When did it all go wrong Diego?

I couldnt beleive it, I was in some tourist trap market, and who is sitting there getting his photo taken with tourists but ex futbol superstar, cokehead and now bankrupt loser, Diego Maradona! Man, how things have gone downhill since he was the most famous footballer in the world....

In the same place (la boca) i saw a pretty nice painting to buy too, but i couldnt since im going to the jungle very soon and it would get ruined.

Buenos Aires 1

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So today i went on a bike tour (after a tasty steak and chips of course) First thing i saw was the Cenataph, a memorial to the soldiers who died stupidly trying to invade the Falkland Islands (which is British and a totally pointless sheepfarm in the middle of the atlantic, except it might have some oil nearby) We cycled around the posh northside suburbs (ill put in the co's details later when i find them) but it was a good group (here they are!) led by Elly in the orange. Went to the necropolis too which was interesting, but would have been more interesting to see after dark. There was Evitas grave, but to be honest i wasnt so interested in her. What was really funny though was one tour guide we were overhearing who was just making everything up as he went along, hes famous in BA for taking tourists around the city and just telling them any old shit that seems about right, quite funny!! Generally though the people here are about 1 or 2 million times more sincere and genuinely freindly than Rio people. (Although the Rio folk who ARENT trying to rob you are pretty decent)

Dont cry for me Argentina

My first impression today of Buenos Aires was that its the first place ive been to so far that feels ok and secure as a city, where i dont have to take so many precautions (ie i could probably have money in my pocket not in a moneybelt)

Its a bit of a melancholy place, with its purple blossoms (i suppose its late Spring here) You can see how its beautiful buildings have faded over the years and what were grand palaces now have become youth hostels and so on. The people seem to know it too, and have that yearning look around them, wondering where it all went wrong. It seems to have gone wrong a few times here over the years, starting im sure with that stupid Madonna song about Eva Peron.

Anyway, im sure if they stick in it'll become great again.

Today i took it easy, with for the first time this holiday a room of my own not a dorm in a hostel (since ive slept on buses the last 2 nights i think i deserve it) i decided out of boredom (it was quiet everyhwere tonight) to go to their only casino, which is two big riverboats joined together. It was a pretty good find, since they have easily beatable blackjack and quite awful poker players. I played poker, so thanks to the generosity of Argentinas kind poker players, the Alan holiday fund is $400 bigger.

By the way, i have noticed when im travelling around - probably the best and cheapest way to learn about a city, its people, and especially its language is to play poker. I met some really interesting local (and expat) people tonight, but more importantly the only language allowed on the table is Spanish, so now im re-remembering all the numbers pretty well.I think if i played there for a month every night id be fluent ;o)

ok tomorrow ill go on a bike tour of the city, otherwise ill get fat from pizza steaks

Iguazu falls, Argentina/Brasil/Paraguay

Iguazu Falls are amazing - 75 different waterfalls at once, it totally shows what a silly little trickle Niagra Falls are. This film is mostly of 'The devils throat' which is a pretty crazy part as you can see. a film is much better than a crappy little photo for somthing like this. There is basically nothing much else around the area except my first taste of Argentinian food (its on the Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina border) and it was amazing - I had a pizza but instead of bread it was steak! ok ok i do bang on about food a lot but it was pretty nice. So after about 5 minutes at the waterfall and some dinner, i got on another 24 hour bus ride to Buenos Aires, hoping for even more steak pizzas....

Rio nightlife

So my last night i went to Ipenema for some dinner, it was a pretty nice steak, in a place called Garota de Ipenema, where it seems some famous guys wrote this song not surprisingly called 'Girl from Ipenema' In the middle of it some guys started doing acrobatics in the middle of the street when the lights were at red, which i suppose it a Rio thing. Ipenema is the one place i felt there wasnt any sign of menace in the air which always seems to hang about it Rio. By the way this is the ghetto again, Ipenema is nice and boring (so no point in putting a photo in, just buy a postcard)

Rio people, although they mean well, do seem to me a bit like Italians, though - all talk and no action. Lifes a big performance to these guys. I mean i didnt even get robbed, killed, or kidnapped. So you just talk about being tough i reckon, and your guns arent even loaded.

Anyway, despite everyone local telling me how dangerous it was to go to Lapa at night as a Gringo, i went out there later with two Sao Paulo guys (William and Tiago, hope you are reading this, hope hangover was well!) Anyway my conclusion to anyone interested is that Lapa is totally normal and safe, im really not sure why anyone ever said otherwise, its just a few busy streets with bars and clubs.

Ok, next morning was a 24 hour bus journey to the Iguazu Falls, but i was so tired, the comfort and hangover didnt even get a lookin.....

Rio 3

I'm pretty bored of this city so ill go to the beach and check out the markets. Photos are...me at the Samba street (where the Rio carnival is held), the main Cathedral, and a nice view over Copacabana beach. It costs $3 for a wrap of crack cocaine here so there seems to be some kind of drug war going on. if i feel brave ill go to the favella again today to see if i can get a photo of a drugs guy with a gun. Its mighty dangerous though so maybe this will be my last post :o)

Rio 2

So its Friday 13th today, i wonder what will happen. Here is a zombie i met today in the favella. Actually its one of many crazy looking crack heads there. I would advise you not to go to the favella(slum) with your camcorder taking photos of strange weirdos by the way. Im just stupid.
I also met a new freind in the hostel toilet today, i didnt give him a name yet as he has hundreds of brothers and sisters. (Che Lagarto, by the way, pretty good and sociable place in Copacabana) Also went up to various tourist things, like the jesus statue (check the view in the video on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrS1Rc28bL8
!!)

Also ive made a decision regarding facial hair for the holiday (actually there is a lovely view here from Sugarloaf mountain)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksurfqt8P7E

Tonight well go out to Lapa for some alcohol (in fact ive started already) and well...i think i dont tell what happens, even if nothing happens ;o)