January 15, 2007      Great that all of you are watching the website that Harry’s beautiful daughter set up...you may notice that I do not stutter when she types.     The trip down was long (9 and one half hours from Atlanta)...had a full plane and sat next to an old couple (Harry’s age) who talked, loud, the whole night.  They could not figure out the headphones so they told each other what the screen must be saying...very difficult to sleep under those conditions...and space is tight, in spite of my lean body.       I took a cab directly to the apartment that we have...Harry was waiting outside. I must now tell you - I was able to identify him by his clothes...I know that he tells all of us that he brings older clothes and then leaves them with the locals, but, if that is true, why have I seen the same shirts for three straight trips?       The weather is beautiful...while I am used to hot weather in Florida, BA is void of high humidity, which I love.  Our adventure on Sunday took us to a street fair on the other side of town...and a lunch of beer (2 liter is all that seems to be served, $2) and a large cut of steak ($6)...price was right.  We then ventured out on two buses to get us back to our apartment for a needed siesta.  I have the sofa bed, which is quite comfortable, but I don’t want Harry to know that...he is better when feeling guilty.  Back out for dinner at 9 p.m. which is early to dine here in Argentina where they would normally eat at 10 or 11!       This morning we walked for an hour to the water front and had breakfast outdoors watching the people go to work...was interesting to see that almost all the shop keepers were washing the sidewalks in the front of their buildings.  Harry brags that he knows the city having been here for 11 days...only asked directions 13 times on our walk!  As for breakfast, I ordered in Spanish (spanglish) - long story short, I wanted an omelet and got a salad....not all my fault...reminded me of the time in Madrid when my beautiful lady was ordering an abono (bus pass) and ended up with two packs of Marlboro’s.       Well, you get the idea of my writing....pretty scattered and unorganized and random....my amigo friend is the author extraordinaire and uses big words....but I am who I am!  Well, I’m off to get my tux cleaned while Harry is washing out his blue denim shirt! Ciao...or is it adios?

January 16, 2007      Well lots of impressions of Buenos Aires now after a few days... some random thoughts… Safe - I have not seen anything that makes me want to walk down a different street... usually pick-pockets are everywhere... why I was pick-pocketed in Rostov on Don, and someone robbed me in Madrid... yes, I have to admit (before Harry tells you) it was my man-purse. Yesterday we took a cab... and when I went to pay, I was going to give the driver $4 and he said $3 was enough. This has happened before.        The people are unusually thin... I never see anyone overweight, unless of course I look to the left of me as I am walking. There is no high speed internet here... and I’m told not to expect any in all of Argentina. The Spanish language is much different from what I learned in Spain and Mexico - in those places I was quite fluent (well, maybe not!).       Our days are becoming somewhat routine - up early for the one hour walk, stop for breakfast of toast and cafe, time at the internet, shower, walk and tour the city more, siesta, cocktails, and dinner by 10 or 11... yes, for those that know me, I am still awake!       Cecilia showed us the city today - she is the tour guide that Harry was able to find... did a fair job, but the day got to be very long. Her English was not super and made it difficult to communicate with her. HOWEVER, at one point she was serious with Harry, and told him that when he wore walking shorts with his white tennis shoes, that high top socks did not look good… has he ever seen the lower socks? Or considered going without? WELL, I was in the back seat with tears of laughter coming to my eyes!!! How he deserved this!       Back to the city - it is huge with lots of individual neighborhoods, all of which offer different lifestyles. We are in one of the wealthiest which is good... but another close by, Palermo, is a great mix of both and we would choose this if on a future trip... our apartment could not be better, however. I find the sofa much more comfortable than the plastic seat of GLEE... err… UgGLEE (Harry’s old car, for new readers).      Well it has been a long day and I am in need of an evening relaxer. Thanks to all of you posting to the site and sending emails... we both love ‘em!  And, to my beautiful granddaughters, Katie, Aussie and Lauren....love you all!

January 17, 2007      Hola from Palermo.  We walked an hour to our breakfast - Harry decides the pace… if he wants to look he tells me “what is the hurry”, and when I stop, it is “we are walking aren’t we?” Harry was excited yesterday to find a store that sells film for his brownie camera… think it used 127 film... you see he is not aware of digital (my mom 89, uses one daily). It was my intention to be able to download my pictures at the internet stores, but without high speed access, we can’t do it. On Friday we will have a CD cut and sent to our webmaster via airmail. Fortunately we have 2 gigs of memory, so I will be able to take about 1200 pictures... wow, can we have a party boring those of you with these shots?! Harry is amazed at what technology can do.      We walked by an auto store this morning - seemed as though it was two years ago when we could not pass one without stopping for repairs for GLEE (Harry’s Volvo)… today one was in the driveway, I swore I heard it honk... tear came to my eye!      OKAY - A QUESTION - WITH A PRIZE TO BE AWARDED!  The taxi’s here or about 60% of them run without their headlights on, or at extremely low brightness... research on the net and see if you can find out why. We are guessing that it might be drivers who think gas mileage is better (no can’t be, as these are men drivers... oops, I am in trouble for that comment). Tell us the answer, it can’t be a coincidence.      I have found another way to get my way with Harry - just walk on his left... (his good ear is the right one)… so I walk on the left and lip sync. He deserves this abuse if you would hear him talking in Spanish about me... calls me his “mea farrow” or something… I think it means loco friend.      Today we will walk to the cemetery to see the grave of Evita Peron. Adios - Spanish is improving isn’t it?

