Camacho Watcho

Most people think that living in Minnesota is nine months of unbearable cold and three months of unbearable hot, humid weather. Add to that statement brisk, clear fall days and cool, wet spring afternoons and that more accurately describes Minnesota weather. But this does not mean that the weather is bad, it is the extremes in weather that make each season uniquely its own for enjoyment.

While I do enjoy each season in its own right, what I want to talk about is summer. Minnesotans love the summer. It is inevitable that if it is a nice day, most Minnesotans will be outside enjoying life…exercising, lounging around, doing water sports, you name it. But one of the favorite weekend activities for Minnesotans is going north to a cabin for a weekend getaway.

We were recently talking to some friends from Atlanta, describing this “going north” concept and they said, “isn’t Minnesota north enough already?” I had never thought of it like that before. And yes, that is true that Minnesota is pretty far north, but if you journey just a bit farther you will find a cabin subculture where Minnesotans go to play.

This past weekend was the scene for an annual cabin party event with good friends. Each year 15-20 friends gather at a cabin just outside Alexandria for good times. We eat, drink, ski, tube, play games, laugh…I won’t go any further in describing the weekend than that. (Although there are many a good story to be told). We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, marriages (Way to go Luke and Georgann for spending the first part of your honeymoon with us this year!), and friendship. It’s a tradition that has lasted 10 years and will hopefully last for a long time to come.

So when you think of Minnesota weather, don’t just picture the cold, winter days. Think of all the Minnesotans up north on a lake in the summer, drinking a cold beer and hanging out with good friends.

Yikes! That does sound like an odd name for a post, but look at the picture…it’s a Big Papa Pickle, what can I say? You might be wondering where I acquired such a big pickle and that, my friend, is a fine story indeed.

Kyle went to Chicago awhile back and decided that he needed to bring me a gift. That does sound sweet, doesn’t it? In reality, he and our friend Jeff thought this big pickle was pretty darn funny when they saw it in a gas station in Chicago and then decided that I was destined to have this pickle brought home to me. You might wonder how Kyle got this pickle from Chicago to Minneapolis, given the restrictions on carrying liquids onto an airplane. Let’s just say that putting a bag containing a big pickle through the security checkpoint sounds like it was quite an interesting scenario.

At the airport the woman at the checkpoint took Kyle’s bag aside, rummaged through, and pulled out…you guessed it…the Big Papa Pickle. With a brow raised and a smirk on her face, she told Kyle that he couldn’t bring the pickle through. To which Kyle responded, “but it’s just pickle juice.” Apparently that somehow worked because just hours later Kyle was safely in Minneapolis, with the Big Papa Pickle.

This pickle sat in our refrigerator until this past Friday night. We had some friends over to grill before the Twins game and thought that it was the perfect situation to break out Big Papa. We boiled some brats in beer and finished them on the grill. Our toppings were diced ketchup, mustard, diced onions, pepper rings, and spears of the Big Papa Pickle. Overall I think the pickle really added something to the brat. I love the crunch of a pickle spear alongside a brat or hot dog.

In hindsight, however, I do wish I had done some research before planning my meal. Although Van Holten’s manufactures their ‘pickle-in-a-pouch’ in Wisconsin, this particular pickle grew up in Chicago. Had I considered that before I would have looked into the true Chicago-style hot dog and definitely would have gone with that theme to make Big Papa feel right at home…on a Chicago-style dog.

I’ve lived in Minnesota for almost eight years now, so the weather trends should not surprise me anymore. But each year as Spring rolls around, I continue to be astounded and perplexed by the daily variations to the weather.

Case in point: I recall a few years ago when we had a couple 80 degree days around April 15th and the very next week we had two inches of snow.

It’s not that the snow is that bad, but what I find is that my skin is a little thinner in the Spring, less tolerant of the wind and cold. Whereas I might have ventured outside mid-winter on an occasional 30 degree day in a coat with no hat or scarf, 30 degrees in the Spring feels downright cold. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we have moved past the worst of the weather this year.

Last Sunday, Kyle and I broke out the grill for the first time in the year. It was just a steak and a side green salad with a caper vinaigrette, but it was delicious. The simplicity of a grilled meal is so incredibly satisfying. I look forward to many warm summer mornings, strolling to the farmers market for fresh vegetables and then coming home and throwing those and a steak or piece of fish on the grill in the evening. I’ll sit back and relax with a chilled glass of wine in my hand. Perfection.

