Sometimes I wonder if I’m losing my mind; going mad. I wonder if it’s due to all of the changes that are inherent to travel. So many numbers to keep track of – dates, times, Uruguay pesos, Argentine pesos, where were we when, and where and when we are going. Buying tickets in advance and keeping track of where they live in my bag or backpack and which backpack. Here is an instance of when I truly felt like a dolt: this morning I ran the cold water faucet in the shower waiting and waiting for hot water. I lost track of whether it’s the left or the right spigot!

We arrived in Mendoza yesterday morning around 10 am after an overnight bus ride from Buenos Aires which we arrived in from Montevideo around 2, I think. Our bus left BA for Mendoza at 8:40 pm so we had some time to fritter away. We knew that the first thing we wanted to do was to return to Cafe Negro for an extra special filtrado coffee. We had stopped in there on the 28th January on our way to the ferry to Montevideo. We sat at the counter. I watched the barista prepare a coffee with such care and attention. She ground a bit of coffee; swirled it; inspected it; tossed it. Then she ground a bit more and performed the same ritual. The third grind proved to be just what she wanted. Next steps: slowly pour water over the filter; add ground coffee; diligently pour water over the coffee, wafting steam to nose to assure proper aroma is being created.

I mentioned to her that I was impressed with the care she took. She proudly proclaimed that she was a proper barista, studied coffee, and as this was her job, she was going to do it right.

So, into Cafe Negro for a properly prepared filtrado. And yes, it was the smoothest, richest cup of black coffee I’ve ever had.

The bus ride passed uneventfully and pretty quickly for a 13 hour trip. Overnight helped. 180 degree reclining seats with pillow and blanket helped. Wine with dinner helped. It felt like being on an international flight, right down to the pork and potato hot dinner in a tinfoil try, only more comfortable.

We’ve had a couple of days of wandering without accomplishing much, being thwarted in our intentions. Yesterday, our walk to Cerro de la Glorieta in General San Martin park to watch sunset from that high point was a bust. We thought we had plenty of time to meander through that beautiful park and make it to the top, but no. And we were hoofing it. It’s a lot further than google let on – trickster google. The park is enormous with trails and roads and water and grassy areas. Hordes were out en masse running. Families sat in the grass. Bicyclists zoomed up and down the road to the Cerro, as did buses and cars. I had thought the hike would be on a trail. Maybe we took a wrong turn.  Here’s a few pics of the park.The above tree is a sauce (sa-u-say), weeping willow, the national tree of Argentina.

We walked so much yesterday that I developed heat rash on my legs. This is a new and unwelcome part of being in my sixties I think. I got it a few times hiking the camino, too. Madenning – Madning – Maddening … How do you spell that word?

Today. Oof. A lost afternoon in Maipu. Lessons learned on travel and not trusting blog post data. Go to this road. Hop on this bus number. Get off and rent bikes. It sounded so straight forward. That bus number never came. A bus saying Maipu did come so on we jumped. It took forever. We got off in this desolate mad town of Maipu. Stores closed up. No cafes around. Any small shops that were open would only talk to you through a small opening. After finally getting some info as to where the tourist office was located we headed there. More info on where to go, what bus to take to the Gutierrez train station to rent bikes. Listening intently to rapid Spanish; getting clarification – trying to. Make it to the bus stop and all the buses going by do not have the numbers we were given. Nor do they match any of the numbers listed at the bus stop. Finally, a bus comes round with a Gutierrez sign, but not the number. In we go. By now it’s way to late to think about renting bikes. It’s 3 and the wineries close at 6 and they are about 5 miles away. So, back to Mendoza where we immediately headed to a gelato shop to soothe our cranky selves.

We did see some stately old buildings on our mad Maipu jaunt, former homes of wine barons.

I have to say that Charlie and I maneuvered through this rather difficult stretch with aplomb. I mean, the outing was a bust. And that’s why people sign up for tours. Yet, there’s something about finding – and losing – and finding your own way. There’s something about stopping and talking to people to get help in finding your way. There’s something about being in partnership and finding patience and understanding in a messed up marathon of trying to get somewhere. It was like a bad dream, when you need to run, but your legs are leaden.

And now we know exactly what to do, where to go, and the best time. Tomorrow we try again! We are akin to the Argentine symbol: hands clasped in unity; sun rising over a new day; the Phrygian cap of the liberated upon our heads. Okay, we don’t have Phrygian caps.