January 18, 2007      Gosh, so much to tell, such clumsy fingers to type, as I sit here typing and listening to Harry type very fast.  I am concerned about being alone with him this evening - he is wearing a string of pearls, he says they are cocoa beads, and a floral shirt and slacks... not sure if he is wearing the orthopedic white shoes that he generally has on!  I know one thing, I am keeping my distance. He calls me cheap, but his clothes are from another decade... you have not lived till you have seen his chartreuse walking shorts, and yes, those white socks.      My Spanish is really getting good, if I might say so myself... I was even able to get negra toast this morning (whole wheat, as you know). Sometimes gestures work the best... when in Russia, MJ and I wanted chicken, so I flapped my arms... and of course they knew.  MJ warned me not to request eggs!  I continue to help out Harry… today as I was going through my palm pilot for an address he was looking at his laundry stub for his home zip code. To say he is challenged is an understatement.      Now a lesson… the afternoon drink – “mate” (pronounced mah-tay).  This is a cup in which an herbal brew, called yerba, is shared. The yerba leaves come from a shrub, and when covered with hot water, they produce a bitter, earthly-tasting drink. This is enjoyed in a group with everyone drinking from the same metal straw.  Yesterday, Harry and I decided to partake... yep, Harry burned his lip in his excitement to taste. The taste – well, think alfalfa with water.  We were leaving and the waiter suggested sugar... well, it does help the medicine go down, but!!!      To all of you who are sending notes - super... but, do consider sending money!  Adios… till I learn more Spanish.

January 19, 2007      Wanted to mention to you why South America is such a desirable destination to us living in the U.S. - yes, the value of the dollar vs. the peso is important, and the time zone... I have flown to Europe many times and the jet lag takes several days to recover from (on both ends). Here the flight is as far; however, the time zone is only two hours earlier. I did not experience any lag whatsoever... other than the difficulty sleeping in a small airline seat.      QUESTION UPDATE... LoLo came the closest (she worked on it)... the cabs do not have to use the headlights as long as they are in the City... so many street lights and the cars tend to blind one another, so many turn them down or dim them to 50% in some way. A huge monetary gift will be awarded to LoLo!      Mate - we both talked of mate, and I think that I understand why they adopted this drink so many years ago. We visited a gaucho ranch today (of yesteryear). The gauchos would use the plant at hand and mix with warm water to produce their equivalent of our coffee. When we are walking by stores, parks and benches, many locals are sipping this drink.      DOGS, DOGS, AND MORE DOGS... yes, the city is full of them. For the most part they are tethered or being walked by a dog walker (10 to 12 is not unusual)... but, droppings are not normally picked up - except by Harry’s shoe! Not a pretty site, and if I am elected to the city council, I will enact a new law.      We have seen Evita (Eva Peron)... well, she is not alive, but we saw her resting place (she died at 30). Quite a cemetery - full of narrow passages and vaults... could be described as a corn maze… enjoyed the brief visit to this area.      We took a 2 hour bus trip today to San Antonio, something or other... the most impressive thing was the bus terminal and bus. Think O’Hare airport for buses... must have been 30 bus companies with all deluxe double deck busses very comfortable ride, and efficient.      We had a real bargain for lunch, of course, Harry will describe it in detail... the significance for me was the locals that we talked with. One lady in the cafe shop (older lady) spoke quite good English... she has never traveled, but, through books and movies, is quite knowledgeable. She was a delight to talk to. Another was a physician who has traveled to our area in the States. We always strike up a conversation wherever we go.      To this date we have not encountered any bad feelings, or felt unsafe. Our real adventure will start on Monday as we go to Uruguay and then back to Buenos Aires, prior to taking the bus on the trip through central Argentina. I have found from past travels, that the smaller cities hold the most memories and charm. Well, till later...

