Mar Del Plata Photos (from Amanda)

Me, Levi, Adrian Me, Levi, Adrian, Kea
Me and Levi (my favorite!)
Midnight on Christmas Eve-That's our waiter from the Tenedor Libre ("Free Fork" aka All-You-Can-Eat) Chinese food place where we celebrated.
Levi, Kea, Adrian

12 Dias de Navidad

As adapted from Davin...He is just so clever!

12 Dìas de La Navidad en Buenos Aires (12 Days ofChristmas)

En el primer dìa de La Navidad mi amor me dìo....
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...(trying singing along)

1 Camisa Negra- as in "Tengo la Camisa Negra" by Juanes. If you don't know who Juanes is, then stop, go out and buy the album 'Mi Sangre' and listen to "La Camisa Negra" on repeat while dancing around your living room in your underwear. The song will never leave your head, and your life will be that much better for it.

2 Kilos of Carne! I know am abnormally obsessed with meat for an ex-vegetiarian (Davin), but it's so frickin' good!

3 Friends a-leaving. Sadness. In the last weeks I have had to say goodbye to Brett, Gina and Vanessa! I miss ya girls!

4 Empanadas Dancing. Dance Empanadas, Dance! You haven't lived until you see empanadas dancing in the street!

5 Subte Lines! The very alphabetically named A, B, C, D, and E lines.Though I am mainly a D girl myself. At 70 centavos( .25US) they are the quickest, cheapest way to get around, if you can deal with hot, sweaty Argentines below ground....good god!

6 Piqueteros picketing. A new day, a new picket.....makes me late for work! Note: because it is so regular its a good excuse for being late even if for other reasons.

7 Cartoneros Carting- after The Crisis in 2001, many people were left broke and jobless, so now lots of people are 'Cartoneros' (Cardboard People), and they walk around collecting cardboard and other recyclables from people's trash, and then sell it to recycling companies. Note: on average, a cartonero working 12-14 hour days will make about 50 pesos a week(that's less than $20 US folks!). Sucky.

8 Mullets Marching! I don't know why, but the idea of mullets marching brings a perma-smile to my face.

9 Trips to the ferias, where I walk along with five thousand other shoppers (junk-sifters) in hopes of finding a cool pair of earrings or sweet smelling soap to take home with me. Note: You have lived on and worked for pesos too long when you can, with a straight face, say "18 pesos? For a leather belt? That is outrageous!" Remember, 18 pesos = $6.

10 Alfajores. Oh, Alfajores! How I love thee... For those unenlightened folks, alfajores are yummy chocolate covered, dulce de leche(caramel) filled cornflower biscuit goodness.

11 Porteños Partying. Porteño (Port Dweller) is the name for the residents of BA. Quick analogy: New York is to New Yorker - as - Buenos Aires is to Porteño

12 Scoops of ice cream! Buenos Aires has the best ice cream in the world and I would eat it every day if I could afford it and/or still fit into my pants!

¡Espero que todos hayan tenido Felices Fiestas y que tengan Feliz Año Nuevo! Besos!!!

quick update from mardel

we are in mar del plata right now which is nice, though not quite as sunny as we had hoped. the first place we stayed had a curfew of 11 p.m which as you know is usually when we are just heading out to start our evening, so we quickly moved to the hotel po which has, in contrast to the other place, a 24 hour open door poilcy and toilet paper in the room, with a spare roll! we are thrilled with our new accomodations, though we haven't tried the shower yet, which is one of those shower head in the middle of the wall deals. i guess you can sit on the toilet and shower at the same time? i will take a picture to show you what i mean, but you literally have to take the tp out of the room as everything gets completely soaked. tonight we are going to have dinner with friends who are here, and then tomorrow we head back on the train. the trip down on the train pretty much sucked, as first class must only mean that we have seats, or something, because it was crowded and dirty and the lights were somehow hooked up to the wheels so every time the train stopped the entire train went pitch black. very strange. so i hope you are having a nice holiday, i am sad i can't be there with you but i am sure it will be great, hi to everyone from me and i will update again soon!!!

