Feliz Navidad!
We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. We miss all our friendsand family very dearly and hope that you are spending this holiday seasonwith the people you love.
So you may wonder what we are doing for Christmas. Well, after a 3 hour boat ride to Colonia, Uruguay and a week at the beach in La Paloma, we have arrived in Rivera, Uruguay, on the border of Brasil (which we have crossed over to on several occasions), to spend a week at the ever so generous Falk compound (dear friends of ours from the states). We arrived on Sunday and have been given the grand tour of Rivera. It has been a very special visit for us as it is so very special to spend Christmas with such good friends when so far away from home. We have settled in nicely, now if only there was snow. There will be more to come on our stay in Rivera and our travels through Uruguay, so stay tuned.
We’re alive and doing very well. We’re still best friends and aren’t tired of each other yet. We’ve learned A LOT and lost a little. We’ve had more colds traveling than we’ve ever had in one year, but nothing that’s kept us down for too long. We’ve traveled through 3 countries, 14 cities/towns and endured countless hours on buses. With all that we’ve done, we are still only nearing the mid-point of our trip – and I think we may have saved the most adventurous part for 2010.
Since the middle of August, we have spent a total of 9 weeks studying Spanish, we have a fairly decent grasp of the grammar, now we just need to practice so that we speak correctly and also increase our vocabulary so we can communicate more clearly. We have met some really tremendous Argentines and we have really enjoyed their hospitality and curiosity. We have also met so many interesting travelers along the way. Everybody has a story to tell and an opinion to share.
It’s very possible that we’ve not only gained some life experience, but also have gained some weight (not just the knowledge we’re carrying around in our head). The food has been AMAZING! What’s really amazing is that one of the best steaks we’ve had in Argentina was found in a small Welsh community. And by far…the best empanadas are at Casa de las Empanadas in the tiny little town of Cafayate (which we visited twice). Now of course, these are only some small highlights.
We have had a blast and have seen much of what there is to see in central and northern Argentina. This is a very large country and we have crisscrossed the country on comfortable (and semi-uncomfortable), long-distance buses (20+ hours).
In case you haven’t been following the blog very closely, here are a couple highlights from the past few months:
- Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdes
Also, you can check out our photos here.
We pray for safety in your travels and may you experience the blessings of peace, joy and happiness in your homes this Christmas Season. Feliz Navidad!