January 20, 2007       Somewhere in southern Argentina there is a mother goat, or two or three, who is hunting for her (flock?) baby goats... you see, Harry had a new coat made today and it takes several babies to make the jacket. He is quite pleased with the result and I know everyone will be. We spent several hours at a delightful leather store in the heart of the city... two trips and numerous try-ons!      We could own a taxi company with the amount of trips today... leather store, several post offices that were closed and Harry did not believe, and to the train or bus station. Our trip to Tigre on a modern train, through quaint, small towns was a highlight of this Saturday... anyone coming to Buenos Aires must make this 30 minute trip. While it was a short trip, I felt like we were miles from a major city.      In Tigre we hired a private boat to tour us through several of the 350 waterways that comprise this area. Many Buenos Aires residents have summer homes… cabins or resorts on the water ways… the only way to reach them is by boat. The children go to school via boat bus, they get groceries from the floating stores, and, of course, all of the supplies that they need. What a lifestyle this is… sitting on the dock or front yard watching the world go by. I came away feeling that we could have been hundreds of miles away from the hustle bustle. The water has a dark brown cast which we are told is very uncontaminated... hard to believe.      Tomorrow will be a relaxing day prior to leaving on Monday for Uruguay for several days. Buenos Aires is full of craft markets, and a major one is steps from our apartment... I know that the ladies would be dying for this stroll through the many craft stalls. The weather here is beautiful... while the temperature appears to be in the low 90’s, it is still very pleasant when you are in the shade, always a nice breeze... this weather is not humid like Florida.  Harry has purchased a new panama... now when he puts on his sandals, beads and floral shirt... you just wait for the sounds of Jimmy Buffett!  Well, time for dinner!!

January 21, 2007       Not much is new.....spending a relaxing Sunday in the city. The walk was cool and nice this morning… able to find two English newspapers and catch up on some of the news that we missed on the net. But, as most of you know, with all the internet places here, you are never away from any news.      Walking is good for the waist line, now that I am not able to bike. My bike friend many times does both at the same time - walks some of the hills.      Harry has spent most of the evening admiring his new "Goat Coat"… as for me, I will continue to just enjoy the wool and cotton products! We will take the ferry at 10 a.m. tomorrow, with our backpacks filled with clothes for three days. The larger suitcases are being stored at a hotel which we will return to, here in Buenos Aires, prior to our trip across Central Argentina.      Well, I’m off to the market…I know Harry’s patience will wear thin shortly... Adios.

January 23, 2007      Sitting here in Montevideo, Uruguay... that is “monte vado”… yes, I have said “monte video”, “mont evideo”, and so on.  Those of you who know Harry, know that he corrects ones grammar or pronunciation… I won’t go into all the words, but, all of the sudden I will just say “avenue”, and forget one of the many lessons.      Goat update - from the bus window, I saw not one goat... expect they all went to the manufacturing of Harry’s coat? What a pity! Long day yesterday, checked out of the apartment and took the ferry ...customs was unique in Buenos Aires... two agents, side by side, one Argentinean and the other Uruguayan... so out and in very easily.  Our deluxe ferry trip was very smooth... 3 hours and we met a lot of interesting people. Harry slept much of the trip, he’s older, you know.      When we arrived in Colonia, we had time for a unique lunch in a local restaurant, outside, overlooking the water and boats... then on to the 2 hour ride via bus, that took over 3 hours and stopped at every crossroad. En-route it was very interesting to observe the countryside... mostly brick homes throughout our travels here, or stucco. Exiting the small towns, the highway was bordered by majestic palm trees, beautiful, and neatly placed... some for miles. Many people riding bikes, scooters or horse drawn carts, not as many cars... and mostly old if they have them.  We did, however, pass many repair shops - this is something that Harry and I never did while in Central America with Glee, as she always needed attention.      Entering Montevideo, it was extremely poor and looked to be quite unsafe… many of the brick walls were topped off with broken soda bottles, embedded into the mortar. We have seen this look in Central America, also.      We are in a beautiful Holiday Inn, which is only $29.00 each. Oh, the highlight of the evening... drum roll... I SLEPT IN A REAL BED!  Is life good or what?! Well, off to the city tour... minus 13 and counting!