But first we have to get through the Spring…the forecast looks pretty steady for the rest of the month, but you know how that can go.

This past weekend took our crowd to Punta del Este…which literally translates to East Point. Punta del Este is the point at which the Rio de la Plata, which is the river that runs between Argentina and Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean meet. It is a beach paradise in Uruguay that is popular among Argentinian and Brazilian tourists and celebrities as well. And, it is amazing!

Punta del Este itself is a busy, beach city with a large casino/hotel, many boutique hotels, a beautiful port and many many beaches. The restaurants and bars are very livey and fun and the nightlife is great! Surrounding Punta del Este, both to the east and the west, are smaller beach towns that are more unpopulated and they have a remote, wonderful feeling. We were able to experience both scenes and enjoyed ourselves immensely!

We were invited to stay the weekend at the house of the director of our program. He and his wife were amazing hosts and shared their home with the eight of us who travelled there. We had a wonderful time exploring the city, going to the beaches, horseback riding, gambling at the casino and eating more than our fair share of wonderful food, including an asado and the freshest seafood!

The most amazing thing that we experienced, however, was a true Uruguayan asado at the home of our host. An “asado” is a barbecue, but the experience is truly unique, as the barbecues here are not the typical Weber variety. They are large wood-burning barbecue (parilla) outside in a brick enclosed structure. The technique of an asado is quite an art! The way the meat is actually cooked is over the embers of the fire, rather than the larger fire itself. Therefore, a large fire is started on the side of the barbecue – it is usually a typical wood here that smells fantastic when it burns – and then the fire is tended to keep it hot. The embers are reintroduced to the fire during this step to keep them all hot until they are ready to be used. Once the fire has produced enough embers, then the grill is lowered and the embers are spread out under the grill. The fire is maintained to the side and as more embers are produced and fall through the grate, they are then spread out under the grill.

The meat of the asado is truly unique as well. The saying is that “no part of the cow goes to waste”. And it’s not only the cow, there are a variety of other animals as well. The girll is filled with all types of meat and as dishes are complete, the feeding frenzy begins. The appetizers were the following: thin sausages, provolone (which is grilled over the fire in a caste iron skillet), sweetbreads, and chorizos in a bun. Then we sat down for dinner and filled half our plates with salads and then the following meats were passed: pork ribs, beef ribs, chicken, lamb, steak, and blood sausages. Typically at an asado there are also all sorts of grilled intestines, but thankfully they didn’t have them at this one…with that darned New Years Resolution of mine, I would have had to try them…gulp! After the initial passing of meat, then anything else is put back on the grill. The tradition then is that you then take your plate out to the grill and pick any other meat that you want second helpings of. Needless to say, I was still full until the following night, but it was a wonderfully unique experience!

Well, it finally happened. I got the invite to join a coworker in a Mate…and I accepted. I guess I loosely use the word “invite”, since I had been hanging around the office breakroom, asking people questions about Mate and sounding very interested until someone finally took the bait. Let’s just say, I’m not too subtle. However, it did finally happen. And not only did I get to try Mate, but he took the time to show me how he prepares it and to talk about the traditions.

So, first of all, the preparations. The first thing I learned is that there is a formal name for the gourd itself – porongo. Luis, my coworker, told me that every morning and every afternoon, he scoops the used Mate herb out of the porongo and then he performs certain steps in preparation for the next use. First, he poured the herb into the porongo from a large bag, resembling a 5 pound bag of flour, filling it about three quarters full. He then pushed the top half over to one side of the porongo and then poured a little cold water into the lower side of the herb and then a little hot water in as well. This, apparently, is important. I asked him, so you pour medium temperature water in? He said no, you pour cold and then hot…hmmm…Anyway, then you let this sit for 5-6 minutes. Once that has steeped, then the Mate is ready for the morning drinking. To drink the Mate, you simply pour hot water from the thermos and into the porongo, mashing it around a bit with the straw. Then you drink. You do this all morning and then you empty and prepare it again for drinking it all afternoon. I asked him how much Mate he drinks during the workday and he said he refills his thermos 2-3 times during the day…he refills the thermos that many times!

