Feliz Día del Acción de Gracias

Dan: Happy Thanksgiving. Last night we treated ourselves to dinner at Caro Pepe, a tenedor libre (eat all you want) place. They have a giant grill with all sorts of meat (family reference: like a family meal at the Andersons, with the addition of goat) to choose from as well as salads, and other Argentine fare, pasta, pancake and ice cream bar. No pumpkin or pecan pie, no turkey, but we did stuff ourselves to beyond the point of common sense until 11:30 pm.

We’re packing up our stuff and fixin’ to leave this weekend. As we’re moving on it seems that tourism has suddenly begun here in Mendoza. Like an invasion from the Lonely Planet. They travel in twos, guidebooks clutched to their chests. We too shall join their ranks over the next few weeks.

Our plan is to head south, south, south. First a 24-hour bus to Puerto Madryn, where we hope to see some aquatic wildlife and some ocean. Part two of the journey is to Calafate where we want to look at a glacier. Part three is sort of flexible, but has us near Bariloche for awhile. We’ve inherited and borrowed some tents and bags so we can try some camping. Then we’ll come back to Mendoza, pick up our stuff and say some adioses. Next we’ll head across the border to Chile where Louann will fly back home. My plans are still up in the air from there. I’m looking at Chilean Patagonia to stay with my friend at his uncle’s house.

The last two days have been really hot, so a change to chilly Patagonia is welcomed. Leaving Mendoza, on the other hand feels strange. Getting rid of/ selling things (a nice girl from Minnesota is buying my bike!), finishing up our food. Just like any move, but on a much smaller scale, since we don’t have much. This week we’re saying goodbye forever to students, colleagues, friends and acquaintances so it is all just setting in. We have no fewer than 5 gifted bottles of wine right now from students saying goodbye.

We’ve got some adventure ahead of us so we’ll try to keep the blog going from the road.