Bike Tour

This was a bike tour we did while Dad and Ian were here, which actually happened before our trip to Iguazu, but I forgot to put the pictures up. Anyhow, we rented bikes for three hours and were led by Mauro, our fearless leader, through San Telmo, La Boca, including El Caminito, and Puerto Madero. Now, I thought, seeing as how the drivers here are insane, that we would be a lot safer with a guide, someone who could take us off the busy streets and onto the more quiet, safe streets. Turns out there are no much things, or we got an exceptionally adventurous guide. At one point, after we crossed a very busy street which was very clearly marked with a red light, Mauro got us caught behind a bus, and Ian and I watched in shock as another came up on him and sandwiched him between, nearly knocking him onto the curb. There is obviously no such thing as"right of way" if you are on a bike. Eek. But it was exciting!







Mauro telling us the history of the Boca flag. Turns out the colors for the teams in BA had to be decided and agreed upon, and two teams liked the same design. The colors seen today were determined by the Boca team losing to another team in a soccer match, so they got the originally sought after red and blue, or whatever it was. So, the Boca team, needing inspiration, went to the harbor and decided that whatever the flag was if the next ship to arrive, those would be their colors. Well, it was a Swedish flag, blue and yellow, so that is how they decided their colors, and is also why you will see those flags in the stands during the game, along with the actual Boca flags.







Dad looking out over La Boca from the highest hill in BA












Ian on his bike.
























Ian and Dad on El Caminito, famous for its colorful houses. Legend has it people were so poor they couldn't afford paint, so they took whatever the men in the shipyards could give them, hence the mismatched, vibrant colors.













Us in front of the Casa Rosada at the end of the tour.








The bikes!

Iguazu Day 3-The Return

The third day we were pretty much done with the falls, so we decided to check out what the town hd to offer. Now, keep in mind this is a town where the major landmark is the stoplight. So next to uur hotel there was a bird sanctuary, which was actually really cool, then we also wanted to check out the hummingbird farm. But first we had to get there, and as you can see we spent a lot of time waiting. Here is Dad´s pose while he waits for the infamous bus. By now the Remis guys had stopped trying...

A Picaflor caught in action. That hummingbird farm? Um, yeah, a lady's backyard with a bunch of feeders hanging from her tree branches and some benches. She told us about the "sugar soup" (sopa de azucar) she cooks for them and how they go through 1 kilo of sugar a day.
At the bird sanctuary we also saw monkeys in the trees above us. Below us I almost stepped in monkey poo. This country is full of landmines!
This is a falcon or hawk (or eagle! thanks, Dad), excuse my lack of bird specifics, that was rescued and was being rehabilitated. Interesting fact: they don't drink any water.
Iguazu (Also spelled Iguasu and Iguacu) is full of butterflies. Here is one that landed on Ian's foot. He was a real butterfly magnet, actually.
Our last lunch! We had a big bottle of water, big bottle of coke, 8 empanadas, 2 plates of fries, 1 big sandwich and 2 tostadas (small sandwiches toasted on white bread) for $32 pesos. That's $10 U.S. Can you believe it?
Me and Ian in the forest.
An iguana that crossed our path on the tour.
Barn owls nesting in a tree trunk.
Toucan Sam. We learned that, as babies, you can fit about 4 of these these into a thermos. They go for about $6000 Euros apiece on the black market. That's how most of the ones in this place got there, they were found being smuggled out of the country. 2 thoermoses-worth bring more than my teacher's salary for the year in the U.S. This is a really crazy tree-it surrounds a tree and suffocates and kills it, then continues to grow but you can see in the gaps where the original tree was before it died.

Iguazu Day 2-The Falls

Day 2 started with an early wake-up, breakfast and then a ride into the park. Once there, our intrepid guide, Gustavo, told us our route and led us in. We started with a look at the falls from the top, and as you can imagine with every new angle came a new photo op...Here is Levi looking very Indiana Jones, ready for a jungle adventure!

Me and Dad from the last lookout.

Ian and Dad in front of the falls.

