Buenos Aires: Camera, Christmas, Flowers

Hola todos,

I am thrilled to say that I have a camera again! My dad sent me his after mine was stolen, and it finally arrived today! =) I hadn't realized just how much I'd missed it until Fede let me use his for a while when we hung out. It is great to be able to capture moments to later remember and share. =)

It hasn't felt much like Christmas around here because of all the heat (don't get me wrong-- I don't miss the cold!). There are Christmas lights and ornaments for sale in the stores, fruit cakes (pan dulce) at the grocery store and in bakeries, and giant Christmas ornaments in the plazas. It feels most like Christmas, though, at malls, which all have Christmas trees and Santas! I brought some apple cider powder from home to make and drink. =)

I've been hanging out mostly with other foreigners so far. It is nice being able to share in the weirdness sometimes. For example, the extreme lack of spice and the novelty (for us) of common fireworks for Christmas and New Year's (they sell them at stands outside to use in their driveways like we do for the 4th of July in the US). I got scared a few times walking on the sidewalk when some people threw fireworks out from their car windows!

A few days ago I went to a Christmas feria sponsored by the government. It featured the best gifts to give from around Argentina. I bought some delicious homemade chocolate for myself. =D

Other than Christmas and other ferias, I've been looking for work and going to botanical gardens and museums. Today I gave a friend a tour of MALBA-- I'm pretty much an expert by now! lol.

Here are some pretty flowers at the huge, free, Carlos Thays Botanical Garden.

This is a replica of the Capitoline Statue, a famous work depicting Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome, suckling a wolf.

I couldn't tell for sure from the caption, but this looks to me like the fall of Rome... lol.

A lot of people sat with a book at the gardens. Some guards and little kids had fun cooling themselves off in the sprinklers. =)

Here is the yerba mate plant!

This is the room where I'm staying now. The books on the left are mine and the ones on the right were left by previous student boarders. Yay! =)

Here I am reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, staying out of the sun. I recommend the book! (And want you all to be jealous of this sun, lol.)