Thoughts from Argentina
I spent most of last week in Mendoza, Argentina at a South American Sales Meeting. I felt obliged to attend, as part of my responsibility includes the development of Venezuela. Here are some thoughts from the trip...
- The Andes mountain range is spectacular. I don't usuall rank such things, but I'm having a hard time coming up with something more impressive...tall (snow capped), long (as far as I could see from the plane in either direction), very jagged...just awe inspiring.
- Having been to Venezuela (Maracaibo and Caracas), Guatemala, and Argentina all in the last 6 weeks...most of Latin America is very similar...it's a little on the dirty side...everything looks old and out dated...stray dogs everywhere...lots of poverty. I'm guessing that they say the same thing about the states (Outback Steakhouse and Carabas everywhere, etc.).
- I'm not a wine guy (I rarely drink...just recently removed from never drink...but am rethinking abstenance from things in light of Paul and becoming all things...), but when you are in wine country (which Mendoza is) with wine people (some of those I traveled with), they make a big deal out of such things...I couldn't tell good wine from Boons Farm...but the glass of red with my steak went nicely.
- Flying through the night...departed Santiago, Chile at 9:30 pm and arrived in Miami at 5:20 am...well, it's a double edged sword. The sleeping thing makes the flight go by quicker and they feed you like they are going to slaughter you at the end...but, it wipes you out when you get home.
- First Class always seems sold out...and costs $4000 extra...I'm not sure when I'll get to the point where I part with four grand that easily...I was able to sleep in coach, and I'm sure I would have been more comfortable...but it's still a chair right?
posted by Hollywood at 4:18 AM
3 Comments:
Lots of time, first class is sold out due to frequent flyers getting upgrades.
I cannot, for the life of me, sleep on planes.
And, I'm the same way about wines. Tracy has figured it out (she's frequently going to tastings and such) but most of the time, I let her or my sister choose it. One cool thing: A good wine can enhance a meal, man. Especially a dark red with a good steak.
About drinking: There's a big difference between a wine (or, if eating Mexican food, say, a margurita) over dinner or a beer per half at a sports event or watching party and hitting the night life hard. The rest of the world seems to have that balance and it isn't taboo. Isn't that weird that America (and especially at college towns) somehow has this ability to binge more than enjoy/enhance relationships over a meal?
5:30 AM
I understand your point...and it seems valid...I bet we do a LOT to excess if you think about it.
10:32 AM
americans? do things to excess? really?
4:45 PM
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