Saturday, Oct. 4, 2003 - 12:03 a.m.
Salta & the Israelis
I slept in. I was so tired and long bus rides always wear me out. I took a shower and the Israeli girls went to get something to eat without me. They told me before they left, while I was still in the bathroom, that they were getting some food and then we'd go to the hostel. I said okay but then wondered to myself what was I going to eat? I figured when they came back we'd go ask about moving into the hostle and see the other Israelis. I looked forward to seeing the other Israelis, ones that are friendly to me.
They soon returned with groceries and ate cold cereal as they continued to watch TV. While they were eating I asked if they planned to move to the hostle, provided there was room. They replied that they were going to ask the hotel guy if the 3 of them could stay there. They wanted to have some "Jewish time" together. They told me the next day was a Jewish holiday (I found out later it was Yom Kipper) and they fasted for 24 hours and got really grumpy. One more reason, I thought, why I didn't want to stay there. Well, I knew when I wasn't wanted, I didn't want to stay there anyways. I was starting to take it personally. It's a good thing I've met other Israelis, or I would've been tempted to think that all Israelis are rude. It's not that I expected them to be all buddy-buddy with me, but they were anything but friendly. The one I'd sat to next to the bus still never said a word to me.
So I told them I was going to go to the hostle to see if I could move back there. It was about 1pm when I left and walked along the busy streets that had almost been deserted when we'd arrived early morning about 10 hours prior. It was a beautiful sunny day. When I arrived at the hostle it was locked and no one answered my knocking. A hand-written note in Hebrew was on the door. No sign of the other Israelis. On my walk back to the apartment I decided to move to another hostle. I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I wished I'd brought my guidebook with me so I could go straight away to check out another place.
At a little restaurant I bought a sandwich and soda and took it back to the apartment to eat. While I ate my lunch I looked at my guidebook and saw that the youth hostle I'd read about the night before was close by. I finished my meal, packed up my stuff and told the girls I was going to check out another place since the Hotel Condor was closed. One of the girls mumbled a feeble apology.
I regretted following my friends and not just going to the youth hostal in the first place the previous eve. I was annoyed that I was having to spend the time and energy moving to another place. Time & energy I could've spent sightseeing or doing anythine else but. I went to the Terra Oculta Youth Hostle where they had plenty of vacancies, hot showers, internet, laundry, a kitchen and terrace bar. I told them I planned to move in after I got my bags. I just wanted to get the heck out of the apartment as soon as possible.
I quickly returned to the apartment and wrote down the name of the youth hostle and asked the Israeli girls to give it to my friends if they saw them. They said they didn't know if they would. Apparently they weren't planning to meet up with them. Whatever, I thought. I said a quick goodbye and took all my stuff and returned to the youth hostle where I felt much more at home.
I moved into one of the main co-ed dorm rooms, sat on the bed and realized that I was hungry, angry, lonely and tired. Not a good state to be in! I debated which need to cater to first. I thought about going to a restaurant to eat, but also considered taking a nap. I also needed to get money. I only had a little in Argentinian Pesos, but had tons of Chilean Pesos, since I'd exchanged all my Bolivianos into Chilean Pesos in San Pedro. I had some snack food that I'd bought for my long bus ride, so I ate some snacks and then went to exchange some money. They told me at the hostle that all the banks were closed (being as it was Saturday), but I could exchange some money at the bus station. It wasn't that far to walk and I strolled through some nice parks and came across the Parque San Martin. It was lush and had a man-made lagoon with a fountain in the middle. People were hanging out and there were even paddleboats on the lagoon. There were also some young boys fishing next to a sign that said "No Pesca" (No Fishing).
Soon I got to the bus station and was able to exchange some Chilean Pesos for Argentinian Pesos at a not-so-great rate. Walking back through the parks, I started to feel better after getting a little bent out of shape over the unfriendly Israeli girls. I decided to walk around the city a little bit and noticed a church spire several blocks nearby and wanted to go check it out.
It was the Iglesia San Francisco, a Salta landmark, with a very ornate red and yellow facade. I wandered inside to see its beautiful interior and decorated altar. There were also some pleasant gardens blocked by wrought iron gates. I asked about a tour, but learned a minimum of 4 people was needed. Then I thought it might be interesting to attend a service here, and found out there was one that evening at 8pm (as well as some the next morning).
I left and looked for a restaurant nearby for dinner. Most restaurants weren't open yet, it was only 6:30pm. I finally found a place that didn't have any other customers when I ate dinner. I returned to the hostle, changed and put on my best outfit (which isn't at all fancy, but I also knew from experience that some people would attend in T-shirts and jeans). The bells were ringing as I quickly approached the church. I got there a few minutes before 8, the place was packed. I managed to find a seat in the back pew. Within minutes, mass had started. It was interesting, even though I couldn't understand hardly anything anyone said. I enjoyed the singing, although there wasn't much, and the church was beautiful with it's bright lights and decorations. I was glad I went.
When I returned to the hostle, to my room, I met a fellow traveler named David from Ireland. We chatted briefly, then he invited me to join him upstairs, saying "we're upstairs at the bar". I replied that I would meet him up there, I wanted to check my e-mail first.
While online I also opened up msn messanger. I was surprised to discover Amir, from the Bolivian Pampas, was also online and that he was in Salta as well. He invited me to join him and his friends to go dancing that evening. He said to meet him at his hostal at 1am. 1AM? Did I understand him right? David told me later that in Argentina people didn't go out until at least 10pm. Bars didn't get busy until midnight and dance clubs didn't get going until 1am.
I got off the computer and went upstairs to join David and his friends at the bar. There I met Pete, from the Gold Coast of Australia, John from France and a couple of Englishmen. I hung out with them for awhile, then later caught a cab to meet up with Amir and his friends.
I arrived at the hostle where, after connecting with Amr, I met Paula, from Israel and Santiago, an Argentinian who works at the hostle. Amir and Yaniv were now traveling with two Israeli girls. The six of us walked to the nearby dance clubs and bars. Here I was amazed at how crazy it was. There were so many people! It was crawling with club-goers waiting out on the streets to get in, clubs blasting their music and a constant stream of cars slowly moving through the crowds.
We went into one club/bar that was so crowded you could barely move around inside. We spent the next 3 hours hanging out, chatting, dancing and drinking (I had a coca-cola). It was really fun. Amir told me he, Yaniv and the girls were headed to Iguazu falls next, on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Their plan was to leave the next day, although I wondered if they really would, we'd been out all night and it was a long 20-something hour bus ride away. I myself wasn't sure where my next destination was. Originally I was going to go to Iguazu (far east from Salta), but now that I was thinking of meeting up with the Scottish girls, I was considering changing the direction of my circuit, going south from Salta instead and ending my trip in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The time flew by and soon we were saying goodbye and I returned to the youth hostle at 5am. I noticed that back in my room, only 2 of the 8 beds were actually occupied. The rest, including David, Pete and John, were still out painting the town red.
