Foooootooooooos

These are old at this point, but still great!

On Tuesday, April 14th, Mom and I headed to Colonia, Uruguay via the Buquebus boat.  As we were heading out of the port, the GreenPeace ship was coming in.  

One of the many dogs that befriended us in South America.  This friendly guy, on a beach in Uruguay almost went home in Mom's suitcase. 

Colonia is GORGEOUS.

Mom found the perfect car for her!!  It's about half the size of a Mini.

Looking out from the lighthouse, toward BsAs...Mom's even in the photo (tiiiiiiiny white spec over my right shoulder).

Before we left on Wednesday evening, we decided to spend an hour or two having coffee and reading.  It was idyllic.

Until this bird joined us...

And did this to Mom's book...

On the way back to Argentina.  We had a fantastic time, thanks Uruguay.

Thursday, the 16th, Mom and I took a city tour of BsAs in the morning.  Nothing is more typically BsAs than dog walkers!

And La Casa Rosada (Pink House).  Here's where La Presidenta works.

Then Thursday afternoon we went to the zooooooooo.  This bear was CLEARLY all about entertaining the tourists.  He was chillin'.

Chillaxin' seemed to be the theme for the day.  Her Lioness is enjoying the sun.

Tio warned me about getting to close to the monkey cage..."Cuidado Sari a las jaulas de los monos.  Cuidado!"

It was perfect weather for a stroll around the zoo.  Unfortunately, the animals don't seem to be well cared for.  There is nearly never enough water for them and their enclosures are tiny.  With the exception of the rodents that wander around the whole zoo, of course.

Friday morning we wandered through the newly renovated Rose Garden.

Then lunch was noquis at Abuela's casa.  MMMMMMMM!!

Then tea at the Salemme's (Sil's in-law's) gorgeous apartment in BsAs.

Friday night, Hubster and I took the Moms out to a tango show and dinner at Cafe Tortoni, the oldest cafe in BsAs.  Apparently it's famous as the place where all the politicos and academics would go to have coffee and talk about brilliant things.

Us, at the tango show.

Saturday, April 18th, before lunch we drove past the Obelisque in the center of the city.  Hubster is quite the artisto.

Y, finalmente, El Puente de las Mujeres in Puerto Madero (the bridge of the women), right near where Momma had her last Argentina lunch.  Steak, of course.

That's all folks!  At least for now.  I'm sorry I'm not adding better stories, but I wanted to be sure to get pics up.  There are more on the way and stories too!  But mainly I'll be working on enjoying my last 12 days in Argentina and plotting ways to get "stuck" here.  ;)  Just kidding Mom.  Ciao!

Just a Glimpse...

...of our adventures today and what we'll be heading back to do tomorrow:

Iguazu, Argentina

Don't Forget Where You Are

...we're in Argentina.  For the good and the bad.

Sunday, March 12 - Feliz Pascuas!

Good: Easter morning after church and on our way to "brunch" where we had (gasp!) fruit!

Good: The park Sunday afternoon (still Easter).  Sharing some mate and loving the weather.

Good: Some sort of heron.  Beautiful!  

Good: Animals are friends.

Good: So are we!  Here we're paddle boating on the "lake" at the park.

Bad: The Cordoba bus station, my arch-nemesis.  I have never seen more people in one place.  Add to that the fact that Mom and I were tired and sweaty.  It was way less than fun.  No pictures of my arch-nemesis but I'll take a picture when Hubster and I head back.

Monday, April 13

Good: The cemetery in Recoleta, close to Tios' house.  Evita is buried here.  

And so is Alfonsin, the ex-president who died the first week we were in Argentina.

Loud Noises!!

From Wed 4/22/09

This morning as I walked to the laundry to drop off clothes, I heard a few random explosions.  It did not concern me as no one else on the street seemed to even hear it.  Maybe I should have been more concerned.