So, what was my experience? I liked it! And it is definitely caffeinated. Whenever you ask someone here what Mate tastes like, they simply say “bitter.” I don’t really think I would describe it that way, but perhaps that is because I drink a lot of coffee and I don’t take sugar or cream it in. I thought the taste was very earthy and rich, like a concentrated green tea that leaves a powdery, thick, mixed-herb flavor after taste in your mouth. Sounds yummy, huh? It actually was quite good, just different from anything I’ve tasted before. So, I took a sip and then another. At that point, I pushed the porongo back for him to drink, but he said that no, the tradition is that he poured it for me, so I have to finish it. I would have to continue drinking it until the straw makes a slurpy noise, indicating that the water is all gone. I did not want to offend, so what choice did I have? I slurped. At that point, given that it was just before lunch and I had had an espresso about half hour earlier, the caffeine kicked in. Wow.

You’ll notice in my pictures that he made me hold the porongo and the thermos, as a Uruguayan does – porongo in one hand and the thermos tucked in under that same arm. That was my Mate experience. I can now leave Uruguay a happy person, as I shared a Mate with a friend, in true Uruguayan fashion.

I’ve been down here awhile and I haven’t really addressed the cost of living issue down here compared to the US. So, what is the situation? Before coming here, I definitely go the impression that it would be dirt cheap to eat, drink and socialize. Being here for awhile, I would say it is part true…depending on choice. How so? I’ll tell you….

The first thing to note when talking about costs is the odd exchange rate of the US dollar compared to the Uruguayan peso. Right now the rate is about 22:1. Makes for quite an easy translation on the fly, right? It’s so interesting to be carrying around 100 or 200 peso bills, when in actually they are worth roughly $5 or $10. While this is strange, I will note that Chile’s exchange rate is even more bizarre. There, the exchange rate is about 500:1. There is always this odd feeling when you translate upon payment….”let’s see, 1,000 pesos is $2, therefore 14,000 pesos equals $7″….of course.

But back to Uruguay. In general, public transportation, entertainment, hotels, services (haircuts, etc) and most foods are very affordable. What’s expensive is clothing! Actually, this pertains only to clothing bought in a store (vs. bought in one of the many markets), because that clothing is taxed heavily with import taxes. So, this is good and bad for me….at least it helps to not tempt me into too much shopping. I had to escape to Argentina for that!

So, what is the standard of living around here? Here are some sample costs that I have incurred:
Basket of Laundry (which is actually all my laundry) – cleaned and delivered to my hotel room = 85 pesos (approx. $4)
Haircut = 100 pesos (approx. $5)
Bottle of Wine – Normal bottle of average wine bought in a store = 120 pesos (approx. $6)
Bottle of Wine – Normal bottle of average wine bought in a restaurant = 240 to 300 pesos (approx. $10-$15)
15 minute taxi ride across town = 85 pesos (approx. $4)
Bus fare = 13.5 pesos (approx. $.45)
Sit down lunch including entree and beverage = 120 to 150 pesos (approx. $6-$8)
Sit down dinner including entree, dessert and wine = 200 to 500 pesos (approx. $10-$25) – obviously varies by restaurant
Ticket to Barro Negro = 150 pesos (approx. $6)

But I want to rewind…to the $5 haircut. You cannot imagine my surprise at this! In the US, I go to a hair salon…a very nice, but certainly not the snootiest salon on the block. My hair takes about 1 hour total and costs me $60 (including tip). I went to a hair dresser that was recommended to me here. Granted, the place was not wafting with the scents of Aveda – rosemary and mint prickling your nose. Nor, did it come with the lounging table that you relax on while you hair is being washed. I also did not receive a head massage that usually nearly puts me to sleep and makes drool after a long day at work. BUT, in 15 short minutes and for the bargain price of 150 pesos (total including tip…I felt too bad about such a small price), I got a fantastic haircut. I literally, stood up from my chair and asked her how much and couldn’t believe my ears.

I’ve recently also had dinners that have completely surprised me. For instance, I went to dinner with three friends just two night ago. We ordered meals, a few beers and a bottle of wine. The bill was $50 total. Wow. You just can’t beat it. The one area for improvement would be the service with drinks. It’s easy to find yourself stranded with an empty wine glass. My tip is to always order another glass (if you think you want one) when the waiter comes around. You’re just not sure when the next time they show their face may be.

Another thing to mention about the cost of living in Uruguay is the art of tipping. Tipping on food is customary – you usually tip around 10% for food, which definitely feels cheap for us Norte Americanos. It’s also interesting that tipping for taxis is not necessarily standard. You are told to round up to the nearest peso, but that doesn’t exactly make sense to me and generally doesn’t result in much of a tip (usually on 5 or 6 pesos). My friends and I have generally been tipping between 10 to 20 pesos. This seems to really brightened their day and we get an emphatic “Muchas gracias! Chau!” I know that when you go to other countries, you should abide by their customs, but in this case, the extra dollar just seems worth it. The taxi drivers can be so nice. They are very patient as you struggle to speak a lick of Spanish and are always asking questions about why you’re here, do you miss your family, what is the US like? It kind of makes my day, too, to get a good taxi driver.

