Even A McDonalds Would Be Nice Right About Now

One of my favorite things about road trips is tasting a bit of the local fare. On our trek* to Graceland before we left the US, we made it a point to try as many different bbq sandwiches as we could. And they were delicious. We also loved stopping for an occasional treat at a Dairy Queen or Sonic.

Then there's our road trip in Argentina. I absolutely don’t expect a Panera on every corner,  but finding places to eat for lunch has been quite a challenge.  I’m not even talking fast food, I’m saying anyplace that serves any type of meal.  The main  problem is that with the extreme heat, businesses close from 1-5 for a siesta. This is something new to us, as they don't do this in Buenos Aires. Last week, after two unsuccessful attempts at finding a meal, we stopped at a tiny eatery/general store whose sign (a duct-taped neon posterboard) boasted pizza, sandwiches and milenasas. Sean first walked into an empty storefront and called out to see if anyone was around. After no response, he walked  back to the car. Just then, a shirtless man ran out and apologized, saying he had been in the bathroom.  Since this was probably our only shot at a meal, Sean asked if the restaurant was opened. The man said that, yes, he was opened, and we could eat there. Awesome! Then, he noted that all he had available were 6 meat empanadas. 

Can you guess what we ate for lunch?

The next day was more of the same, lunchtime fell while we were driving through a succession of tiny towns. There were literally no restaurants at all, and as we drove around the ‘town square’ (an empty patch of dirt in between some houses) we noticed a house with a sign which said “Comedor” (eatery). Again we walk in and see if they're serving anything, and the owner tells us they're opened.  He then asks us what we'd like. No menu, just a free-for-all "what can we fix you"?  Surprised, we kind of fumble for words and he says, "how about milenesas"?  Then he leads us to into their dining room, which is just a bare room with two tables and several sleeping dogs. He and his wife proceeded to cook us a meal in their adjoining kitchen as we watched their 6 year old son bounce a tennis ball off his toddler brother’s head repeatedly.  The ball bouncer became fast friends with Teague, and they happily played together, climbing in and out of the opened windows to stop for sips of water. It was 106 degrees, why would they bother with a door?

As much as I miss American eating establishments (and board of health standards), it has been fascinating spending time in such a rural and beautiful area. We have since learned to pack sandwiches for our lunchtime stops, eliminating the issue completely. Think of all of the weird situations and food poisoning we're now missing. Can you sense my sadness? This trip is the most memorable one we'll probably ever have...an  M & M Blizzard is all that's missing.

*trek for us, pilgrimage to the holy land for Sean--his 4th