And again...the falls

Falls

Bretty at the falls. This picture was taken before she met with her arch nemesis, the guy who took a million pictures and a video of his wife at every stop. We literally had to wait at one stop while he took about 4,000 pitures of her at very slightly different angles, then when he finished he pulled out a video camera to follow her with as well. I thought Bretty would go crazy.

I took this one to try and show how powerful they are. Very soon we were about to be under these...

What a handsome group. Note, the one nice picture of the five of us and we have very thoroughly covered the entire view of the falls, unless you look very carefully through Dad's legs or just to the left of Ian...or see the five pics above and you get where we were.

The boat ride brings you RIGHT under the falls. To say we were soaked is an understatement. We were driven under pelting water that really didn't allow you to breathe or open your eyes. We were totally drenched. Now, wanting to document this awesome adventure Brett tried to buy an underwater camera the day before. The store didn't have any underwater cameras but the girl there convinced Bretty to try a water-resistant camera. "Just don't submerge it," she said. On the bus ride home Brett took a more careful look at the camera and read this distinct warning: keep away from high heat and moisture. Hmmmm...can't wait to see how those pictures turn out!

Me and Levi at the falls.

Iguazu Day 1-The Arrival

So I want to start by saying that the entire trip was awesome and amazing and so incredibly fun that I would not change a thing. We laughed and had adventures every day, the guides were great, the buses all arrived and brought us where we needed to be for each of our trips, the restaurants were good...nothing to complain about! Awesome!
Day 1: Wake up at 5, get into cab, arrive at the airport around 6:30 for flight at 7:50. Go through gate and take a shuttle roughly 75 feet to the plane where we are let off and board the shuttle. 9:30 arrive at the airport and are met by our friendly driver. Taken to hotel Orquideas Palace, or as we renamed it, Giant Scary Bug Central! We had so many bugs in our hallway it was crazy, but most were just big moths and beetles, nothing dangerous. The rooms were really nice, with AC, very important for Iguazu which is very hot and humid. We were sweating pretty much nonstop for the three days we were there. Well, by about 11 we decided to get lunch and explore town. We heard about a bus that runs into town every half hour so we headed out to catch it, and were immediately accosted by a taxi driver who was insistent on taking us into town. We wanted to take the bus, and Levi and I, who were lagging behind, were approached by another taxi driver who the first one called to to tell him "son baratas!" (they're cheap!) so we were left to take the bus, but not before a good recommendation for lunch, which we noted and hopped onto the bus into town. After a slight detour into one of the nearby suburbs we rode into and almost through town. I finaly looked back at Dad to tell him I think we had just gone through town, so we hopped off the bus. He said "I was looking for the town square!" so we all started looking around for street names to find ourselves on the map. A nice lady came over and luckily was frm the tourist board, and said, uh, we were IN the town square. Basically, Iguazu is tiny and we just saw it as we drove through. So we decided to find lunch then head for a walk around town. We found a place offering a 15 peso lunch deal which included about 7 different salads, 6 meats and a drink, per person! It was wild and a realy good lunch.
We then headed to the 3 points, where 3 rivers meet and from there you can see Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. We decided to walk down, which was just so hot I can't even describe it, but we were all drenched and really excited to find a popsicle vendor at the end of the walk. The view was really cool and we took some pictures etc. to verify we were there!
Next came ride home and siesta, followed by a couple hours of rigorous ping pong. It was Levi's first real game, keeping points and everything. It was really fun, though played in a game room about 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity! Then we went in for drinks followed by dinner and then bed. We loved our waiter, who we named Timothy, who had "gummy hands" which were injured trying to open a beer, and snarfed the peanuts we asked for while behind the counter before bringing us the next round. He was a riot!

Me and Ian at the 3 points

One of the unofficial guests found in our hotel At the start of our trek to the 3 points. We're smiling now...we didn't know what was coming!
The 3 points-to the left, Paraguay, to the right, Brazil
The hotel, home of bugs, Timothy, ping pong and the pool!

