Climbing at Barker

One weekend, while still in Buenos Aires, I went with Nico (a friend with whom I climbed Volcan Lanin) and some others to Barker to go rock climb. We had two gorgeous day on routes that were challenging and, with a little creativity, doable. We also had a great camera with a sweet wide-angle lens, which made for some cool photos. In one of the photos below, I'm taking my first ever outdoor lead fall!!! Amazing that a photo got snapped right at that exact moment.

Happy Solstice!!!

Happy Solstice! Just like the last time I wrote those words (only in celebration of the longest day of the year), I am now in Bariloche, and it's divine. The snow.... the mountains.... I really think the Japanese guy who's staying in the same room as me at the hostel thinks I'm crazy because I just sat there cooing for a good little while, "look at the snow!" Or actually it was, "Mira, la nieve." In my excitement I forgot that he speaks no Spanish at all, and started talking to him in Spanish. At one point the flakes were so big that they looked like ping-pong balls. Incredible, really incredible!


My 22 hour bus ride between Buenos Aires and Bariloche passed so nicely. I had a front, upper level seat that let me take in all the views. The bus wasn't even half-full which meant lots of space to spread out. I had my mate and thermos, which not only was pleasant to drink, but made me feel very Argentinian, esp. when I started sharing it with the bus steward. The book I'm in the middle of is excellent; I read for hours and hours staight. It's about an Argentine couple that traveled from Argentina to Alaska in a 1928 Graham-Paige car. The coolest part is that I met the couple when they were in Alaska and wrote an article about them for the school newspaper. Also, the temperature during the whole bus ride was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold (this is usually the hardest part of bus travel). And I slept really well, better than I have in a while. I've decided that Argentine bus rides are like grocery shopping. I don't have a particularly good reason for enjoying either activity, but I really do enjoy these activities.


The first thing I did after arriving to the hostel was take a nice long shower -- hot with good pressure, really a luxury! Then I went to my favorite coffee shop that makes wonderfully tasty sandwhiches and a strong cup of coffee. Inside quiet chatter mixed with the smell of fresh roasted beans, permiating every corner of the place.


I like that people wear ski hats in Bariloche. In Buenos Aires, even though it was really cold, nobody ever wore a hat. It was always really obvious that I was a passer-through just by my hat. Here it's different. Here I'm in a ski town!!!



Love to you all on this very short day of the year,



Amy

Where and What

Where am I? What am I doing? In so many forms these are the questions of my life right now.

The simple answer to "where" is in Rosario. And the simple answer to "what" is visiting and spending time with old friends.

The more complicated answers contain a time continuum that extends out in both directions from the present. "Where have I been?" and "What have I done?"; "Where am I going?" and "What do I want to be doing'"

Sometimes these questions can be answered by tracing a line on a map, thumbing through a guide book, or skimming over this blog. More often, however, it involves jumping deep inside myself.

I want to be doing something meaningful in some place I love, I tell myself. But what does this really mean? I love quite some places in this world and meaning is not hard to come by when one lives with right motives.

I want to ski, make documentaries, open a coffee shop, learn glacier travel, build a cabin, write newspaper articles, live in the mountains, and continue to travel the world. This seems a little more concrete. Ambitious, but concrete. Doable, but ambitious.

Concrete, ambitious, doable!

Father's Day

It's amazing and wonderful how everywhere families are families. In celebration of Father's Day, all of Maia's relatives showed up at her Grandparent's house for delicious food, chit-chat and laughter. If it weren't for the mate being passed around and the Spanish jumping off tongues, one could have mistaken it far a family gathering nearly anywhere in the world.

Ricisimo!!!

Virginia and I had a really nice afternoon together -- first lunch, then ice cream, finally coffee. After so many years, we both had a mountain of stories, thoughts and memories to share! Good friends really do outlast time and distance barriers.

Shrek 3, Argentinian style

Shrek 3 came out a few days ago here in Argentina and last night I went with a few friends to go and see it. Strange how even the most ordinary, American of experiences have thier quirks in a foriegn country. First, due to the overwhelmingly subtle nature of the humor in Shrek, there were moments when I was dying with laughter. And the rest of the theater? Silent! Sometimes subtitles just don't quite capture it. Then there was the matter of dress. Who would think that it would even be possible to be underdressed to go see a kids film? Let's just say that my tennis shoes, which by now have seen hundreds of miles on the trail and even more miles on buses, backroads and city sidewalks, stood out conspicuously against the highheel leather boots all around me. Finally, there's the topic of assigned seats... something the Argentinians (and apparently the Europeans have) and us Americans have never heard of. On this point, I have to give it to them. How often have you gone to see a new release and had to fight your way through the crowd, asking if people wouldn't mind just moving one seat over to fill in the gap? And so, in conclusion, although Hollywood it may be, no experience down here quite escapes the Argentine flavor.

Boogying in Buenos Aires

A delicious dinner at Karen's house (Serafin, Joshua, Karen, Katja)

The Subte -- Buens Aires' subway
The famous obelisk on 9 de Julio
A nice reflection on the water in Palmero's park
Katja, Serafin, Karen and I went to the Tigre Delta (north of Buenos Aires) to spend a pleasant Saturday afternoon. We first took a train, then a bus, then a boat to get to the island (Tres Bocas) where we meandered around for some hours.

"Fill it up"
A good representation of the various water transport cruising around on the delta
On the tran ride home Katja pulled out a peach liquor... good fun!
Karen, our amazing friend and hostess, who managed to plan one amazing day after another while still studying and working!
Street performers at the Defensa Sunday market

A glimpse of the historical city charm mixed with the new and often distasteful marketing
A view of Puerto Madero at night

Images from the Recoleta -- the labyrinth-like cemetary where Argentina's famous, wealthy and elite are laid to rest.
Interesting mix of Jewish and Christian symbolism

Me in front of Evita's grave
Ornate sculpture and decorations bathe the place
I like this image quite a bit
Me with my delicious frapaccino
Katja with her impressive and yummy ice cream concoction

Joshua showing off the excellent chicken dinner we ate on Joshua's last night in Buenos Aires. It was a really nice evening with several friends gathered to share food, wine and laughs.
Katja, Serafin and I brushing our treeth before bed
Every Thurs. for the last 30 years the Mothers of the Plaza del Mayo have marched in protest of the disappearance of their children during Argentina's Dity War. When looking into their eyes they seem like sweet, old, lovable, little ladies who would invite you over for a chat and tea. It's amazing to think that these ladies once demanded justice in the face of death and continue to be devoted enough to the cause to show up every single week.
To this day very little has been done to account for these lady's children. Most of perpertrators walk Argentina's streets freely and little information has been given on what actually happened.
The white scarves symbolize the diapers of thier children

A submarino (submarine) is one the coolest items on the Argentine menu. It's a glass of hot milk served with a chocolate bar for melting in the milk. At McCafe's (yep, McDonald's has gone Starbucks in Latin America and actually does a fine job of it) the chocolate bar comes in the shape of a submarine! A gorgeous day along the Rio Parana
Tango in front of the Casa Rosada
"Buen Dia, Joshua"
The colors of La Boca