After spending a Christmas in Taiwan and a few Christmas in Taiwan, never would I ever have thought I would be spending a Christmas in South America!
Yes, my dream is to spend a Christmas in America, but by that I mean United States. Possibly NYC. I guess I can write 'Spend Christmas in South America' on my bucket list and cross if off straight away!
Some people say everything happens for a reason. I don't always believe in this but this trip has made me very appreciative of my previous travel to South America. My previous trip had a 24 hour delay in Santiago de Chile. My friends and I subsequently walked around the city during the day and we were able to see snippets of this city. After that little quick tour, I decided I would like to come back and really explore it again. This visit to Santiago has forever made me fallen in love with the city. Santiago such an amazing city. It is well organized, yet you can see a very diverse and evidently very much divided by class. Chileans are not very friendly. They are very cold. Yet they are steamy in the parks - much because there isn't such a pressure to move out once you are over 18. Food here is great. Fruits here are cheap. It's simply an amazing city.
Buenos Aires, though, was much more disappointing. I think because I had a much higher expectation for this city, and my expectation was not met. My mother raved about this city. She said it was a city famous for many many things and they'd spent a great deal of time during high school reading about this city. Sure it is famous for being the origin of tango, but much of this has become a part of tourism. It's not that I don't like touristy things, I just cannot take it in large quantity. Our visit to La Boca was both enriching and disappointing. This area has become a popular tourist destination and has lost its original meaning and significance.
Our first day in Buenos Aires was not a good one. Something shady was going on and this left my brother and I very scared and concerned for our safety. However, everything changed over the next few days. We began to feel safer and much more secure. Buenos Aires is definitely a city worth visiting and it is full of things to do. However, Argentina as a whole is not so stable and it is evident throughout the streets and shops.
Finally, our final destination, Mendoza. Mendoza is by far my favourite city so far this trip. It is most likely because this is where I am 'based'. The wine here is superb - I am a red wine lover, and there's nowhere else to be but here to drink the best red wine. Most wine here are just so easy to drink and so smooth. Though much of this town has also been taken over by tourism, it still retains much of its original flavour on the streets. Siesta is still common here. I have finally gotten used to not being able to buy much or do much during 2~5. Eliminating my shirt tan has also been on my to do list and surprisingly is actually happening!
Christmas is probably one of the best time in the year. Although I come from an Asian family who doesn't really celebrate this day, I have fallen in love with this day over the years. It is just such a festive season and the endless stream of happiness during this period is phenomenal. This year I am spending it with 5 other Australian - 1 of which is my brother. It is a very different Christmas than those that I'm used to, but it is an experience. I wish more than anything else to be with my friends and family (friends more than family haha), but I'm just taking it all in. I am in South America!!!
I have no idea what has gotten into me but I just have this urge to go back to Taiwan. However, I am coming to terms with the limited possibility of going the coming year, and also the years after.
Youth is a beautiful thing but can be hard to work around.
Well. Merry Christmas from Argentina!
Feliz Navidad!
-Daniel
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