Argentina Trip: Day 6

We finally got up in time to eat  the breakfast they serve at the hotel.  After packing things up and checking out, Patricia picked us up around 10:30 am and we went to her house for second breakfast (máte and facturas). About an hour later, we went to Emilio's house (uncle on mom's side-Are) and ate lunch.  Walking through the front door was pie comedy;  there was literally a line of about 6 dogs and puppies and 4 cats.  Just waiting there.

Lunch consisted of around four courses of pork.  It was delicious.  People kept funneling in as we ate.  They have three or four kids, plus a couple friends, Miguel showed up.  Cynthia's grandparents appeared, another uncle.  It is heartwarming to see family so open and welcoming.

We stayed and chatted for a while and then walked back to Patricia's.  We spent the afternoon sitting in the front yard driving máte and sharing stories.  The sun was out and it was a beautiful day.  Cynthia and I took turns driving the moto scooter.  She because she wanted to, me to prove I could.

We wandered inside Patricia's house and the women painted fingernails and Miguel and I watched golf.  Cynthia came and got me later to meet the father of one of her friends.  He was really nice, everyone was, really.

We eventually made it to the bus terminal and there met up with the Gervazoni family, Emilio's family, and pretty much all the relative near Patricia's house.  We took pictures, said our goodbyes and got on the bus.

I'm going to miss these people.  A week ago I didn't know them.  Cynthia talked about them, but when we were planning on taking a trip to Argentina, we didn't really plan on making a stop in Resistencia.  What a mistake that would have been.  If we could do it again, I would have planned for a full week here.  Even though my head hurts from speaking Spanish so much, meeting so many new faces and trying (failing) to remember names,  it was such and awesome past few days.

I do look forward to relaxing in Mar Del Plata tomorrow,  but there will probably be a lot less memorization as I know a lot of the people already.

Right now I'm a little sick from reading subtitles on the movie playing here in our VIP seats on the bus, so until next time.

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Argentina Trip: Day 5

We got up and showered around 10:30am.  Cynthia's aunt, Patricia, picked us up with her daughter, Anna Paula, and we went to there house.  I met a ton of new people... names overload.  We ate beef empanadas (made by Peti, Patricia's other half) and they were awesome.  We also had a bunch of alfajors and a cake.  I tried helping Cynthia's uncle get his cell phone working, but failed.  Then we went to the bus terminal to get our tickets for tomorrow's trip to Buenos Aires (we leave at 8:30pm and travel through the night). 

We arrived back at Patricia's and Miguel showed up.  We drank máte and ate bread.  Another uncle showed up (Emilio) and we talked it up at Cynthia's grandparent's house for a good hour or so.

We made it back to Patricia's (two houses away, BTW) and ate a small dinner of cold empeñadas and soda.  We left for the hotel around 11:15pm.  I'm pretty beat, but it was nice to meet so many of Cynthia's friends and family. I forget how exhausting listening to another language is.  It's definitely getting better though.  But today I was trying to keep track of so many names and relations, I finally gave up.

Cynthia seems to be having a great time.  She probably wishes I wasn't here sometimes.  My Spanish isn't the greatest.

Anyway, we got back to the hotel and a longtime friend of Cynthia's dropped by with her boyfriend and we sat in the hotel lobby and chatted for an hour or so.  Then it was up to the room for máte and bed.

Until tomorrow...

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Argentina Trip: Day 4 (supplemental)

We spent the rest of the evening with Gervazoni family.  We ate leftover asado and fruit with cream for dessert.  It all tasted great.  We took a bunch of pictures and said our goodbyes.  We then got a ride back to the hotel, drank máte for a bit and then I fell asleep.

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Argentina Trip: Day 3 (supplemental)

We walked off the plane and across the tarmac to the gate.  Cynthia's biological dad, wife, and half sister met us at the airport.  It was an emotional reunion.  We stuffed our bags into the car and drove through Resistencia,  checked in at the hotel, onto Varranqueres, where they live.  We stopped at a basket and got some facturas (pastries) and met some relatives.  We spent that afternoon drinking máte and talking.  We ate dinner around ten o'clock (completely normal, forgot how late they eat dinner here) and had dessert (an awesome ice cream cake type thing).  Cynthia's aunt Patricia and Anna Paula showed up around eleven and we drove to their house and met up with Federico (Patricia's son),Miguel (Cynthia's adopted dad), Patricia's boyfriend and an uncle (Cynthia's mom's youngest brother).  Cynthia's grandmother showed up a bit later and we talked for a while.  We finally got a ride back to the hotel around one in the morning.

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