Vegan Food, Zoo, Mini Hike

Wow so much has been happening and I've been lapsing on my "at least once a week" goal of posting here. I've also been having some problems with my IPhone and taking pictures. It will only hold about thirty photos for some reason...I really need to invest in a camera. Unfortunately, I have very little money and I'm trying to travel around South America at the moment which will take up the little money I do have.

Major updates:

1) I've decided to stay in Argentina for the entirety of my junior year. Which means, I won't be getting back to the U.S. until early July/maybe later because I really love it here.

2) I have an internship here! I've been writing, going to events, and working on social media for a couple magazines. Make me look important and go like their FB pages: The Squeeze Magazine and Playground Buenos Aires.

3) Less specific, but most importantly, I feel like I'm really living to the fullest here, which is not something I could say when I was back in the U.S. I felt stuck and somehow being in Argentina has gotten me unstuck. I can say confidently I'm enjoying every aspect of my life here.

Went to this vegan restaurant super close to my house with my host mom. Not many vegan restaurants here. Some people come here with Tupperware and buy all their food for the week because it's yummy and one of their only options.

Food runs out quickly and they don't put out more. The food gets cold, but there are various microwaves that everyone uses. It's a pay-by-weight kinda deal.

My plate: ravioli, potatoes, lentil empanada, fake meatballs, garbanzo beans, whole wheat bread, fake beef and mushrooms. Yummy especially after heating. Maybe a little too salty, but would definitely come back.

Post-lunch I went up a hill--Cerro de la Gloria. It was super short and easy in comparison to the other hikes I've been on, but still pretty steep. Easily accessible by bus.

I don't think I'm ever going to get used to views like these.

The zoo is close to Cerro de la Gloria. Naturally, we made a stop. I've heard plenty of rumors about this zoo. Some of which include: "You can literally touch a tiger, they're so close!" and "They definitely drug their animals, there's no other way..." So yes, you can get pretty darn close to the animals. You could probably touch this capybara, but the lions, tigers, and bears are more enclosed. 

Witnessed a peacock mating ritual. None of the ladies were interested.

I think this bear is over captivity...

Technically, you could touch a little monkey toe. So yeah, the zoo is a little crazy. It also smells horrible (especially the monkey cage). There was an ostrich/large bird wandering around the zoo outside of its cage. They also put large quantities of animals in small cages and small quantities of animals in large cages. Not sure about that logic, seems like poor planning, but what do I know about zoos and the happiness of other species.