I like it when birds hop. Horses are strong.

Okay- just give me un segundo para explicar the title of this blog. Basically, I spent the last week with my mother and it was amazing. I would say something like "I like it when little birds hop." And my mom would laugh. And I would say, "why are you laughing at me?" And she would say, "Horses are strong." A little anecdote to let you see into the life of emily and chris as the Buenos Aries traveling duo. Mom has always been a good travel buddy, but it is rare that we actually *travel* together, if you will- and without other company. My mom probably thought I would drive her insane so brought others along, but regardless- we had a great time, and it really was the first time that we had done a trip- not just a drive from/to San Diego and back- with just the two of us. I could not have asked for a better present. Now, as she waits in the airport to leave from BA and I sit in my room and mope because she is gone, I will just talk about what a great time we had. I have had three weeks in my life that I can remember as the best of them all- and until this past one, it was only two. So thank you mom, for coming, and thank you oh great power of god or jesus or virgin mary or allah- for having the viaje go smoothly and great. On the sidelines, i went to Iguazu falls a few weekends ago- and that was great, but it quite possibly rained more than I have ever been rained on in my life- so...after I went, Mother decided she wanted to go, too. So we did in in a day. But- I digress, I will start at the beginning. She arrived at the airport early morning on Friday- we started the day by going to a bakery that we later christened as our own and made it a regular breakfast place, and then napped for a bit because mom was tired and her poor ankles...well- ask her about that if you really want to know. ha. Anyways, we ended the day with a tango show, which was unlike anything that I have ever seen. It was more of a legitimate *show* than anything else, and the dances were combined with a play like thing...I couldn't always understand it, and half because I couldn't hear, and half because my spanish is shabby- but it was amazing, and mom had a blast. Which is what mattered. Buenisimo. Saturday we went to the Recoleta fair and bought all sorts of little trinkets, and then followed that with Manzana de las Luces. This is a sort of place for "the enlightened" and it takes up a city block- and it even has catacombs! Which quite possibly were the most exciting part. I really couldn't tell you exactly when we went to La Boca- but we did and I got some great pictures, along with going to a museum that my mom really loved because it had this artist that apparently explained how she felt some days. You will have to ask her how she felt about that as well. Funny story here, promise. The door here is from Boca, as well as the first picture of us. We spent a day at La Estancia on Monday- the same from before, but saw lots more animals, including some really funny pigs and baby lambs. Iguazu on Wednesday was gorgeous in the sun, but the humidity we had to swim through, and that was mildly miserable, but the falls are amazing- rain or shine. However, a day trip to Iguazu is not something that I would recommend- for two reasons. One solely because there is too much to see and you cannot possibly do it all in a day, and second that it was purely and utterly exhausting. Regardless- it was great. The falls are mesmerizing and to be in the presence of something that powerful and so natural...and twice in two weeks! Also saw more animals here- tortugas included. Also an alligator, lots of mariposas, cotis (sp?)...and a funny lizard thing. Although the butterflies were a little too plentiful for my liking... they would land on you and hang out and they sort of remind me of moths and thus creep me out just in the slightest. So as long as I didn't have to feel their little legs walking all over me, they were great to take pictures of. Thursday we watched the mothers walk around Plaza de Mayo- and that was powerful and the woman are my heroes. I cannot explain the dedication that they have to their children- although now it is more about agricultural reform than anything else, and they use their fame and their notability to make a difference in modern day issues, for some of them it will always be about their lost children. And they will always be lost...and every week they are reminded of it. Some woman were smiling, greeting each other with the typical argentine kiss on the cheeck, but if you looked closely, it was not difficult to isolate the moments of pain that they still felt. And this, in itself is a type of beauty so rarely found that it was all that I could do to try and capture it. I now wear a pendant of the scarf around my neck as a reminder that if they can be that dedicated and that apt to social change and forever remembering their children, I can keep dedication to anything. Spending the day in Colonia was just as magical as always, I swear that place has some sort of calming element to it. However-little did I know that Uruguayan time is one hour ahead of Argentine time. Good thing my mom is paranoid or we would have missed the boat! Sheesh! Oh well, we made it and *then* I left my wallet on the boat so we went backwards through customs...and no one stopped me...this worries me just in the slightest, and found it. And then bussed it home. Which was great. The apartment we stayed in was perfect for our stay. Just the right size, and even included a wine bottle opener so we didn't have to worry about that. Today- the last day (weepy me), we went over to the San Telmo street fair- I bought some new shoes and a few little other regalos for some people. And that was it. Ya está. It was so great and wonderful to have my mother here I cannot possibly explain it. But I have some excellent pictures and those will probably be the best way to do it.

I wrote the above the night my mom left but for some reason decided not to post it. So here it is, finally and a picture of a cotee.? And here are the links to some more pictures via facebook- wonderful week with Mom and also some more pictures from Plaza de Mayo. Chau, todos. Un beso grande.