Mendoza is an oasis of green and water in an arid climate. Acequias run throughout the city providing water to the parks, the trees, the fountains. I read that it’s glacial run off from the Andes.

The next two photos were taken from the 14th floor of a hotel terrace. Way better than the Cerro de la Glorieta. Easier to get to and cocktails!

Since when does “playa” mean parking garage? And how did avocados become “paltos”? Squid rings are “rabas.” There’s a whole new vocabulary to enrich my store.

As the sun sets behind the Andes, the clouds light up.

Are you wondering about Phrygian caps? Here’s the wikipedia entry:

The Phrygian cap or liberty cap is a soft conical cap with the apex bent over, associated in antiquity with several peoples in Eastern Europe and Anatolia, including Phrygia, Dacia, and the Balkans. In early modern Europe it came to signify freedom and the pursuit of liberty through a confusion with the pileus, the felt cap of manumitted (emancipated) slaves of ancient Rome. In artistic representations it signifies freedom and the pursuit of liberty.

It is used in the coat of arms of certain republics or of republican state institutions in the place where otherwise a crown would be used (in the heraldry of monarchies). It thus came to be identified as a symbol of the republican form of government. A number of national personifications, in particular France’s Marianne, are commonly depicted wearing the Phrygian cap.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It reminds me of the beanies that are so popular with young people nowadays.

And by the way – the Smurfs are wearing Phrygian caps! 

 

Or so we are told. We’ve had glimpses of the Andes so far but not a full view.

We arrived this morning in Mendoza after a really long day of travel. We caught the 11 AM ferry from Montevideo to Buenos Aires where we hung around for an afternoon until our 840 bus to Mendoza, arriving here at 10 this morning.

We had booked a first class suite on the bus since it was only ten dollars more than the regular class. It was pretty nice, for a bus, and definitely worth the extra money. We had a hot meal as the trip got underway and something they call breakfast in the morning. The seats were equipped with a blanket, pillow and an on-demand personal entertainment systems with all the movies you wouldn’t pay money to see but might if it was free and you wouldn’t mind falling asleep while watching. And the seat back reclines to about 170 degrees, which is about what my recliner does when I fall asleep at night, ten minutes or so after I tell Paula I’ll be coming to bed in a few minutes. I always wake up in an hour, usually with a headache and wishing I’d actually gone to bed after brusing my teeth. That is sort of how I slept in the bus, having missed the end of a movie I’ll never see again and in a place with a bathroom where you wouldn’t want to take your toothbrush. Which is not a problem if you accidentally left your toothbrush in your checked luggage. Other than that, it was fine. I turned on an audiobook and slept through a few chapters, so I really wasn’t very tired today.

We spent the day walking. Our hotel was not ready for us, which we expected, so we dropped off our bags and followed the desk attendent’s direcctions to a wonderful cafe for brunch. It was quite good.

We then took a to hour a walk through the western part of the city. Mendoza is the fourth largest city in Argentina, with a population of about 850,000 in the metropolitan area. That’s about one order of magnitude smaller than Buenos Aires, and it definitely feels smaller. It is a very pleasant city to walk in, if you don’t mind broken up sidewalks. The interlacing of old and new architectural styles and building methods gives plenty of visual treats. Mature trees line both sides of the streets resulting in comfortable shady oases to provide relief from the hot sun.

After checking in and freshening up a bit and then walked back to the bus station to buy tickets for our upcoming trip to Cordoba that we could not purchase on line for some reason. After having experienced the organized chaos in the Buenos Aires terminal last night, the Mendoza terminal reminded us of differences in the two cities.

A network of canals moves lots of water through the city. They line the streets, passing underground here and there. I have not yet found an explanation regarding the source of the water, but I intend to learn more about it during the next few days.

We wanted to watch the sun set over the Andes and decided we would walk to the Cerro de la Gloria, a high point at the westerm edge of the city in General San Martin State Park. I checked with Mr. Google, and saw it was about a forty five minute walk, so we headed out quite a bit earlier than necessary to be there for sunset. Unfortunately Mr. Google’s information was probably gleaned from the internet, and after about ninety minutes, as the sun was setting, we were still very far from getting to the top of the hill.

With tears in our eyes we headed back to town, stopping only for a fabulous meal, and committed to starting earlier tomorrow. Possibly, we thought, it might be appropriate to try one of the many buses that passed us along the way.

