My In-laws

My in-laws know how to treat me...after an afternoon of chat and mate with my mother-in-law they took me to dinner to an authentic Argentinian Parrilla. The place was nice and the service was excellent, but the better part was the food, which kept coming and coming. I ate things I hadn't eaten in years, like matambre (a special cut of meat cooked like pizza), vacio (another cut of tender beef that you can only get in Argentina), asado of course, chips, salads, provoleta cheese, sausages, blood pudding, chinchulines (don't ask) and to top it all off the most delicioius creme caramel with 3 mountains of dulce de leche. The food, plus wine, softdrink, entree and desert it all cost about $60!
I also enjoyed the company, which is always lovely. They treat me like a daugther and I really love them. Thank you Susi and Ricardo for a spectacular night!

Mis suegros saben como tratarme...despues de una tarde de mates y charlas con mis suegros, me llevaron a cenar a una autentica parrilla argentina. El lugar era muy lindo y el servicio exelente, pero la mejor parte fue la comida, la cual no paraba de venir a la mesa. Comi cosas que no comia hace anos como matambre, vacio, asado, papitas fritas, ensalada rusa, provoleta, chorizo, morcilla, chinchulines y para terminar todo el mas delicioso flancito con 3 torres de dulce de leche. La comida, incluyendo el vino, coca, entrada y postre todo costo solo $60 australianos! Tambien disfrute de la compania pro supuesto, que es siempre agradable. Mis suegros me tratan como una hija y realmente los quiero tanto!. Gracias Susi y RIcardo por una noche espectacular!

Friends

How lovely it was to spend some time with Quique and his family. Quique and I know each other since the early 80's and have seen each other with the worst or best of our looks. We all know what the fashions of the 80's were like, but to top it all off we were rockers, heavy metal enthusiasts who would not conform to the shoulder pads and fluoro tops. We wore black, torn jeans, poofy hair and studs! We had, one could say too much fun in the 80's but we forged a friendship that will last forever. Quique played drums and gave me a few of my early lessons, we had the funniest barbecues, aerobics lessons, chats, outings and a heap of laughter, often magnified for some alcohol infused parties, but we survived the 80's with flying colours. Quique, no matter how much time goes by in between our visits, we can always find each other being exactly the same friends we were all those many years ago and I love you for it!

Que lindo que fue pasar un rato con Quique y su familia. Quique y yo nos conocemos desde los 80 y nos hemos visto con el peor o el mejor de nuestros looks. Todos sabemos lo que la moda de los 80 fue, pero para colmarlo todo, nosotros eramos rockers, heavy metal fanaticos que no conformaban con las hombreras y los colores fluro. Usabamos negro, mucho negro, jeans rotos, peinados bultosos y tachas! Nos divertimos, quiza muchos puedan decir, demasiado en los 80, pero forjamos una amistad eterna. Quique tocaba la bateria y me dio alguna de mis primeras lecciones, juntos hicimos los asados mas graciosos, ejecutamos lecciones de aerobics, salidas y todo con muchisima risa, muchas veces magnificada por los efectos de fiestas infusionadas de alcohol, pero asi y todo sobrevivimos los 80 brillantemente. Quique, no importa cuanto tiempo pase entre nuestras visitas, siempre podemos encontrarnos siendo exactamente los mismos amigos que eramos todos esos anos atras y por eso te quiero tanto!

At Valeria's

Visiting my sister Valeria and her family, having dinner and playing with my beautiful niece and nephew.

Visitando a mi hermanita Valeria y su familia, cenando juntos y jugando con mi hermosa sobrinita y sobrinito.

I think I now know where my genes come from. Dad sure enjoys his food!

Creo que ahora me doy cuento de donde vienen mis genes. Mi padre realmente disfruta de la comida!!

 This is Simona, she is 5 and she loves to dress up as a princess. She took me to her room and we played for hours. Of course it wasn't free play, I had to stick to the script I was given and was not allowed to deviate. I enjoyed playing with Simi so much, it allowed me to get to know her and the things she likes. Look at her fair skin, I called her transparent :) I miss you Simi!

Esta es Simona, tiene 5 anitos y le encanta vestirse de princesa. Me llevo a su dormitorio y jugamos por horas. Por supuesto no era juego libre, yo tenia que mantenerme fiel al libreto que se me daba y no se me estaba permitido desvio alguno. Disfrute mucho jugando con ella, ya que me permito conocerla mejor. Miren su piel tan blanca, yo la llamaba transparente :) Te extrano Simi!

Well...look at these deliciously looking open empanadas. I can't remember what the flavours were but it doesn't matter because they were all to die for!

Bueno...miren la pinta de estas empanadas. No me acuerdo de que gusto eran pero no importa porque eran todas mortales!

And here they are, the most look-alike mother and son I have ever seen. He is so smart and cheeky and he makes us laugh all the time. I miss his voice and moves and his gorgeous big brown eyes. They are full of wonder and passion for the extreme! I love you Lolo!

Y aqui estan, la mama y el bebe mas parecidos que vi en mi vida. Es tan inteligente mi sobrinito y tan simpatico y loquito que no nos hace reir todo el tiempo. Extrano su voz y sus movimientos y sus hermosos ojazos marrones. Estan llenos de asombro y de pasion por lo extremo! Te amo Lolo!

Gangnam Sytle

My cute nephew, Lorenzo, also known as "Lolo" dancing Gangnam Style with his sister and dad. He is only one year old. The video is a little bit dark but it gets lighter towards the end.

