Horrors from Distant Shores

This entry was supposed to have been the recap of our family's Christmas vacation in San Martin de los Andes. That is being postponed; warm and fuzzy feelings of holiday celebrations seem trivial in the face of the massacres in the Gaza Strip. (Photo from Aljazeera.net through The Palestinian Chronicle.)

Contrary to Israeli excuses for their savagery, Hamas was not the one to violate the cease fire. Israel did when it bombed the tunnels Palestinians had dug to bring in supplies. Israel has confined 1.5 million people in a space smaller than 140 square miles. Regularly it shuts down entry and exit points, prohibiting delivery of food, medical supplies, and other basic needs, including supplies coming from the United Nations. It also regularly cuts off power. Sort of like a concentration camp. 

For more background and analysis, check out these recent reports: Hannukah Games and Barack Obama on Siege, Killings in Gaza.

 

Voice your outrage to the Israelis and the U.S. government, which provides the weapons that are being used not for protection but for genocide:

• Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC: info@washington.mfa.gov.il
  
• White House: comments@whitehouse.gov
  
• Obama transition team
  

Cocina Mexicana en Argentina

El dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe had passed by a mere three days when we decided to have a Mexican feast. Our new wooden tortilla press from La Michoacana in East Austin, Texas, faced its first real test: enough authentic Mexican tortillas to make a tray of enchiladas. We had dabbled with the press since bringing it to Buenos Aires in our backpack after Thanksgiving, making tentative orders of small, thick tortillas for "sopes'' and a few tortillas to be used as a substitute for bread with a Cuban dish, picadillo. 

These early efforts emboldened us. Using the masa de maiz we had brought back with the press, Kurt made around 15 tortillas.

The process is not hard but requires a deft touch. You mix a little water with the masa, knead this for a couple of minutes till you get the right consistency, then form small balls. Next, using the press, turn each ball into a tortilla. Gently peel the tortilla from the plastic lining the press and flop it on the very hot comal, or flat griddle, for about a minute on each side. Then toss it into a tortilla warmer to keep it warm til ready to use. Kurt's tortillas turned out perfect!

For her part, Linda sauteed broccoli and mushrooms and added them to a bed of grated mozzarella cheese (an easy substitute for queso asadero) in each tortilla. She rolled them up, then layered the enchiladas with some salsa verde, cream, and the rest of the grated mozzarella, and then popped the concoction into the oven for a while. More salsa verde and cream and shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cilantro were then added as garnishes. 

Complimenting the meal was Belen's best-ever guacamole, plus refried beans from El Paso, Texas, scored at Jumbo, a Chilean-owned supermarket in Palermo that carries a weird assortment of of imported foods catering to Mexicans (or gringos looking for Mexican food), Arabs, and Germans.

Photos of the process and the results.

SIDE NOTE: Since moving to Argentina last May, we have experienced painful withdrawal from Mexican food and its northern neighbor Tex Mex. We have been tempted to go to some of the few Mexican restaurant in Buenos Aires but always nix the idea after reading negative blog comments. No Mexican food is better than bad Mexican food, we say. We have no complaints about the Italo/Gaucho cuisine of our adopted country, but after three years in Mexico City in the early 1970s and many years since reliving the culinary experiences, Mexican food is like an addiction for us. On our recent trip back to Austin, Kurt ate Mexican food every meal except two over a period of five days. Now we can indulge here in BA, too.

Buenos Aires: Much More Than a City

Beyond Buenos Aires city -- the Capital Federal, as it's defined -- are the suburban bedroom communities of Gran Buenos Aires and the small towns of the Provincia of Buenos Aires. This past week we explored more of these parts as Salih's visit drew to an end.

Wednesday, Dec. 10, the four of us set out for Tigre, a small town northwest of the city where three rivers come together in the Delta to form the giant Rio de la Plata. From our apartment, we first took the subway's D line to Ministro Carranza (90 centavos per ticket), then the commuter train to Mitre Station (another 65 centavos each), and finally the Tren de la Costa (7 pesos each at the residents' rate). With the Argentine peso now trading at around 3.4 to the dollar, the hour-long trip was a real bargain.

We arrived too late to take any of the regular boat excursions through the Delta. Instead, we hopped aboard one of the small commuter launches that serve the people who live on the many little islands in the Delta. Folks heading home after work and/or shopping trips were dropped off at individual or neighborhood piers. Waterways provide the only access; no cars here.