Dinner At Olsen

First night in Buenos Aires we took Ian and Dad and Brett and Gina (well, Dad took us all, but I showed them the way!) to Olsen in Palermo Hollywood. The food is great, we all enjoyed the slow cooked lamb except for Brett who opted for the salmon option, and of course we each took a taste of the final dessert sampler platter. We gave each one a thumbs up, FYI!

Gina took this one. To get a good pose she told us to "look adoringly at each other..."

Bretty and Ian, having a good time chatting Brett: Lecky is so annoying with the camera! Just smile and she'll stop. Ian: I know, yet I am hypnotized by the flashing light!
Gina: "Hey, OK, this is like the 13th picture you have taken of me, just get it over with already!" Leck: "I see you and Ian laughing at me, we're almost done!" Dad: "Cheese!"
Yay! Family finally here! And we get to go back to one of our favorite restaurants! We love any excuse to come here!

BA by Numbers

So lately I have been too lazy to blog, and no one has commented for ages so I figure no one reads these things anyway, but Davin has gone and done a whole lot of work for me, so I am taking his blog and putting it here. Note: most of this does not apply to me at all, but it's funny. At the end I am adding a few numbers of my own.

-Buenos Aires by Numbers-

60,000
# of sweaty Argentines who attended Creamfields2005, an international electronic music fesival which featured PaulOakenfold, Prodigy, 2 many DJ's, and many more. Pretty much a huge rave in the Ecological reserve, partying til sun-up, and then a little more....ridongculous
103
number of 1L bottles of Quilmes beer consumed at my'Fiesta de Inauguration' (House-warming Party), whereover 80 Argentines partied and danced salsa on myterrace till 7am. note: all 103 bottles, and a fewstray passed-out Argentines laid strewn out on theterrace the morning after. Alexis note: I was there too!
2
times daily I drink Mate with my roomies
3
times daily I have the 'mate shits' as a result of above figure. note: mate is a direutic.....maybe thats why everyone has a bidet down here... Alexis note: Davin thought this was ok to post so I am too, though my shitting schedule remains, and always will remain, a secret.
150
the price in Pesos for life fulfillment...Coincidently its also the same price as my floorticket to see The Rolling Stones the day before myB.day!!! Alexis note: I heard a nasty rumor that they have changed their schedule and aren't coming here any more? If they do I am taking Liz and Christy!!! Yeah!
1 in 30
# of Argentines who have undergone plastic surgery since 1970
35
number of really drunk people on the 'Party Bus', a ridiculous train-shaped, christmas-light adorned bus rented out by Lisa and Hannah for their 21st B-days. The sole purpose of the 'Party Bus' is to drive around Buenos Aires, blasting silly Spanish music, dancing, drinking and being quite obscene.
5
average number of text messages a day I recieve from my boyfriend....yikes, while though sweet, latin american men are very um....passionate(read:needy). sample message: 'Buen dia mi sol de primavera! Te extraño mucho! Creo que tengo el novio mas lindo delplaneta! Que tenga un buen dia y te mando besos debuena suerte para que te dure todo el dia. Nos vemospronto. tu novio Ysmael' Translation: Hello my springtime sunshine! I miss you tons! I think you are the most beautiful boyfriend on the planet. I am sending you kisses to last you all day. See you soon. Your boyfriend, Ysmael. Alexis note: Awww! Lucky!
7
times a week that Lindsay(my awesome, crazy Canadian roomate) and I do the 'I-Love-Our-House-Dance', in the living room, in the kitchen, the terrace and sometimes on Nigel's bed (sorry Nige if you read this!).
300 ft.
The size of the massive, pink condom that was puton the Obelisk(looks just like the Washington Monument) for World Aids Day on Dec 1st. I don't know why, but a 300 ft pink condom just has to put a smile on your face. It just does.
5
the price, in pesos an hour, of our weekly maid. So for approx. US$1.75 an hour someone cleans our house and does our dishes...it somehow feels wrong, but then again, OUR maid has her OWN maid too, so I guess that makes it better... Alexis note: We have a maid, I have no idea how much she is paid, but I do my own dishes. Perhaps I don't have to?