Now, about 20 minutes later, I’m sitting outside at a café and it seems there are a few groups protesting.  One of the staff at the hotelapart said it had something to do with the government, like always.  Every few minutes, another shot rings out.  My teeth rattle in my head and my eyes feel like they might pop out.  I’m sure it does not help that I’m still recovering from what I will always fondly refer to as “The Dengue.” 

 

ASIDE:  Please note, I DO NOT have dengue fever.  Though there is a dengue epidemic here in Argentina - it’s one of the many things Tia was worried about - I've just had a little upper respiratory junk for the last day or two.

Anyway...

I never thought of Washington DC as a quiet city, but after being in Argentina for awhile, I think I will relish in the quiet of our nation’s capital.  I told Diego yesterday that I’m not sure that I could live in Argentina for an extended period of time because of SAT (standard Argentine time) and the lack of respect for personal space.  I may add to that the noise.  So, if we were to live in a smaller town – Cordoba is the second largest city, behind BsAs – I think I could deal a lot better.  I could handle one out of the three, maybe even two, but I’d have to live in a padded room if I had to deal with all of this all the time. 

 

I don't want it to sounds like I’m unhappy here.  I really do love this country.  I love the culture, the food, the people.  I love all that the cities have to offer and all the peace and tranquility of the countryside.  I love how laid-back everyone is.  I love that the dollar is so strong in comparison to the peso.  I love that smoking is no longer permitted in public buildings, like restaurants.  I love the architecture. Did I mention that I love the food?  And the coffee!

Here comes another group.  Aumento de Salarios, Partido Obrero.  They have drums and flags and a loudhorn.  They even have police with them.  Oh please, please do not have bomb/gun/smoke/noise machines.  Whew.  No.  And I thought I’d have a peaceful café con leche this morning.  Ha!

FYI

It has taken me 3 days to find a place with wifi.  I'm currently sitting in the mall at a cafe.  Woot!  I was psyched until I realized that the internet hates me and after 30 minutes, the pictures are not uploading to my blog. On top of that, I can post but I can't actually see my blog homepage.  I get a weird error message in Spanish that I don't understand.  I should probably learn some more technology related vocabulary.  

Soooo.  Pictures may have to wait for awhile longer.  Sorry all!

**************************

Despues de tres dias, finalmente tengo wifi aca en un panaderia en el shopping.  Desafortunado, no puedo "upload" mis fotos a mi blog.  Me parece es porque el internet me odia.  Tambien, no puedo ver el "homepage" de mi blog.  Cuando intento a ver, hay un mensaje en Castellano que dice algo que no entiendo.  Que lastima!  Ojala vamos a tener fotos pronto.  Vamos a ver!

Rude in the Supermarket

Note: This is from Monday, April 20.

I get SO frustrated when I go to the grocery store.  It’s not so much the old ladies hitting me with their carts.  Or even the fact that I have to reach over 3 people to get to the yogurt.  It’s more that no one, EVER, says “sorry.”  Well, that’s not 100% true, but today it felt like it. 

 

This morning I slept in (FINALLY!!!) and then lazed about watching TV, filing my nails, and completing other important tasks.  When I did get dressed and out the door – around 11am – I stopped by ABLE, the Spanish school where Mark & Dan are taking classes.  I’m going to start individual classes this afternoon.

 

Afterward, I headed to grab a few things from the grocery.  A little note: my throat hasn’t been feeling good for a few days.  The rest of me feels fine, but my throat is having an “I hate Sarah” party.  So, when I get into the store and am bumped and bustled and shoved, my patience is about as thick as a well-made milanesa (aka: thin). 

 

The first trip we made to Argentina, I said “perdon” or “disculpa” or some other apologetic phrase every 3 minutes.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that NO ONE else was saying it back.  No one.  With the exception of other Americans, I guess.  This cultural phenomenon generally doesn’t phase me.  Latin culture is not very concerned with impeding on one’s personal space.  This goes for walking down the sidewalk, sitting in the movie theater and even driving.  Drivers rarely honk at each other even though the traffic is so crazy because, as one taxi driver told us, ‘it’s probably my fault anyway.’  Wow.  Back home, hitting someone’s cart in the grocery, let alone cutting someone off on the freeway, are legitimate reasons to start a physical altercation.  Not here. 

