January 29, 2007
We leave tomorrow for Bariloche. I’m anxious about the first part of our family-stay since we know so little Spanish. I imagine our host is used to it, but I’m tired of being unable to communicate. My Spanish hasn’t improved with the few basic transactions we have each day. I keep hoping the Korean family that runs the grocery around the corner will understand me since we’re all from the States – but this is not the case.
Saturday night we ended up at the plaza again. We intended to walk by, catch a little tango show and head elsewhere for dinner, but Ila befriended another little Argentine/Canadian girl and neither set of parents could bear to pull them apart. Jasmine was with three generations of adults and I think I was closest in age to the grandmother. Guess we’re old parents in these parts. Ila and Jasmine ran around the plaza for hours and both families skipped dinner opting instead for a late night snack on the way home. Unfortunately we stopped at what must be the Taco Bell of empanadas: a chain called Solo Empanadas. And strangely, Jasmine’s family ended up there too a few minutes behind us. I teased them for following the gringos. The empanadas were horrible, but poor Ila, filthy, exhausted and starving, inhaled a couple and passed out around midnight.
Sunday morning the narrow streets in our neighborhood were filled with people, music, crafts, street performers and antiques. We had a little café breakfast and wandered into the madness where we quickly made up for our bad empanada experience with the best one we’d had yet - from the depths of a laundry basket covered with a kitchen towel. Much more like it. It was Peter’s birthday so Ila and I were on our best behavior. Ila got a new dress and put it on just in time to tango with a mime on stilts. She’s a brave little girl. We had an “early” dinner at 8:30 at a somewhat formal and “very expensive” steak house where for about $60 we had a big yummy dinner and a bottle of wine.
I’m excited about our next destination, especially the language classes. We have our fingers crossed that the daycare we’ve identified for Ila turns out to be okay. Mostly I just want there to be kids her age to play with so she can break out from mom and dad a bit and have some fun. She’s really been a trooper, despite my complaints. I want her to have fun on this trip too.
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2 comments:
Ahhh Bariloche'... Sorry I am late wishing you Happy Bday Pete, but what more can the son of a thumb;ess fishmonger and one-eyed trollop epect? Especially one who hasn't written a peep in nigh on two years!
You are gonna love bariloche. It is in a pretty incredible setting and there are lots of young people around.
As for the trying something new, you should look into nata de manzana--- no that;s not the right name... shit, I can't remember. Maybe it's manzanilla. Anyway it is a big slab of fruit-roll like goodness. I was wary of it for months but after I tried it, I had a pound or two in my pack at all times.
Hi Peter, Jess and Ila!!
I LOVE reading these posts. Its slightly depressing as I'm sitting at my desk in jersey getting ready to head back into nyc to my dark apt in the basement (that's actually true!) while you guys are out there living BUT I love it!! You guys are so gutsy and cool for doing what you're doing and I can't wait to read more posts. have an amazing time and don't worry about routines and parenting and all that - you have the rest of your lives for that!!! Talk to you soon! Kristen
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