Christmas in Cordoba

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Well it's a bit late but I haven't really been in computor-mood over the last couple of weeks, more enjoying the 30+degree temperatures, the pool, the food, the company and the parties... I was going to go to Buenos Aires for New Years and wait around there for my flight but after meeting up with all my old friends and getting settled back into their well suited lifestyle it was sort of a no brainer to decide to stick out the rest of my time in South America with the people I love the most on this Continent. We had an absolutely great christmas with all the cousins and uncles and aunties which was fantastic, 2days of non-stop partying, eating and swimming at Uncle Hugo's gorgeous house. Then we shot of to Santa Fe which is where the Pilattis parents live for a few days of more partying and swimming in the river, before coming back to Cordoba intime for the New Years party at the Pilattis'. And since then there has been an excuse for a party every night so far this year up till now - 3 of them being farewell parties for me because as usual my plans keep changing. Today is it though, I'm on a bus tonight at 10:30 to Buenos Aires, then tomorrow night I fly to Los Angeles. I imagine I wont spend much time in the $8/hr internet cafes up in the states so here's a quick run down of what I've got lined up for the next few weeks... arrive in LA and take a bus straight down to San Diego to spend the weekend with the only two of my Argentinian friends who I didn't get to see in my Christmas visit, they're working in the Marriot hotel down there at the moment so I cant wait to see them again - See you real soon Mariana and Lucas, I'm bringing some Argentina goodies for ya 😊
Then I'll drift my way back up to Los Angeles where I'll have a look around and wait for my mate Dan Keys to fly in from NZ on the 13th. Only a week to go cuz!!! We're going to hire a car and do a quick roadtrip up the coast to Vancouver, Canada, stopping at some cool places and visiting a few people I've met in my travells along the way which is going to be absalutely awesome!!!! Then when we get to Canada we're going to buy a car and drive around untill we find somewhere we like and work for a few months while enjoying the the high-quality British Colombian snow... cant wait to get back into snowboarding, but working's going to be a real shock to the system, along with the crazy below zero temperatures they have up that way. Not sure I'll last but I'm going to give it a good go anyway.
So thats it from me and South America, been a fantasic trip with a lot of cool adventures and people along the way but now it's time for the next chapter... solong as I get into the States without any trouble that is. if not I might be seeing you all a lot sooner then expected 😊 I hope you've all had great Christmases and New Years and so sorry for not replying to any festive emails, will hopefully get my act together soon. love you all - russ

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Photos

Me and the Pilattis
This is my Argentinian family, and everyone is there accept for Little brother Fransico, Raul's girlfriend Coty and Tomas.

Sending off the "globo"
the sky is absolutely full of these things, they send them off at about 11:30 at night on Christmas eve to go and tell Santa(Papa Noel) to hurry up and bring the presents. Also at midnight everyone lets of hundreds of Fireworks so the whole sky is lit up and the dogs are all hiding from the caotic noises

Joaquin playing Papa Noel
At midnight while all the Firworks are going crazy, the older kids take the little ones up the road to look for Papa Noel while the parents take all the prezzies out of the back of the cars and put them under the tree. then when the kids come back and see the tree it's an all on frenzie hunting for your presents amoungst the rest... big change from the early night "so santa will come quicker" that I was brought up on, and very exciting.

Lunch Christmas day
medium sized rib-steaks

Cousin Ranguel the chef, and me hooking into one of the discarded ribs
Argentinians really know how to eat well, the meat is absolutely delicious and there is always way too much so I've put back on a few of the 12kilos I'd lost since I was here 6months ago

Road trip
the four of us went to Sant Fe for 3days, Colo, Salvidor, me and Joaquin and we had an absolute blast!

The beach by the river
After we woke up we'd go to the beach for a Mate and some solar goodness before planning where we were going to go out that night. it's really cool because there is still hot sun untill about 8pm most days so you can stay at the beach for ever

Comments

[anonymous]

Boarding in Canada
Hey if you're looking for some decent boarding, Kelowna has a mountain called Big White that is pretty good. Kelowna is about 4 hours east from Vancouver. Heh, but then again, you've got Whistler in Vancouver. - Garrett