Up and Running Again!

Well, not running so much as wandering...

I know I´ve been gone for awhile and I hope I didn´t lose too many of ya, but I figured there´s only so many times I can post about hanging out and relaxing with friends.  I do have lots of pictures however.

From L: Fernando, Maga, Mariano, Yo, y Alessio

This has been my group of friends for the past week.  This is a picture of us at Karaoke the other night.  When I find a computer that has the processing and bandwidth capability, I will upload the videos of me singing, but for now I can tell you that I wowed the residents of Villa Ventana with: 

Johnny B Good

Bohemian Rhapsody

Pride (In The Name of Love)

Yesterday

&

Jammin

yep, that´s me throwin´the hand up!

We, (the guys who were singing with me and I) kinda fizzled on Jammin - truly it can only be sung by the man himself, but the rest were giant hits!  It was a lot of fun, but I can confirm that the stereotype of latin american women just falling all over a foreigner who tries to speak their language is just that, an unfair stereotype - not true.  SIGH

But enough of that...we had plenty of fun back at Fernando's house

This was one of the two legs of lamb that we had while I was here.  There really is something about the structure of eating in Argentina that appeals to me.  I'm definitely going to try and bring some of this back with me.

On that note, I have had great opportunities to pick up cultural nuances, typical sayings, and a few new meal possibilities in my time here in Villa Ventana.  After so much time passing, I hardly know where to start and must admit that I'm going to leave some of it to story-telling when I get home, but I did take some notes about what a typical day has been for me in the past week.

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The back porch of Fernando´s house, From L: Foosball, bikes, big table for eating, stairs up to terrace, entrance to pool, Mud oven, BBQ

 

Wake up at around 9 or 10, and grab a small bite to eat - a piece of fruit or a cup of yogurt (ummm, drinkable yogurt ... yes please!!), or maybe a small matè with Fernando.  THen if there were odd jobs to do, Fernando would do them then and sometimes I would help.  I would get in the pool at around 10 or 11 before all the kids showed up.  Don't get me wrong, as much as I love kids, it's nice to have a quiet pool all to yourself to swim around in.  We would usually start to make lunch around 12 or 1 and be eating it by around 2 or 3.  I discussed the different levels of meal improtance with my hosts, and we agreed that people from the United States think that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but here in Argentina, Lunch is the most important meal.  This meant that the lunches could be as extravagant as home'made pizzas, or wonderfully huge pasta dishes, or an assortment of fresh vegetables and salad (like we had today).  After lunch though, inevitably, we would take a siesta.  The first couple of days I disregarded the importance of this part of the day and chose instead to play with the kids who would never go to bed in the middle of the day - something for the weak adults to do.  I quickly learned though, that taking an hour or two in the middle of the day was preferable to struggling to stay awake at midnight when dinner is being served.

After the siesta, I would go play some ping-pong, we would sit quietly inside...maybe watch some tv.  At around 4 or 5, everybody would usually be awake and then we sit around and drink matè while we planned the evening and got in and out of the pool to stay cool.  After that we would go out into town to do something, or start to make dinner (which we would eat no earlier than 10 or 11)  And after that, it was poker or just hanging out until 2-5 in the morning.   

Plaza Salerno ( I attended a town gathering with Fernando here to talk about water issues in town.  A politician was supposed to show up, but he didn´t) 

List of things that I can remember us doing at night:

Hanging out around the house

Played poker until 5 am

BBQ with friends and family

Set up a projection screen in the street and watched Sherlock Homes (yes the new one) with the neighbors

Went to the library and listened to a jazz show and ate hamburgers

Sang Karaoke

Watched Zombieland

Went and watched a cover band in town, then went into the bigger town and played pool and arcade games

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All in all, a spectacular visit!  It has been very very hot here though.  I keep seeing on the news (which I can understand quite a bit of) that a heat wave is hitting Argentina right now, and that Buenos Aires is somewhat unbearable at the moment.  As for us here in Villa Ventana, the most we've had to endure is brownouts (another reason why I haven't been osting regularly), and a closed surrounding wilderness due to health concerns and now fire concerns.  Unfortunately it doesn't look as though I'll get to see the natural arch at the top of Sierra de la Ventana which is the natural formation that gives it's name to these cities. (Ventana means window), but we did manage to get up early this morning and went for a hike to the top of Bahia Blanca.  Yes that's the name of a city nearby, but it is also the name of a mountain.  Here's the proof:

oh yeah!  1 down!

boy oh boy it was windy up there, I can´t imagine what Patagonia is gonna be like

not sure why some of these are going all circuis mirror

From L:  Me, Alessio, Ferd, Nacho (Ignacio) y Mariano

I also bought a BEAUTIFUL bombilla from a local artist here in Villa Ventana.  I wish I had taken a picture of some of her work, or her workshop/showroom, or that she had a website, but none of that happened, for now you'll all have to settle for a picture of my new bombilla:

It was the first thing I bought here in South America besides food, lodging, or water, so it was very exciting for me especially because I was able to talk to the woman who made it about how she made it and the thought that goes into her work.

I purchased my bus ticket out of town, and I leave tomorrow night on another night bus to Puerto Madryn. And even though I understand that this isn't the best time of year to see whales, I hear that there is a delightfully time-warped Welsh neighborhood with genuine tea houses.  I promise to take lots of pictures and mental descriptions, especially for my one reader for whom it might bring back wonderful childhood memories. 

For now I will say Goodbye until Puerto Madryn, big THANKS to new commenters!, and thank you to all who are interested.  I'm pretty sure I've said it once before, but I'll say it again: I may have left to do things on my own, but you all know me, I love having you guys along for the ride!!

La palabra español del dia  (courtesy of Fernando):

Empanada - Totally yummy food that is super common down here - almost like pizza, in fact you can call a pizza place and order them from there.  Or you can make your own.  and you can put meats or cheeses, or vegetables, whatever you want in there.  Oh yeah, and we´re eating them tonight!  BOOYAH!