braatwursteilta tangojatkoille: Viva Argentina!

Hi guys!

As you might know, I wrote this blog in Finnish during my Erasmus semester in Dresden. Because of the pubic pressure I decided to switch into English. Try to hang on the rally-driver language or at least check out the photos! This time, I will write less and add more pics. Like fefore, I will post the links in Facebook. Tou can also order the RSS feed (click the logo next to the url). But let's cut the crap, feel free to contact if you have something to say or ask!

First of all, I got to say that it's amazing here! I love it! As you might guess, I've landed successfully to Argentina. Even thought I didn't have pretty much anything here, I was really confident that things would work out. And so they did! Despite few kickbacks, I more than happy that I came!:)

At the moment I'm drinking mate at the hostel's living room while sea wind is blowing through open window. It's a nice fresh evening and I can almost hear the waves.:) Here's a small story how I got here:

Final party in DD! I will miss you guys, see you soon!! :)

Training camp in Finland..

To sum up, one month ago I left Germany behind, made a short visit in Finland and headed out to South America. It's still quite mysterious how I got it all the way home. 65kg of luggage and 1h of sleep after the last party, it's something I wouldn't recommend anyone, not even to my worst enemy... Thought the party was great, thank you guys, I won't forget it! :) I Finland I had bit more than one week to organize the next trip and to meet the friends. And of course to practice diving for the Olympics 2012.. Tuna ja Lauri venakkaa vaan, mä reenaan salaa tääl! ;)

It's a quite long trip to Mar del Plata, so I decided to make short pit stops on the way. I was going to stay one night in Helsinki, 2 in London and 2 Buenos Aires. Couple days in a lovely company should keep the homesickness away for a while. This time I decided to travel light. I let the skis and snowboard home and took just enough stuff to get along. Well 23kg with the skateboard, but at least I tried! :D Finally on a frizzy monday afternoon, I said goodbye to Tampere. I remember asking myself what a heck I'm doing when the train took of..

Next morning we got up early and went to the airport. After buying salmiac, Fazer chocolate and Finnish bread I was ready to leave. The flight was nice, but surprise surprise, British Airways lost my luggage. Somehow I knew it already and I didn't even care! I had everything necessary in my hand luggage and they would deliver it later on to the hotel. As it happens at night, I got it back in addition with a free CK perfume, a jacket, shades and a couple of t-shirts. :)

London was great. For me it was the final holiday in Europe and I just wanted to chill out a bit. Thank you Jaana and Aurora, I had a blast! :) But to be honest, it's a huge place. I think to see something bit more you would need at least one month there! In couple of days, we got to know the sights, some shops, couple of bars and one club. Thought it was fun.:) Here are some pics:

On the way to Helsinki

The first impressions of London - Thames on left and the hotel on right

sunset and GMT

Sorry dude

..and It's not HER I'm looking for!

London eye

Don't ask

Chinatown @ Soho

Piccadilly circus

London at night

On Thursday it was time to move on. I packed my stuff and enjoyed the last English breakfast. Btw, I wonder how the locals can eat it every day! I would die, seriously! Anyway, I flied from Gatwick. There are at least 2 ways to get there. You can take the special airport service or use the normal service. The latter one costs about the half and takes only ten minutes more. In addition, I thought that the direct one would be too boring!

At the airport I finally got the tickets. Actually in this point I realized it, I would be really soon in South America! I couldn't have been more stoked. :) In the public computer, I made still some pics of Google Maps to my camera and was ready to go!

Too late to cancel!

Perdón, ¿donde estamos?, quisiera ir allá..

BUENOS AIRES

Couple hours later the plane landed in Madrid. It was already late in the evening so the airport was quite empty. I didn't have any clue where to go, so it was time to test my Spanish. And… she got it! I got the gate number and maybe the way out there! Thought it's not so easy to change from German to Spanish in 2 weeks. At the time, I could get only the German words in my mind. But it is going to work, for sure! :)

At the airport, I came up also with something else unexpected. I ran into another Finn, what a relief! After while, they started the boarding. I stood next to the gate and tried desperately to get the Spanish numbers. A girl came to ask would I know something about it. I answered in English and she asked if I were Finnish. Hehe, I think it's not so difficult to spot us Finns..

The flight was great. It’s not supposed to be an add but I can recommend Air Europe to everyone! I bought the flights bit too late but it was still notably cheaper than the other ones. 399€ one-way London - Madrid - Buenos Aires. Also the service was ok, and the staff nice. The flight departed at 01:00. The dinner was served shortly after the takeoff. I tried to study bit Spanish but fell asleep soon. In the morning they woke up for the breakfast and after 2 hours we landed to Buenos Aires. For me, the time lag was only a nice, long sleep!