I think you get the picture of the costs down here. Knowing this, hopefully it helps explain why all I’ve been doing since getting here is working, eating, drinking, dancing and sleeping. Food and drink are cheap and are fantastic as well. I’m assuming I’ll have a total culture shock when I return home and go to my first restaurant. First of all, I’m certain they will insist I order upon sitting down. And then they will bring me my bill before I even have a look at the dessert menu. I’ll be shocked when they bring the bill as I’m still enjoying my entree. And the kicker will be the expectation to receive a 20% tip. The nerve!

We hit Santiago de Chile in one day…but we hit it hard! We were physically in the city of Santiago for about 20 hours and in that time we did all the sightseeing, eating, shopping, salsa dancing and sleeping that we could. Now that I think about it, we salsa danced for the same amount of time that we actually slept!

So, I will rewind a bit. A couple of friends and I went to Chile for the weekend, spending one day in Santiago and then on to Vina del Mar the next day. I’ll concentrate on Santiago de Chile today and will write about Vina del Mar another day. Chile is such a beautiful country! I am really hoping to go back sometime to spend more time and to explore more of Chile, as it has so much to offer! To get there from here, you fly over the Andes mountain and I must say, that is quite an experience. I know there are many mountain ranges and I’ve flown over many in my lifetime, but this was different. The experience simply left me in awe.

Santiago de Chile is just over the Andes mountains and is a sprawling city, bustling with activity. Full of culture, it has a wonderful mix of neighborhoods, plazas, green spaces and new and historic buildings that make you wonder if you could ever really experience all is has to offer. Believe me, however, we tried! Our sighteeing led us from the Plaza de Armas to Mercado Central and up into the hills overlooking the city below and back again.

The afternoon began with lunch in the Plaza de Armas. There is a restaurant there, anonymous to the public, as it is unmarked and located in an upper floor of one of the buildings surrounding the plaza. Entering was a maze, even for our friend who had eaten there a number of times. Once inside and upstairs, you enter a plain looking door and find yourself standing inside an apartment. The restaurant is literally inside an apartment and is actually a place of business, where the dark, ornate office is an actual working office for someone and you can eat in any of the rooms, including the man’s office! We ate a simple meal, from a simple menu, but it was quite tasty and we certainly had a lovely view of the plaza below. We ordered “special tea”, which is actually wine served in ornate tea cups. They do not actually have a liquor license, but do they serve the tastiest of “teas”! After lunch, we went on with our exploring, wandering through the pedestrian streets and trying local favorites such as a peach and corn sweet drink that was quite interesting.

Then we were on to Mercado Central, which is the sister market of El Mercado del Puerto in Montevideo, but is focused on seafood instead of asado (grilled meat). The structure is essentially the same and is so beautiful, with its tall ceilings and ornate windows. By the time we arrived, the bustle of lunch was over, however, we still took time to meander among the fish mongers, fruit stands and restaurants. Every kind of fish and sea creature you could imagine lay on display; similar, yet different, from the scene at Pike’s Market in Seattle. The difference is that these fish mongers are all business. They are serious about their fish. As serious as I was about wanting to eat Chilean seabass that night….but I’ll get to that part later.

After Mercado Central, we went to Parque Metropolitano to ride the funicular up into the hills overlooking the city. The view from the top is truly a sight to behold. I would recommend this part to everyone who visits Santiago. As expected, the first platform that you arrive to upon leaving the funicular is very touristy. But, this does not distract from the urban sprawl set amongst the distant mountains that you gaze upon from there. Truly beautiful. however, the truly special sight to experience is to climb the stairs to the sanctuary just above the overlook. The sanctuary is an outdoor church with pews set among garden rows and a small chapel just off to one side. Above the sanctuary, and overlooking the entire city, is a 72 foot statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, a porcelain white presence set against the clear blue sky.

Leaving the sanctuary, you have the option to ride the teleferico (cable car) across the park and down the other side of the hill, which we chose to do. Floating through the trees, suspended above Santiago, is definitely a must-do when visiting this city. Each cable car seats only four people which makes the experience very intimate and peaceful. The few times we did talk during this ride, our voices were just a whisper, each of us feeling overwhelmed at the beauty and respectful of the experience itself.