It wasn’t a wasted trip, though. The state park is really beautiful. There were thousands or runners, walkers and bicyclers enjoying the late afternoon in the park. None of them made appearance in these photos.

On the way back to our hotel around midnight we passed the Plaza Independencia, the main city square, for a nightime view of the flourescent expression of community pride.

On the way home we spotted a tall hotel with a rooftop restaurant and immediately amended our sunset plans and will now watch from the fifteenth floor, possibly with a glass of local wine.

Our other plan for tomorrow is to take the light rail to Maipu and tour wineries by bicycle. I am pondering whether that is another of those adventures that fare better in the planning than the execution. It is supposed to be somewhere near 90 degrees tomorrow, which isn’t particularly good bicycling conditions, as far as I am concerned, and after a glass of wine or two we might have second thoughts when it is too late to act on them. I’m trying to keep an open mind about it, regardless of what you are reading between the lines.

Later:

Charlie

I don’t know how I got the reputation for being a sarcastic SOB probably it is because I earned it. I say that because I realized the title of my recent post about Montevideo being a “civilized place” has probably been misconstrued by at least ten or so people who know me well. I did not mean that to be taken that I thought it would not be a civilized place, but that there are many things about it that I no longer expect to see in our current experience of civilization. I have been pleasantly surprised.

The large number of bookstores is one of those things. Bookstores have really gotten out of fashion in the US. Here there are so many it is impossible to keep track. Some of the multi-story buildings are quite old and possess a elegant ambiance.

Although the majority of titles are Spanish there are large sections of books in other languages as well. And usually there is a cafe with a good selection of dishes.

We also encounter numerous newspaper kiosks that national and international editions plus periodicals and books. I read that Uruguay has the highest literacy rate in Latin America (something like 97.6 percent) and a highly educated population. It appears the written word is valued here to a degree I do not see at home.

Here is a page from yesterday’s news.

I can’t find a way to rotate this photo in the app I’m using (I’m doing this on my phone, you know). This entire section was devoted to the unfolding situation in Venezuela, a topic that might get four inches on page 3 in the ABQ Journal. Perhaps folks here think what happens in other countries is relevant to themselves. How quaint.

Another thing I like, though it is a tad inconvenient today, is that many retail businesses close on weekends, particularly Sunday. Today we found it very difficult to find a place for lunch, and restaurants open late.

We spent the last two days walking through the city, appreciating the buildings, parks, statuary, cafes, bookstores, and the many tree lined streets.

There was a fountain in the old city that appears to be one of those places you see where couples put locks on the fence to symbolize their eternal love.

At least one couple was unclear on the concept.

We have limited our tours of churches to the Metropolitan Cathedral. It is an incredibly beautiful building that is impossible to capture in photographs. Here are a few attempts.

We had to bring out the long sleeves yesterday. It was overcast and very windy. The air temperature was really comfortable, but the wind coming off the Rio de la Plata was downright freezing. Today we had the same amount of wind, but the Sun was shining brightly while we made a long walk to the beach in an adjacent neighborhood.

Paula tried her best to be angelic but was really pretty crusty.

OK, I’ll be required to explain that last remark to you know who since it is not readily apparent in this photo. Paula is crusted with sand after rolling her wet body on the sand. This is also a good time to answer the riddle: thong bikinis. If you don’t know know the riddle, it is in a previous post. If you find it you will have the satisfaction of knowing you found it.

We also toured a couple of street markets this weekend. They were crowded. The markets had everything from fresh produce to electrical hardware. Yesterday we were in a market in the old city when we noticed a significant part of the crowd were Asian tourists who had no compunction to stop the crowd from moving while they took photographs of themselves in front of one of the stands. We noticed that there were two cruise ships docked at port, and I’m sure they belonged to one of them.

This is our last night in Uruguay. Tomorrow morning we catch the ferry back to Buenos Aires and then we take a night bus to Mendoza. The ferry takes two hours, and the bus will take thirteen to fourteen hours. We spent the money for a first class suite with “full cama” which means the seat back will lean back to horizontal, making it easier to sleep. We get the extra money back by not needing a hotel for the night. We’ll find out soon how much of that is wishful thinking.

Since it will be a long day of sitting we have decided to walk to the ferry terminal, which is about 2.5 miles from our apartment. We are giving ourselves a bit extra time for the walk, since we are not quite sure of how traffic will affect us.