3,800
the GDP in US dollars per Capita in Argenina.
40,100
the GDP in US dollars per Capita in the US.
9
number of avocados used during the only 'Mexgiving' party held in Buenos Aires. We figured that spicyMexican food was something we were thankful for, and just as rare as finding a turkey here, so we celebrated Thanksgiving, with glorious guacamole, pico de gallo and fajitas...isn't that how the pilgrims did it? Alexis note: I think it was more than 9!!!
3
# of Presidents in Argentina since 1914 to complete a full term and hand power to an elected succesor.
100
number of dancing, naked transvestites at the glorious' Marcha del Orgulloso Gay'(Gay Pride Parade)in Buenos Aires. Which was pretty much just a huge excuse tohave a 30,000 strong gay party in the streets,complete with beer, music, and oh yeah, lots of gaymos... a good time had by all.
7
number of random CC kids in Buenos Aires at one time(shout outs to: Kea, Lisa, Caitlyn, Caroline, Kat,and Christian.)
10,000
number of sweaty Argentines at the fucking Manu Chau concert
3
number of Armenian bakeries in a 3 block radius of my house that sell the most bomb hummus, eggplant puree, roasted red pepper purée, and flatbread for aboutUS$1.50 each for a huge tub....yummy!
2hours.
The amount of time that Duran Duran rocked during a hits-packed show to a ridiculous crowd of jumping sweaty Argentines at PersonalFest, a huge 2 day concert(fest, if you will)...Erykah Badu was there too, but she kinda sucked.
84 degrees farenhieght.
The average temperature here during the month of December! Woo hoo! not a snowy x-mas after all. Though it is so humid and hot that often I wake up in a pool of my own sweat....ewwww Alexis note: Sadly this is true. Double ewwww
8
number of eggs used in ritualistic preperation, by my roomates and I, of a true-blue American breakfast...one of the only things our country does well. Alexis note: Yes, I really miss scrambled eggs!
8,000
total number of Goth kids in BA. Also, the same number of the amount of people shouting 'I want to fuck you like an animal' at the fucking amazing NIN concert...another childhood dream come true. Alexis note: This was not my cup of tea, but Levi went and came home soaked with sweat, only some of which was his
8
number of 'small-world' coincidences I have experienced down here. For example, randomly bumping into Caitlyn Florentine(a fab CC girl) in a Locutorio two blocks from my house, only to find that we actually live on the SAME block, and you can see my terrace from her terrace. Note: I had NO clue that she was in Buenos Aires! Crazay!
4
the number of time that the word 'Ole' is used in a popular soccer chant. It must be noted that Argentines tend not to be too creative and they use this chant at every large event... for example,
'ole ole ole ole du-ran, du-ran'
'ole ole ole ole (erykah)ba-du, ba-du'
'ole ole ole ole pearl jam, pearl jam' translated, using Spanish phonetics, to Pearl Ham! Ha!
20
Number of times I have watched Napoleon Dynamite over the last two weeks because I decided to teach it to my advanced students. Note to teachers, it is really hard to understand, and you have to be able to describe things like numb chucks, T.O.'d, and ligers with a straight face...
5
Days in bed that I spent due to illness
1
Roll of toilet paper I went through in one day blowing my nose, followed by boxes (plural) of kleenex over the next few days.
7
Classes this week that people didn't show up for, leading to:
11
Hours spent waiting for students to show up, as a result of only
1
text message sent letting me know my class was cancelled, which I received
2
minutes after I arrived to teach it. Grrr.
17
Hours til Dad and Ian arrive in Buenos Aires, I am so excited to have visitors! Will take lots of pics and blog more later.
1,000,000
¡Besos mando!

Haircuts!

Levi and I got haircuts! We have been sick so it was a fun outing. Other than that the report would be from bed and involve a lot of sneezing and snot, so I will save you from that. Upcoming: Levi goes to Nine Inch Nails, Alexis goes to work, We *maybe* collect our money from working at camp, Dad and Ian come for a visit! Details to come...