 

And generally, I like that.  I like that people here are laid back and don’t fuss over every little encroachment into personal space.  But today was not generally.  Today was sore-throat-and-all-I-want-is-that-yogurt-you-really-don’t-need-to-hit-me-with-your-cart-in-the-store.  I guess rude is relative, huh?

****************************************************************

En Castellano – el version corto - de 20 de Abril, el lunes

(Nota: es muy dificil para usar los accentos, entonces no voy a usar.  Ademas, mi Castellano es malo y muy simple.  Lo siento!)

 

Me encanta Argentina, obvio.  J  Pero no me gusta que la gente nunca dice “perdon” cuando tropeaza con mi.  Entiendo que es una diference entre nuestras culturas, pero cuando siento mal (como hoy, estoy un poco enferma), es mas dificil para abordar. 

 

La primera vez que estaba aca en Argentina, decia “disculpame” o “perdon” todo el tiempo, hasta di se cuenta que nadie dice. Me parece que es lo mismo cuando alguien esta manejando o caminando.  Un chauffer (de taxi) dijo que personas en sus autos no se enoja cuando el transito es loco porque, el dice “probablamente, es mi culpa”.  Wow, en EE.UU. no es lo mismo!

 

Hoy, estaba en el supermercado y una abuela casi me atropello con su carrito.  Usualmente no me molestia y me gusta la cultura “laid back”, pero hoy si.  Es lo mismo en cada pais latino?

And the winner is...

Thanks to http://www.random.org/ a winner has been randomly selected.

True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 10

Result: 7

JACKIE!!

Hooray! :) Thank you to everyone who entered my little contest. It was GREAT to hear from you all...especially those of you that I didn´t know read my blog! Jackie, I will be sending your special present to you when I get back to the States. I´ll even take a picture of it ASAP so you can wait in anticipation!

And for the rest of you, because you are all so wonderful, SURPRISE! you´re all getting a little something too. So, if you know I have your mailing address (I think that´s everyone but Emily), expect it a week or two after we return - May 11th.

Amanda - I read your blog too! Lily is really really ridiculously cute. :)

Emily - WELCOME! Any friend of Heather´s is a friend of mine! Do you have a blog?

Cous - I know that I must have read your blog back in the day, but I totally forgot about it...will you be keeping up with it this month? Tell Colin HI!

Liz, Brent, E&A, Linz, Lyla, Seeeeeester and ´man-face, I love you all too. :)

Alright, so clearly I´m way behind on stories and pictures. Hubster and I are back in Cordoba, the Mommas are back in the US of A. I´m recovering from exhaustion - but the good kind. And I´ll be back soon with updates.

Abrazos para todos.

OH y Diogo, si estas leyendo, voy a escribir mas en Castellano, te promito!!! Necesitamos hablar con Skype pronto...pero ahora en nuestro aparthotel no hay WiFi. :(

A Little Reward

I'm curious to see who all is reading my blog.  Therefore, I will be hold a little contest.  It'll be easy!

1.  Leave a comment on this post (no later than Friday, April 17 at 5pm EST) saying what you've enjoyed about our stories, what you want to hear more about, which pictures you liked...whatever you want, really!

2.  I will randomly choose a commenter to receive a fantastic* Argentine prize!

3.  If you win, I'll contact you (probably via email since I'm pretty sure I know everyone reading...but if I happen not to know you, that's okay too...I'm happy to have you here) to figure out when/where to send your prize!

*Fantastic prize is subject to availability and creativity of blog author, not to mention her will to not eat tasty food that is meant for others.

Wooooot!

Photojournal - Cordoba (Days 11-14)

Tuesday & Wednesday: In CORDOBA!!

Mom and I relaxed at one of the sidewalk cafes in the pedestrian area of the city.  Cordoba was founded by a group of Jesuits and to this day there are so many gorgeous churches and wide, cobbled streets.  

