"Tap it!" (or, An Asado is So Much More than a BBQ)
Ok, now, word on the street is there might be a few parents (and even grandparents) who are reading this blog (Hi Mom). So I just want to put this caveat in place: this entry is going to be solely focused on hot men staying in our hostel in Mendoza. There. Consider yourselves warned!
That being said, it's interesting and an itty bit disturbing to think that even though there must be beautiful men in Buenos Aires (El Guapo can't be the only one in the entire city), it wasn't until we met a bunch of English guys a thousand kilometres from BsAs that we started drooling.
But really - Katemeister you, for example, I know full well, would have been just as starstruck had some guy with an English accent who looked just like David Beckham (circa his scruffy era) showed up across the dinner table from you. And a guy who looked like Colin Farrell travelling with him (eyelashes the length of my arm, Katie, honestly). And a tall lean kid with hat-head who looked like the young fella from Smallville. And must I go on?
Ok, ok, I will. There was also Sean, a tall skinny grad going for his chemistry doctorate at UVM who'd needed a break from studying and was trying so hard to learn Spanish on his own, it was really cute. And George (lord knows what his real name is, we dubbed him George because he shared a vague resemblance to our friend GS and it was GS's birthday that night after all), who was studying in Chile and was part of his high school singing group.
Campo Base II was the name of our hostel. It's pretty clear that it's a YOUTH hostel (it's in the name, already) so we weren't entirely sure how we ended up with a creepy British bodybuilder in his late 40s on the bottom of Robyn's bunk (poor IslandGirl). Owen aside, the hostel was crammed full with young people from all over the world (but mostly Australia and England) doing all kinds of amazing things. And when some 60 of us sat down that night to a giant asado (honestly, forget pig roasts, they had an entire cow roasting in a fireplace the size of the RG newsroom) it reminded me so much of mealtimes on board the Seamans - exactly the same types of people, with the same ridiculously large appetites, and the same mountains of food. (George even announced at one point that he wanted to do this programme called the Sea Education Programme and I think I might've scared him off it, I was so overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it).
The chef (I use that term loosely) even kindly handed Becca and I a soyburger to share (as he did so we noticed his zipper was down but hey, you gotta let some things slide). The only difference from shipboard life was that you had no idea who the people sitting across from you were (though they became your best friends in about five minutes), and the alcohol was flowing.
Oh, and afterwards they had karaoke. George was LOVING the karaoke. I do have pictures, but I don't have the cord necessary to download them. So you'll all just have to wait (yes, Kate, of course I snapped a picture of Beckham too!)
Hostel life is certainly special - I can see now why certain of my friends are addicted. You walk in and are immediately sharing showers, bathrooms and bedrooms with people you've never met in your life (guys and girls), and everyone takes it all in stride, even Irishmen yelling proudly about how quiet they are when they stumble in from the bars at 6a.m. and weary travellers sound asleep in the common areas at 4 in the afternoon. Hostels must be the most laid back places in the world.
It's a blast. I can't believe I haven't stayed in a hostel before this. Kate and LisaJayne, if you guys do Europe, do it in hostels all the way!
That being said, it's interesting and an itty bit disturbing to think that even though there must be beautiful men in Buenos Aires (El Guapo can't be the only one in the entire city), it wasn't until we met a bunch of English guys a thousand kilometres from BsAs that we started drooling.
But really - Katemeister you, for example, I know full well, would have been just as starstruck had some guy with an English accent who looked just like David Beckham (circa his scruffy era) showed up across the dinner table from you. And a guy who looked like Colin Farrell travelling with him (eyelashes the length of my arm, Katie, honestly). And a tall lean kid with hat-head who looked like the young fella from Smallville. And must I go on?
Ok, ok, I will. There was also Sean, a tall skinny grad going for his chemistry doctorate at UVM who'd needed a break from studying and was trying so hard to learn Spanish on his own, it was really cute. And George (lord knows what his real name is, we dubbed him George because he shared a vague resemblance to our friend GS and it was GS's birthday that night after all), who was studying in Chile and was part of his high school singing group.
Campo Base II was the name of our hostel. It's pretty clear that it's a YOUTH hostel (it's in the name, already) so we weren't entirely sure how we ended up with a creepy British bodybuilder in his late 40s on the bottom of Robyn's bunk (poor IslandGirl). Owen aside, the hostel was crammed full with young people from all over the world (but mostly Australia and England) doing all kinds of amazing things. And when some 60 of us sat down that night to a giant asado (honestly, forget pig roasts, they had an entire cow roasting in a fireplace the size of the RG newsroom) it reminded me so much of mealtimes on board the Seamans - exactly the same types of people, with the same ridiculously large appetites, and the same mountains of food. (George even announced at one point that he wanted to do this programme called the Sea Education Programme and I think I might've scared him off it, I was so overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it).
The chef (I use that term loosely) even kindly handed Becca and I a soyburger to share (as he did so we noticed his zipper was down but hey, you gotta let some things slide). The only difference from shipboard life was that you had no idea who the people sitting across from you were (though they became your best friends in about five minutes), and the alcohol was flowing.
Oh, and afterwards they had karaoke. George was LOVING the karaoke. I do have pictures, but I don't have the cord necessary to download them. So you'll all just have to wait (yes, Kate, of course I snapped a picture of Beckham too!)
Hostel life is certainly special - I can see now why certain of my friends are addicted. You walk in and are immediately sharing showers, bathrooms and bedrooms with people you've never met in your life (guys and girls), and everyone takes it all in stride, even Irishmen yelling proudly about how quiet they are when they stumble in from the bars at 6a.m. and weary travellers sound asleep in the common areas at 4 in the afternoon. Hostels must be the most laid back places in the world.
It's a blast. I can't believe I haven't stayed in a hostel before this. Kate and LisaJayne, if you guys do Europe, do it in hostels all the way!
posted by SarahT at 1:25 pm
1 Comments:
Hi!
Nice to know that you've started (or maybe you started earlier?!?! ;)) taking all of your friends and coworkers advice about what (or should I say who?!) you should do in Argentina.... Have fun - and yeah, aren't hostels awesome?! I've only stayed in European ones but we're crashing in one in Ecuador, so it's good to know that they rock south of the equator too!
Love to all!
EM. xoxoxo
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