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Published: April 18th 2006
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URUGUAY
Our Easter Vacation 2006 to Colonia, Uruguay Our passports prove it. We can stay another 3 months in Argentina with our new tourist visa stamp. Hooray, we are not illegal students any longer. (grin)
Back in Buenos Aires after a magnificent weekend in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, I wondered to myself, how much does Buenos Aires weigh? It must weigh tons and tons. So much concrete, so many cars, trucks, machines, buildings, factories, people, dogs. Has anyone ever done a study to see how much cities weigh? Get back to me about that one. Anyway, yes, we are back in BA. Refreshed, relaxed, refriada (stuffed up with the flu), and ready for school tomorrow morning.
We forgot to mention that the University hosted all of the first year students and new exchange students at their ‘Club Belgrano’ about 100km out of town. I don’t know for sure, but there must have been about 5000 students running around playing soccer and drinking mate. It was a sun burn day, a making new friends day, and a running around day. Fantastic. Furthermore, I attended an ‘asado’ last weekend. A typical Argentine reunion of friends, family members, etc. It consists of talking, laughing, and for the most part eating
Calle de los Sospiros
Me on the 'Street of Sighs' in Colonia, Uruguay. We heard that it has this name because of crying mothers, but also heard that it was named after the sighing prostitutes... who knows? bread and meat. All shapes, sizes and pieces of meat, grilled over coals. I, the only vegetarian to attend this meat eating party, ate bread, olives, wine and cheese. (I won’t mention how I felt the next day, plugged up to say the least!!). Ok, I am burning to write about Colonia, here we go.
I wished Mike Frisque (Dad) was there with us to enjoy the outdoor patios and red wine at sunset at the harbour. I wished Marg (Mom) was there to enjoy the fig jam, pencil collection, and evening music on street corners. I wished Greg (Brother…) was there to rip around the cobblestone streets with us on the golf cart or the moped and visit the Indigenous Museum (PS- All of Uruguay’s indigenous people were murdered by the Spanish and Portuguese) with us. In other words, it is a place I wanted to share with everyone I know. It was picturesque. It was exactly what I was searching for in Buenos Aires but couldn’t find; tranquility, slow, clean and crisp, quiet and peaceful. The cool fall air was so refreshing and fulfilling, it reminded me of Western Quebec, dry, cold, smelling earthy in a non-worm
The streets
The old cobblestone streets of Colonia. Looks to me like they´d cause some serious damage to your car or bicycle! way, it filled our lungs so smoothly, softly, perfectly. Ahhh, so different from the poisonous Buenos Aires air. Although the pace of the little colonial Colonia was a few paces behind Buenos Aires, and we really relaxed quite a bit, we were often on the go doing so many things and seeing so many different sights.
We traveled around by foot or by golf cart. We ran and jumped around like wild dogs on the beach. We played guitar and put our faces up to the setting sun. We ate out three times a day and didn’t pay one cent. We learned new swear words and about the first presidents of Argentina. We took over 500 pictures, each worth 500 English words and 500 more in castellano (Spanish). We laughed with the street performers whizzing around on unicycles in spandex (Sorry, no photos of that). We hollered like gladiators in the Plaza de Toros, (400 year old bull fighting ring, thanks to the Spanish). We screeched like young boys out in the rain storm one dark windy night. We drank mate like Buen Argentinos (Good Argentines) on the sweet grass in the afternoon. We cried when we had to
visiting the sites
Sitting in the Plaza de Toros leave that little secret place we fell in love with so quickly. In general, we had a marvelous holiday into a historic (recognized and conserved by UNESCO) and wonderful place.
One second, the beach. I must expand. White sand, very brown water. (Not contaminated though, we were reassured). When we arrived we stripped down to our swimmers, and ran around like wild dogs. Actually, more like apartment dogs, who have been cooped up for so long, that the open space is over whelming. I enjoyed the afternoon at the beach thoroughly. Drinking mate, chatting about all sorts of things and just enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.
Uruguay was splendid, and I hope you enjoy the pictures.
All my love, muchos besos (lots of kisses)
Jenica
PS For anyone interested in the Camera Drama, I have it back from the shop, still busted. The cannot find the parts in all of Buenos Aires. Qué Bajon! (What a bummer)!
PS HAPPY EASTER! I hope you enjoyed it and I wish all of you students the best of luck with your final exams and papers! Our mid terms are in three weeks!
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Hannah
non-member comment
How spectacular!
Wow my dears! What a great write up and wonderful pictures! Your Easter was much more eventful than mine.. forever studying...sigh*. You are both so beautiful, life is filling your faces with grace, wisdom and happiness. I miss you and love you both. tu amor, Hannah Ps. Jenica your little gaucho is beautiful, I am excited to hear you play when you return... all pro:)