Home Sweet Home for 5 months

Well a lot has happened since we last updated this. Back in Fraser Colorado and our 3rd consecutive winter is nearly complete. We are ready for summer, green and no snow!

We are back into the rythym of life, but not without a bit of a rollercoaster in the midst of it all. I have been working back at Boxwell these past three months but today is my last day. I am on to persue my own dream IMAGIN3.

Abit anxious, and a lot excited!

Tigre, Parana Delta, San Isidro Argentina

Tigre is a gateway to the Parana Delta, silty lands that now claim many weekend homes.
Anywhere From amazing to scary these murky channels lead to some backwoods, bayou shacks and mansions.

We had a great 4 hour trip on a wooden taxi boat. It was interesting to see the folks that live in the delta move to and fro their houses with arms full of supplies.

Getting off for a brief time we sat in the warm, humid air and drank a beer. Returning to Tigre full of wonderment

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We stayed at an amazing B&B, in a turn of the century house and a wonderful family.

Our following morning we enjoyed breakfast and went straight to the fruit market. I really enjoyed this market. The market was full of reed baskets and furniture made from the plentiful reeds on the delta.

Fresh fruit, dried fruit and many different artisan crafts. Luckily we were short on time because I may have spent a ton more money.
Retreating back toward the city we met our friend Pablo and drove out to his farm. Em had pre-arranged an opportunity to ride some argentine show jumpers. She was able to do just that, as well as take her first riding lesson in spanish.

In fact that is where she is right now as I sit and scribe this.

Last night as we re-cap and talk about these past 6 months we both decided if we had our dogs here and Emily’s horse, Chivas we would likely stay much longer. After 6 months we are "over the hump." Our spanish is much better, we are fitting in and meeting new people, we enjoy different aspects of living in a foreign country and feel that there are many opportunities to be had here. That being said we are also ready to return home, as we are now in the home stretch.
I will likely blog upon returning home to recap the trip but I just want to thank those who showed interest in our travels and tell you it was fun to share via this context. I am quite sure this will not be our last trip of this kind but I am happy to past the torch to the next willing soul to wander this amazing planet!!!

We will be home Tuesday October 21st but may not surface until the 23rd. Please call or email us as we are excited to reunite with all of YOU!

Back in Buenos Aires, Argentina

After a short 18 hour bus ride (not short at all but we are now seasoned long distance bus folk) we arrived back in the big city. We headed directly to Chad and Kori’s (our texas friends living here while Kori attends Chef School) and chilled for the morning.
My hidden agenda had the Argentina vs. Uruguay soccer game in my crosshairs for later that evening. Chad and I went to the stadium to see if we could round up some tix. We were successful, actually we were lucky. In a brief moment of error we purchased two lower level, half line tickets for face value $50. After realizing his mistake he started rapping and steaming in a state of frustration. The deal had already gone down we both said in our best spanish confrentation talk. We quickly headed into the stadium to confirm these tickets were the real deal, hot dog the foreigners won!

The seats were great, the game was a blast! Argentina quickly scored 2 goals and then sat on their heels the rest of the game (I think this is a metaphor for Argentine work ethic?). Uruguay scored early in the second half making the rest of the game interesting.

My favorite chant had the entire stadium jumping and singing "saltan salta saltar a Uruguay" (let's jump, jump, jump on uruguay)

After a few pre game sprinkles we had a beautiful evening, some new futbol chants lingering in my mind we met up with the girls in China town for some grub.
The following day we headed to the antique market in San telmo.

Crazy and touristy we enjoyed another beautiful day. San telmo is a cool, old neighborhood.

We have been shopping and enjoying the high life here in BA this week with our side trip to Tigre.
Some may know some may not: we have returned to Buenos Aires for our last week in South America. WE ARE COMING HOME!

Punto Tombo, Chubut Argentina

Hello MR. PENGUINO! We drove roughly 2 hours south of Puerto Madryn and arrived via dusty road to Punto Tombo. PT houses a colony of roughly half a million magellanic penguins for a few months a year. Fortunately we were able to visit during their mating time, as well as when the females were laying their eggs.

This place was truly special. We were able to wonder around among wild penguins and watch them in their true state of being.

At first glimpse you cannot believe such a place exists, from the ocean to the surrounding hills there are thousands of these awkward, non flying birds.
The best truly was just watching and walking among them as they were sleeping, constructing/repairing their nests, mating, walking, swimming, grooming, protecting the next generation and just being their funny selves.

It was such a joy to watch and learn how goofy they really are.

Our favorite time was probably watching them gracefully swim to shore and in the violence and turmoil that comes with waves hitting the beach, they stand up and waddle to safety. Absolutely hilarious!!!! I think this strange transition is the only situation in which I think they get nervous? So funny to watch them ponder and wait to pick their perfect moment to fall from grace. We sat and watched for what seemed like hours, wearing permanent smiles.
At times as we walked around always taking care not to step on one, because they are everywhere. Each couple is true to one another for a lifetime and they return to the same spot each year to lay eggs.

Protecting the eggs for up to 40 days until the furry, gray little ones arrive. During that time they take turns protecting the egg and searching for food (in the ocean). I must say the first penguins have the best real estate and the poor saps that ended up and the vast hillsides have a lot more work to simply get to the ocean.
They are so mellow and funny. What a fun place to visit!

We then retreated to Gaiman, a surviving Welsh town for some high tea. Bottomless Tea and postres in a room of relics and stories of survival in times past.
Driving back to Puerto Madryn the pampas awarded us a beautiful sunset as we all snickered about the penguins we came to know and love>