#1: Punta Del Este
Our second night in Punta Del Este was sweet. It wasn't quite as epic as the last night was, but we had a great time chillin at The Trip Hostel. To give an example of how chill the guys were, they made a large communal drink and played raggae for everyone as we all hung out on the patio. It was your basic, fun party night. Except we hung out with people from all over the world, especially people from all around South America. It was nice to speak some Spanish again too. No pics from that night, but memorable, good times for sure.
#2: Montevideo
Kal and I departed from The Trip with the two Aussie girls on Sunday of that weekend for Montevideo via bus. When we got there, we only had a few hours to kill before our overnight bus left for Porto Alegre, so we took a taxi downtown. The city was dead, kinda had some cool places, but it was just... bleh.
Not to mention, it was a ghost town. It was like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. There wasn't anyone anywhere, and everything was closed. So... we did what we do best when we fraternity gentlemen get bored: buy a gallon of wine and make it more interesting.
#3: Bento Gonçalves
We got on the overnight bus from Montevideo around 7:45PM, and didn't get in to POA until about 8:45AM the next morning. Not that this was especially a problem by any means, but we had to meet up with our group to leave for "grape country" at 9AM at the hostel. We barely made it, but had no time to pack so I just went off what I already had packed from Uruguay. Whatever though, it was only a 3 day 2 night trip.
On our way, we stopped at this theme park place. It was kind of a weird carnie-feel place, but still a good time with all of us there. We played a funky 3-D video game, and rode a mechanical bull. One of those moments where you would have had to be there.
The next morning we went white-water rafting, which was an excellent time. I couldn't really say exactly where it was, but our guides were excellent, the river had some gnarly parts, and it was overall a fantastic experience. Getting to jump off cliffs, go down waterfalls, and other adrenaline rushes like that are what make me tick.
That day, we checked out the Miolo winery. One of the most enjoyable days, to be honest. We had a tour of their beautiful facility, an excellent wine tasting, and I picked up a world-class bottle for Pops. Really enjoyed one afterward with Kasey, as well. Gaucha merlots are excellent, in general.
#4: Porto Alegre
Our last weekend/week in POA was a wild one. We got back on a Wednesday, and I made it a point to utilize all the time I could to enjoy it to the fullest.
Overall, it was kind of a blur. Not in the sense of partying, but just that I was trying to get so much done all at once. Say goodbye to my new friends, see places I want to see, etc.
A few memorable moments (not trying to exclude any, but just naming a few)
Friday: Be Happy, the club we went to one of our first nights out. Kind of came full circle with that one. Absolutely poppin, and a lot of fun with the whole group again. Here's a pic of Dallas and I re-upping on chaser and having a drink in the store (which just cracks me up, gotta love the lack of open-container laws).
One last lunch at the amazing PUCRS Buffet- stuffed myself to the brim on 4/5 star food
The next two nights were spent working on school. We had a couple final presentations/papers that were due Monday and Tuesday... kind of a pain, but nothing too bad. Compared to normal finals at home, it was a breeze.
Monday night was excellent. We impromptu went out to a samba place a few blocks away, and I finally learned the basic steps. It's about damn time I learned the national dance, but whatever, too late now to complain. I don't have any pictures of it, but I think I'm tagged in one or two up on the Book. Fantastic night though.
Tuesday night warmed my heart. We showed up to the hostel after our last dinner together at the churrascaria to a farewell party from the staff. They made some very cool drinks for us (a fruit/blend mix thing), and had a nice sign that said "farewell drinks," and it was wonderful. I was so happy, I don't think anything could make me happier than good ol' fashioned generosity.
I am very convinced I will return to POA sometime soon, I have made too many friends and had too many incredible moments to not return. In life, everything happens right when it does because that is when it should. I am coming back here, com certeza.
#5: Canoas
Wednesday night was very cool! I got invited by Stéphanie out to her house in Canoas, a city just north of POA, to have dinner with her and her family. On my way to the subway station, I took one last walk through POA to admire it's Centro/Mercado district. Figured it might be a while before I see it again, so it was a nice way to come full circle with the city itself.
That night was excellent though. I got to Canoas, found my way to her house, and proceeded to have my "final exam" in Portuguese... meeting a girl's parents. It went really well, and I was somewhat surprised with how well I was able to hold a conversation. I cooked with her and her dad, shared a few drinks with her family, and talked about all kinds of things. Most regarding school, goals in life, and other deep intelligent topics... all in a blend of Portuguese, Spanish, and English, which was awesome. It made me sad that I didn't get to have this experience earlier in my trip... it would have been really nice to join them for a churraso or what not. I'm gonna miss that girl and her family, and I have to say it was honestly one of my fondest memories of the trip.
#6: Rio De Janeiro
Now here I am, in the famous Rio De Janeiro, in a sweet hotel on Ipanema Beach. We have a rooftop pool, a vibrant culture to play around with, and the Spring Break mentality.
I will write more about this later, I promise. But we are about to go out to have a night on the town on this lovely Friday night, and I can't keep my friends waiting.
~3/15/13
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