That night, we met some friends for dinner at a Peruvian restaurant called “El Otro Sitio”. To celebrate the evening, we started out with a local Chilean drink called a Pisco Sour. I’m not sure what exactly is in this drink, but it was tart, sweet and frothy and very delicious! The perfect start to a very fun evening. For appetizers, we ordered fresh fish ceviche and scallops baked in parmesan cheese. For the main entree, I had Chilean seabass with tomatoes and onions and of course, to complement this perfect meal, we had a bottle of Chilean wine. When I said that Chile had a lot to offer, I meant a lot to offer! Not only is there a plethora of activities to do in Chile, but the food and wine are reasons to visit in and of themselves.

What better way to spend the rest of the evening than in a salsa club, dancing the night away! We danced, watched salsa demonstrations and listened to the live band until it was time to go home and sleep a couple hours in preparation for our adventures the next day. As my travel partner and friend Holly says once we’ve explored and done everything we can in a new city, “Santiago de Chile….check!”

As we recall, Starbucks created the coffee phenomenon in the US with their tall non-fat sugar-free vanilla lattes (or whatever your drink of choice is). In Uruguay there is a similar phenomenon but one that has been around for much longer than Starbucks. This phenomenon is mate (pronounced like latte “mah-tay”).

What is mate? The short of it is that mate is a caffeinated drink made from an herb, looking like a form of loose leaf tea. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. In Uruguay, mate is a way of life. The interesting part is that, unlike Starbucks to-go cups, mate is drank from a device that is anything but disposable. I will explain…

There are several components necessary for drinking mate. The first is the herb mate itself. As a mentioned before this looks like a loose leaf tea. Actually mate is drank in many parts of South America and the industry is huge. Second, there is the cup that holds the herb. The cup is made from a hollowed gourd and is “seasoned” rather than cleaned between uses to enhance the flavor each time it is used. Third, there is the straw. The straw looks like a regular straw except that it is either silver or stainless steel and one end of the straw is closed and flattened with tiny holes, acting as a strainer. Last, there is the thermos. The thermos can be a regular old thermos or some people have beautiful, leatherbound ones. Regardless of the decoration, the thermos contains the hot water needed to steep the herb mate. The pictures below show all the different parts of equipment. These are sold everywhere in markets around Montevideo.

So how does this all work? The herb mate goes into the gourd (I won’t dwell on this part, but apparently there is much preparation and care in this act), the straw goes into the herb mate, the hot water is poured in and you drink.

I’m sure this sounds insignificant, but it is anything but here because it truly is part of their way of life. Mate, and all the indisposible equipment, goes everywhere with everyone – work, home, shopping, the futbol game, waiting for the bus – everywhere. All these places, you see people with a thermos tucked under one arm and the mate gourd in that same hand. Case in point, see the picture below, taken at the Uruguay v. Bolivia game. I have tried to get other pictures of mate drinking in other strange places, but I have felt awkward taking pictures of people while shopping, so you’ll need to use your imaginations for the others.

In Uruguay, there is actually a law against driving and drinking mate because of the hot water scalding issues. Can you imagine if we were prohibited from drinking our Starbucks while driving in the US – oh the horrors!!!! I have a goal to try mate before I leave Uruguay. I say it is a goal, because in order to try it, you must find someone who is willing to share with you. Once I have made friends and tried it, I will report back…until then, cheers to caffeine, in whichever form you prefer!

Disclaimer: I am using Starbucks as a representative of coffee chains across the US. This does not indicate a preference to Starbucks, as I actually prefer Caribou lattes and Dunn Bros. brewed coffee the best.

You may be aware of my love of eggs. If you are not, this is important to this story. I love eggs. On a Saturday morning, if I roll out of bed and am in a bad mood, Kyle takes one look at me and says, “we’re going to breakfast.” A few cups of coffee and a Saturday scrambler later and I’m ready to face the day. I don’t know why this is, but it is the way I am. Breakfast here has generally been toast, yogurt and fruit. I like this breakfast, but as I said before, I’m an egg kind of girl.

This past Saturday, we were driving along and noticed a place for breakfast. With visions of eggs with feta, tomato and onion in my head, I agreed to meet the group in the morning to walk over and feast. We had decided to meet at 10:00am, as that was early enough but not too early for around here. We met at the set time and arrived at the restaurant about 20 minutes later. The day was beautiful, so we sat outside and opened the menu. There it was – omelettes, pancakes, and fruit…oh my! I had decided on an omelette, and was choosing which one when the waiter stopped by. As we started to order, he interrupted us by saying that they do not serve eggs, pancakes or anything hot for breakfast until noon. NOON! Really?