January 24, 2007      Hola to all my friends. I WAS KISSED BY A PRETTY GIRL! YES, I admit it, yesterday during our tour, I saw this simply beautiful girl... I asked if I might take her picture, she looked at me with dreamy eyes and nodded yes... the picture was perfect. A couple of moments later she asked to kiss me, so I obliged... NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY... the pretty girl was 2 or 3 years old, and with her Mommy. After I took the picture the mother did come back, the little girl wondered if I might allow her to kiss me... what a moment for this old grandfather!  Picture to come soon.      For those of you who also follow Harry's update on my page, you may want me to clarify some of the large words... when he stated there is a "paucity" of automobiles in Uruguay, that means not many, just in case you didn’t know. Harry is relying on me for information in this country, it seems that some beautiful lady (M) had made us both currency converters for all the countries, and Harry left his in Buenos Aires, and he seems to have a mental block to multiply the local currency by 4 to determine the dollars.      We are in Colonia (much easier to say)… our trip to Montevideo was nice, but almost third-world in some respects. The hotel was super, as was the food. Our 4 hour tour was a challenge as it was difficult to determine when we switched from Spanish to English, all sounded the same. There were lots of young travelers on board from Australia. We did have lunch in a great market, full of wood fire grills. Harry continues to over-eat, and thinks he is dieting when he skips the bread.     Our directo bus to Colonia was 15 minutes shorter. Upon arriving here, Harry told the taxi driver the name of a hotel, and the driver promptly took us to another, which was full. We then requested the one we had originally asked about, and again he stopped at another... we took it (old men tire easily). It’s not great, but it’s clean... $25 each.      We have hired a tour guide to show the city to us this morning, this afternoon we head home… well, home being Buenos Aires, which feels like home to us.      I want to mention that in almost two weeks of travel, every person we encounter has been extremely friendly and helpful. We have yet to encounter anyone that even slightly made us uncomfortable for our safety... that does not mean that we are not careful! I will give Harry credit for a previous article on his site on how to carry money and valuables... Men - get a money belt - yes, the same type that holds up your pants, inside is a hidden zipper and you can fold several bills inside. ATM’s are not always able to be found (or work with your card). I also have a hidden money pouch that loops through the belt and hangs inside my slacks. In this I carry my passport, extra cash and extra credit cards. In my front pocket I carry one credit card and enough cash for the day. It is also a good idea to carry a photo of your passport, and I even had a small credit card sized one made for our pocket. Record your credit card numbers with you, also.  If you are robbed, you may lose one of the three, but not all three... gosh, Harry was right!

January 25, 2007       Nurse Schim reporting here from Buenos Aires… I am taking care of an unruly patient who is a whiner (need cheese and crackers with that wine?). You see Harry has a bad cold and hacks all the time, complains even more, and sleeps most of the day.  “Schim will you hand me the water?”… “Will you pick up the laundry?”... “Will you turn off the light?”…  Well, I know that his lady at home does not want any part of this, as she must be accustomed to his aches (“I think I have a rash”, “My shoulder is feeling lame”). Well, I confess this time he does have a bad cold, and I am the only caretaker around.  Two more hours and time for his final dose of medicine... and he does grimace when he takes it.      Hope all of you like the pictures that have been uploaded. I have been asked how we send them when traveling... much like you would do at home. Most cameras have a memory card, and at all internet cafes you give it to them and they will put it on a CD or your flash drive at a nominal charge ($3). Then you put in the USB port or CD drive and the pictures will come up (you don’t need the software that came with the camera, it will recognize your pictures). I select the ones I want to send and copy them to “My Pictures” (which is spelled out in Spanish)... then create your e-mail and attach 4 at a time (attaching more takes too long to upload).  Do as many emails as you need to send the ones you selected. Do not forget to erase the “My Pictures” after you are through sending.       A note on pixels... generally 2 pixels is enough for 4 x 6 photos. I have my camera set at 4 pixels for travel... the lower the pixel, the faster the upload. I travel with two 1 Gig SD cards and a 1 Gig Flash Drive. So far we have taken over 400 pictures, and only sent the web master a few. If you do not have a card reader, you may want to purchase one to carry (only a few dollars to purchase), and do your own downloads. I have erased many photos because now I have them on a CD or flash drive.      Someone asked how is the fruit (due to the picture)... it is super and every fourth store seems to be a fruit stand. The bananas we purchased stay fresh for days. Today has been a busy one of errands, and a great lunch in downtown which I am sure Harry will describe in detail... a must for all tourists. I have spent the afternoon shopping and getting the run around on where to go. Harry was sleeping and I had to call upon my Spanish to get me around. I will admit to only using hand signals 56 times and talking louder and slower in English to get my point across. Well, in all honesty the people are all so friendly and helpful that you can always get by.      Tonight is our last night in Buenos Aires... headed for a giant buffet, "Siga la Vaca" (straight from the cow) - just what two in-shape men need! Harry has arisen from the dead… I was going to shoot him in the morning for easier carrying now we will see. Stand by!

January 26, 2007       Well, he made it... still a little on the grouchy side, but back to telling me how to speak, so I know he is feeling better. Great last day in Buenos Aires - had that super lunch at Cafe Tortoni downtown, that is a must see... and then dinner in Puerto Madera, all you can eat for less than $10.00… full bottle of wine for each, exotic salad bar, a grill with many meats, and a great dessert selection.      Today we caught a two story bus to Rosario... the seats are nicer than business class on an airline. We saw a movie and had a light snack given to us... it was an on-time 4 hour ride. The view was mostly of flat land with many cattle, and then switched to fruits and vegetables, with many orange stands and such. We were met at the station by a hunk of a young man, Bruno, who is the nephew of our guide in Buenos Aires. He is in his last year of law school and was a great young man. He comes from a city outside of Buenos Aires that is named Lincoln (yes, after Abe)... Argentina decided to name the next settlement Lincoln after his assassination, way back even before Harry was born. Thought this was an interesting tidbit.      We are in a nice local hotel downtown... walked a few miles seeing many of the old buildings, beautiful monuments, and the river front.      One of our guests at the hotel in Buenos Aires from London is very upset with the U.S. and George W... seems some of her friends are tired of the hassle of entering the U.S. after 9/11. Some have even been sent home because of remarks they made in the security line. She stated that she will not step foot in the Country (sounds like a good idea to me). Harry and I could not get our point across and left prior to causing further harm. We, as you probably share, are glad for the entry security.      Seventeen years ago on Saturday, I was able to hold a beautiful baby... Happy Birthday, Aus!!      And now for the siesta, and then dinner. Tomorrow we head for Cordoba, further inland. Adios.

