Estacion Peru

Wednesday 8 November 2006

One of the original subway stations.

Santa Clara

Tuesday 7 November 2006

(Santa Clara, pray for us.)

Toolbox

Monday 6 November 2006

I walked past this old old bus in the middle of repairs on my way to a student's house this morning.

Arbasto

Sunday 5 November 2006

This is the Arbasto, which used to be the central market here in Buenos Aires, full of fruit and vegetable and meat stands, as well as birthplace of the local slang known as "lunfardo," which was invented as the Spanish-speaking locals tried to communicate with Italian merchants. Now it is a classy shopping mall, complete with amusement park and movie theater. At least they didn't tear it down!

I've moved!

Saturday 4 November 2006

So, I have finally moved into what I hope will be a more permanent apartment. It is beautiful and spacious and well-lit, and my roommate is Argentine, so I will get to practice plenty of Spanish! (The outside is just as ugly as the last, however, so I decided to show the inside this time.)

Unofficial cooking class

Friday 3 November 2006

This is Gabriella, a real Italian, who one night taught us how to make pizza, the way she's been making it all her life as taught to her by . . someone, I forget who. So I can add real Italian pizza, with home-made dough, to the list of international foods I can cook for you all!

Dia de los Muertos

Thursday 2 November 2006

Today is Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday devoted to remembering the dead, kinda like Tomb-Sweeping day in Taiwan. It is not celebrated here, but I heard about a little celebration of it, and assumed it was being put on by the Mexican ex-pat community, so I went. As it ended up, it was an event put on by the local Mexican tourism board, and had nothing to do with Dia de los Muertos at all. It consisted mostly of old Argentine ladies getting drunk on the free wine (well, and one young American lady, too.) The only Mexican there, that I would tell, was the ambassador from Mexico to Argentina, who gave a long and boring speech about Latin American solidarity.

However, there was a neat tiny little museum with some old missionary artifacts there, and this painting was in it.

Big Tree 2

Wednesday 1 November 2006

Another of the giant magic trees of Buenos Aires. I sat under this one while I waited to have yet another teaching interview. I'm getting a little tired of being all dressed up and full of myself.

My mime

Tuesday 31 October 2006

Ryan went as a mime to the local ex-pat Halloween party tonight. He did a great job, although seeing a mime with a beard was a little wierd.

An Argentine heart

Monday 30 October 2006

Like so many other cities, Buenos Aires decided they needed some kind of big exhibition of identical shapes all painted differently by local artists, displayed around the city. Here, they chose hearts, and gave a big whoop-dee-do for a local heart healthy foundation.

This hearts says, I believe, "A good porteño heart," (Porteño means from Buenos Aires) and is painted in the local fileteado style. I can't be entirely sure, however, because I can't find the word "cuore" in my dictionary. But they like to make up words down here - some days the langauge they speak only vaguely resembles Spanish.

Church in Uruguay

Sunday 29 October 2006

I didn't want to think that Uruguay was nothing but large amounts of cholesterol, so I figured I'd put up one more picture of it. Colonia, the city we visited, was quiet and quaint, full of buildings left over from Spanish colonization (like this church) and fresh air. It was a wonderful escape from the noise and dirt of Buenos Aires.

And, by the way, I am really sorry for my recent laziness. I always take a picture for the day, I just don't always get around to publishing it. Much as I'd like to blame this on a certain computer-hogging boyfriend, I'm afraid it also has something to do with my new teaching job, trying to study Spanish, and well, my own negligence.

Chivito

Saturday 28 October 2006

Ryan and I went to Uruguay today (it's right across the river) to renew our visas. While there, we just had to try chivitos, a customary Uruguayan dish. Basically, what we were served is this: grilled beef, which is then covered in bacon, smothered in cheese, topped with ham, and finally a fried egg. This was served on top of a dish of some kind of potato salad, french fries, and lettuce and tomatoes (to make it healthy). It was DELICIOUS.

Empanadas

Friday 27 October 2006

Another cooking class today, yum! We made empanadas, one of the most common Argentine dishes that exists. Basically, it is meat or vegetables, but usually meat, wrapped in dough and baked. You can get them all over town, and they are often eaten as a snack between meals. I love empanadas, and have to be careful not to make myself sick of them by eating them too often!

You know, I've made enough dumplings by now that you'd think that the slightly larger empanada would be a piece of cake, but all of mine turned how horrible and messy. They barely held together in the oven. I promise to improve, however, before making them for any of you!

Carolina

Thursday 26 October 2006

Sadly, this is my last week of Spanish classes before I set my nose firmly against the grindstone and begin teaching. So, here is a picture of Carolina, my Spanish teacher, who is a wonderful funny bright intelligent and bubbly girl. (and not that blurry in real life)

Purple tree

Wednesday 25 October 2006

A blooming tree in Plaza Congreso. I'm really enjoying spring here.

Snakes on a door

Tuesday 24 October 2006

This is the door-handle on a house down the street from me. Perhaps the Malfoys live in my neighborhood . . .

Parrilla

Monday 22 October 2006

This is a typical local little parrilla, or grill, offering meat, meat, or meat, for very low prices.

Panuelos

Sunday 21 October 2006

Many Argentine folk dances use hankerchiefs, the women spinning them in the air, the men using them to try and capture the women.

This picture was taken at the wedding of our friends Sandra and Alan. Both of them play in folk music bands, so fittingly, their wedding celebration was basically a great big concert. They played, along with dozens of other traditional bands, while the people danced and ate great quantities of meat. Two children's dance troups performed, wowing us with their footwork. (Look for Ryan's photos of the kids, soon to come on his site!)

It was an excellent day, and we left tired and happy.

Haircut

Saturday 20 October 2006

Another experiment in self-photography -- with not the best results. However, I got my hair cut today, and rather liked it.

El Cholo

Friday 20 October 2006

This post is very specifically for one Mr. (Dr.) Stephen Field. It turns out that "cholo" means mestizo or mixed-blood in Spanish. Who knew?