Photos of our visit to Tigre here. 

The next day we headed further northwest to San Antonio de Areco, best known for its annual gaucho festival in November. We hired our friend Eduardo, a professional driver and man of much knowledge about all things Argentine, to transport us over the 120 kilometer distance. As we rolled from the city through Gran Buenos Aires, the scenery changed from the high rises and great parks of the metropolis to the shopping centers of the suburbs. We knew we had hit the "campo" when the multi-laned autopista abruptly ended at a final toll both, giving way to spreading fields of corn, soy, and wheat interspersed with horse pastures and shady groves of trees.

Our first stop, a gas station on the outskirts of San Antonio, included a distinctively Argentine feature: a vending machine selling hot water for mate, the herbal drink of choice here. We headed to the gaucho museum (where Belen immediately bonded with a small dog we named in honor of Salih), then downtown for a lunch of what else but fine Argentine beef, followed up by a stroll through the historic center and then liquid refreshments under a shade tree outside "la Esquina de Merti," a vintage watering hole and restaurant. Next time we stay longer.

Photos of San Antonio de Areco here.

San Telmo & Other Sights of the City

Daughter Belen and friend Salih Mendos from Turkey arrived in Buenos Aires a few days before we returned from Thanksgiving with son Joey in Texas. Showing Salih around has been a good opportunity for us to revisit spots we've not been to in a while. 

This past Sunday we headed down to San Telmo, the oldest part of the city. Every weekend a giant street fair holds something for everyone: antiques and artesanias, mimes and musicians, and everything in between. Our favorite activity is listening to the Orquestra El Afronte, a tango band that is always set up in front of San Telmo Church. (San Telmo -- or St. Elmo in English -- is the patron saint of sailors.)

In other excursions, we've hiked through the Ecological Reserve by the river and spent a lovely afternoon in the Botanical Gardens of Palermo playing a round of crazy eights. Salih is the new champion.

Perfect Weather for Polo

A cool front blew in from the south last Friday night, dropping temperatures on Saturday to more spring-like levels from the warmer highs of the week. It was a perfect day for watching the 115th Argentine Open Polo Championship . . . and fortunately we had free tickets, compliments of our favorite bank.

We headed out from our apartment in the mid afternoon. Two blocks to our subway stop (Pueyrredon), then five stations to Palermo. A long block up Avenida Bullrich, past an army installation from the early 20th century, then the mosque (the largest in South America), and left on Avenida Libertador to the polo fields, across from the race track. Photos here.

Despite our ignorance of the game's rules and strategy, we enjoyed watching the players, the horses, the crews, and the crowd. Pilara beat Chapeleufu, 14-13. 

Mas Jacarandas

Jacaranda season is too short. Already lavender petals are dusting the sidewalks under the trees.

Determined to enjoy while we can, we headed out again this afternoon (though the day was not quite as perfect as yesterday). North towards the parks, plazas, and trees, past Plaza Francia and the memorial to Khalil Gibran, then back home via Plaza Paraguay (and all the children at play) after a leisurely stop for pear cake and a glass of wine at Florencio's. 

More photos of jacarandas (and other flora) for those like us who just can't get enough.

Domingo, 9 de 11 2008

Today was a glorious celebration of spring before its transformation into summer. Though the air was warm the breeze was cool. And jacaranda trees throughout the city are covered with masses of lavender blossoms. 

We left the apartment at 12:30 noon, heading north on Azcuenaga over Avenida las Heras around the British Embassy and Plaza Mitre to Avenida del Libertador. Left on Libertador past the memorial to Evita Peron (with the National Library in the background) and the Automobile Club of Argentina to Croque Madame, one of our favorite outside cafes (as everyone knows). A leisurely 2 hour lunch, then over the street to Plaza Chile and the monument to O'Higgins, then back up Libertador past the mechanical flower that opens and closes with the sunlight and the Facultad de Derecho, right on the overpass, and back to Azcuenaga 1170 by 5:30.

Here's the afternoon in pictures.

To the Andes

Earlier this spring (i.e., the end of September for those of us in the southern hemisphere), we headed out to explore more of the Argentine interior. It was Kurt's first-ever spring birthday, and we decided to celebrate in San Martin de los Andes.