January 27, 2007       Wow, we arrived in Cordoba, Argentina, and it is rainy and rather cool... cool versus what we have had in the last two weeks... can wear long pants again.      We caught our bus without any problem this morning in Rosario. I left Harry to take care of some personal needs, and as I was walking back, I see Harry jumping from one foot to the next... I thought we either wanted to go, or we were missing the bus… NOPE, he had cornered a Gaucho and wanted me to take his picture with the cowboy, so watch for that when we have the time to upload.      Note... all buses are not the same! We thought we had a double-decker again with nice up-front seats... well we were up front all right, but, right behind the driver. A large bus but no upstairs… Harry was a little claustrophobic, put his foot on the chair back over the driver and was reprimanded, and then asked if the curtains over the drivers head could be opened... NO, would be too much glare, so we settled in for a long ride.      Some high points… I took several pictures of Schim’s kids (my new hobby) and, yes, got a kiss (I seem to attract this age group) and I also tried to play tic tac toe, but to no avail.      Well, tonight we rest... and have a 9 hour ride to another small city (Cordoba, however, is the second largest in Argentina).  Chow.

January 29, 2007       Cordoba… many, many churches... beautiful, I hope the pictures will do them justice. There are blocks and blocks of streets devoted just to pedestrians and shopping, so many shops, and so little time. Harry is a patient man, when HE is on a quest.       Checking out of our hotel took a little longer, you see Harry had to pay damage on the breakage of a window... seems that the volume which he runs the television caused the windows to crack. A note - it does not matter if nothing is on, we have it on anyway, such a joy!      Our bus trip started out sensationally. We had the front seats on the second floor of our bus. What a view! The farms were very green with many cattle, and then changing to fruits and vegetables. Many, many trucks, almost all of them are Mercedes, Fords, or VW’s, and cars, mostly Peugeot, Fiat, Renault, Subaru or Suzuki (a few Fords and Chevy’s).     This was Sunday, and as we passed through the small towns, almost always the shops and stores were closed. In the back yards large families were having picnics, or driving out a mile or two and putting their blankets down on the grass and having their picnic in the shade. The large trucks are also equipped with a side storage box which they carry picnic supplies, cooler and stove, and they actually take the time to stop and cook their lunch. Many of the large trucks are very old... like 1948 or so.      QUESTION OF THE DAY (BIG PRIZE) -- What States in the US are on the same parallel north of the equator as we are at 31º south of the equator? Okay, you students, get to work on this!      Back to our trip - these small country towns are starting to get the feel of Central America... dirty and dusty with poor homes. The large bus stopped after 4 hours for a cafeteria lunch, we had chicken and potatoes… nice, not sure why Harry would order any as he had eggs, fruit, toast and pie with heavy cream on the top for breakfast.      Well, only two more hours to San Luis and we are seeing the Sierra San Luis mountains in the background... we are excited to see our next stop and get off this bus. As we enter the town we are diverted around due to a local celebration and parade. The streets are all dirt and the dwellings are not to be admired. It does not improve as we get to the Central Bus Depot. Harry and I look at each other and must make a decision - almost 4 more hours to Mendosa tonight, or stay in a shack (if we can find one and find a place to eat). Harry buys the tickets as the drivers wait for us.      We are in the back of the bus... bumpy and cold... the view out the window is of desert, with not much of anything to look at. We start to see grape vines, however, and along with this, much poverty. Finally, after 11 hours, we arrive in Mendosa and were taken to a hotel, which we refused (too pricy), and found another one... only to change this morning.      We are HAPPY - nice hotel in the Central part of a beautiful wine country area. The Andes are in the background, a tour is arranged for tomorrow. We will stay here a few days, and then move onto Chile which appears to be less than two hours away. More later, I must figure out if I can send some pictures...

