The One Handed Bowline: Crazy Weekend in Las Lenas

The past weekend was one for the records. I joined a group of about 13 people, most from the Intercultural Institute where I study Spanish, on a trip to Las Lenas... the world class ski resort about 5 hours south of Mendoza. As you can see from the pictures below, it was beautiful. I snuck a bottle of wine on the bus, so the trip was rather enjoyable.

A little foreshadowing here... I tried my damnest to forget my bus ticket lying on the counter at my school. After walking halfway to the bus station I decided that it just wouldn't be any fun to remember where it was, so instead I remembered that it was lost. Frantic search for ticket... check, now I was ready. Or so I thought.

We stayed at an Eco Hostel in Malargue which was very far away from light pollution. The stars were giving one of their best performances, hamming it up with meteors and a milky way kissing each horizon. My glass of fernett and I gave them a standing ovation. A toast to the southern hemisphere. Salut to the Southern Cross, Sagittarius, and my personal favorite ... Scorpio with the red heart Antares.

Next day we hit the slopes. As for the snowboarding, it was another half day before I realized that one doesn't have to roll down the mountain. Remaining upright is a much more desirable option. But I had to spice things up a bit, so I tried the pulley lifts... they had these lifts for several of the slopes that consisted of bars on ropes that went between your legs. The "idea" is to ski up the mountain being pulled along. Apparently its trickier on a snowboard than skis (I don't care if that's true or not, cause it makes me feel better). I wiped out halfway up the mountain and went down to try again. The Man told me if I fell again I would half to walk to the other lift, so when I fell immediately out of the gate, I didn't let go... on principle. Ignoring their yells, I let the rope pull me, sliding on my back. Twisting around to my knees I eventually got my board under me and stood up. Victory! I looked back at the Man letting out a whoop in triumph, ... and promptly fell again. It was a long walk back.

More foreshadowing here. I tried to lose my ski lift ticket (a two day pass) near the end of the first day, but they insisted on finding it and giving it back to me. Wow, I'm a really lucky guy... I remember thinking.

The evening after our first day of skiing, the hostel was throwing an asado... the first in their new cabin made partly of mud. Two goats were roasted in kilns with lots of vegetables and the best table wine I've ever had. I made sure to compliment our hosts by consuming copious amounts. Somehow vodka joined the party and then fernett showed up. There was drunken singing... someone was using a goat bone as a microphone... I think I had a conversation about legalizing marijuana... yeah. Not sure when I went to bed, but the rooster was crowing. Next morning I had to test fernett's reputation as a hangover cure... my new friend is quite the rennaissance liquer... beats you over the head and then makes you feel better.

More skiing and drinking the next day, and somehow 13 drunk gringos ended up waiting for the bus in a park in downtown Malargue playing light up frisbee at 2am in the morning.

My bottle of wine and I made it on the bus and after a five hour nap, we were back in Mendoza and class was about to start. I made it through class, went home and promptly slept 13 hours. A sure sign of a good weekend.

Oh yeah... almost forgot.

I tried to lose my debit card... yeah... i lost my debit card.