Goddamn Greedy Hippies....

After a few days in El Bolsen, the initial impression of a charming enclave of aging hippies has begun to subside, and I now see it for its true self: A centre for hippy capitalism. The focus of this money making enterprise is the thrice weekly market, at which all the hippies gather to push their goods on you. So there I am, peacefully going about my business, content in myself and my surroundings, when all of a sudden, stalls left right and centre are tempting me to spend on their freshly baked brown bread and hand knitted woolen socks. "Come!" they cry, "Try my fresh rasberries! Here, listen to this cd, it´s an ambient soundscape made using only natural materials! You hear that? That´s a mouse being squeezed! Over here! Look, I´ve chopped down trees and made them into ashtrays! I´m going to be rich I tell you! RICH!!! AHAHAHAAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!" and so on......

Just because you have a feather attatched to you hair with knotted string, you don´t fool me for a second young man! Don´t touch me with your grubby money grabbing fingers! No I don´t want you to make my hair messier than it already is! You can´t tempt me with your waffles with strawberries and cream! Mmmm, well maybe just one.....

So anyway, tomorrow I say goodbye to Joanna, who is flying back to the States from Buenas Aires, and heading back to Santiago on a 3o+ hour bus ride. Godamn. Last night was kind of cool. We wandered out into the campground at about 12pm and sat on our own in the middle, away from all the people having fun, in the hope that they would come and join us and save us the embaressment of having to approach them. So I started doing my pied piper of hamlin routine on the guitar, and sure enough after about 5 mins 4 lads came over and started giving the usual Beatles requests. After a very rousing rendition of "Let it be" (the only beatles song i know) we were invited to join some other guys who were playing guitar. 30 mins later there was a huge crowd formed around our little group as we blasted out spanish and english songs. At one point, after a particularly heart rending chorus of No Woman No Cry, the managment came out to say that the police had called and could we possibly keep it down a bit. Of course not! Anyway, it was pretty fun.

Argentines keep telling me that I could earn lots of money playing in Bars in Buenas Aires. It´s tempting, but the thing is they´d want me to play loads of covers, and my improvisational stuff wouldn´t exactly be appreciated by a spanish speaking crowd.... mind you, they were very impressed with my "Bastardo Mochila" Song. It´s my only song in spanish. I´ll give you a quick rendition....

(flamenco style, very dramatic guitar chords)

Bastarrrrrdo! Bastardo Mochila!!!! (bastard, bastard backpack)
x2
Mi Mochila, es mui pesada (my backpack is very heavy).
x2
Bastarrrrrdo! Bastardo Mochila!!!! (bastard, bastard backpack)
Mi Mochila, es como mi esposa (my backpack, is like my wife)
La Odio, pero la neciseto! (I hate her, but I need her!)
etc etc....

ok, I´d better go. Hope all is well in the real world. :)