La Recoleta Cemetary:

I went on a little trip to Recoleta yesterday to see the famous cemetery and to soak up the sights. I was hoofing it over there and had stopped at a park to check out my Guia “T”, and made the mistake of looking like a dumbfounded tourist. Luckily, Juan was right there to help me.

“Hola, senor. Where are you trying to go? My name is Juan and I work here. You can tell from my green vest with inscrutable patches on it. I am helpful and hardworking.” Juan very kindly showed me exactly how to get where I wanted to go in my Guia “T” and walked away with a kind smile and warm chau.

“Oh, I almost forgot. I am collecting money for various things. Let me show you a brochure with many causes. Babies need food, senor. children need clothes. No, that’s not enough money for the babies. That’s OK, I can wait.” It was at about this time that I realized Juan didn’t really work “here,” or maybe anywhere. It wasn’t too bad, though, I was only really duped out of 10 pesos. Which isn’t that much, really. And I fed some babies.

Also, I went on a fun night out with some of the kids on Friday. We went to posh Palermo and ate at a fancy meat restaurant, and then went to a packed little bar and ate manis and threw the shells on the ground. It was a good time, and I’m learning that it’s not that big a deal to stay out until 5:00 in the morning when you don’t leave for dinner until 10. It’s how we do it here.

At el bar:

Also, I miss the Norwegians. But there’s an Australian bloke (mate? chum? geezer?) coming in their place tomorrow. I hear he likes to chat. That makes one of us. But it will be nice to have someone else here. Right now it’s just Maribel and Michael the Swiss and me here, and none of us really speak a common language. Other than tango, of course.

I’m having fun. And learning a bit of Spanish. Oh, and I ran like a million miles today, which almost killed me.

Yours truly,

No, “deee LAY neee”