#morcillo

Thursday 16 September 2010

Hello and welcome to my 14 day journey to South America.   Hola y bienvenido a mi viaje de 14 días a Sudamérica.

Today is Thursday 16 September 2010, and I had a late start because of the previous night's delay but I made it to Rosario all the same.

About 4 AM I had checked into the youth hostel at San Lorenzo 1530.  I had a single room all to myself including a private shower.  I woke up in time for breakfast, had medialunas and dulce de leche with coffee.  I took a nap and went into town about 10 AM.  

I tried to get a day pass but I could only buy a multiple pass.  For that reason I walked from San Lorenzo to the Museum of Contemporary Art museum along Bulevard Orono to the Rio Paraná.  Then I walked through Parque de Las Colectividades and ended up at La Casa del Tango, which was at Arturo Illia and Avenida Wheelwright.

I crossed the street and walked to Sarmiento and Arturo Illia.  I was waiting for the light to change.  I noticed some cars went through a red light, they did not wait for even the red-yellow before green signal.  I walked to Monumento Historico Nacional a la Bandera and noticed that it was 12:30 PM.  I paid the US $5.00 fee to go up the elevator to get a good view from the tower and across the Rio Paraná.  

About 1 PM it was time for lunch.  I took a bus to Avenida Francia, using exact change.  I think the fare was about US $0.50.  I had lunch at a local restaurant.  I ordered a Milanesa with a slice of ham and cheese, and also added a morcillo, which was kind of Argentina's equivalent of black pudding or blood sausage.  I had a dark Quilmes with that, I think about 24 ounces / 660 mL.  Tasted excellent.

Then I took the bus to - well I have to admit curiosity - to the Che Guevara statue at Laprida and Bulevar de 27 de Febrero.  Please note, I in no way shape or form, support his politics.  I only wanted to see the statue and really nothing more.  I went back to Avenida de Francia by bus.

About 7 PM I went through downtown until it got dark, looking for souvenirs and some beer to bring home.  There was a demonstration and a fire that was burning produce, and it reminded me of when I went to Mexico and when they sold roasted corn on the cob.  What I did not know was, that the demonstration was about the then-president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchener's visit to Rosario.  

I went to the Bar Victoria and ordered raviolis and a pitcher of Quilmes.  They were very good raviolis, as if they were shipped in from Bologna, but it was a local recipe passed down from generations of Italian immigrants.  Their credit card machine was broken so I had to pay in cash.  I walked back to the hotel as it was not far.  I had one more ride with my ride pass that I could use to get to the bus station.

Please join me for tomorrow's story.  We might make it in time to catch the flight from Newbery to Ushuaia in spite of the demonstration along RN 9.