Tuesday, February 23, 2010

An Attemp to Break the Cycle

I tried to break the cycle today. I really did! ...it wasn't meant to be.

Three days of nothing had befallen me and as I awoke this day I swore that such nonsense would come to an end. As I enjoyed my breakfast I got all my internetting done and over with so as I would be ready to break away from the hostel and enjoy the bright wonderful world outside! With chocolate milk drank, hot chocolate following, and six glasses of orange juice downed I was ready to go. There were also some pieces of bread dipping in something that I'm not sure what it is. It might be a cream cheese, but there's a vanilla/toffee flavoured thing in a similar container – so maybe it's condensed milk? I have no idea what I'm eating for breakfast. It's not bad though, so let us not think about it.

There were also frosted flakes on which I sprinkled coco. You know, the more cereal I consume the more – and I may have said this before – I think back to that original box of coco-puffs that I bought in Iceland, as I hated chocolate cereal and thus it would last. Now – chocolate cereal? My favourite. And in all its iterations too. coco-crispies, coco-flakes, coco-puffs. If you coco it... What if I were to add coco to french toast crunch? Such a delectable treat might just be beyond all conception. Coco-Cinnamon toast crunch cereal – but coco-french toast crunch? Crazy.

With food in my belly, I headed back to my room dropped off my gear, grabbed a day pack, and headed down to floor the first. Opening and closing both elevator doors, I pushed open the main doors and headed outside... into the rain.

And oh there was rain. Umbrellas were everywhere, and people were running for cover, fighting with each other for the closest place to the walls where the overhang offered some protection. I looked towards the McDonald's, but I had no desire for that, so I headed the other way. To Burger King.

Yup, I am located between a McD's and a BK. An X—Treme Whopper Combo was lunch, and then the rain began to pour even more. The doors were flooded with people trying to wait out the precipitation. They were not to be in luck.

One thing worth saying, the BK on Florida Street in Buenos Aires is the most beautiful fast food restaurant you've ever seen. It has domed ceilings, stained glass skylights, and carved walls. I have no idea what this building used to be, but I like to imagine that it was strictly created for this restaurant, fulfilling the desires of the Argentinian sensibilities.

After I became full of burger – so sick of burger – I headed back to the streets. The rain was obnoxious. I headed to grab some water from a corner store, and failed in my desire to buy some water. Carbonated water – curse carbonated water! I shook it and shook it to de-bubble it as best I could, but it's still not perfect. On my tragic walk back to the hostel I headed into two stores. There were more days to stroll the streets, and those days would be sunny and delightful – so I hope – so back to my bricked, dry, prison it was with me.

Store the first was a book store.

[authors note: I have treid to pass Level 70 of Frozen Bubbles for 3 hours spread around two days – 1 – 69, easy – 70... ai ya.]

[authors note: I don't want to discuss how much time passed – but I beat level 70, and am now on level 91 – just switching podcasts. 9 levels until the end... then how will I gain a sense of accomplishment from doing nothing though?

In other news – the other people in this room tried to force whiskey bombs on me, and beer, and other such alcoholic treats. But I declined... to listen to video game podcasts... and play a bubble bobble clone. Oh what the hell is going on?! I REALLY need to get out of this hostel tomorrow. Or, you know, I could join the party downstairs but...]

[authors note: Level 99 – we'll leave it there for now... tomorrow is another day. But now, back to the book store...]

So there i was in this fabulous multi-storey book store looking around at all the things that I could read – when it suddenly hit me that I could read none of them. For some reason every book here was in Spanish – I know, it doesn't make any sense. Sure I found some english paperbacks in the basement under the sign “pocket books” (nothing pointed out that these were english mind you) but they were mostly trashy pseudo, and full on, erotica. Nope. No thanks.

So with y spirits crushed I gave up on this chapel of commerce and headed to the toy store across the way. Being on the main strip, I expected something wonderous. What I was greeted by was tragic at best. It was an alley with packaged children's entertainment devices on the wall - but toys? Toys one would expect to find at a delightful shop, quaint or capitalistic? No. These were items that would be best at home as prizes for a late nineties skee-ball game. I looked around for a place to gain the tickets clearly required to claim such prizes. The currency exchange rate, leading to these – things – being labeled at $25.00 only added to the tragic juxtaposition. I felt like I was in communist Russia (where toy plays you!)

On the wall, as I was quickly making my way to the exit, I saw a poster that summarized the experience perfectly. It was advertising the shiny new N64s and Game Boy Pockets.

And then it was back to the hostel where – paying attention to the earlier notes – I clearly played a lot of Frozen Bubble on my netbook and listened to podcasts. Hours were aslso spent trying, and failing, to get nethack up and running. After briefly playing it over a telnet server I decided it wasn't for me anyway, and that was that.

Tomorrow though – tomorrow I'll head out and explore the city! Honest and true.

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Unless it's raining.

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