It seems like forever ago that they arrived. Jake & Kelli had 2 flights delayed and missed one and arrived 14 hours late flying through Toronto and Katie & Devin did OK going through Houston. It made us feel lucky as we watched the weather in Canada mixed with holiday travel really spoil the plans of many others.
When they all finally did arrive and had a good nap, we are were all set to go to share everything we had learned in our own 10 months here!
It could read like the Twelve Days of Christmas.
So here goes.........
One Boca futbol match. The Apertura Championship was not decided in league play because of a three-way tie for first place. As a result, a round robin final was played and because it dragged out an extra week, I was able to take Jake to a game. It was between Tigre and the Boca Juniors. It was played in a neutral stadium (Racing) and for security reasons they only sold so many tickets (mostly to Boca fans). The place was bouncing - literally. When a concrete stadium flexes under your feet, you just hold on!
Boca lost the game but won the championship on goal differential - partying went on late into the night!
Two countries in one quick trip to Bueos Aires. We sent the kids to Uruguay for one day. It is a one hour Buequbus Fast Ferry ride away. They did a tour of the old fort of Colonia including a trip to the top of the lighthouse.
Three hours of tango show at Cafe Tortoni (the oldest cafe in BA - 150 years old).
Devin is such a good sport when it comes to audience participation!
Four hours of Christmas Day brunch at the Alvear Palace. It was more like 'grazing' than 'brunch'... especially when we found the helado & panqueque bar in the back room! Dee-lish! It is a good thing the Alvear Palace is 40 metres from the apartment. We could all waddle home.
Five parties and get-togethers to meet our BA friends....
This included new pooch pals (Lolly and Sheila) as well.
None that can replace Cooper, of course.... although the pearls are a nice touch!Six trips to Volta & Freddo for helado (ice cream) including the one kilo of vanilla, chocolate and dulce de leche that we brought home for New Year's Eve...
Seven reminders of home including a personalized photo album of of Alberta, a copy of Katie & Devin's wedding photo album, Tim Horton's coffee, western wear Christmas ornaments, Bernard Callebaut's chocolate covered pretzels.....
and a Pook Toque!
Eight different kinds of cervezas were tried & tested including these....we have determined that buying it by the litre is the way to go!
Nine churches and cathedrals visited...
Ten shopping trips - to various directions in the city including the Recoleta Hippy Market- just 300 metres from the apartment.
Twelve matches of Wizard (and even a couple of attempts of Mah Jong)
Sixteen naps enjoyed during the week (or was that sixty?)....
Eighteen Holes of Golf at the Pilar Golf Club
Which included playing the Par 6, 614 yd hole, on which we all did not impress!
Twenty Choripans sampled and 3 kilos of lomo (tenderloin) prepared on the parilla on New Year's Eve.
Thirty Seven rockets fired off the 18th floor balcony of Paul & Tracey's apartment. Our friend, Tom was pretty excited about the evening too!
Fifty peso rum & cokes at the Park Hyatt which were only matched by the 50 peso photograph of Jake & Devin with Tango dancers in La Boca - you can still see the burn on Jake's face when you remind him of it!
Seventy hugs including these....
And by the latest count, Eighty Four Empanadas were consumed (both carne & pollo). Being on vacation and being an efficient person, Jake just slid a chair up to the kitchen counter to enjoy some of them....
By far the best - the thousand laughs, stories and memories that the trip had for all of us! This was only to be exceeded by the Sixteen Hundred and Forty Seven photographs taken to record the adventure!
There were other life experiences including shopping at the Disco (the local grocery store) - notice the plethora of cervezas in the cart.
And the opportunity that Katie and Devin got to get their picture taken with the president of Argentina in front of the Casa Rosada....
There is a story with each photo - touring the Recoleta Cemetary, seeing the market in San Telmo, walking along Puerto Madero, cleansing ales at the Alvear Palace...We were blessed that the trip worked out. The kids now know (for sure, for sure!) that we are safely enjoying our adventure here in Argentina, surrounded by great new friends, a new language, a strong company and that we are just a skype away.
Happy New Year everyone!
B.
No comments:
Post a Comment