We thought we'd be visiting one of the city museums, but it was actually a cultural center.  It had the most gorgeous garden in the back.  Shock of all shocks, they use CFL bulbs!

The de-sanctified church at the Paseo del Buen Pastor.  It is a beautiful space that's now used for concerts and cultural events.

The "real" church across the street from Buen Pastor, La Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon.  A-M-A-zing.  It's huge and gothic and is so different from all the other churches in Cordoba.  

 

Wednesday night, Mom and I went out for a little pre-dinner cerveza.  While we were enjoying the gorgeous weather (did I mention that it was about 85 and sunny the whole week?? yep!), there was a young guy playing his saxophone on the street.  Nothing could have set the mood better.  Tons of people milling about, with an occasional nun or priest.  Street vendors selling necklaces and boot-leg DVDs.  And a saxophonist rocking out.  Pretty great.  :)

Thursday:  LA CUMBRECITA! 

Thursday, Hub and Mom and I went to La Cumbrecita, one of the last pedestrian only cities in the world.  After a bumpy start (a bus trip that was WaaaaaaaY longer than expected and too much water in my bladder, among other things), we finally rounded the bend to this view.  The buildings are hard to see, but they are all nestled in the valley and up the side of the mountain.

We went horseback riding to see the place.  Hubster pretended to be a gaucho; he's practicing for our (hopefully!!!) time on the ranch in May.

Mom busted out some moves of her own.  It's been a while since she's been riding, but she's always been a natural.  These pictures do not do justice to the colors in the mountains and the sky.  You should just go and see it for yourself!

It's really hard for me, since my husband and my mom don't get along.  See?  :)

Here is the gorgeous waterfall in Cumbrecita.  If it had been just a tad hotter, and we'd had a little longer to dry off, I would have gone for a swim in the pool.  

Cerveza!!! (That's "water" for all of you who don't know Spanish!)

Diego literally ate every type of sweet thing he could find in Cumbrecita: alfajores, chocolates, raspberry empanadas...and more!

Meet Olivia, the baby Mom stole on our bus ride home.  Well, only for about an hour while Olivia's mom took a nap.  I told Mom this is as close as she's getting to grandkids for a few years. 

Thursday night: CARNE!!!

When we got back from La Cumbrecita, we went to an amazing parilla for dinner.  Here's Mark scarfing down some Cebicho...or was it Cabita...maybe Cepito?  Whatever it was, we didn't start eating until midnight and didn't head home until after 2am!  Bienvenido a Argentina folks.

Friday: Being tourists, Ferria, and JESUS!

In the crypts of Cordoba.

Our view during lunch.  Where I got bit by mosquitos, hoping they are the ones NOT carrying Dengue Fever.  Sweet.  At least the gnocchi (like potato dumplings) were tasty!  Priorities, right?

Then we went to the ferria (artisan's fair).  It was HUUUUGE.  In total, there were probably enough vendors to fill 2 city blocks.  

Thursday night, Mom and I wandered around the city for a bit and ended up joining the Maundy Thursday processional through the streets re-enacting the crucifixion of Christ.  It was the most intense and moving Easter event I've ever seen.

Saturday:  LA CUMBRE!  PARAGLIDING!

On the bus ride to La Cumbre, we drove past a gorgeous lake, right beside the "mountains" (not really mountains by our NC standards, but still pretty :)).

Diego and Mark in the back of the truck on the way to the top of the mountain.  It was more than a little dusty and I was SO happy that my camera didn't get filled with dirt and stop working!

The whole crew, waiting to strap in and jump off!

Mom and Kelley just before take-off!  They were ready!

Just after take-off, here's the view of the launch site.  This is also where most people landed.  We immediately gained at least a few hundred feet of lift...it was incredible!

Here's what my view was like.  20 minutes of bliss and so worth it!

My love, flying!

After paragliding, we had lunch in La Cumbre.  It's a tiny little town northwest of Cordoba; so small that most stores are closed for siesta between 1 and 5pm.