Numero Uno

Here We Are.
After a brief separation, Soph and Gab were reunited in Buenos Aires. Our hostel, BA Stop seemed like an oasis of sorts amidst a whirlwind of confusion. Basically, our first day was spent wandering about in search of nourishment and a sense of direction. Luckily, we found both. Our hostel is located in the middle of BA, surrounded by cafe/bar/restaurant units. Pretty central and easily accessible from the main street, Avenida 9 de Julio. The weather has been...diverse. From overcast to clear skies, drizzles to downpours, we never seem to be prepared. The one constant is the level of humidity (high). But we´re surviving. In fact, we´re doing swell.
First Night: we come to discover that out of the 10 beds in our dormitory room, 4 are occupied by Israeli men. Score. Gabi let´s it slip that she knows some Hebrew and they´re hooked. Like babies to their pacifiers. The next day (day 2) they invite us to join them on an excursion. They tell us that it is a hugely popular, very famous zoo where the animals are drugged to the point that humans are able to climb in their cage and have actual physical contact. At first we felt conflicted about joining them in what seemed to be a very unethical interaction between man and beast, but ultimately their Israeli charm won out. After three hours of walking/riding the wood-panelled subway/bussing we arrived at what appeared to be nothing more than an abandoned farm. Our first impression of the zoo suggested we would be venturing into a cageless pasture with a smorgasbord of animals from all walks of life mingling together. Ducks ran rampant, as did little dogs. But we were not alarmed. As we ventured further, the Israelis spotted the cages with the lions and tigers, which we were free to enter if we so desired. Soph and Gab decided to sit this one out--watch and learn, if you may. At first they were apprehensive about getting too close, but once the cameras came out, they were more than willing to strike a pose. It wasn´t until Soph and Gab came across a pen of baby tigers that their apprehension yielded to a girly kind of soft spot for cuddly furry creatures with playfulness in their hearts. Gabi even spewed a bottle of milk into her hand and allowed the baby tigers to lap at her fingertips. Upon questioning, she learned that the milk was not, in fact, full of drugs to keep the animals tame, but that they had been trained from an early age to respond to their trainers´ commands and to not harm a human being. The zoo was a hit. Afterwards, hopping onto an elephant or petting a grown lion, reminiscent of Mufasa, seemed like a piece of cake-- dirt of ya shouldas. After noticing that the only other zoo patrons were Israelis asking about the drug content of the milk, we came to realize that this "zoo" was most likely known amongst them as a place for great picture opportunities with wild animals, nothing more. Needless to say, the day had worn us down. After returning home in the same manner we had gone, food and drink were in order. We thought the day was through.. but we were mistaken. At around 1 AM, the same Israelis we had befriended and ventured with, invited us to join them in going to an exclusively Israeli club with a few of their friends. We danced until four in the morning, completely out of place with our Western moves. WHAT A DAY.

Things that we learned:
-Two heads are better than one.
-Half the people you´ll meet speak Hebrew.
-Don´t eat the mozzarella, or¨muzzarella¨. It ain´t the same...
-The bill doesn´t come until you signal for it
-Don´t go to bed before 1 AM
- Carry change!


Love you, miss you!
-S & G