Thursday 14th of October, 2004
Then I realise it's a mountain.
Up at 8:00, sit and shower, by which time Vinka is up, so we have breakfast. I initially refuse all but coffee, then give in and eat far too much manjar.
I go out to walk around and look at shops, though I don't find anything to buy. There are an awful lot of shops selling watches here, even more than in Mendoza. The sheer quantity of watches somehow goes against the stereotype of South America.
Back to the flat at 12:30, then off to Arnaldo's for lunch and conversation. I'm sent out to buy tomatos, which means an encounter with the concierge. There's one of those strange conversations I keep having here, where I say things that don't make sense, and the other persons says things very fast that I don't even begin to understand.
I've come to the conclusion that what Spanish is particularly good for is talking very fast indeed, much faster than English, unless one wants to be one of those people who auction cows in Texas. Or the guy who plays Ko-Ko in The Mikado.
We also watch some of the DVD of the last Peter Gabriel tour.
Looking out of the window, I see what appears to be an optical illusion in the sky. I move my head to try to work out what the illusion might be. Then I realise it's a mountain.
Waiting for a bus back towards downtown. Cabs begin to circle us like sharks, and, indeed, seem to be communicating with each other, as more and more of them drive past us, the drivers openly staring. Eventually a bus arrives and we disappoint them all.
We go to buy a teapot and pick up some wine bottles for Vinka to photograph, then take a cab back to the flat. I crash out on my bed for an hour.
Dinner, readjusting the CD player and conversation. Soon to sleep.