January 31, 2007       Mendoza... what a nice city. The temperature is the best we have experienced, with very low humidity and nice temperatures with a slight breeze.      The food is fine in Argentina… I will have to say that the food in Central America is much more to my liking. Harry picks the places to eat based upon the number of crystal glasses and linen napkins that are on the table (regardless of what we are wearing). Me???  Well, I confess to looking for jelly jar glasses (for vino) under an umbrella outside with paper napkins. In Madrid I refilled the wine bottle at 75 cents or so at a nearby Bodega, get the picture? Besides, the wine tastes the same as the expensive ones!      Back to Mendoza... we are in a great hotel with a sensational breakfast room that overlooks the street. On the second floor there is an open area with two computers and an outside sitting area with fountain... cool breezes all the time. Across the street from our hotel is a large park with many vendors at night selling their homemade wares.      It appears that entertainment is also part of every evening... we have seen acrobats, and puppet shows... shops abound the area in every direction, as are outside seating areas for you to enjoy a slow cup of cafe. We generally walk past these pleasant places to visit an upscale restaurant for some overpriced, cooked pasta or tough piece of meat (well, not always bad).      We had a pleasant ride to the wine country yesterday. The wine tours were in English, however the bus hostess only spoke Spanish, so we were in the dark most of the trip. As you have read this is a desert area... all irrigation is done through aqueducts throughout the city and countryside… very unique. Like areas in the U.S. where crops are harvested, the workers live in very poor homes or metal buildings. It is interesting to note the addition of an igloo shaped oven at all the huts, which is placed a few feet away from the dwelling, for them to bake.      Back to the city... it is full of many old cars, Ford Falcons, Willies and such, as well as many new small models. The fumes are pretty bad from all cars and buses. The drivers DO NOT SLOW FOR PEDESTRIANS, ever! Very few stop signs, and everyone goes fast through the intersections... the one with the most nerve wins!      Throughout this Country many, many places are in the concrete block, brick or pottery business (in mostly a small way) and it is by far the chief building material. The city does have a good feel and one we are going to laze around in for some time.      We have met many travelers here in the hotel... from Canada, England and Germany. We recently talked extensively with a young German couple who are spending one year on the road traveling to many, many countries. I have refused Harry’s offer to do this with him... I have a much more pleasant and beautiful lady at home to travel with. Ciao...

February 1, 2007       Our days in Argentina are winding down... tomorrow we have a 7 hour or so bus ride to Santiago, Chile, the ride over the Andes can take longer due to entering and exiting a Country. The stay here has been nice... I would change the pollution rules here, however, as the exhaust from the cars, trucks and buses is overwhelming at times.      Last night as we left our hotel, we noticed a lot of people at the upscale hotel nearby… upon inspection we found out that a major soccer team was arriving, and masses of people were waiting to get a view of the players. The watch is still going on... many people still on the sidewalk, overnight also, I assume. No one seems to care that Harry and I are stars too!!      Harry continues to make new friends everywhere... even the homeless are running to talk to him. Yesterday he had quite a lengthy conversation with a few of them as we waited for the laundry to open its doors, and then when we picked up the laundry last evening, they hollered again and one even followed us back to our hotel - we made a quick line to the room. On thinking of this, these guys are into wine also, trading in empty bottles for a new box of wine... gives one a thought!      We have our bus pass for 9 a.m. - we walked the 28 blocks (roundtrip) to the bus terminal to make the reservations... of course, we probably could have done so at the nearby travel agencies, but, it gave us a new view and some exercise which we can always use. The buses are ultra modern; however, the paperwork at the terminal is extremely out of date. As Harry said, “at this rate the buses will never be full because of the extensive paperwork that they have to do by hand” (not true at all terminals or bus companies, by the way).      Well, until we hit Chile, so long...

February 2, 2007       Hello all, from Chile. What a great ride... only 6 and one half hours, in a nice new type bus. I had the front window and Harry had an unobstructed view one seat back. As we left Mendoza we immediately saw the snow covered mountains and many acres of grapes. We climbed along the Rio Mendoza, which flows into the city... it was obviously beautiful. I was surprised at how the colors of the mountains were all different from gold, green, red, black and brown.      To say it was an exciting ride is an understatement… reminded me of being on a roller coaster at Cedar Point or somewhere. Harry took his relaxer pill shortly after, and complained that the driver did not slow down and also passed with cars and trucks in view. (Those of you who have toured the Volcano Arenal with Harry in Costa Rica know he should not be talking).      We saw many rafting companies along the way, and many of the tunnels that we went through I had my doubts that we would fit, much less keeping to the right. Throughout the ride to the top the towns seem to cater to the hiker or the rafter. The longest tunnel of almost 2 miles took us into Chile (at the top of the mountain).      Customs was pretty easy... we all got off the bus and went to a counter to exit Argentina, and then to the next window to enter Chile, and then to another line for our light backpacks and to observe our luggage and backpack go through the x-ray machine and dog sniff. NO PROBLEMS!      Coming into Chile the terrain was much greener... and now the SWITCHBACKS, as we head down the mountain, 32 switchbacks in all, and it appears you can see them all from the top... no guardrails, of course! The huge trucks and buses can hardly make the turn of the switchback... wow!      The view now is of cactus and many streams. The snow is evident in every high peak you observe... beautiful. A herd of goats was along side of the road (no more goat jokes). We were then served our lunch and drink... a note here... our bus fare was $18.00, and includes coffee, cookies, sandwiches and candy. Those of you who fly know that this would cost $15.00 alone in a major airport... here it is included.      Entering Santiago was a surprise... extremely dirty and run down. I know the whole city will not be this way, but the edge we came into was horrible. As for the bus station, as nice as we have experienced so far, this one was 3rd world... could have been in India for what I could observe.      Now the good news… the 2nd hotel we checked out is nice, reasonable, and in a nice area of town. We will stay here a few days prior to going to the Pacific Coast for a few... and then yours truly departs. ‘Till tomorrow... (we have a city tour already booked)!