I am impressed by the ability of drivers to miss pedestrians. When you cross a street it is wise to not change your pace since it is likely someone about to make a right turn has made a very precise estimate where you will be when he passes by six inches or so in front or behind you. We have seen more than a few brave souls walking confidently into the street, against the light, expecting drivers to adjust their trajectories.

We have opted to shorten our stay in Mendoza in favor of more time in Chile, and are arranging our trip to Santiago this evening. We met a couple in a cafe who were visiting from Santiago and they convinced us that the four days we were planning to be there was woefully inadequate. It is possible we will look them up while we are there.

The internet has made travel very convenient though at some cost, I fear. It is more predictable, of course, but also somewhat more homogenized. About thirty years ago I went to Berlin and Prague and had to figure it out on the go with only my flights arranged. For everything else I had to rely on my own abilities and the good faith of others. Now we can check out bus schedules and buy tickets through internet sites with instant translation without needing to negotiate language barriers. We get money from ATMs or use credit cards without having to shop for currency exchange rates. Don’t get me wrong. I really like how it is now but also miss the mystery and challenge that international travel used to present.

Three nights and two days passed quickly here. Weekends are quiet. Except for the two kids next door who have been at it all afternoon and into the evening. It got so bad I had to put in my earbuds and watch Frankie and Grace on my computer. Ed had his head phones on and slept through it. So, this is what apartment living is like. Pour me some more wine.

Ah. Sorry. Nothing like starting off a post with my own whining.

We went out for breakfast yesterday for the first time since being on this trip. By the time we made it to the grocery store Friday night, it was closed. Anyway, I had a plan for going to Cafe Brasiliero, which I’d read about. It is the city’s oldest cafe, founded in 1877. In the past, you might have found the literati sitting at a table discussing the political front or drafting a new novel. Now, you’ll find tourists. Actually, there were a couple of locals. I could tell because it was about 11 in the morning and they were drinking Fernet.

Fernet – it’s another of those cultural drinks, like mate that I’ve yet to try. I think it’s a bit like Aperol or Campari, from what I’ve read. Slightly bitter and medicinal tasting. I just read that the making of Fernet uses an enormous amount of saffron! So, it must be expensive.

Cafe Brasilero:

We wandered Ciudad Vieja yesterday. A lot of stores were closed. This one wasn’t and now I’m sorry I didn’t take advantage of their sale.

Antiques are big business down here in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Well, I don’t know  if they are big business, but there are a lot of them, sold in stores and street markets.

One of these days I’m going to re-outfit my dinnerware with mis-matched, but coordinating dinnerware. I’ll pick up a few lamps too.

The day turned quite chilly, cloudy, and windy yesterday. The Rio de la Plata was whipped into a frenzy. It was exhilarating.

We popped into a cafe for a warming glass of wine. After sitting there for quite a while, we began chatting with another couple who were enjoying a warming hot chocolate and churros. They live in Santiago, Chile – our next destination. We got on quite well and exchanged names and contact information. Tom is from York, England; Cristina is Chilean. They met while she was studying for her master’s in piano in York. They’re here for a few more days, but since we extended our trip in Santiago, we should be able to connect.

As mentioned in another post regarding cathedrals and churches and churches and their lack of prevalence in Argentina, the same seems to be true in Uruguay. But we did pop into the Metropolitan Cathedral. I apologize for the lack of crispness in the following photo, but I just loved this dancing angel.

While Buenos Aires is known as having more bookstores per capita than any other country, Montevideo must be a close second. We did read that Uruguay has the highest literacy rate of any South American country. And we have seen many bookstores in our wanderings. They all have their own charm, inside and out.

Another thing we appreciate about Montevideo are the leafy, tree-lined streets. The sidewalks, however, are another matter.  They are often crumbling, broken trip hazards. Sometimes they have creative coverings. It certainly keeps you aware.

And they don’t usually have the tape to warn you. Part of the problem is that those shade providing trees break up the tiles, small pieces are left strewn about, and the sidewalks are all wonky with trees roots undermining man’s attempt to level the surface. Go, tree roots!

Today we experienced the crush of the open air market. Goods for sale aside from fresh fruits and vegetables: costume jewelry, underwear, kitchen ware, cell phone accoutrements, clothing, beer on tap, batteries, fresh squeezed oj, (I had some yesterday – oh, so sweet! Oranges here are a wonder of taste and juiciness.) tools… And I don’t know what this man was selling, but I think it’s foraged. He had a customer, so I reckon it’s legit.

