It really throws off your sense of seasons. Oy.
Now that it is cold and rainy/snowy in Minnesota, I am extra unhappy about it since I've had more than enough crappy weather this year. The fact that August and September were unseasonably cold here doesn't help matters at all - it seems like it's been winter for the last 4 months only it's really just starting. I predict I will be seriously tweaking out by March. Considering that I'll also be in the midst of writing my senior paper then, I'm thinking I should just go ahead and schedule a nervous breakdown now.
I've also had more than enough media-sensationalism and general panic about the H1N1 flu, or "La Gripe A." I just wish they called it "La Gripe A" in the U.S. - it sounds so much scarier in a comedic way - like a cartoon villainess.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mini-Vacation
This past weekend, Jake and the girls and I took a little mini-vacation to the Mall of America. Those of you who know Jake may have just raised an eyebrow or chortled in disbelief since a mall is generally about as appealing to him as a root canal but I speak the truth. However, we didn't do much in the actual shopping areas since for me shopping with Jake in tow ranks far worse than a root canal for me. What we did do was visit Underwater Adventures and the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park.
Even though we live only an hour away, we decided to make more of a vacation out of it so we drove up there Friday afternoon and spent the night at the Hilton hotel just a few blocks from the mall. It was a bit of a splurge, but we got a package deal that included a breakfast buffet for the 4 of us ($50) as well as 4 passes to Underwater Adventures (about $60), and the total room cost (with tax) was $180 so it wasn't all that bad. It came with the nice Hilton perks like super comfy beds, Crabtree & Evelyn soaps, and upscale decorations which made the girls feel like princesses. However - with only 10 free tv channels (less than basic cable), a cost of $15/movie to watch in the room, $5/show for on-demand tv, and a $10/day charge to use the wireless internet, all of which we passed on, the Hilton didn't seem so hospitable. The continental breakfasts might be a bit dodgey sometimes but at least most budget chains offer free wireless internet. I can't say I'd stay at another Hilton if I had a choice, but it was fun for a night. We swam in the pool for over an hour and a half before having dinner and settling in for the night.
On Saturday, we got to the mall at 10 am and stayed until about 6 pm - a full day that left us all pretty exhausted. Underwater Adventures was our first stop and it is a neat experience, especially to see the rays swim up over the glass tunnel right above your head. We saw turtles, rays, sharks, fish, an octopus, jellyfish, sea horses, sea stars, coral, anemone and more. On the downsides, the underwater tunnel is a bit dizzying since the curve of the glass and movement of the water creates some optical illusions that mess with your sense of balance, there isn't as much information about the different animals as you'd find in a zoo, and it's a bit harder to wander at your own pace in a tunnel with a bunch of other people, so it's not a place I'd insist on visiting regularly but I'm very glad we went and I'd go back again sometime. The thing Jake and I, and other older visitors, really enjoyed was getting to pet the star fish, horseshoe crabs, anemone, and snow crabs at the very end of the exhibit. By that time, though, Cecelia and Vivian were more interested in running off to the little pirate ship play area so they didn't get as much out of the hands-on exhibits.
Our next big stop was the American Girl store which delighted Ce and Vivi to see the dolls they ogle over in the catalog up close and personal with all their tiny little accessories. We watched the hair stylists in the doll salon create new hair-dos for visiting dolls, and quickly checked out the bistro upstairs where girls can eat lunch with their dolls. I was also impressed with the staff there who were incredibly friendly and personable to all of their clients - they really seem to enjoy their jobs and it left me with an even better opinion of the company.
Then we spent the rest of the day at Nickelodeon Universe where we rode almost all of the rides for which Cecelia and Vivian met the height requirements. Usually this involved Jake and I being crammed into kid-sized cars as well, but even some of those rides were surprisingly fun. We took a break to eat at the slightly overpriced but child-enchanting Rainforest Cafe. With a $10 off coupon printed from their website, it was pretty reasonable and the kids thought it was amazing.
By the time we left at 6, the place was starting to get a bit crowded, Cecelia and Vivian were starting to wilt, and Jake was starting to fray at the edges from a day spent in a mall. I got a couple of mochas for Jake and I, and chocolate chip cookies all around which perked everyone up enough to make it to the car without any meltdowns. Vivi was asleep before we were out of the parking ramp and both she and Cecelia were happy to lay their heads on their own pillows when we finally got home and they had some dinner.
All in all, it was a nice little trip and a great chance for the four of us to spend some time together playing and having fun.