February 4, 2007       Santiago... well, it is no Buenos Aires… the prices are higher, but the city is not nearly as magnificent. We have a hotel only 4 blocks from the center and have walked extensively. The dress of the locals and on the streets is not nearly as sophisticated as Buenos Aires (nowhere has been) but, Chile is definitely a step back.      I still look back upon the trip across the Andes as of one of the best - such sights!  I failed to mention that we saw an 18 wheeler (errr, really a 24 wheeler) tipped over; it did not make the curve. I also thought it was unusual that the bus driver passed a paper cup for tips to give to the border inspectors.      Our bus tour of Santiago was not up to my expectations. We did see the huge mountain-like, Santa Lucia, in the center of town, which was the first area developed…very interesting in that this old park-like setting with a castle-like building overlooks so many modern structures. Then, the center of town has a plaza that is called Plaza de Armas, which mean the center of arms, or where they had the protection for the city. Our tour took us around several of the plazas and included a pass by one of the two horse racing tracks, this one races counter clockwise, not clockwise as in most areas. We ended in a jewelry shop in Providencia (the new area of development), which was a sales pitch (never even showing us this area of the city), and then to let us off at the large vegetable and fish market. There were lots of hawkers trying to get us to sit in their restaurant. Harry wisely, or unwisely as it turns out, asked our tour director, and she insisted that the one to the right was the best and least expensive, too!      We walked through the many fish stalls... marveling at the many kinds of fresh fish and vegetables... many, many, many salespeople tried to get us to their restaurant to eat (I confess to wanting to get out of there). We ate at the one our tour guide advised... nice... but, when I asked for an English menu, the man said, “I speak English, no English menu” (which turned out to be not true). Due to the miscommunication, I ended up with just a fried fish and some salad... had read where the soup or stew was the best to order. Oh well, I goofed (they need to practice English, too much work for me to study Spanish) and ordered too quickly... should have insisted on another waiter. The place was filled with many from our bus, several of whom ordered the Chilean King Crab… looked wonderful, and for only $100.00!! Not long after, our tour director came through with the restaurant manager counting heads... she got commission at this place, too (so beware, all advice is not impartial).      The day ended with a pleasant walk throughout town, and stopping off in the Bohemian area for a Pisco Sour, the native drink, much like our daiquiri. Harry and I decided that we had seen enough of Santiago, and this morning we headed for Valparaiso on the Pacific Ocean... nice one and half hour bus ride, and the city is truly unique.      At the bus terminal we were met by many trying to rent rooms or offer services. We ended up on the lucky side… I need to go to the cambio to exchange some Argentina money, and the owner of this combination tire/parts/hardware store spoke perfect English. He offered to take us, for free, to see the area and to show a nice hotel. He was ready to close his shop anyway, and would not take a dime. The city is hundreds of thousands of small homes hanging onto the side of the mountain, it is indescribable - which means Harry will do it better - what a nice man.      We are now on a high hill top overlooking the port accessible by an incline to the bottom (at this time it does not work because of an explosion that occurred yesterday in a building below, injuring 20 and killing two).      More on this unusual city in the next update... just had two beers for lunch and siesta is forthcoming!!

