Wednesday, October 2, 2013

So yesterday, I got an injection in my butt.

They said it wouldn't hurt! But it did! Boohoo. I hope Cushion appreciates how I'm always offering myself to check out local health services on our travels. The doctor thinks it might be food poisoning. Too many empanadas maybe. More likely, it's the fig jam I bought from a dusty roadside stall in the mountains - forgot to mention that to the doctor - which I am still eating because it's so good. I must be learning how to live dangerously.

Personally though, I think it's the change in weather that's messing me up. 

Less than 2 weeks ago, we were walking around in heavy rain and wind. We were constantly soaked and cold. 
As you can see, only mad dogs and turistas go out in this sort of weather.

A week ago, we arrived in Salta, which is in the northwest of Argentina, at the foothills of the Andes. It hasn't rained here for 8 months and everything is brown. The air is hazy with dust.
It's hot in the day, very cold at night. I wake up every morning with blood plugs in my nose. My eyeballs are gritty with dust. Even our underwear washes out brown though how dust could have gotten in there is beyond me.
Despite copious amounts of body butter, coconut oil and pawpaw ointment, my feet cracked in 2 days.
Not so Cushion, who did absolutely nada and still has baby soft feet. Life can be so unfair.

Salta may be unforgiving to namby-pamby turistas, but it is beautiful. 
The city is famous for its colonial architecture. I found the street art more interesting.


Work is being done on the stunning San Francisco Cathedral. It's a mess outside, but inside, it's cool and peaceful.

It would be very cheap to live here, no doubt about it. A few days ago, I went to the local supermarket and bought 2 bananas, 2 mandarins, a head of lettuce, 2 tomatoes, 2 avocados, an onion and 4 bread rolls for 21 pesos (and got 5 sweets in change). If you were smart (like us) and got the unofficial blue exchange rate, that would be AUD2.30 which is less than what I would pay for one avocado in our supermarket in Balmain (usually around AUD2.95).

Every one tells us life here is muy tranquilo. Sitting in the sun, blowing bagsful of yellow snot and squinting at the ants working hard at hauling leaves to god knows where, I understand what they mean. Who knows. Now that I've got some Salta germs in me, maybe I'm a little more resilient and can live here too.



DOGGY TITBITS

In our neighbourhood of San Lorenzo.
The local vet lets street dogs sleep in her clinic and feeds them every day. On very cold nights, she puts coats on them. How can you not like a place like that?
Kanocky can be belligerent.
Cushion named these 2. Timido (Shy) in the front and Hambre (Hunger) in the back. Hambre is exactly like Georgia and lives for food. 

These happy dogs were off-leash but looked like they might belong to someone. 
Around here, it can be hard to tell a street dog from a dog with a home who enjoys wandering. They are all equally dusty.

Riding in the hills around our neighbourhood.
Pedro has a lot of dogs and they all came along for the 3 hour ride. 
And if you've ever wondered...yes, real gauchos do use mobile phones. 


Piriapolis, Uruguay.
Despite the gangsta hoodie, some dogs are obviously not from the street.


Montevideo, Uruguay.

It is our conclusion (not verified) that everywhere is off-leash in Uruguay (and probably Argentina too).


Salta, Argentina.
Look at that! Dogs on leashes! They exist!



On the road from Salta to Cachi, Argentina.



Dogs living on the tourist route know how to get a handout.
 These 2 came running as the bus pulled up.

This one in Cachi tried asking politely for food. He didn't get any from the table, stingy sods. Luckily, Cushion always travels with a bag of kibble.




And finally, for all my neglected friends out there in the dogblog park - sunset over the Rio de la Plata,  only 10 days ago.
Much love from a snotty dusty exhausted person who wishes she could be home in her own bed but still has 2 months to go X






P.S.   We're having a parilla night. Barbecue. Out host tells us the butcher at the supermercado only makes an appearance at 6.30pm. Like everywhere else outside of the tourist strip, the siestas here are serious and a few hours long. 

At 6.29 precisely, Cushion gets ready to walk out to the supermarket. "But what time is it now?" our host asks, puzzled. "6.30." Cushion tells him. "The butcher should be open?" "Maybe. Maybe no." our host replies. "It's good to wait another 15, 30 minutes. This is Argentina, yes?"

So I'm learning. MaƱana isn't necessarily tomorrow, yet life goes on and all is muy tranquilo. 


22 comments:

Anonymous said...

No one's life that I know is as exciting as your life. If i enjoyed traveling I would be jealous. As it is I love sitting in the comfort of my home enjoying your life.

BERMTOPIA said...

What an amazing trip. South America is definitely moving up the personal travel list.

Jean said...

Amazing! - photos, architecture, dogs, sunsets. I love that Cushion carries kibble with him. And the dog in the gangsta hoodie! LOL!
It's good that I can travel vicariously through you, because more and more I just want to cocoon at home (though I do wish it was on acreage, or even on a deserted island).
I hope Georgia is doing well.

houndstooth said...

What a beautiful place! I'd love to visit, not long enough that my feet cracked, mind you, but I wouldn't want to live there. That's the great thing about traveling though!

georgia little pea said...

Yes, JEAN, Georgia is fine, according to Mr O. Lots of friends to play with now that it's schools holidays. She's probably forgotten us by now.

booahboo said...