Even though we live only an hour away, we decided to make more of a vacation out of it so we drove up there Friday afternoon and spent the night at the Hilton hotel just a few blocks from the mall. It was a bit of a splurge, but we got a package deal that included a breakfast buffet for the 4 of us ($50) as well as 4 passes to Underwater Adventures (about $60), and the total room cost (with tax) was $180 so it wasn't all that bad. It came with the nice Hilton perks like super comfy beds, Crabtree & Evelyn soaps, and upscale decorations which made the girls feel like princesses. However - with only 10 free tv channels (less than basic cable), a cost of $15/movie to watch in the room, $5/show for on-demand tv, and a $10/day charge to use the wireless internet, all of which we passed on, the Hilton didn't seem so hospitable. The continental breakfasts might be a bit dodgey sometimes but at least most budget chains offer free wireless internet. I can't say I'd stay at another Hilton if I had a choice, but it was fun for a night. We swam in the pool for over an hour and a half before having dinner and settling in for the night.
On Saturday, we got to the mall at 10 am and stayed until about 6 pm - a full day that left us all pretty exhausted. Underwater Adventures was our first stop and it is a neat experience, especially to see the rays swim up over the glass tunnel right above your head. We saw turtles, rays, sharks, fish, an octopus, jellyfish, sea horses, sea stars, coral, anemone and more. On the downsides, the underwater tunnel is a bit dizzying since the curve of the glass and movement of the water creates some optical illusions that mess with your sense of balance, there isn't as much information about the different animals as you'd find in a zoo, and it's a bit harder to wander at your own pace in a tunnel with a bunch of other people, so it's not a place I'd insist on visiting regularly but I'm very glad we went and I'd go back again sometime. The thing Jake and I, and other older visitors, really enjoyed was getting to pet the star fish, horseshoe crabs, anemone, and snow crabs at the very end of the exhibit. By that time, though, Cecelia and Vivian were more interested in running off to the little pirate ship play area so they didn't get as much out of the hands-on exhibits.
Our next big stop was the American Girl store which delighted Ce and Vivi to see the dolls they ogle over in the catalog up close and personal with all their tiny little accessories. We watched the hair stylists in the doll salon create new hair-dos for visiting dolls, and quickly checked out the bistro upstairs where girls can eat lunch with their dolls. I was also impressed with the staff there who were incredibly friendly and personable to all of their clients - they really seem to enjoy their jobs and it left me with an even better opinion of the company.
Then we spent the rest of the day at Nickelodeon Universe where we rode almost all of the rides for which Cecelia and Vivian met the height requirements. Usually this involved Jake and I being crammed into kid-sized cars as well, but even some of those rides were surprisingly fun. We took a break to eat at the slightly overpriced but child-enchanting Rainforest Cafe. With a $10 off coupon printed from their website, it was pretty reasonable and the kids thought it was amazing.
By the time we left at 6, the place was starting to get a bit crowded, Cecelia and Vivian were starting to wilt, and Jake was starting to fray at the edges from a day spent in a mall. I got a couple of mochas for Jake and I, and chocolate chip cookies all around which perked everyone up enough to make it to the car without any meltdowns. Vivi was asleep before we were out of the parking ramp and both she and Cecelia were happy to lay their heads on their own pillows when we finally got home and they had some dinner.
All in all, it was a nice little trip and a great chance for the four of us to spend some time together playing and having fun.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Okay... I lied
I made myself my handy schedule of when I'd post things about my trip and then I promptly ditched it. In my defense, school this semester has been intense and work at the Humane Society has also exploded into a lot of time-consuming, challenging stuff.
I WILL get that stuff posted and I will continue to blog, but you all will just have to be patient with me as I fight to keep my head above water...
I WILL get that stuff posted and I will continue to blog, but you all will just have to be patient with me as I fight to keep my head above water...
Monday, September 7, 2009
San Telmo
San Telmo is one of Buenos Aires' oldest neighborhoods which means that it is filled with beautiful old architecture, but also means that a significant portion of it is also very run down. At night parts can be rather sketchy and I know several people who were mugged in the area. Still, there's a lot about the area worth exploring.
My favorite part of San Telmo is the street La Defensa which becomes a pedestrian only street on Sundays and overflows with street performers and vendors.
There are vendors selling hand-knit sweaters, leather goods, flea market antiques and vintage clothes, jewelry, mate gourds, photography, and tons of other things. There are also musicians, mimes, tango dancers, and the above man who does a unique marionette opera show.
I loved walking down La Defensa on Sundays! Especially with a cone of amazing Freddo ice cream in hand...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
El Ombu
One weekend, my roommate and I took the bus from Buenos Aires to the small town of San Antonio de Areco and spent the day at an estancia (ranch) called "El Ombu."
