So...

Here is the update that I have been putting off for too too long! I worked like crazy last week, and now this week I am only working Tues. and Thurs. so I am trying to be creative with my days.

Today I walked to the other famous cemetary in BA, the cemetary where legendary tango singer Carlos Gardel is buried. His tomb is way, way more exciting than Evita's, and is really highly decorated and obviuously visited regularly by many people. Some have created their own plaques to put up around his statue, and they regularly put lit cigarettes in his hand. This cemetary was very different than the Recoleta cemetary in that there was not so much art. The tombs were nowhere near as ornate as in Recoleta. It is much more an all-business cemetary. The place is designed with streets, so you can drive up to pay respects, then drop your flowers and drive back to work, or wherever you are headed. It is also in a rougher area, so there seemed to be fewer tourists and people wandering.

I have to admit it feels weird to be in a cemetary taking pictures, and I am sure that to some of the people there it was not exactly a respectful thing for me to be doing, but on the other hand some of the tombs are really beautiful and covered in art, so I just went ahead and snapped away. Now, with some of the tombs I can focus on the art. On others, the glass is missing and you look right into the tomb where you can see the coffins and everything. So spooky. I am just waiting for some bony hand to reach out and grab me, so I don't take too many close-ups of those.

The pictures I took of the cemetery are here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=euxw6si.7ixxco7m&x=0&y=-iedzvf

Then on the way back I was snapping some of the houses and colorful parts of the streets, and this man came out and started asking me why I was taking pictures. Apparently it is common for people to take pictures of houses, then to come back and rob them. Yikes! So I quickly explained I was just taking them for myself and scooted off. But apparently the way people get your attention here is to make like the pssst noise at you until you turn around. Now, this is only the men who do that, but I had it done to me all day, and it's a really annoying little habit the guys here have. Sheesh!

Also the sun here is incredibly hot, so I have been wearing suntan lotion and a hat everywhere, not exactly the pinnacle of fashion, but better to be safe. You see, the part of the ozone that is missing goes over Argentina, so you get fried here just thinking about a sunny day. You still see people out there lying in the sunshine, but it's going to lead to some very quick lobster-skin action, I assure you.

Other fun facts, this weekend we walked up to the Belgrano feria and found the best ice cream place we have tried so far, but I will take it as a personal mission to find the best, so need to thank me, I will do it as a duty to my faithful readers and for those who plan on coming to visit and want only the best!!! That feria also had some cool stuff, but I am also determined to check out all of those and see which offers the most interesting in the way of shopping and has the lowest crap to buyable products ratio.

And it turns out that my roommate is a pretty funny guy, though he hasn't a clue how funny he is. The first example was when we were playing a drinking game and we had to come up with a category to list from, then the first to not think of something in the category loses...you get the idea. Ok, well the normal categories are, like, types of beer or cars or colors, and Ian goes "people who were alive before 1000 AD." The next day we were walking through the Belgrano shopping area and there's a towel that has all this goth stuff, with big studded belts and chains and scary-looking jewelry that belongs at a Marilyn Manson concert, and he goes, in all seriousness "Ahh, and here are some nice chains if you're looking for something in the kind of punk fashion..." kills me!

The photos I took today I would put all on here, but they are really large photos so it takes a while to upload them. Anyhow I hope you are enjoying them and I will try not to let it get so long between blogs again.

Also, as a final happy/crazy note, Levi is coming down here in November to live with me and teach as well, so if you want to see him before he comes down you'd better schedule quick!