Long Weekend: Tandil!

I've been easily discouraged from traveling much by the long distances between cities in Argentina, however with a three-day-weekend, it was time to stop making excuses.

Tandil is a few hours (well, 5 by bus) from La Plata, with lots of outdoors activities--horseback riding, a small lake, hiking, rock climbing, lots of camping, and a compact town of 100,000. Add a few overhyped boulders (see photo below) and a healthy cheese-industry to the proximity to Buenos Aires, and you have a tourist mecca.

Because other friends were working or traveling with family, I made the trek alone, and booked a room in a small budget hotel.

I arrived late Friday night, and got lucky with a little pizza place that had a fantastic roquefort pizza (roquefort is huge in Argentina, and seems to be much better than what I've had in the past).

Saturday, I wandered to the lake, and made several fruitless attempts to rent a kayak.

Then the rain came, maybe it was best the kayak person never showed up. I settled into the Liver Pool Pub for a couple pints --*ahem*--liters of Quilmes, Argentina's finest. I had dinner at a pasta shop and made my best attempt at going out, however, because it was only 11 when I finished dinner, I had several hours ahead of me before “going out” would begin. I found a cute bar, sat down with a Fernet and Coke, and tried my best to hang.

There were mostly guys there, drinking these orange-y umbrella drinks they kept whipping up in a blender. A girl came in, and took a seat at the bar next to me, asked about them, and the bartender quickly fetched an abandoned drink whose owner was out smoking and offered her a sample. The girl tried it, and ordered one.

After a minute, my curiosity got the best of me. “What is that?” “Orange juice and peach juice,” she answered, “but I asked for some rum in mine, too.” 

Quintessential Argentine drinking! All the men at the bar are drinking virgin umbrella drinks with peach juice. It's the girl who asks them to make hers with alcohol. Meanwhile, my fernet and coke was getting the best of me. 1 a.m., I called it quits, the bar was still nearly deserted.

Sunday got a late start, but I had breakfast (a cafe con leche and 3 medialunas (mini-croissants)), and headed to the pool. As I passed the lake, I saw kayaks, and decided to try my luck one more time. Score! I was quickly set up with a kayak and some quiet time on the lake, it was beautiful. [photo pending]

Meanwhile, the pools quickly filled with families—whiney kids, obnoxious teens, and a few brazen couples who were willing to deal with it all to work on their tans. Once again, I found myself at the Liver Pool Pub. Another liter of Quilmes. I wonder how many calories I burned kayaking? No importa, pizza for dinner—but this time I opted for a lighter mozzarella and tomato combination.

The kayaking failed at assuaging my beer and pizza guilt, so Monday I rented a bike, and headed out to see one of the famous rocks, Centinela. The photos I'd seen weren't very promising, and once I realized the last kilometer was a dirt road, uphill, I started having second thoughts, but one of my friends forbid me from returning without seeing it, so I pedaled on. And wished I'd taken more advantage of my gym's spinning classes to prep for the ordeal.

The view was nice, but I had a full day ahead of me, and only a couple hours before my bus left, so I took it in, and continued on. Next up, the Epoca de Queso! The famous cheeseshop has a beautiful outdoor patio where they serve lunch. Unfortunately, their specialty is cheese with local cured meats—they brought out beautifully arranged mountains of a variety of cheeses and salames. I went with a fruit and cheese platter and another tall beer. 

On my way to return the bike, I passed by the 14 Estaciones, best known for a massive crucifix, but also decorated with various points of reflection. Unfortunately, it wasn't bike friendly territory (lots of stairs leading up a mountain to get started), and I needed to clean up a bit before napping my way home, so I was off again, and back to La Plata.