Sunday. Today. A stroll to the barrio Pocitos. Great for the playa and that’s about it. On a Sunday, anyway. I read in another blog that it’s THE place to stay, to be. We prefer our barrio of Parque Rodó. I did love swimming in the Rio de la Plata today and sunning myself in the sand. Charlie has that photo on his post. He called me a crusty old lady. Pig.

Here are the beach and the Rambla along the river in barrio Pocitos.

And I leave you wtih this bit of advice:

Con mucho amor, Paula

 

Waiting on the bus to leave Punta for Montevideo I spotted these two young women saying goodbye. They held on to one another for a long time, saying endearments to one another (I imagine). Just before breaking off contact they jumped up and down and tightened their hug.

Have you ever seen the movie, Love Actually? It opens at an airport with arrivals, friends and family rushing into one another’s arms, all smiles and tears, and children’s squealing delight. Just thining about it brings tears to me. The rest of the movie is good too.

South Americans are demonstrative. Women walk hand-in-hand. Men unabashedly kiss one another on the cheek in greeting and hug. New acquaintances reach for you, pull you in, and plant a kiss on your cheek.

Now we are in Montevideo, arriving yesterday afternoon around 4:45, around a half hour later than scheduled. No problem for us, but our host expected us earlier and seemed really rushed to orient us to the apartment. Aaaah. This apartment. It is new and clean and airy and spacious; and has reliable and fast wifi. What a pleasure – and a pearl. This is a place that makes you wonder if maybe you shouldn’t stay just a little bit longer. Or aplace that makes you wonder if maybe you shouldn’t have spent just a little bit more in BsAs.

Our first evening here couldn’t have gone any better. A stroll through Parque Rodó and then to the Ramblas before heading off to find dinner.

A view of the Rio de la Plata that illustrates just how wide it is. Widest in the world – have probably mentioned that. It doesn’t fail to invoke wonder each time I see it, though. Argentina is across that expanse.

Not sure what to do about dinner, I suggested heading to Escaramuza, a bookstore and café. BTW, doesn’t the name Escaramuza remind you of Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody?   “Scaramouche, scaramouch, will you do the fandango?” I’d read about it and our host mentioned that it was in the neighborhood. I figured there would likely be other restaurants in the neighborhood if it turned out to be pastries and coffee.

Well, it was another pearl. We sat outside under the canopy of a wildly tangled vine. Bife de ojo (ribeye) was on the menu as well as my mind and soon ended up in my belly. The sweet note that ended dinner – flan de dulce de leche. Swoon. So creamy, so delicate of caramel flavor, so dense and smooth on the tongue. Yes, you want some. And the coffee – a cortado – the best yet in terms of ripe, round satisfaction.

I didn’t get any good photos of the place, except for one of the many collages.

Strolling back to the apartment we heard drumbeats and were inexorably pulled toward them. We came upon a large group, drummers and dancers, taking up the width of the street. They moved slowly, the drummers with faces of serious concentration; the dancers with smiles of ecstasy. Beer was passed around among friends. Friends met friends on the sidewalk and danced over for a kiss. As I dancingly joined the group, I was pulled into the middle by a lovely woman who gave me a lesson in the particular step they were using. Charlie got a few photos and a video.

We stayed with them as they got to the corner and headed up the next block. Not knowing how far they were going, we almost abandoned the desfile. But something tugged at me and so we stayed. It broke up at the end of the next block. If I understood my dance instructor correctly, this takes place year round, every other night in all the barrios. What I’m not sure of is, every other night all week or just on the weekend? I know I’ll be listening for it on Sunday evening.

Time to start making a move to hit the town. Yoga first.

Loves you. Paula

 

 

Aguaviva – that’s what they call jelly fish around these parts. These parts being Punta del Diablo, Uruguay. Agua eléctrica is more like it. These critters ply the ocean, hidden, invisible, known to be there only once you feel a sting. Moments later, red welts appear. It looks worse than it really is. The stinging continues for a short while. But within about a half hour to an hour it’s pretty much cleared. Still, after experiencing this three times in the past day and a half, I find myself being a little leery about the ocean. I’ve been stung behind both knees and on the left wrist. When I say stung, it’s not like a bee sting localized to one spot. And it looks a bit different each time. Behind my right knee, it looked like a scrape or a burn. Behind my left knee, more on my upper calf, there was a large area of small red welts. And on my wrist, it looked like rope burn with welts.

