Rosario, Argentina

Jan 24, 2006

One thing I learned traveling through small towns is that you can usually find a reasonably priced hotel near the bus terminal. What I learned in this city of over one million is that nobody in his right mind would want to stay near the bus terminal in a town this big.

On the way here, I went through the notorious Entre Rios province, and was stopped by the police. They asked me if I had a fireextinguisher, then proceeded to tell me that there was a law that I needed one and that I was in violation of that law. The officer went into exquisite detail about the size of the extinguisher I was supposed to carry, and was quite officious about the entire matter, taking me into the office, so he could show me the law, on a mimeographed sheet of paper, and then tell me what the fine would be.

The whole thing was quite funny.

Once inside I explained that I didn´t have a fire extinguisher, that I had no intention of getting one, that the law excluded motorcycles, and asked if he intended to ask me for a bribe.He told me that there really was a law, that all the Brazilian and Chilean riders who passed through there had fire extinguishers, and he had no intention of asking for a bribe.

Then he asked me if I had a visa.

I again told him I didn´t, and wasn´t going to get one. At this point he set my documents on his desk, because the law also says they can´t detain a person or his documents without a judge present. I did ask if there was one around, while picking up my documents. He reiterated that he had no intention of asking for a bribe, and watched me ride off.

Down the road I ran into a couple from Argentina and asked if they had been stopped by the police and asked if they had a fire extinguisher. They rolled their eyes and said no, but a Brazilian they had met was. He apparently paid the fine.I wonder how many return visitors carry 1 kilo fire extinguishers on their bikes.