After a bumpy $8, 2-hour bus ride, and a crazy private taxi we arrived at the estancia. The main public building housed a dining room, reception, kitchen, and bathrooms, with the larger original ranch house divided up into individual guest rooms. I was most excited about the roaring fire in the dining room - actual heat!!! We didn't stick around the building for long though because there were horses to ride.
I've gone horseback riding many times, but I am far from comfortable on a horse. Something about hopping on an animal several times my size that can run at break neck speeds and expecting my clucks and desperate tugs on the reigns to convince it to do what I want just doesn't seem sensible to me. Still, it was fun - and though the first horse I rode didn't like to run despite my asking it to, and the second horse didn't like to walk despite my asking it to. But I survived, rode with gauchos, and got a feel for the country life.
Between our trail rides, we settled in to a fantastic lunch on the lawn of the estancia. We were served a traditional estancia meal of grilled meat, sides, and wine. It was fabulous and we ate until we were stuffed!
Then before heading back to the city, we were served Argentine sweets and tea while we watched the sunset across the sprawling pampas (flat grass lands).
The day at the estancia cost us about $70 but it was a full day and a full experience. I'm so glad we went!
After a bumpy $8, 2-hour bus ride, and a crazy private taxi we arrived at the estancia. The main public building housed a dining room, reception, kitchen, and bathrooms, with the larger original ranch house divided up into individual guest rooms. I was most excited about the roaring fire in the dining room - actual heat!!! We didn't stick around the building for long though because there were horses to ride.
I've gone horseback riding many times, but I am far from comfortable on a horse. Something about hopping on an animal several times my size that can run at break neck speeds and expecting my clucks and desperate tugs on the reigns to convince it to do what I want just doesn't seem sensible to me. Still, it was fun - and though the first horse I rode didn't like to run despite my asking it to, and the second horse didn't like to walk despite my asking it to. But I survived, rode with gauchos, and got a feel for the country life.
Between our trail rides, we settled in to a fantastic lunch on the lawn of the estancia. We were served a traditional estancia meal of grilled meat, sides, and wine. It was fabulous and we ate until we were stuffed!
Then before heading back to the city, we were served Argentine sweets and tea while we watched the sunset across the sprawling pampas (flat grass lands).
The day at the estancia cost us about $70 but it was a full day and a full experience. I'm so glad we went!
Home
Don't worry, I made it home as scheduled almost a month ago, it's just been a whirlwind of activity since so I haven't had time to update my blog! I also didn't have time during my last week and a half in Argentina, so I'll be adding more about my adventures there soon. In fact, here's a schedule...
Later today: La Estancia "El Ombu" - a ranch outside in San Antonio de Areco, about an hour from Buenos Aires
Monday 9/7: The San Telmo neighborhood
Wednesday 9/9: Iguazu falls
Saturday 9/12: Colonia, Uruguay
Sunday 9/13: A recap of my experiences and my favorite things from my time in Argentina
So stay tuned!
Later today: La Estancia "El Ombu" - a ranch outside in San Antonio de Areco, about an hour from Buenos Aires
Monday 9/7: The San Telmo neighborhood
Wednesday 9/9: Iguazu falls
Saturday 9/12: Colonia, Uruguay
Sunday 9/13: A recap of my experiences and my favorite things from my time in Argentina
So stay tuned!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Growing on me...
After 2.5 weeks here, I can say that Argentina has really started to grow on me. It helps that the weather has warmed up a bit and I was able to do a little more exploring this past weekend than I had done previously. On Friday night I partied it up like a porteño, making it home at about 5 am (only 15 minutes before our host-sister came in). Saturday I went with a group to the city of Tigre, an river delta area where the majority of the town is located on islands accessible only by boat. Then Sunday I took a long bus ride out into the country to visit an Estancia (a type of ranch) where I rode horses, watched a gaucho show, and was treated to a fabulous dinner served on the lawn of the ranch.
My Spanish skills are also constantly improving and though I am a long LONG way from fluent and can't even imagine using the language effortlessly, I understand more and am able to express more every day. I still feel like an idiot when I have to ask someone to repeat sentences multiple times, or when I use the wrong word, or completely misunderstand something, but at the same time I am proud of how far I've come. That is a really good feeling...
My Spanish skills are also constantly improving and though I am a long LONG way from fluent and can't even imagine using the language effortlessly, I understand more and am able to express more every day. I still feel like an idiot when I have to ask someone to repeat sentences multiple times, or when I use the wrong word, or completely misunderstand something, but at the same time I am proud of how far I've come. That is a really good feeling...
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