February 5, 2007       We found it!! Yes, we found the most beautiful area of Chile, now that we are outside of Santiago. Keep in mind that we are in such a small section of Chile that this is not a totally accurate opinion... but, a positive one at this point. We do find Chile much more expensive than our previous two countries.      Our hotel is multi-leveled and overlooks the city and port below. It is the nicest and most expensive hotel yet. Our dinner last evening was at a local fish house... sensational, yet common.  My fish stew was to die for, filled with potatoes and vegetables as well as large chunks of white fish.      Outside was a festival of folk dances from around Chile…we were able to watch from the 3rd story balcony of the restaurant. We did move rooms today, as the bath was extremely small. I am talking an ultra modern shower, all glass with a corner opening door. I am here to tell you that Harry and I could have gotten caught in this little opening! The water took forever to come in hot... we told the owner, and they immediately moved us to a larger room with a nicer bath. The hotel has only been open 4 weeks. The breakfast was super today…eggs, ham, juice and toast - just like home.      Today we were picked up by our tour guide, Christiana, for a four hour tour of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. We started out on walking throughout the old city of Valparaiso, which we are told is a Unesco City (Harry says that means its restoration is funded by the United Nations). All the streets are cobblestone and many of the buildings are of tin or of coarse concrete.      This morning when we left the hotel we noticed that a cruise ship was in the harbor. This is one of the stops if you are going from Buenos Aires around the horn and back up the coast of Chile. Back to the walking tour... these streets are so unique, some of the streets go straight up, and the steps alongside are alternately painted to keep you from becoming dizzy when walking up so many!      Valparaiso is an old city with 15 inclines (much like the ones in Pittsburgh), and it is very much a blue collar, lower income area with the primary income being the port. To see the houses on the hillside is not easy to describe, as I stated yesterday. From here we traveled 4 miles to the new beach city of Viña del Mar and Reñaca. This is a modern city with new buildings and hotels built on the hillside. The floors are staggered so that they all have a view of the Pacific. To reach the apartments, each complex has its own mini-incline for lack of a better word. Once again our tour included personal stops for Harry, the last time it was wine and leather shopping, this time it was for a bank... I am sure our tour was cut short for Harry’s needs. We were dropped off at the end of the beach for a wonderful lunch which, volume-wise, will take care of dinner.     We walked back part of the way along the ocean and noticed a sea lion, to our delight... then we went on an old bus to the center of Viña del Mar and then on a super modern subway (mostly above ground) for a short ride back to Valparaiso, stopping in front of the cruise ship. Those of you planning a cruise would want a walking tour of the old city and then could take the train (subway) to Viña del Mar... lots of shopping and beautiful gardens, and, of course, beaches. The weather here is very nice... long sleeves are comfortable, and yet, you can sun on the beach. A great place to spend the winter! No, I will still be leaving in a few days... old fish you know....

February 6, 2007       A full, sunny day on the coast of Chile started with a beautiful walk this morning up the big hill and down many, many steps after another great breakfast. Harry and I then ventured down the nearest incline, which is back in order, mailed cards, received Chilean Pesos for my Argentinean money and then hopped a bus to Viña del Mar. Along the way we passed the huge vegetable and fruit market of Valparaiso, and we even saw a donkey that was loaded down for the trip up the hill, I presume.      In Viña del Mar we ran a couple of errands for Harry, our lunch took us to another seafood restaurant on the water (yes, fish soup for me again). We took the opportunity to walk out on the pier to view the locals fishing, passing through many men and women who were batting nets for the fishing which begins every morning at 3 a.m. and concludes at 8 a.m., out of 18 - 20 foot V-type fiberglass boats with a 40 HP motor attached. Let me tell you, this is dirty and stinky work! No sea lions were visible today. I took some great pictures… hope to show you soon. In all cases the locals relish the fact that I take their photo, especially if it is of the kids. I close today by saying that Harry is glad that cows don’t fly!

February 7, 2007      44 hours on a bus, 7 hours in a boat, 21 hours on a plane, 3 hours via train, numerous city buses, Metros, Taxi's, Collectivos and tour buses... and I AM HOME!      What a great trip... one that has so many memories for me, and that of my friend, the tour guide, Harry. I'd like to attempt to recap some of the highlights that I will cherish. The people, in all of the countries... we never once met a person that was not willing to help, or to let us take their picture or talk with us. Surprisingly, we did not feel threatened one time. However, be on the look out as you travel, I met a man in the airport at Santiago that said in Buenos Aires he was accosted by two men who took his "inexpensive watch" from his wrist.      I was particularly impressed with our river tour of the Tigre area an hour from Buenos Aires, the crossing of the Andes on the bus, our walks through the city of Valparaiso and its cobblestone streets with unique colored and constructed homes on the hillside. I must also correct an opinion I had made earlier on Santiago (in a negative light)... we visited this city on Saturday and Sunday, and what you see on the weekend is not totally accurate. We came back on Wednesday and it looked entirely different, much more of a metropolitan City that it is. Our opinion of Valparaiso was also favorably changed the longer we got to know this wonderful city... it sometimes takes awhile to feel comfortable in new surroundings.      The food? I confess to not being as enthralled as Harry, but will always remember the fish stew, and sea bass of Chile and most importantly, the way the people of Argentina celebrate each meal, large beer, wine or water on the table, bread, lots of meat, salad and long conversations with friends or family. They seem to do this whether in their backyard, side of the road or at their favorite restaurant.      As for Harry, I will miss him asking for my pencil, telling me to make a note, and asking how much is this in dollars?  I’ll miss him telling me to take a certain picture, or asking me to show them how much Spanish I know, and correcting every word of Spanish I utter (or English). I will especially miss his quest for adventure and company along the way... he is a great travel companion, and an even better friend.      Finally, I will miss our website creator and input specialist, Abby... always on the job (well, she does take an hour or so off occasionally without permission).  ;-)         Until another time... it was fun talking to you and having a place for family and friends to follow the adventure...  Schim

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