Currently Reading A Fine Balance (Oprah's Book Club) By Rohinton Mistry see related

Beef to Apples to Peaches

Above culinary references are also representative of my recent geographic chronology.

Beef=Argentina

Apples=the big one

Peaches=I will soon my picking said fruit for cash/money

Still wanted to put some more pictures up from Buenos Aires.  Why am I avoiding complete sentences?

Here are two pictures from a massive cemetary in Buenos Aires.  Many famous Argentines are buried here in ornate masoleums.  The designs were quite interesting although it was slightly creepy being able to see the coffins at eye level including mini ones for children.  And the unusual prevelance of seemingly well-fed cats lapping up streams of murky water flowing through death alley.  The first one is Evita Peron's grave and the second is not.  By the way, wouldn't you want a sado-masochist who makes erotic music videos set in Catholic churches playing the role of your national hero in a feature film?  (i.e., Argentines may have actually cried for Argentina after "Evita")

Here's a shot of the Congress building.  I like to think that instead of a gavel to keep order they pacify angry senators with slow-roasted cow legs banged upon a nice mahogany desk.

And on the topic of animal consumption, these are intestines.  They appear bulbous and unpunctured which is a fact I tried to avoid when eating them because it suggests that partially digested cow waste is being slowly masticated by yours truly when I chomp into the little endtrails.  Notice how the intestines are prepared by succesive knot-tying (similar to attaching an Old Town 187 canoe to a Camp Hebron trailer) which leaves them looking like French braided bread.  I think in France they call this Le Poo Braide.  Bon appetit!

I just got back to the 'Kron after a week in NYC taking some cello lessons with Harvey Shapiro and staying at John (Hans) E. Smucker III's apartment.  Now I might be picking peaches because I am a wandering vagabond like Tom Joad.

Buenos Aires: Part the First

Here now are some photos from Buenos Aires.  I really loved the city and despite having only a few days there did get to see fairly many things.  Unfortunately we couldn't take a tour of the Teatro Colon which was high on my list, just something to come back for.

Here is a shot from near Puerto Madero, once a major shipping yard and now a nice business and commercial district.  On the right is the post office and some other buildings that reflect the beautiful architecture that fills this truly cosmoplitan city.

This is the Obelisk, a central landmark of the city although the Plaza de Mayo would be the main focal point, a few blocks a way.  If I remember correctly, this monument is in the massive median (rock the alliteration please) of Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest street in the world.  Advertisements and shops reminescent of NYC flank the mighty thoroughfare.  Long live capitalism and the early 20th century fascination with phallic monuments.

And here is the church at the graveyard where many famous Argentinians, such as Eva Peron, are buried.  Beneath are some catacombs which the CIA used to launch anti-Peronista initiatives.  That or there are some dead Catholics there.

There you have it, more to come later.  I demand eprop satisfaction.

Currently Reading The Priestly Kingdom: Social Ethics As Gospel By John Howard Yoder see related

Final Lap

About to leave on a bus for Buenos Aires in about 2 hours.  Such will begin my last few days in South America, at least for this summer.  Santa Rosa has been a good time, connecting with Akron/Lancaster and meeting new people from the Mennonite church(es) in Argentina. 

Here's a shot from an afternoon spent at the large park here in Santa Rosa.  David Moyer, acting mate (pronounced MAH-tay, not a reference to some sort of reproduction referee) master, filling up another round of the famous southern tea.  A youth group guy named Jony eagerly anticipating the herbal goodness.

We went to eat meat, which would be THE staple of Argentine kitchens, at a parilla (code name for artery closing specialists).  The "salad" bar had about 60% meat products on it including, but not limited to, tongue, brain, and mysterious product from the intestinal region.  Not to mention all you can eat pasta followed by all you can eat meat, of which I sampled cow, pig, another part of cow, chicken, sausage, kidney, brain, large and small intestine, and some cartilage.  Here are the willing creatures being prepared for our enjoyment.

And here's from lunch today with pastor Omar and his family, nice folks.

Perhaps an update from Buenos Aires, if not, you'll hear from the North.

Santa Rosa

Not much to say, here in Santa Rosa spending time with David and Starla Moyer and seeing the church life here.  Here's the pastor showing David, Galen Sauder and myself a property where they are putting in a community center to have classes, etc.

And this is from a Sunday School program they do on Sunday mornings for local kids.  Church isn't until 7:00 tonight and will likely go quite late.

Neuquen=New Ken

So I have now passed into the plains of Argentina.  I have been in Neuquen since Wednesday and am leaving quite soon to go up to Santa Rosa with David and Starla Moyer, friends from church who are here with Mennonite Mission Network.  I like Argentina and it has been nice to talk with Americans about cultural differences they encounter here in church and "normal" life. 

First, from Chile....Here´s Volcan Osorno which we drove to on Tuesday.  We meant to leave at around 11:00 with an ETA of roughly 1:00.  This plan mutated into a 2:00 departure with 3:30 arrival, allowing approximately 90 minutes to enjoy the biting wind and relative lack of anticipated snow.  But the landscape was impressive.

Here´s a photo of me and the Hostettor´s minus Nancy.  Pardon the quality, I did the classic mistake of setting the exposure too low.  Seriously, if I had a nickle for every time someone does that, well, I would give it all to Paul Alan Brubaker to buy breath mints.

Here´s a view of Neuquen.  The landscape here is quite similar to Arizona.  The flora in the foreground is a Monkey Puzzle tree, kind of a mix between a cactus and a palm tree.

And this is a large crucifix (perhaps 100 feet) carved out of wood overlooking the city.

Hasta luego.