The town is located on the banks of Lago Lacar, one of several mountain lakes protected within Lanin National Park. We did some sight-seeing around the region, including on Lakes Huechulafquen and Epulafquen, where the water is so clean and clear that you can't help but try a taste. Snow-capped mountains, rushing waterfalls, recent (500 years ago) lava flows, old growth forests, and lots more. 

Kurt had the most fun, though, grilling at Cabanas Arco Iris, the cozy complex where we stayed. Our building in Buenos Aires has no such facilities, so Kurt made up for lost time in San Martin. Arco Iris backs up to a fast-flowing mountain arroyo; what a pleasure to sit outside and listen to the music of the rushing waters while savoring a nice wine and anticipating some great Argentine beef. 

We'll be heading back to San Martin in the summer (i.e., end of December) with son Joey and daughter Belen. In the meantime, we've got photos to relive the expedition.

Recent Events

Sunday the 19th was Mother's Day here in Argentina. All the flower vendors on Santa Fe (the big avenue a half block from our apartment) had their stalls open for the occasion. Linda celebrated by cooking the indigenous mountain potatoes she'd discovered at the grocery. The tag explained these "papas andinas," orginally cultivated by the Incas, were still grown at altitudes in excess of 2,000 meters. This particular batch was from Jujuy. Linda cooked them with sliced white onion and then added butter, blue cheese, and tarragon. We found them quite tasty, with a flavor between white potatoes and acorn squash.

Not so enjoyable is the continuing unfolding of financial disaster around the world. As recent retirees, we're quite anxious. We wonder how much of our savings will remain, whether the 401k will ever recover, what's next in the global rout. The Argentines are much more sanguine about developments, even though President Cristina Fernandez (no relation) plans to renationalize employee pension funds, a decision that's exacerbating market instability here. People we talk to say they've been through financial meltdown (in 2001), and things will return to normal. Maybe so . . . or maybe we should consider cultivating indigenous potatoes.

About that European Vacation . . .

In late July we headed off for a wonderful 6-week excursion of Europe via train, from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Adriatic and Mediterranean in the south to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.  (It's taken almost as long for Linda to sort through the photos, figure out Picassa, and upload the best of the tour!) Following are our itinerary, some notes on the trip, and a visual summary.

July 30-August 11: Sweden 

Sight-seeing in Stockholm, where Linda's sister Judy, brother-in-law Claes, and nephew Edward live, boat excursion through the archipelago, trip to the country house in Ekeby. Plus, we get a chance to visit with Swedish friends Peter and Dragana, who returned to Stockholm from Austin earlier in the year. Other highlights of the visit: great meals, compliments of Chef Claes; mushroom hunting in Ekeby with supersleuth Judy; and the grand show at Europe Pride 2008, organized and directed by Edward.

August 11: Copenhagen

From Stockholm we train south in the first leg of our Eurail adventure. On the suggestion of our friendly reservation agent in Sweden, we've built in a 7-hour layover in Copenhagen that allows us to explore a small part of Denmark's capital.

From there, we take the night train to Munich, Germany, sharing a sleeping compartment of 6 "couchettes" with an Italian set designer and her Swedish daughter and a Palestinian man. Lots of talk about food from around the world and about politics. Universal thumbs down for Bush.

August 12: Verona

A quick connection in Munich in the morning, and less than 6 hours later we're in Verona, Italy, where another 7-hour layover gives us the opportunity to check out the ancient town that served as a setting for several Shakespearian plays. We see the house of Juliet and find our way back through the maze of narrow medieval streets to the train station. From there, we catch the night train -- this time with our own private sleeping compartment -- to Brindisi, in the very southern tip of Italy.

August 13-27: Puglia

We stay practically on the Mediterranean in Campomarino with the Mazzas (mother Adriana, Grandmother Nona, and sons Nico, Roberto, and Gianluca), second family for our daughter Belen. She and son Joey join us for 2 weeks of sunshine, swimming, cheap wine and fantastic food, and good times with the Mazzas and their aunts, uncles, and cousins. We visit Oria, where Frederick the Great built a fortress during the Crusades; Manduria, where convenient pump tanks offer your choice of Primitivo or Negro Amaro; and Marrugio, for pizza and open-air Tarantella concert.

