Lanus City

This is the centre of Lanus, the shire where my childhood home belongs to. Here is where all the buses converge to go the different suburbs, city and so on. I have stood at this same spot countless times to come home from the shops, the writers workshop, bars and uni. The place looks the same, only more crowded, with more traffic and dirtier. So many memories!

Esta es la estacion Lanus, el suburbio al cual pertenece mi casa de la ninez. Aqui es donde todos los colectivos convergen para salir hacia los diferentes suburbios, el centro y demas. Me he parado en este mismo lugar innumerables veces para volver a casa desde los negocios, el taller literario, bares y la universidad. El lugar esta igual, solo mas lleno, con mas trafico y un poco mas sucio. Cuantos recuerdos!

Having Fun with a Box

De Beto and Pascuas

My gorgeous niece Indiana holding crazy Lorenzo.

 My dad teaching Lorenzo naughty things and my sister trying to prevent it.

Easter with the family at my parents' house. Lots of fun playing with my niece and nephew and chatting with everyone else.

 Here I am at my sister Bettina's house. I spent a few days with them and I loved every single minute there. They made me feel like a queen and I cherished every minute I could spend chatting with them. My two nieces Sofia and Indiana are two amazing girls and I love them immensely. They are sweet, smart, beautiful and very grounded. I enjoyed laughing with them, hearing them talk, listening to Indiana's sweet singing voice and sharing some of my own experiences. I wish I could have stayed longer. My sister is an incredible mother and a beautiful person. She gave me everything, even her own bed! My brother in law, Guillermo, is an amazing person and I love him like a brother. Thank you for everything you have done while I was there. I hope one day I can do the same for you.

Aca estoy de mi hermana mayor Bettina. Pase unos dias con ellos y ame cada minuto que estuve ahi. Me hicieron sentir como una reina y valore cada minuto que pude pasar charlando con ellos. Mis dos sobrinas, Sofia e Indiana son dos chicas increibles y las amo inmensamente. Son dulces, inteligentes, hermosas y con los pies bien en la tierra. Disfrute mucho riendome con ellas, escuchandolas hablar, escuchando la dulce voz de Indiana cantando y compartiendo mis experiencias. Ojala pudiera haberme quedado mas. Mi hermana es una mama increible y una persona hermosa. Me dio todo, hasta su propia cama! Mi cunado Guillermo, es una persona exelente y lo amo como a un hermano. Gracias por todo lo que hiceron cuando estuve con ustedes. Espero algun dia poder hacer lo mismo por ustedes.

 Here I am making a cake! Aca estoy haciendo una torta.

My adored caramel ice-cream, so long I waited for you, craved for you and long to have you in my mouth. You are amazing! The best. Simply said.

Mi adorado helado de ducle de leche, tanto espere por ti, tanto te he deseado y he ansiado que estes en mi boca. Sos sensacional! El mejor. Dicho simplemente.

 My brother in law making the traditional eastern-european pasta "varenikes, piroguis,piroshkis". Delicious!

 My brother in law made me caipirinha night after night, it was yummy and kind of made me a little tipsy. He learnt to make it in his trip to Brazil whilst on holidays chasing waves.
MI cuando me hizo caipirinhas todas las noches, eran riquisimas y me dejaban un poquito mareada. Aprendio a hacerlas un su viaje a Brazil de vacaciones persiguiendo a las olas.

My brother in law and Indiana jamming together. I was so amazed by sweet niece's voice.

Abuelo

Reason number one to visit Argentina: my grandfather. He was still alive at 91 years of age suffering from vascular dementia. Early this year he was taken from his house to an old people's home as his illness made it impossible for my mum to keep looking after him. I wasn't sure whether he would recognise me when I saw him, but I tried to prepare myself for the worst. I visited him with my mum and dad in the geriatrics home where he was since January this year.
As I followed my mum down the corridors to his room I was still hopeful that even though he would look aged, his soul would still be cheerful. I thought I was prepared but I wasn't. What I saw was like taken out of a horror film, his frail body tied to a wheel chair, his arms, hands and face where hurt and he was alone. I tried really hard not to cry as my mum asked him if he knew who I was. He mumbled something I didn't understand but I didn't care I had waited long enough and it didn't matter if he knew who I was...I knew who he was and all I wanted to do was to hug him tight and tell him that I loved him.
My grandad passed away on May 6th 2013 and I miss him terribly, but I know he is no longer afraid, no longer alone and resting in peace with my beautiful grandmother.

Razon numero una para visitar Argentina: mi abuelo. Todavia estaba vivo a los 91 anos de edad sufriendo de demencia vascular. A comienzo de ano fue llevado a un geriatrico porque su enferdad hacia imposible que mi pobre made pudiera seguir cuidandolo. Yo no sabia si me iba a reconocer despues de tanto tiempo pero trate de prepararme para lo peor. Lo visite con mi mama y papa en el geriatrico donde estaba desde Enero este ano.
Mientras seguia a mi mama por los pasillos hasta su habitacion todavia tenia esperanzas de que a pesar de que lo veria muy avejentado, su alma aun seria como era antes, alegre. Pense que estaba preparada pero la verdad, no estaba. Lo que vi fue como sacado de una pelicula de terror, su cuerpo fragil atado a una silla de ruedas, su brazos, manos y cara estaban lastimadas y estaba completamente solo. Trate con todo de no llorar mientras mi mama le preguntaba si sabie quien era yo. El murmuraba palabras que yo no entendia pero no importaba, ya habia esperado bastante y no importaba si el sabia quien era yo...Yo sabia quien era EL y lo unico que queria hacer era abrazarlo fuerte y decirle que lo queria.
Mi abuelo fallecio el 6 de Marzo y lo extrano terriblemente, pero se que ahora no tiene mas miedo, no esta mas solo y descansa en paz con mi hermosa abuelita, el amor de su vida.

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.