its been a great two weeks in uruguay and argentina, times filled with great beaches, dinner parties, lots of wine and more than a few really great times. Actually, this vacation thus far has far exceded my expectations, being that Ive consistently felt like ive been having a worthwhile time, even if i was just taking a nap on the front porch of our beach house, or sitting in a park watching the trees and clouds slowly move with the wind.

And tomorrow(!) i start hopefully the best part of my trip where i go up to beautiful tucumán and cafayate with gina to (of course!) have wonderful time for the new years. Im still not totally sure what were going to be up to when we´re cruzing around, but im pretty sure we´ll at least be going for swims in waterfalls, seeing some sweet desert rock formations and maybe even ride some horses. Oh yeah, i rode horses for the first time in Uruguay. On the beach. I was galloping up and over sand dunes with a pack of 6 other people; it was amazing.

Other highlights include the break-dance show i saw last night with my peace corps buddies and a few new friends from the hostel. It was a really cool time, despite the fact that the club was like an oven and i was basically soaked by the end of the night. As a side note, there are a ton of people from the bay area in BA, an almost funny ammount actually. I think out of a group of l0 that were with us last night, there were 5 people from CA, four of them from the greater san francisco area. Strange.

Another highlight was for sure the tango/dinner show which highlighted two dancers, and a couple singers. They were seriously talented, the man especially. I was totally blown away by the footwork, twirling and spinning, diping and kicking. Also, on the random note there was a family sitting at the table over that was from monterey, CA. I didnt know any of them, but still it was kinda odd. Also, as a slightly funny side note, my buddy dave and i decided to eat left over food after the show that people had left on their tables. Basically it was a cheese and meat plate and were were shoveling the cheese wedges into our mouthes while looking out for the waiters. This was a really nice place too, with people in suits and things, meanwhile me and dave are chowing down on people´s leavings. Classic.

More to come later.

presently typing away from the second floor of a hostel in the palermo neighborhood of buenos aires (BA) that has great stained glass windows and nice, "real" matresses, not a little foam pad that you have to suppliment by spreading magazines out underneath for a little extra cushioning. This is my first of 5 days in BA and ive got a pretty big schedule to get on, including the recoleta cemetary and adjoining artesinal fair today, a slew of museums and tango show tomorrow, and then maybe ill rent a bike and hit up most of the major parks to take some of the photos i keep saying that Ill take and then never do.

Im pretty excited about the cemetary today, to be quite honest. I found a map to all the graves in one of the side rooms in the hostel and the place is huge! Ive always been kinda curious about what would drive people to built a huge monument to store the body of a deceased family member. Must there at least be a little motivation on the part of the living to show off to the curious people, like myself who pass through, that their family was powerful, or that their family had money, or their family was well respected. Granted, it is also a tribute to the deceased, which has its place. But when that tribute (to use some examples ive seen in Paraguay) is a little house literaly covered in smooth shiny tile while the family has a dirt floor and crumbling walls, i have to question the rationality of it all. Well, regardless of the rationality of the place, im off to see it right now!

Ill add more later! Chau till then!

ok. ok. Things are moving along over here in Paraguay, and I dont mean the cows that have worn a trail in front of my house trying to eat my plants through the fence. What I mean is that Im going on vacation! Essentially leaving paraguay untill the begining of january for a much needed mental break from the rigors of bike riding and hydration rituals. Ill be going to uruguay and staying in a little beach town (the ocean!!) for a week, then to Buenos Aires for another week through christmas, and then off to the next exciting segment of my trip in northern argentina. As i pass the days flying kites and eating cheap, delicious food, the moment may arrive when I find myself sitting at an internet café. At that point, i will update this page so as to not forget later what had been going on around me. Till then! Chau!