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>> Wednesday, October 27, 2010



When you've had a week of play
in Brazil and Paraguay
The homework piles up
So you take it day by day

When you have so much to say
about toucans and buffets
It's better just to wait
And absorb the present day



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Cerro Largo

>> Friday, October 15, 2010

Hey there! Last weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the weekend in Cerro Largo with Hilda's family. I took a bus almost to Piriapolís, where Hilda, her sister Raquel, and her brother-in-law Luís were waiting to pick me up. We had a lovely drive through the Uruguayan countryside, stopping briefly in the small town Mariscala to visit some family, where I met a guy form Michigan who is married and living there (random!). Green hills rolled and gauchos went riding by out the truck window. We arrived in Melo in time to visit several siblings (Hilda is one of 10 children!) and Hilda's mom. Her mom was the most animated and devout Catholic woman I have ever met. It was kind of inspirational to watch her! We spent the first night on an estancia just outside town. The experience was complete with a alpargatas drying on a wood-burning stove, drawing water from the well, drinking fresh cow milk, and having a freshly butchered sheep brought in by gauchos in the morning!
We spent our time going from house to house, visiting with family and eating treats from her sister's panadería. We also went to and Expo outside of town where we saw gauchos galore, beastly bulls, and ginormous gallinas! I bought a faja there as a recuerdo of the experience. Later, we went to the house of Juana de Ibarbourou, a famous poet from Melo. Here are a few pictures from the experience:


Dulce flanco de mi tierrapor donde remonta el día
su color y alegría
sobre llano, monte y sierra.Pago de los naranjales
que multiplican el sol;
infatigable crisol
de virtudes orientales.
La brava estirpe arachana
se desangró en tus cuchillas
para regar las semillas
fecundas de tu mañana.
¡Oh, Cerro Largo, eres bella
tierra de amor y esperanza,
por donde la vida avanza
con certidumbre de estrella!





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Paro General

>> Friday, October 8, 2010



Yesterday there was a Paro General, or General Strike in the city. Most buses and taxis weren't out, and many businesses weren't closed, but there was still a calm bustle in the city. The link above will take you to a spanish article about the strike...

Today I am going with Ilda for the weekend to visit her family in Cerro Largo, and I think it will be a good experience. I really have no idea what to expect beyond a serious Spanish workout!
That's all for now!

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La Paloma and Cabo Polonio

>> Wednesday, October 6, 2010

We spent our long weekend on the beach at La Paloma, taking a daytrip to Cabo Polonio. These cities are packed during high season, but right now they are very calm, small beach towns with a lot of personality. Our trip included: walking on the beach, picking up caracoles, constantly drinking maté, laughing really hard, befriending stray dogs, collecting firewood and enjoying the asado, looking at southern hemisphere constellations, playing in the sand dunes, mentally singing "Miren que bueno" and seeing sea lions and dead penguins.
Here is a visual summary...

La Paloma






Cabo Polonio



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