BsAs No wind

This fellow had wires -- no wind. Too funny, but it had to be difficult to keep the facial expression.

Argentina Beach

There are no hidden beaches that we found -- all crowded with people, some big waves on the Atlantic and much warmer than the Chile Pacific. Vendors selling corn on the beach, such a treat.

San Telmo Wares

The streets are filled with vendors presenting their wares. Some have elaborate displays and some just ride around on a bicycle selling plants.

Buenos Aires Dodge

This is one example of the many old American cars seen on the roads in Buenos Aires. And, it still runs.

San Telmo Street Fair

The Sunday San Telmo street fair, tango in the streets and fine leather belts.

Estancia Cows

There was a draught last year, they are now building up the herd.

Estancia Cow Milking

This is where our warm milk for cafe came from. And, it is not as easy as it seems, if it was up to my success in milking we would be drinking our cafe black. Junior get his share--direct-- when we had our fill. The milker is Fredrico, one of 14 brother, three of which work on the estancia, as does his wife.

Estancia Wild horses

In the fields where we road there were untamed horses, they called them wild, but they were in a fenced area, so it did not meet my criteria. The tac room for all the gear. I'm sure there is a proper horse name for it all.

Estancia Horses

The estancia horses are very beautiful. Notice the "gaucho" saddle, seems nice at first because it is thick and very cushioned, until you try and grab the western saddle horn to stop bouncing and -- whoops. Pictures are BJ, Christies, and Debbie from England, who was a fantastic rider. She rounded up cattle, while I did keep up with her, but it was in a very desperate manner. I road three times in two days, then suffered for the next two days. It seemed like a good idea at the time. And, Debbie made it seem so effortless, I thought if I just found my groove the bouncing would stop. In my dreams I rode beautifully.

Estancia La Margarita, Argentina

What is an Estancia? Basically a cattle ranch with the flair of Trump. The gates are seemingly miles from the house, unlike the U.S. where the farm house are up front and all the fields in the back. Driving into the middle of nowhere we were greeted with fields of sunflowers, past their prime (but who isn't). Two sets of gates, cows, or cattle, or bulls, who knows, big animals and then the horses. The most beautiful horses I've ever seen are here in Argentina.

And, then the house, glorious. Built in the 1800's with 16 foot ceiling and windows to match. Fireplaces in all the rooms. Polo silver cups lined the hallways. Mind you, we came from a hostel, where it was privilege to have our own bathroom. All for a few more peso's.

BsAs Style and Pot Holes

Pot holes are covered with wood, until the wood planks collapse, then the whole car goes in. The style of the building and the graffiti is very artful. This building front just has one open window and the rest is painted. Very cool,

BsAs Recycling

Recycling is done all over BsAs and apparently this is how it gets out of the containers to recycle center.

Ferry to Colonia, Uruguay

So we took a break from the city and hopped ferry to Uruguay. The ferry is huge and carried a few thousand people, we had sun deck going, missed the one coming back as Uruguay is an hour difference. Once of those little mis judgements. The city was old and quaint and Christie and I had a lovely day walking the cobblestone streets.

Recoteta Cemetario

Recoleta Cemetario is like anything in New Orleans kicked up 20 notches. Each mausoleum goes down for many of the caskets and the top part is a shrine, with pictures and some with newer caskets. The far left if the Durate mausoleum with EVITA or Eva Peron, albiet the Peron name appears nowhere and from visiting her museo, it seems the body was fought over for many years and beat up after death. It is hard to get a clear understanding of the Peron regime.

BsAs Getting Around

Towers, towers and more towers. Where there are not towers there are statues. They are beautiful.

BsAs Getting There

Flying over the Andes to Buenos Aires. I'm glad I'm over it and not in it. A huge mechanical flower opens each day to the sun and closes down at night.

Argentine Yacht Club

Argentine Yacht Club for my boating buddies.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is a city of neighborhoods, very much like Chicago, except they have monuments for everything, everywhere, very lovely. It has been hot and humid. AC is a luxury, our room has a floor fan. Christie from Seattle has joined me and we are venturing out each day. We have a weekend of community faires to go to and are off and running.

Santiago, Chile Feb. 2010

So I get to Santiago and the big puppet festival is going on. This is two 250 foot puppets that go around the city on a crane, with humans jumping off the crane and making the puppet move. The story is the little girl (250 foot) has lost her mother and the guy in the diving suit is her uncle (tio) who had the letters from her mother for her. All weekend they are in different parts of the city, which you can tell by the big crowds they are coming. To add special effects the fire department hoses down the big puppet (and the little humans moving it) with fire hoses to add the water component.

Santiago is set up by Gustav Eiffel so it has a Paris feel, the difference is that the people are swimming in the fountains when it gets warm.

The roof of this hostel has the great open rooftop I so love. Albeit the sun is very intense here.

Cuzco, Peru Jan 2010

Cuzco, Peru, the center of the Inco empire. It is beautiful and green, of course like many green places, it is because it rains all the time. It is awe inspiring to really understand how the people made these Inca cities. The stones are huge and cut with no mortar in-between the stones and astrologically aliened, amazing. The steep walkway, that actually has cars on it sometimes is the way to our hotel. The San Blas was a great hotel, hot water bottles in our bed along with the chocolate. And, it was three block UP. We spent a lot of time sitting in the town square people watching after the trip to MP cancelled.

Lima, Peru

Lima, Peru on our way to Cuzco/Cusco which is the route to Machu Picchu. Lima has many old Cathedrals, catecúmenos (spell check is in Spanish, these computers actually know where you are) with skulls et al. Tour of city, but next time we attempt Machu Picchu I'll stay at the airport waiting the the always delayed flight to Cuzco. It is in the mountains, 11,000 feet and clouded in. They get a clearing and everyone sitting around jumps on the plane for the 1 hour flight, delayed three hours.