Early Friday five.

Five things I learned about Buenos Aires today, in no particular order:

• The legend is correct - people ARE nicer. Except the people who have to deal with tourists all the time.
• Traffic lights don't mean a damn thing, for cars or pedestrians. Just cross your fingers, look both ways, step off the curb and hope for the best.
• Really good coffee and really crap beer cost the exact same.
• They do love politics. Most of the graffiti I saw today was politically-based and tonight I passed a street protest on the way to dinner. (In 2 months I might be able to tell you just what they were protesting.)

political signs outside the Casa Rosada

• And the golden rule: You are the only one in any kind of hurry.

There is a haiku about grid cities in my future.

Spent today getting familiar with Buenos Aires, at least the central part. It's layed out nicely and the maps make things easy to find... if you are map-inclined. Apparently, despite living in an urban grid of a city and completing lots of successful cross country trips, I am not. Natch, I'll get it down right before I have to leave.

(Seriously though - perpendicular. Five syllables. I'm just saying.)

Don't cry for me, Argentina...

I'm staying in the Microcentro. Not my first choice of the four hostels I picked out but I was tired and grumpy after 18 thousand hours of airplane leading to humidity. The HI Obelisco, my first stop, had a bed for me. A big plus was that it's central to most of the places I want to go. It's also loud, somewhat crowded and overloaded on Bob Marley CDs, but I'm just here a few days so that will be fine. The staff is super nice, they organize lots of local-led outings and besides - no hostel will ever be worse than the Christian Youth Hostel I stayed at in Amsterdam.

Yes, such a thing exists and no, I was not (nor am I now) a practicing Christian.

But that's a haiku for another day.

Why hello, Buenos Aires.

Lasts and firsts.

Last hour in the Pacific Time Zone. Last Kettleman bagel. Last Stumptown coffee. Last look at Mt Hood, Triple Falls, the PDX skyline at night. Last new music upload.

Last shower on US soil.

Check.

... AKA the first things I will do when I get back. In that order.

Right now I am looking forward to penguins. Lots and lots of penguins. And I won't lie, the first part of this excursion will be completely amazing but I am very excited about mailing back the polar layers taking up half my pack as soon as I get to Ecuador!

T minus 36 hours...

... but who's counting?

The general idea.

Feb 17: Portland -> Buenos Aires, Argentina
Feb 18-20: Buenos Aires
Feb 21: BA to Ushuaia, Argentina (Antarctica trip starts from here)
Feb 22-Mar 13: Antarctica trip (Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Antarctic peninsula)
Mar 14-27: Manta, Ecuador (Spanish/surfing immersion program)
Mar 28-Apr 3: TBD :)
Apr 4-11: the Galapagos Islands
Apr 12-17: en route to Lima, Peru, TBD :)
Apr 18: Lima to Cusco, Peru to meet up with Viki for...
Apr 19-May 4: Cusco (trekking the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, rafting)
May 5-May 20(ish): TBD :)
May 20-Jun 1: likely Salta, Argentina -> Iguazu Falls -> Buenos Aires with Kim, but TBD :)
Jun 2: Portland, Oregon, USA

worldly possessions for the next 3.5 months

Tones of home.

Outside the American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore

Happy birthday, sir...

Great Falls Park

Me very happy I'm not that kayaker
(see dot in middle of picture)