I did an internet search and found a couple of images for aguaviva, but very different from one another. So, I don’t know. I imagine it to have tentacles from the results left behind. One image had tentacles, the other didn’t. I wonder if the stinging is meant to keep other creatures at bay – a defense – or to numb prey for easier consumption. Wait. What do jelly fish eat? How do they eat?

Windy and sunny at the beach earlier today. Stayed for a while before returning to the cabin for a break. It’s a bit more overcast now, so I will return. And the aguaviva will not keep me from riding the water!

Update following the above. I did not get stung and I was relieved! The waves were great and I took a snooze on the beach. Below are a few photos.

Here is our little cabin which was just a five minute walk to above beach. We had terrible wifi at the cabin so I couldn’t upload any photos while we were there.

Yes, it was tiny. What you see is what we got. Just beyond the fridge is the bathroom. And just to the right is the countertop, sink, and stove. Thank goodness for the porch. It was comfortable enough for a short stay. But, oh, the day we arrived – well, I wrote about that already and so did Ed.

Punta is charming in a bohemian kind of way. The homes and cabins are colorful and quirky in design, many having grass roofs. Lots of young people backpacking (and two old farts), and while Uruguay has legalized marijuana, we didn’t see many smoking or smell it that much. There were just a few dispensaries. Mate seems to be the drug of choice.

More tomorrow.

Paula

 

The last few years the Uruguay government determined that a good method to stimulate tourism is to reduce taxes on the tourist economy. There is no IVA on hotel accomodations, and if you pay in restaurants with an international credit card, the IVA is subtracted from the bill. It’s an 18% tax rate, so it makes a lot of sense to use a credit card. Since we have a couple of cards that do not charge fees for international transactions and also give cash rebates for purchases traveling here is a bargain. I’m somewhat concerned that the Uruguayan people are subsidizing the tourist industry since they end up paying the entire tax burden. I guess it’s not that much different than states in the US giving large tax abatements to corporations.

Today we returned to Montevideo where we will be situated in a very modern and comfortable aparment in the Parque Rodo neigborhood. It is an excellent location, near markets, restaurants, cervezerias, and, of course, a park.

Since it is a four hour bus ride we decided to walk to the bus station in Punta del Diablo and then walk to our apartment in Montevideo. Altogether that is about three miles, which is not that much in the scheme of things, but seems like a major ordeal in the heat and humidity. I mention that in a cheap ploy to gather sympathy, but I know it is a vain gesture, since mostly people will say “you are so fortunate to have your experience, why do you complain about the weather?” Of course you are right. It was actually something a a cake walk. It was hot, of course, but it beats the hell out of being somewhere where it is 50 degrees colder than the inside of a refrigerator (thanks for the reference, Margo).

After settling in to the apartment we decided to walk to the coast and watch the sunset. Along the way we passed through the park, which is really quite nice.

And then to the Ramblas Franklin Roosevelt, which is a major thouroughfare on the coast of the Rio de Plata that is still the widest river in the world.

Off in the distance you still can’t see Argentina.

As the sun set we headed to a bookstore that our host told us about that serves a good dinner. Our guide book says it only serves coffee, tea and light food, but we thought we’d check it out anyway. When we got there we found the bookstore’s cafe had a night menu and decided to stay there. We both had rib eye steaks with a green salad. The steaks were excellent, grilled to perfection The service was very professional and attentive. I ordered a beer before dinner and it came in an ice bucket to keep it cold. I’ve never ever seen that. Paula capped off her meal with a dulce de leche flan, and I had a serving of Cuban rum, neat. It was really one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time.

I didn’t get any good photos of the bookstore/restaurant. I can show you the floor.

We were done for the day and headed back to the apartment, but along the way found we were not really done. We heard some rhythmic drumming and walked up the street to check it out. We ended up dancing in the street with some really friendly and excited locals who invited us (particularly Paula) to join in .

I took a video that I will try to post here, but I’ve had intermittent success. Let’s see how it does.

Well that was our day today. We have more to say about our stays in Buenos Aires and Punta de Diablo, but that will have to wait. Right now we are looking forward to a night in an air conditioned aparment that we are not sharing with mosquitos and flies.

Later.

Charlie