be you need to add 11 at the beginning to send a text from out of Argentina.

Ciao,

Aangekomen

Op verkenning aangekomen in Buen Ayre.
Eventjes de zaak op orde brengen, verblijf voorlopig in de Via Via, c Chile 324, San Telmo.

Tips altijd welkom.

Fons en route to the world

testje!