August 27-28: From Brindisi to Paris

Starting on the final leg of our trip, we're put on the train in Brindisi by Gianluca and Belen and then met at Rome's Termini station by Roberto. A great conclusion to the Italian tour, capped off by the private sleeper to Bern, Switzerland. There, a short 2-hour layover in the early morning is just enough time to get a feel for this city. Then we're off on the high-speed train to Paris, ooh-ing and aah-ing at the countryside and towns.

August 28-September 4: Paris

We stay at a comfy apartment in the 3rd Arrondissement, within walking distance of the Louvre, Notre Dame, Musee d'Orsay, and hundreds of eating establishments. We take a boat tour on the Seine and a one-day excursion by train to St. Malo on the Normandy coast (definitely a place to come back to.) 

What a great trip!

Two Votes for the World

Kurt just got back from dropping off our early absentee ballots at the U.S. Embassy for shipment via diplomatic pouch. (We can vote only for presidential and congressional races since we live abroad, hence the Xs through the state and local contests.) Although we've grown increasingly cynical about the democratic process, we decided to vote for those who can't. Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes in a book entitled Contra Bush suggests that all peoples of the world should be allowed to vote for the U.S. President since his power, used wisely or not, touches everyone. The universal fallout from the financial Chernobyl ignited in the U.S. certainly makes a compelling argument to support this idea. 

If It's Spring, It's Time to Nest

The new furniture we ordered here in Buenos Aires finally arrived and the apartment is looking more and more like a home than a work in progress. The mattress is now up off the floor (for which we give thanks) and storage units (bookcase, buffet, bedside table) are filled. The dining table required special handling, a need that only became apparent after the delivery crew had twice lugged it up the stairs, trying two different orientations without success. Elevators in these old building are generally too small for large items; sometimes other eccentricities also prevent delivery. In our case, the stairwell curve to the landing on the third floor (where we live) is 5 centimeters narrower than on the previous floors. That's all it takes.

Fortunately, there's always air delivery. A special crew was dispatched to haul the piece in through the balcony off the dining room. Piece of cake, they said, before heading off for the next job: an air delivery up to the 31st floor of a downtown highrise. 

The balcony, having served a functional purpose, has been returned to its decorative uses. Just today we made urban gardens of it and its companion off the living room, each with four hanging planters filled with flowers. "Alegria" is their name in Spanish (or Castellano, as the Argentines say) - "joy" in English. A nice name.

Spring Arrives

Spring officially began in Argentina this past Sunday, Sept. 21, but we welcomed in the new season yesterday, when blue skies and a warming sun sent temperatures up to 21 degrees Celsius (about 70 F) and beckoned us outside. We celebrated at our favorite outdoor eating spot: Croque Madame, a French-style cafe attached to the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo, about a 15-minute walk from our apartment. Kurt had the French onion soup, Linda the saffron risotto; we shared the complimentary appetizer (pate and toasted bread), a green salad, bottle of mineral water, and a nice bottle of white wine. 

The museum is housed in a palatial building completed in 1918 as the residence of the Errazuriz Alvear family, prominent figures in Argentine history. It exemplifies the estilo frances architecture so pervasive here in the early 20th century (albeit on a very grand scale!).

Civic Duties

Last night we attended our first convocation of the homeowners' association for our building. Six of the seven units were represented. We met in the apartment of the "administradora" who has lived on the 4th floor for around 25 years and raised three boys there with her husband.

We agreed on a higher dues for the next year, mostly due to inflationary pressures and most particularly because of retirement contributions for Don Tito, who does basic cleaning for the building three times a week. 

Today we faxed our requests for federal absentee ballots to the Travis County Clerk. We hope our votes will count.

The Downsizing Continues

Six hundred days of music are now compressed into one small Ipod with access through our new Bose portable docking station, a wonderfully compact audio marvel. This duo resides on the top shelf of our petite desk . . . much more efficiently than the 200-some CDs and boom box they replaced.

By downloading and transferring the contents of the CDs, we've freed up more valuable space in our apartment and further minimized the number of possessions requiring our care and attention. 

Now, if Linda could only find a similar technology for shoes . . . .