Not many people can be as adventurous as you... even thru cracked feet and sand in them underwears :D thank you very much for taking us thru all these wonderful places. You are indeed a well travelled person! Dogs seem very happy there... people must be very accomodating and kind in Argentina. Enjoy your hols as it last... soon u'll be back in Balmain and i think Georgia will not forget.. as least i know she won't forget the love of her life... Cushion :D Take care ya!

Rose ~ from Oz said...

That's great that Ms Pea is good. :)
I love this trip of yours, right up my alley - the pics are stupendous!
Can't wait for your next post.
Stay safe T & Cush.

Greyhounds CAN Sit said...

Your photos make me cry ... you have the eye of an artist, I love them all! I hope the injection in your butt was worth it. Do you get sick everywhere you go? I'm so glad the street dogs are looked after in places. I think Frankie wouldn't mind being a street dog there. He didn't do so well in Taumaranui. Glad GLP is doing OK without you. How much longer are you away for? I think it's going to be hard for you to go home. Stay safe and keep washing those undies!

georgia little pea said...

Yes, SUE, I get sick everywhere I go. Started in NZ. A sign from the cosmos you think?

2 more months of being on the road. (I just updated the post to include that info, must have been while you were reading LOL.) We're learning a lot and meeting people who've made the move, many from Europe. Great insight. But right now, I'm mostly tired and confused and wish the answer of Where To Go would just fall in our laps. Tasmania is beginning to look more and more attractive.

Frankie would love it here. I think Georgia would too, she's a bit of a street girl. So far I've only seen one person react badly to a street dog and he just made a sudden motion to scare the dog away. It shocked me because everyone seems so tolerant of them. Georgia would need some stern training to be as well behaved as the dogs here!

Unknown said...

We love seeing these faraway places. It looks like a beautiful place to be. Hope you are feeling better. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Best wishes Molly

Taryn said...

Great report! Love seeing your travels! Such a different way of life down there!

booahboo said...

dear Typist... would you be a darling and ask your Cushion.. how does he keep his feet so soft and nice? There must be a secret remedy he's not telling you.

georgia little pea said...

Well, my dear Ms Annie, he says he doesn't do anything. He thinks the problem is I spoil my feet by always taking care of them. They are even rougher now, I am shredding the blankies ;)

Anonymous said...

WOw, what a beautiful place, I personally could not bear the dust, or cracked feet. UGH.

What Remains Now said...

I think you would make a terrific South American. Love your travel posts so much!

Barb said...

You remind me of my friend, Mary, and her husband who love S America - they'll go again this winter, I think to Uruguay. You may be dehydrated - your skin will tell the tale by getting dry and cracking. Drink lots of water for several days and see if that helps. I would have trouble with the dust and my husband would be impatient with the laid-back attitude. We'll stay in CO for now, and I'll be an armchair tourist through you. Take care of yourself. Food poisoning can be serious.

Ruby said...

Aaaahhhh, Ma gots herself a Margarita (yes, she knows they aren't 'Argentinian'! BOL), and had a blast readin' your postie!! She laughed (really! she laughed that you gots a shot in your hinnie!!! The woman is twisted, I tell ya!! Twisted!!), and she cried (okays, no she didn't) at your poor cracked paws, and cheered that you were havin' BBQ!!! Yummers!! (okays, maybe that was ME!)
LOVE LOVE LOVE your vaca posties!!
I hopes that Georgia is livin' it up and gettin aways with bloddy murder at her swag spa!
Kisses,
Ruby ♥☺

Tootsie said...

Oh, Typist. I love your updates. I love reading about your butt injection. I love following your travels. And I love how it is so bloody unfair that Cushion gets all the cuddles from Georgia (back home) and no cracked feet (on the road).

I love following the waiting for the knowledge of WHERE TO GO NEXT. It's not gonna fall in our laps, is it? Nope. Because life is one weird bunny ride.

You are so courageous and adventurous and good and kind. I think Tasmania begins to look pretty good, too.

You are so sweet to comment on little Tootsie's blog while you are traveling, too. Thank you so much.

My American country is falling apart (or just shutting down), I'm starting (finally) to love Switzerland, and Tootsie is flourishing. I have no idea if this good ride will hold, held together by Dachshund Daddy, but I sure hope so. Because we just bought a car.

Our American vet volunteers for WORLD VETS, which helps to solve street dog problems, mostly through spaying. Some of your places look like prime areas for their work!

Keep safe, keep heart, keep in touch, and we are sending all our love.

Renee & Tootsie & Dachshund Daddy

georgia little pea said...

I AM SO OVER BEING SICK! And being here and not able to do nada. Did I mention Cushion got a needle in his butt today too? This is a tragi-comedy.

LORI, I have to learn to be more tranquila first. Seriously, I think that is key :D

BARB, I am peeing every hour. I haven't drunk this much water in my life.

RUBY, I would never have thought your mama was a meanie! She threw you a birthday party for heavens sake.

TOOTSIE, TOOTSIE, I saw on FB today that America had shut down. What does that even mean?! Stay in Switzerland. They have good chocolate. Right now, I would kill for a good curry or pad Thai or combination noodle. Something that doesn't resemble a sausage or a slab of meat. ARGH. On the positive side, maybe I could finally lose some weight here.


rottrover said...

What a fabulous adventura!! Loved the update!

Anonymous said...

Hey, I needed to get away, so thank you for this. (The shutdown? I honestly don't notice any difference at all.)

Dexter said...

Maybe the doctor just wanted to see your butt...

Looks like the trip of a lifetime!

Mango Momma