¿DÓNDE ESTÁ MI COCHE?

I´ve seen some strange stuff whilst I have been away but this is up there with the best of them. Whilst walking along the plush streets of Palermo in BA I stumbled across this.



To add to my confusion towards Argentinian motorists I was baffled by all the half full bottles of water on car roofs. I wasn´t very good at science but I´m pretty sure it wasn´t attracting the blistering heat away from the car to be stored magicallly inside the bottle. Then I thought it was perhaps just an old wives tale, but as it turns out it is a sign to say the car is for sale. I don´t know how you are supposed to contact them. May be they put a message in it! Not sure what is wrong with the good old single minded proposition, for sale, along with contact details.

Things I like # 3 Drinking mate with friends

Mate is like a pungent green tea that is probably a bit of an acquired taste but it´s a massive part of the culture in parts of South America. It´s a social ritual that has been around for 100s of years and is still popular with young people.

Even in 35 degree heat people will be carrying around their flasks and Gourds, sharing the drink pretty much anywhere. People have been friendly enough to offer us a taste on several occasions which you obligingly take but it´s a great opportunity to strike up a conversation in Spanglish.

Many brands such as amanda even have free hot water dispensers at bus stops and petrol stations which I think is a nice touch. It beats paying for over priced crapy coffee at the services.

Brands I now love # 4 Negra Modelo

This isn´t as famous Mexico´s Corona (FYI they don´t serve lime with a Corona in Mexico) or Sol but Modelo Negra is by far my favourite lager so far, although Argentina´s Quilmes Bock is a close second.

Who cares about advertising # 6

When there are active volcanoes...

...to climb up...



...and slide down at 40kmph

Brands I now love # 3 Bum Bum

More of a case of my girlfriend loving Bum Bum bikinis but for obvious reason I´m all for this brand living long and prospering, although I´m not sure if it would go down well on Brighton beach this time of year. Apparently they do various shapes and sizes depending on how brave you are rather than your size. You can also mix and match tops and bottom which I´m told is a great thing.

I kid you not even the most buxom women (and that is being polite) strut their stuff. You can even see generations of grandmother, mother and daughter walking the beaches of Rio and men do not even bat an eyelid. Despite all the flesh on show to go topless would be almost blasphemous.

Who cares about advertising # 5

When you don´t see much of it...

The Communications Room is a bit light on plannery type stuff since I´ve been away because a) I´m not really looking out for it and b) I´m consuming less of it. In some cities such as Sao Paulo I am quite literally being refrained from consuming it. In this instance I actually think that advertising might add to the City. It´s not the most attractive places I have been to.

Hopefully by the time I get to Sydney there will be loads of brands doing cool things I haven´t seen or heard about for ages that will get me excited all over again. But at the moment I´m quite frankly enjoying life without a lot advertising.

HSBC - The world´s local bank...really?

I´m not sure what HSBC´s position is supposed to mean, other than the fact that they are all over the world. However, I´ve just found out that this position doesn´t benefit me in the slightest. It costs me more to use my HSBC card in an HSBC bank abroad than it does to use my Nationwide card in exactly the same HSBC cash point. On every withdrawal it is about 5 quid more. Work that one out.

Things I like # 2 Brazillian graffiti

The graffiti in Rio is some of the best I have ever seen. Unfortunately the best ones were in places where I certainly wasn´t getting my camera out. Hopefully this will give you a taster.

Who cares about advertising # 4

When you are away and get to see sunsets like this one

...need I say more

Brands I now love # 2 Freddo ice cream

You have not had a real ice cream until you have had a Freddo. Freddo is an Argentinian chain of ´helados´that sell the finest ice cream you have ever tasted. I recommend their ´Dulce de Leche con Brownies´.