The reason for this can be described by walking you through a typical day…wake up, go to work (in by 9am or so), work, eat lunch (around 1 or 1:30), work some more, leave work (between 6-7pm) and go home, work out or surf the internet or shop, eat dinner (usually around 9 or 10pm – and we are always the first ones to the restaurants), go home, more internet or reading, go to bed (between 12:30 – 1:00am). That is a weekday. On the weekends, dinner is more like 10:30 -11pm and you go to bed even later. Those who really are into the “going out” scene, begin their nights at the clubs around 2:00am and they dance until 7:00am when they have breakfast and then go to bed. What bewiders me is the time between coming home from work and eating dinner. This seems to be a lot of time, but who am I to question? People here seem to live life with balance and vigor, enjoying family, work and hobbies to their fullest. Perhaps this is a better way of living…or, in the case of my egg story, perhaps not.

Back to the omelette…needless to say, we had our usual breakfast that day – croissants, yogurt and coffee. I am sure I will find my breakfast eggs around here somewhere, but if not…that is the first thing I am eating when I get back home. Birchwood Cafe…here I come!

I have arrived! Five weeks from my original blog post and now I am here! The trip went well and I feel I have a lot to tell, but I will attempt to be somewhat brief.

I arrived here safely although delayed by 3 hours. Not bad for a multi-connection, 12 hour trip. The trip to Miami was very good. I managed to sleep 6 hours (thanks to my new travel comforts) and not leave my seat. We landed in Buenos Aires and I experienced my first cultural difference. Upon landing, the passengers all applauded the pilots! It makes perfect sense – we put our lives in their hands and they deliver us safely at our destination. They deserve a round of applause. I like it!

The Buenos Aires airport is very nice, clean and commercial. Although many international terminals are commercial with their duty-free stores, this one is particularly impressive with its lighted promenade of goods ranging from perfume and chocolate to golf clubs, diamonds, crystals and cars. These are all displayed by model-esque women in bright, scant outfits. Of course, I immediately got out my camera and took a picture and then was promptly informed by a uniformed security officer that pictures are not allowed. Cultural lesson numero dos. I did get the one picture, which is below, although it’s not as impressive of a picture as it is in reality.

The next interesting thing that happened was before boarding my flight to Montevideo. They made an announcement at the departure gate and suddenly all the passengers stormed the podium. I knew they had not announced the flight yet, so I was curious as to what the commotion was about. The man had announced that a snack was being served – soda and sandwiches. While this does not seem interesting, what I was intrigued about was the type of sandwiches. Apparently sandwiches are a hot commodity here, and not just any sandwiches, I will describe. They are essentially Wonderbread (without the crust), meat (bologna is my best guess) and a cheese like substance (somewhat like velveeta). I tried one and it was okay, so I did not understand the hype. However, since arriving in Montevideo, I have visited a grocery store and these same sandwiches are displayed in the prepared food section (the specialty food kiosks in the deli area) and apprear to be quite popular. I am still intrigued, although I have no desire to eat anymore.

The 29 minute flight to Montevideo was uneventful and we landed amidst another applause for the pilots. I was greeted by a new coworker and we went to the hotel. I did a little exploring yesterday. I found a mall, some restaurants, the money exchange and some banks. All in all it was a good trip and I am excited to be here!

Today was my first day at work. Everyone is very nice and very helpful, although I know they wish I knew more Spanish. I will need to learn quickly. I met all my coworkers (all 80 or so who were there today) and greeted them in their custom – right hand on their left shoulder and one kiss on the right cheek. This is followed by an “encantada!” or “mucho gusto”!

I will stop there for now, but I will include one quick picture (I apologize as I know it is fuzzy). This is the view from a conference room in the office onto the Plaza de Independencia. I plan to explore this much more this weekend and will include more details. It is truly beautiful and is a center of business, shopping and restaurants. The statue you see is of General Jose Gervasio Artigas, father of Uruguay and the leader of its independence movement.

The last cultural lesson of the day is how they say good-bye…it is not “adios”, as expected, rather it is “chau!” pronounced similar to the Italian “ciao”, as most people are descendents of Italy and Spain.

Buenos noches y chau!