Loolala Next stop Pucón

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Welcome to www.letsgoloolala.com

Now that sounds just like my kind of place –the name reminded me of that village in Tipperary Puckane or Pocán in Gaeilge with the traditional Irish cottages complete with turf fires (and discreet dishwashers). After a day in the sticks (that means way out in the countryside) –Rancho de Caballeros -which friend had booked on the internet-perfect for some but not for The Galway Girl for whom paradise minus the internet is not enough-it was time to move on. Still Pucón was waiting in the person of Carlos who was hunting down anyone with a cúpla focail (a few words in Irish ) on which to practise his Gaeilge. We got talking about pet names-mine is Pogue and translated from Gaeilge it means Kiss. I was blown away to discover that Carlos who has never been to Ireland knew already what my pet name meant and more! Well done Carlos it’s not everyone who knows that Irish term of endearment -Póg Mo Thóin .

Travel Tip

A cúpla focail is handy. The Irish diaspora is everywhere. And much to my surprise diaspora isn’t an Irish word at all, at all. We just like the sound of it.

*Gaelgoers are enthusiastic speakers of the Irish language and culture,as in very!

*Diaspora is a group that has been dispersed outside the homeland

*cúpla focail means a few words in Irish/Gaeilge

If you know of a favourite term of endearment in your language please share it!

If you have travel tips/info/stories or have been to Pucón please comment below

Loolala in Mendoza

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

Welcome to www.letsgoloolala.com

It’a busy day in the neighbourhood so with a toss of a coin I head for the countryside and hey presto I’m at the door of the Baco hostel in Maipu –a little village close to the winery trail. Hey Presto is one of those dodgy clichés and Bacchus is the god of wine.

So what has Maipu got to offer?

  • They’re digging for gold there.
  • They have daily pub crawls en bicicletta
  • The family run hostel have in-house entertainment featuring Jorge in drag and drinks on the house (wine on tap!)
  • Mate pronounced Ma Tay  or Ma Tae refers to the traditional herbal drink and if you want to be remembered with affection you might kill an oul’ mug of mate with the folks

Travel Tip

If you do negotiate the wineries en bicicletta just remember it’s red wine, probably midday sun and cycling requires a modicum of skill and stability

*modicum= a moderate amount

*hey presto= suddenly as if by magic

*maté from the word matar means to kill or alternatively a traditional herbal drink pronounced matay

If you have any travel tips, info, stories, or have been to Argentina please comment below

Loolala arrives in Buenos Aires

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Ok so this time  my friend had booked the accommodation online. Sure what did we need only 2 beds 2 pillows a lock for our valuables and a bit of an ensuite thrown in.

And what did we get? A new word for our vocabulary

-M A T R I M O N I O.

We stated firmly that we wanted mattresses not MATRIMONIO . For once our combined charms just weren’t working-we had to steel ourselves, gesticulate wildly and eventually resort to a long silence. Finally the boss remembered , two single beds were prised apart and so began our first night’s sleep in Buenos Aires.

Travel Tip 1

In the event of some apparent language barrier do try a long silence-it

usually works. P.S. We did get the lock for our valuables but that wasn’t enough for my friend . Did you ever lock yourself out of your house and you knew exactly where the key was? Well she locked herself out of her travel bag

Travel Tip 2

Don’t do it!

Travel Tip 3

If you’re looking for a double-bed try Matrimonio –starting with  the Latin countries

If you have any travel tips stories info or have been to Argentina please comment below