Some photos

From Buenos Aires

OK, I´m struggling to get photos online currently, but I´m working on it. I´ve got 5 up so far, on Google web albums, click the image above to see them. I´ll try and get some more up today!

Sunday in San Telmo

Today we had lovely day cruzing round San Telmo, which is the oldest barrio and also where our hostel is found. We had a look round on our first day but we were pretty out of it from the flight, and today was more interesting as being sunday there were markets and street shows in abundance. We saw our first bit of Tango, but to be honest it didn´t really butter my muffin.

Better than that by far was some street music played on classical guitars, two guys playing a kind of guitar question and answer. There was also a super cool looking old dude who did some tango dancing to there music with some dressed up old-timer type women. If that wasn´t enough they invited some other guys to play, who were a bit older and turned out to be the ´grandfathers of Tango music´according to the old dancing dude who we ended up talking to. He was a right character and was telling me all about the history of the ´conquistadores´, who were showered with boiling oil as they came through the narrow streets. He had an amazing face full of mirth and cheek and was a pleasure to chat to, though I struggled a bit with some of his Spanish.

From Buenos Aires

The market was full of all sorts of antiques and jewellery, and Leah was torn between wanting to buy it all and sticking to our budget. However yesterday we went to another market on the other side of town and Leah bought some cool big-disk earrings, with me being like a sugar daddy and handing her her allowance! I seem to have become wallet man on this trip, with Leah keeping an eye on what we spend.

On our way back to the hostel we found a street with loads of street music; jazz bands and a kind of ten peice classical ensemble complete with piano! The sun was out all day and a cool breeze was blowing - just lovely!

From Buenos Aires

We also went round the BA cemetary and saw Eva Perron´s tomb. The whole place was full of enourmas crypts with the coffins clearly visible through windows and slightly ajar doors. Kind of creepy really!

From Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

woooah, we´re travelling! Finally under way and it´s a stange sensation. So here we are in Buenos Aires, after an arduous and very bumpy 14 hour flight from London. Glad we got out beofre the strikes though! We´re staying in an area called San Telmo, which is an old style barrio with narrow streets and loads of antique shops. You can buy heaps of stuff here, but I keep reminding Leah that we´re supposed to be travelling light! There are lots of shiney rings, broaches etc that keep attracting her attention...We staying in a really nice Hostel called Ostinatto. It has a cool atrium right up the middle with gangways leading to rooms that criss - cross all the way up to where a glass roof lets in the day light (and let´s you know the weather). Our room doesn´t have a window to the outside world, but there´s a roof terrace and a balcony in the kitchen.

Yesterday we went for a big long walk through Buenos Aires, taking in the ´plazas´etc. It really does feel like a european city, such as Madrid or Rome, which is peculiar considering how far away we are. We go caught in a storm and some really heavy rain which went on for ages while we sheltered under a building. In the end we jumped on a bus and the sun came out just as we entered the hotel! Typical. Was a nice day none the less.

The Hostel is full of really friendly people and breakfast is a great time to sit and chat about everyone´s experiences. Today we´re going to do more exploring and also go to the bus station to see about tickets to other exciting places. We´ll probably try and pick up a sim card too so Ill post the number in case you want to text so say how gealous you are!

We´re not seen any tango yet, but we understand the weekend is a good time to catch that sort of thing, whether it be in a bar on on the streets. I´m going to try and get some photos sorted out but the connection here a the hostel is really slow, but free so that´s cool - watch this space.

Walking on the beach

This is Leah walking on a blustery and cold beach in Wales (name is escaping me right now...). The sea was massive, though it's hard to see in the photo, and it was working itself into a foamy mess on the beach!

Snow!

Ahhh, Vicky park in the snow - it's been a while since I've seen that. And shortly we'll be leaving it behind for the (hopefully) warmer climes of South America!

packing

So this evening we've packed our bags, well just about. Leah's one seems as big as her, but I'm sure it will all be fine. May need to hire a coolie to carry it for her though!

We had a really nice evening last night with our friends who came to say cheerio and wish us well. I was bullying all of them to come and visit us, not sure I succeeded though - we shall see.

Tomorrow the adventure begins.

Leah in the Woods

Waaaaaales

We're down in Wales this weekend to say good bye to people here before we head off on our life-trip to South America. Went for a lovely walk into the hills yesterday as there was a power cut so there was little work to be done!

Blasted II

Check out what someone did to the bomb blast site - really awesome piece of artwork. I hope it's message hits home somewhere, although the recent bus-bombs would appear to show that there will be no let up in the violence. Indeed it seems as though things are taking a turn for the worse as civilians had never been the targets up until now.

down with the flu

ok, so it had to happen I guess. Since we arrived there was talk of a nasty flu virus in Colombo, carried by mosquitos and wiping people out for up to four weeks. I tried to avoid it by drowning my skin in horrible 50% DEET repellent, and seemed to be doing ok. Until last weekend that is. It began with Leah's mum, Neela, who came down with symptons over lunch time on the Saturday. That evening was Zarook's birthday party with loads of their close friends coming over specially. I was ok during the party, though my hips and back had been a bit achey, but when I lay down to go to bed suddenly I got the shivers and it all went down hill from there. I cannot attempt to describe how bad the aches and pains have been, but it's like every single mustle has been stretched and pulled and worked to it's limit. Today I'm feeling a lot better, though still very week. Leah's sister Tasha came down with it shortly after me, and then Leah got it too a day or so later. Hopefully we're all coming out the other side now.....

And there I was thinking how great it was spending the winter in the tropical sun and avoiding all those horrible colds that seem inevidable in London...

Happy Birthday Leah!

Yesterday was Leah's birthday so we had a small gathering/party of friends over to celebrate with us at her folks house. It was a really nice day, and we got nicely drunk on Sangria and Pims, which felt very summery indeed. We were surrounded by her really good friends, including Emily who has come over from London for a holiday. I progressed from Sangria to Pims and then beer as we slowly drank the bar dry. After we served everyone loads of fantastic food they one by one flaked and bailed to recover at home - that's the problem with starting early I suppose. Having said that I much prefer to chill with people in this manner rather than standing around in a noisy bar not being able to hear anything. Must be getting old I suppose. At the end only Deshan and Soharni remained and we goofed around in the bar for a while before they had to split and return to their families. After that I watched the Borat film, which I must confess I thought was less crazy than everyone had said - enjoyable none the less in a cringeworthy way.

Happy New Year!

Leah and I went down south to Unawatuna bay for New Year. We passed this beach on the way down and had to stop and take a photo - the sea is an amazing colour! New Year was fun, spent chilling by the sea, swimming in the warm waters and taking it very easy. There are some more photos on my Flickr site.