As landed, the sun shone brightly out of a cloudless sky. It was only morning but alread some 25°C. And I even got my luggage! To get to the center, the best way is to get the bus of Manuel Tienda León (on the left after security check). To change money, the safest option is the Banco Nacional (on the right after security check). While approaching the center, I was getting more and more excited! :) It's amazing! Below you can see the first impression of Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world!

Soon we founded the places and I continued to the hostel. After while, I went for a walk and grab some lunch with a British backpacker. Later afternoon I reached my Finnish friend. He's also studying here in Buenos Aires and gave a lot of precious tips about the life here. The next days I mostly chilled out and get used to the language and culture. It's so close to Mar del Plata, I can visit the city every w-end if I want. Anyway, here are some pics:

Finally in Buenos Aires!!

Avenida 9 de Julio

View from the hostel

Microcentro

Road toll and few lanes..

…But of course, once you are in Buenos Aires, you have to see bit of the clubs!;) After Rio, the city is supposed to have second best nightlife in the world. I dunno yet about that but appears nice! Actually it remains me of Berlin, a lot of minimal and about the same schedule. I mean the night begins at midnight, at 04-05am to the club and they last all-night-long! :) Thought, I got to see personally only one club. At the first day, I drank some tap water and had to go home after the home party. Or lets say I was too busy with my fiesta de baño to join club.. Anyway, I think I'm going to love it, surely I will come back to make party!!

That's what I'm talking about :)

En el hostel con los chilenos, nos vemos todavía!

MAR DEL PLATA

On Sunday it was time to move on. In Argentina, the best way to travel is by bus (collectivo). You can also take a train for ex. from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata. It's more cheap but quite hazardous. You have to sit on your luggage or atlas watch on them really carefully. I also prefered the bus. It's about 20€/5h and busses are the best ones I've ever seen. Air conditioning, snacks and leather sets are just standard. On the longer trips they even deliver meals. With some extra money, you can flip the seat fully horizontally. I got a nice nap and a bunch of great tips from the neighbor! :) Reccommended!

I arrived to Mar del Plata late in the evening and took a cab to the hostel. Before I didn't know where to go but one Chilean guy recommended this hostel and I booked it in Buenos Aires. (Thanks Rolando!) :) The city is really beautiful, better than I expected! Mar del Plata is the capital of surf in Argentina. It is on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the Buenos Aires Province, 400 km southeast of Buenos Aires. Wikipedia says there's some 514 000 inhabitants but all the locals say something like 800 000. Anyway in the summer a lot of more. Buenos Aires gets too hot to live and all the porteños (people of BsAs) come here on holidays. Now the season is about to end, and it's nice an chilly.

The cost line next to the Centrum

A neighborhood next to center

The home beach Playa Grande!!

Way to the beach

The first weeks I've basically surfed (learned to), skated and gotten to know the place and the people. It's just amazing! I don't know how better to describe it! I like the weather, I like the city and I like the people. They are generally really open, friendly and easy going. Of course, since the financial crisis 2002, there are also problems. You gotta be careful and even bit suspicious at times. Thought, being open and friendly as well, you can enjoy the hospitality.

The hostel is really nice as well. It lies in Alem, 2 blocks away from the Playa Grande, the best surf beach! There is also a quite nice skate park few blocks away. I will stay here till the first of April and, hopefully, get my flat also here. (I gotta write some more about the flats later on.) Since the season is about to end, it's also peaceful. AND weekends there are nice parties here!

Besides the fun, I got to organize all the stuff here, I got a new life to begin. :D Btw, my here's my Argentinean number if you haven't got it: +54 2236014950. But now most of the paper work is done. The most problematic has been the flat. Thought at the moment I've some quite nice options. Let's see if they work out!

Hostel

Dinner in a good company!

Can you spot the Finnish guy?

Enjoying the lunch

Thank you Marcela..

Still some day!

The nightlife is quite different to Buenos Aires. There isn't so much in the week and the parties start earlier. Let's say, about 1am and normally only till 6am. Instead of electronic, they play a lot of cumber and reggaeton (or I haven't found the good electronic parties yet). Cumbia is like modern version of Latino dances. Actually I've started to like it already. It's just, I have no clue how to dance, and you know.. they are Latinos. :D Well, I think it will come after a while!

What about a glass of vodka? ("shot")

Cumbia & Reggaeton (not a good mix but I didn't found a better one now)

The classes started also last week. For this semester I only took couple courses (they bit wider than in Finland). It's dificult enough with Spanish also with these ones! Or the other ones doing fine but what about the dinero, creditos y bancos (money, credit and banks)? I don't even know the specific financial terms Finnish or English! Though, I try to hang on in. It's really important to understad, cause the economy of the country is quite fu**ed up. They had really bad financial crisis in 2002, the situation is really different than the one in Finnland. Companies really have to get along with limited resources. The profesor said me last time that I'm from other planet. Could be quite true, lets try out! Also the classmates are really nice. There isn't much mass lectures so they seemd to know each other quite well.