My simpatico sobrinito, Lorenzo, tambien conocido como "Lolo" bailando Gangnam Style con su hermana y papa. El tiene solo un anito. El video esta un poquito oscuro pero se aclara hacia el final.

Traffic and driving in Buenos Aires

My dad drove me everywhere and I want to thank him, because traffic in Buenos Aires is shocking and   I wouldn't want to drive there. He drives for his job from here to there every day and did it for years, so I honestly think he has so much patience. Look at how close that bus is to the car, it is pretty scary to drive there.

Mi papa me llevo a todos lados y quiere agradecerle por eso, porque el trafico en Buenos Aires es terrible y yo no quisiera manejar ahi. El maneja por su trabajo de aqui para alla todos los dias y lo hizo por anos asique honestamente pienso que el tiene tanta paciencia. Miren que cerquita esta ese colectivo del auto, da miedo manejar por ahi.

Isleta and more

In the morning of Monday 25th March (a rainy and humid morning), my mum and I embarked on a trip to "Quien te ha Visto", my family's prescription glasses shop. It was nice spending some time there and seeing them work. I must admit that I couldn't just sit and watch so I tidied up a little bit and entered some data on the computer. I love their shop. We also used the opportunity to try on some glasses so I could choose my new frames. They are so efficient that my glasses were ready the next day!

Por la manana del lunes 25 de Marzo (un dia lluvioso y humedo) mi mama y yo nos embarcamos en un viaje a "Quien te ha Visto", el negocio de mi familia. Fue lindo pasar un rato ahi con ellos y viendolos trabajar. Debo admitir que no pude solo sentarme y mirar asique emprolije un poquito, barri y puse algunas cosas en la computadora. Me encanta el negocio de ellos. Tambien usamos esa oportunidad para probarnos anteojos y elegir mis nuevos lentes. Son tan eficientes que mis anteojos estaban listos al otro dia!

I just noticed how my sister and I have almost the same colour hair!!
Recien me di cuenta como mi hermana y yo tenemos el mismo color de pelo!

First Afternoon Tea at Bettina's

On my first Sunday there I woke up with really sad news, my godmother's son passed away of a heart attack. We were simply devastated, such a young life with a newborn baby gone. We went to the funeral to pay our respects and to give my godmother a big hug. It was so, so sad. I just couldn't believe it. I felt terrible that my godmother would apologise to me for having to see me in those circumstances. I hope that Nacho is now next to his dad looking over his family who loves him so much and I hope he can rest in peace, knowing that all his family grows strength from the loving memory of him.

Mi primer domingo en Argentina me desperto con una noticia muy triste, el hijo de mi madrina fallecio repentinamente de un ataque al corazon. La noticia fue desvastadora, una vida tan joven con un bebe recien nacido, terminando asi de golpe. Fuimos al velorio para darle nuestro pesame a mi madrina y abrazarla fuerte. Fue tan pero tan triste. No podia creerlo. Mi madrina me pedia perdon por verme en esas circumstancias, la verda me hacia sentir tan mal que se disculpara. Espero que Nacho ahora este al lado de su papa cuidando desde el mas alla a su familia que tanto lo quieren y espero que descanse en paz, sabiendo que su familia toma fuerzas de los recuerdos y de su memoria.

After the funeral we went to my older sister's Bettina, who we call "Beto" for short. These photos are of that afternoon, all of us together sharing a Sunday afternoon. My parents must have been so happy to have all of us together (even though there were two missing). Here we are eating and eating. My brother in law Guillermo (the blond/good looking guy) put that box of conitos and alfajores Havanna in front of me and it was irresistible. I had to have one of each. If you only knew how just the smell of those delicious treats makes my senses tingle.

Despues del velorio nos fuimos de mi hermana Bettina, a la que llamamos "Beto". Estas fotos son de esa tarde, todos juntos compartiendo un domingo por la tarde. Mis padres habran estado tan contentos de tenernos a todos juntos (aunque faltaban dos). Aca estamos comiendo y comiendo. Mi cuando Guillermo (el rubio/ buen mozo muchacho) puso esa caja de conitos y alfajores Havanna en frente mio y fue irresistible. Me tuve que comer uno de cada uno. Si supieran como tan solo el aroma de esas golosinas deliciosas hacen vibrar mis sentidos.

Thank you family for turning such a horrible start to the day into a night of good memories.
Love you!

It's been a while

Well, hello back here after a long break. Many things happened in between my last post and this one. The most significant being my trip to Buenos Aires to visit my lovely family. I spent two and a bit weeks there and I loved every minute, except for saying goodbye, which never gets easier.
In the next few days I will be posting photos and memories of the wonderful moments I lived there. This photo is of my parents and I. I want to thank them for showing me that love transcends any distance, they cuddled me and spoilt me for the whole time I was there, I felt protected, looked after and content. Thank you for all your love, mum and dad. I miss you!

Bueno, hola despues de un largo hiatus. Muchas cosas han ocurrido desde mi ultimo post. Lo mas significativo fue por supuesto mi viaje a Buenos Aires para visitar a mi hermosa familia. Estuve alli dos semanas y un poquito y disfrute cada minuto, exepto la despedida, que nunca se hace mas facil. En los proximos dias voy a subir fotos y recuerdos de los momentos hermosos que vivi alli. Esta foto es de mis padres conmigo. QUiero agradecerles for mostrarme como el amor trasciende cualquier distancia, me abrazaron y me malcriaron durante todo el tiempo que estuve con ellos, me senti protegida, cuidada  contenida y feliz. Gracias for todo su amor, papa y mama. Los extrano!