Ok bit of an extravagant title but to me the politicians seeking office here in northern Argentina appear as if they have just come off the set of the Sopranos. Although I don’t have a photo of him (to my annoyance), the Governor seeking re election in Salta actually looks like the late Tony Soprano….
Signing off with love from South America
Truely memorable aventures are a combination of discovery, the people you meet and unexpected but positive events. They do not need to be to visit a world renound site (which can sometimes end up being a let down).
Admittley rushing this post on slightly as it really was one of my best days. Being a rugby fan, Argentina has one of the best national sides in the Americas (The Pumas), so I was keen to watch a game. However, when I first arrived I noted that the domestic rugby season did not start until the end of the following month (March). I was saddened because at that stage I had no plans to return but then through chance found myself back here in April. As such the game was on to find a match.
Fortunately Eric has a counsin who plays the sport. He said that the three best teams here in Argentina are: Cordoba, Buenos Aires and Tucaman. Being closest to the third one I asked him to find a game for me, which he did.
The story then begins elsewhere. Initally I left Salta for a place called Cafayte (see my other post) to visit it and stay a few days before heading to Tucaman. There I met a Swiss girl (Susan) who said she was also heading to Tucaman (for very different reasons).
There are various buses that leave Cafayte for Tucaman but I wanted to be there in plenty of time (needed to find a hostel as well) so caught the 2am bus. This gets into Tucaman at about 7am and costs 205 pesos.
I saw a hostel on line called ‘Oh’ so once arriving I headed there. It was painted a luminous green which made it easy to see when walking along the street but as people described, it was a little run down (the small ‘pool’ was half empty and a dark green). On the plus side it was 100pesos/night, quiet and the people (guests and employees) where friendly to the extent that I packed my stuff rapidly the next morning to meet my friend, when I returned a guy in the next bed came up to me with a set of head phones asking if they were mine (they were). Another guy then asked had I had breakfast (it was gone 1pm), I said no. As such he fetch some bread and jam and made me a cup of tea as well. This compares to where my friend was staying, she left her laptop on the bed while she took a shower and came back to find it gone.
The people in the hostel also helped me in getting to the Tucaman Stadium (Yerba Benua) and recommended getting a bus card (which you can get from a near by kiosk for 15pesos) as this was cheaper than a taxi (its quite a way from the centre). You can then catch the bus a short distance from the hostel.
There is a small walk from where the bus drops you off to the stadium. Tickets are 40pesos (£3/$5) and you walk into a club with a swimming pool, tennis courts and a hockey pitch. Eight stands about 3.5m high (4 per side) line the side of the pitch, mainly constructed of concrete (there are no seats) capacity is 300 (I’m guess) but there were about 200 there for the game. A bar is positioned close to the pitch, guess where I went first… (Well kick off was 4.30 and it was only 3)
We asked in the bar if it was possible to bring beers to the stand. The waitress looked doubtful but said that if we put them in plastic glasses it should be OK. It wasn’t until the second half (and our second pint) that a guy behind us politely explained that we could not bring alcohol into the stands…
The weather was cloudy, slightly warm and no rain, perfect running rugby weather. First half the home team looked off colour and were behind by 10 points. I explained to Susan that this was the equivalent of being a goal behind in soccer/football and said that the second half would be a whole new game. While she was doubtful, I was right and the home team roared in with a try and ended up winning 26-17.
After the game we enjoyed a couple more beers. Then on the way out I said: ‘I’m going to ask the players if they mind a photo with me’ and with that drunkenly stumbled into the player’s lounge and asked. They were more than willing and wanted photos of us, inviting us for beer and pizza with them. A few exchanged Facebook contacts with me and then I met the manager, ex manager, chairman and two ex chairmans. The backs coach even quizzed me about what I thought to certain players. The comedy came as I pretended to be Australian (remember The Falklands) to which Susan played along. So we spent the evening fielding questions about Oz, neither of us have been so at numerous points looked at one another hoping the other would know the answer.
Susan said that this was her first game of rugby so I explained that having been to hundreds across Europe, this would be a match I’d never forget. As such it had been an immense introduction to the sport. And Argentine rugby.
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