Back in BA . . . and Back to Business

We're back in Buenos Aires after a 6-week adventure that took us from Stockholm, Sweden, to the very southern tip of Italy, and then to Paris (with a one-day side excursion to St. Malo in Normandy). Lots of good food, friendly people, and beautiful sites. We'll post photos here soon.

But for now we're nesting. First item on the agenda when we returned Sept. 9 was going through and organizing the contents of those too many boxes from our household shipment that were delivered literally hours before we took off on our trip. Much has been accomplished on that front. However, pending arrival of bookcases and other furniture, books and photos will have to remain in their containers.

Second action item: picking up our DNIs (Documento Nacional de Identidad). This precious "national identity document" facilitates financial transactions and travel and is solid evidence of our legal status here in Argentina. We picked up the DNIs this afternoon. Gaining them represents the culmination of many steps in the bureaucratic process. It also serves as a milestone: no more paper shuffling until next year, when we renew our temporary residency for another 12 months. 

Hay Que Tener Paciencia

One has to be patient. Over the last two months we former Air Force brats have relearned how to hurry up and wait. Since our last posting, we've had some exhilarating moments with federal bureaucracy, ranging from the officials who approve national identity documents (or DNI, in the castilian - as they say here - abbreviation) to the customs inspector charged with establishing the value of and approving delivery of our household shipment. Then home to wait . . . and wait . . . and wait some more.

DNIs will be ready sometime around mid-August. With this important number we'll be able to get credit cards from our bank here in Argentina. 

But our household goods finally made it to our apartment yesterday evening, 2 and 1/2 months since our Texas shippers hauled off everything from our Austin apartment. Delivery time was set for between 4 and 5 pm, but actually occurred between 6:30 and 7 pm. "Technical difficulties with the truck" was the way the local agent described the additional delay; the guys handling the delivery more plainly (and accurately) said the truck had broken down.  A second truck had to be dispatched to retrieve and deliver our container.

We had sold or given away most of our accumulated goods over the past several years; our shipment consisted of about 50 boxes/wrapped items total, mainly photo albums, clothes, and kitchen ware. After living with so little, though, we were overwhelmed by the amount of extraneous stuff in those 50 boxes. We are realizing we need to pare down even more. Already we've made a good start at downloading our CD collection to the MacBook Pro we bought earlier this year. We plan on buying an IPod and Bose docking station to eliminate the more than 300 CDs we still own. Next up: another go at culling the wardrobe. We'll get there.

A Visit to the Doctor

No conversation about our moving to South America ever ended without someone asking what we planned to do for medical care. The implication invariably was that we were setting ourselves up for iffy if not downright inferior treatment. Based on our first experience with the health care system in Argentina we're not too worried. 

For a couple of weeks now, Linda had a nagging cough and sore throat. Today it worsened so we walked toward Hospital Aleman, perhaps the ritziest medical facility in the country. But before getting there we turned into a Swiss Medical Group facility not two blocks from the apartment. The place was spotless and new. A receptionist referred us to ear, nose, and throat specialists on the second floor. We went up, waited in line for a few seconds, and while Kurt went to retrieve Linda's passport for the all-important document number, she was whisked in to see a young female doctor in a white coat. By the time he returned, Linda was coming out of the examining room with two prescriptions: one for antibiotics and another for a decongestant. The charge for the visit (without private medical insurance) was about $16! Two doors from Swiss Medical we filled both prescriptions for $23. The antibiotic alone would have cost $65  in the States.

We could submit these payments to our health insurance carrier in the U.S. for reimbursement but it hardly seems worth the effort. As soon as we finish with other pressing matters (the final punch lists on the apartments, customs procedures for our household shipment, etc.), we'll resume looking into private medical coverage here. Never has medical care been so easy, so efficient, or so cheap. 

At Last: A Place to Sit

Red letter day: we brought home the cafe table and two chairs we had ordered soon after arriving here. Forty days from placing the order to receiving the goods: only 10 days later than the estimated delivery time. Not bad! 

The new set substantially augments our meagre supply of furniture, which consists of a mattress on the floor and a camping chair (that has endured more use than could ever have been intended). We now have a more agreeable alternative to the other eating arrangements we have tried. Creature comforts are good. Very good.

