Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 - 5:54 p.m.
Una Problema & Oktoberfest
I got up early with the Italian couple to check out of the hostel. We packed up our stuff and put it in storage. Then I walked to the bus station to get my ticket to Mendoza for that evening. It was another long haul, about 10 hour busride, so I decided a night bus would be good. The Italian couple stayed at the hostel, they said they'd get their tickets later, there was no rush.
When I got to the bus station I went to one of the two bus companies who go to Mendoza. I was surprised to find out that all buses to Mendoza that day were sold out. *All* the buses? So I went to the other company. Same thing. What was going on? I went back to the first company and asked about buses leaving first thing the next day. There was one at 10AM. Fine. I bought a ticket. Then I asked why both companies were sold out today and learned that this weekend in Argentina is a holiday and Monday is a holiday too, so many Argentinians were traveling. I thought about the Italian couple and knew they'd have trouble too. I was hungry and decided to have a little breakfast before going back to the hostel. As I sat drinking my coffeee I suddenly realized I may have a problem with my hostel. I'd already checked out...what if it was full tonight? Where would I stay? I remembered one of the staff at the hostel telling me something about how there was a big group of Argentinians coming to their hostal this weekend...
I quickly finished my breakfast and hurried back to the hostel thinking I might be spending the day trying to secure lodging instead of hanging out with the Argentinian lady from Salta. I went straight to the front desk where another staff worker, Karina was. I explained the situation and she told me unfortunately the hostel was completely booked that night. In fact, she said, all hostels in Cordoba were probably full tonight. An unpleasant image of spending the night at the bus station loomed in my head. But Karina was thinking too and she said "There is one option. You could stay at my apartment". She had friends coming from out of town to visit and she had an extra bed. I was struck by her generosity and offered to pay the same amount I was paying to stay at the hostel. She accepted. Then I told her the Italian couple would have the same problem. But they had left and we didn't know where they'd gone.
Then I chilled at the hosel for a little bit and thought that I'd get some lunch before calling the Argentinian lady. I saw one of teh Israeli guys who'd been with Efrat and the other Israelis. His name was Gil. He told me he and the other guys were going to a beef festival and invited me along. I replied that I didn't drink beer, but that I might be interested in going, assuming there was food there too.
Soon I was in a taxi with 3 other Isreali guys on our way to the bus station. Then we got tickets to the nearby village Gral Belgrano where the festival was. It turned out to be an hour bus ride away and I fell asleep for most of the trip. When I woke up we were in the countryside. I'd heard the mountainous villages surrounding Cordoba were beautiful. There was an excursion the hostel offered that was a day trip into the countryside but it required a minimum of 3 people and no else else was signed up.
Soon we arrived at the small village with large green grassy yards in front of simple white European-styled buildings. Argentina and Chile have a strong European influence partly due to the fact atht they have more European immigrants, especially Spanish, German, Welsh and Irish. It was even more apparent when I realized the beer festival was called Oktoberfest!
It was like a mini fair ground, all outdoors. Festive lights were strung from the surrounding trees. There were lots of booths selling beers from around the world as well as different kinds of tasty treats and there was a stage in one corner with lots of different kinds of dancers. First there were some German dancers and then there were seveal coulses dancing the tango, which was cool. Later there were some little girls who danced a Spanish dance with casonnetes, very cute.
The guys went and got beers right away and I walked around for a little bit until I found a place that sold something non-alcoholic. We hung out for several hours, drinking and watching the dancers and taking photos. We also watched the locals start to get tipsy and inebriated.
The selection of food, unfortunately, was pitiful. I finally broke down and got a hot dog (called Pancho, also a popular nickname for Ecuadorian guys).
They were also selling suvineers including beer jugs and silly German hats with a single long feather sticking out on one side (Gil bought one).
After the sun went down it started to get cold and we left soon after it got dark.
That evening one of the staff members walked me to Karina's apartment, which was only 2 blocks away. Karina wasn't there, but there were a few other people already sleeping. I set my alarm for the morning and quietly got ready for bed.