We ordered the set from Sediana, a company that apparently makes most (if not all) of the tables and chairs used in Buenos Aires cafes and restaurants. The trio fits right into the rinconcito (little nook) between the kitchen and bedroom. Ideal for morning coffee and evening aperitif. We inaugurated the set this evening with a homemade meal of Linda's famous beef stew, complemented by salad, bread, and, of course, a few glasses of Malbec. Lovely.

The Allure of Eating In

Eating out -- even in Buenos Aires -- can get old! During our four days in Mendoza, we enjoyed eight consecutive meals of slow food at Estancia La Florencia: brochette de pollo y lomo, asparagus soup, French omelette, bife de chorizo, huge salads of hearts of palm, avocado, baby asparagus, and olives, among other delights. With each meal we split a Bonarda/Malbec from Crotta or a pequena vasija of white wine from La Rural (Rutini) and mineral water con gas. The meals ran on for hours, making it possible for us to befriend waiters Daniel, Patricio, and Roberto, who gave us his exquisite recipe for chimichuri sauce. With tips, the meals averaged about $30 ARS, about $10 per person.

Eating out in Mendoza wasn't a novelty. Since arriving in Buenos Aires in May, we had been eating almost every meal out. Places like Croque Madame, Florencio, Teodoro's, Battaglia, Los Molinos, Los Pinos . . . 

So on our first night back in Buenos Aires, we didn't feel like rushing out for dinner. Instead, Linda made garbanzos with chorizo estilo espanola, following Kurt's grandmothers' recipes to a T.

Last night we decided to try the "fabrica de pasta" we'd seen a couple of blocks from the apartment. We bought a half kilo of fresh fideos caseros to serve with the rattatoulie Linda had made earlier in the day, using black olives brought back from Mendoza and fresh vegetables from the produce stand down the block. We also picked up a pollo rostizado, much like the ones we used to get in Mexico but about twice the size, from a place called Traks. Rounding out the meal was a bottle of Syrah from Don Arturo's vineyard in Mendoza, also toted back on the plane in carry on luggage sans TSA issues. 

Because we still have no furniture beyond the mattress on the floor and a camping chair, we ate at the counter in the pantry, using our new Argentine dinnerware. 

Today the left-over chicken and pasta are being turned into an Argentine version of chicken noodle soup. Tomorrow, we may well be ready to try out Granda, a small French restaurant four blocks away known for its casserole cuisine.

Whether out or in, dining is good in Argentina. 

Art, Health, and Carbon Footprints

Almost 40 days now in Argentina and we can count on one hand the number of times we've been in an automobile. All of them were in taxis, mostly to and from the airport. Since the first one dropped us (and our nine pieces of luggage) off at the front door to the apartment building, our principal modes of transportation have been the subte (subway) and colectivos (buses), both with fares at 30 cents US, and shoe leather.

Mostly we walk because everything is within easy reach. Bull's Gym, where we work out twice a week, is exactly 500 paces from our apartment. Pretty much everything else necessary to sustain life -- from a world class hospital to grocery stores -- is closer. La Hormiguita, which does our laundry, is about 10 paces; the nearest fresh vegetable stand is maybe 20. Several news stands, Los Pinos and Los Molinas (two of our favorite restaurants), our banks, and a grand old-style movie theater with seating for several hundred, all are within a couple of blocks.

We got into the habit of hoofing it in Austin in January 2007 after we sold the last of the approximately 23 cars we had owned over the years. In BA, it's just easier to do without a vehicle. Plus walking and using public transportation both are great ways to soak up the architectural wonders of our new hometown. The photo above shows part of the murals at the Facultad de Medicina station, just one example of the 1930s tile work adorning many of the subte stops.

The Wonders of Water in Mendoza

Mendoza averages 220 mm of rainfall per year (under 9 inches), about the same as El Paso, Texas. The region's vineyards, olive groves, park vegetation, drinking water supplies all owe their existence to an elaborate system of irrigation that dates back to Incan times. Snowmelt from the Andes is collected and channeled into area rivers for transport and ultimate diversion to downstream acequias (ditches).

Mendocinos are proud of their man-made oasis in the desert. Cab drivers, waiters, and vendors pointed out to us the extensive diversity of vegetation. Throughout the city, acequias of all vintages water roadside trees that provide shade and beauty (look to the right of the trees in the photo). Just be careful coming home from a late night out!  

We spent our last full day in Mendoza yesterday soaking up the sun in the town's incredible Parque General San Martin (remember winter officially began down here in the southern hemisphere on June 21). Acequias, complete with gates, crisscross the 512-hectare park, apparently fed by the man-made lake that also serves the region's rowing enthusiasts. The fountain shown below is just one of the many other water features in the park. (Despite retirement from WaterPR, Linda's still fascinated with water works!)

Beyond Buenos Aires

With all important matters taken care of or in process in Buenos Aires, we've headed to Mendoza. Today we took a half-day tour of a small olive orchard and processing plant and two vineyards: Baudron, a large concern, and Cavas de Don Arturo, a small organic enterprise that exports only to Kentucky (of all places). The latter is particularly gorgeous; the current owners have preserved the original French-style buildings from the early 20th century (see photo by Kurt).

Of course, we wound up buying all sorts of bargains: extra virgin olive oil, olive paste (both black and green), Greek-style black olives, and several bottles of wonderful wine: Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, and Tempranillo.

Plus we've found a great place to eat: Estancia La Florencia.

Several thumbs up for food AND service.

Music to Celebrate With

Last night we had the pleasure of attending yet another free concert at the University of Buenos Aires Law School. The National Symphony Orchestra, with guest piano soloist Boris Giltburg, performed Rachmaninoff's Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2. The audience went wild at the end, so much so that Giltburg came back with a solo piece as an encore. Much more sombre, almost dirge-like (the piece unfortunately was not identified), successfully defusing the general mania so that Giltburg could leave the stage.

The second offering was Shostakovich's Symphony #12 ("1917"), a virtual war within the orchestra, led by the percussion and wind sections. As Kurt put it, both pieces were extremely physical; the orchestra (not to mention the director) was put through the wringer!

The Law School, we are told, was originally the site of the Eva Peron Foundation. The building looks a monolithic supreme court from the outside: massive columns devoid of decoration. But inside the "Salon de Actos" (assembly hall), where many of the performances are held, the austerity gives way to red velvet seats and a massive painting depicting the founding of the University of Buenos Aires in 1821. (Photo by Kurt)

What a great way to celebrate our new residency status. 

And We're Legit

We're golden! Today we picked up our signed and sealed "temporary" residency papers, good for one year and renewable for two more. After that, we are eligible for permanent residency and, two years later, citizenship. The process requires quite a bit of paper collection: apostilled and notarized birth and marriage certificates, criminal records (or evidence of lack thereof), proof of pension, etc. The last item is the one that greases the skids. Thank you to the Newspaper Guild, AFL-CIO, for Kurt's monthly pension check.

Those residency papers already have come in handy. Tickets on Aerolineas Argentinas are about half the price for residents. We picked up round-trip tickets from BA to Mendoza (capital of the wine country, as everyone knows) for $300 US for the two of us. Charge to non-residents would have been $750 US. Life is good.

Sunday we head to Mendoza for a quick reconnaissance (and break from waiting for the furniture to arrive). Back on Thursday to continue the process of setting up the bank account here. More paperwork, but it's worth it.

We're Home!

On May 19, 2008, Kurt and I moved into our apartment in Buenos Aires. 88 square meters of 1928 French-style architecture in an eight-floor building in Barrio Norte, part of the greater Recoleta neighborhood.

We had bought the apartment almost two years' previous, and begun the renovation process (long distance from Austin, Texas) in July 2007. A long punch list remained, but the critical elements were done: new wiring and plumbing installed, all woodwork stripped and refinished, original parquet floors polished, walls plastered and painted, kitchen and bath gutted and new fixtures and accessories installed.

Our first month here has been a mix of paperwork and housework. Finalizing the residency papers, delivering required documents to the customs broker for our modest shipment of mainly photo albums and personal effects, ordering new furniture, overseeing installation of the heating and cooling device, cleaning up excess grout and similar renovation detritus, polishing doorknobs and plates that some said were beyond such attention, and much more.

But we've also had time to enjoy some of the many amenities of Buenos Aires. Free concerts by the national symphony at the Law School, a 20-minute walk away, and by guitar and organ maestros at the metropolitan cathedral, a short subway ride from the apartment. Not to mention great food, marvelous and inexpensive wines, and the architectural richness that abounds. We are more convinced than ever that the decision to escape to Buenos Aires was a good one.